Forum Activity for @tmc-chase

Nashville Superspeedway off the NASCAR schedule

General

As a middle Tennessean who cut his racing teeth at the fairgrounds, I just never warmed to the Superspeedway. In its 10 years of existence, I went to 1 Busch race and 1 Indy qualifying session. That's it. I had zero emotional attachment to it despite living only about a 1/2 hour from it.

Part of it is likely age and part of it is I don't like being played like a fool. When Hodgdon messed up Gary Baker, Lanny Hester and others at the fairgrounds, NASCAR walked. When (grit my teeth) Darrell Waltrip, Joe Caldwell & others supposedly had NASCAR committed to returning, Nashville's fair board screwed 'em over to get extra few pennies from beer sales. The leasing team that took over promised "NASCAR Winston Racing" would return - not Cup. But the morons on the fair board had no idea about the difference - they just wanted the extra cut. Sure enough, Winston Racing returned but not Cup. We did have the short run of Busch races, but the shortsightedness of the fair board unquestionably killed that track - and is still holding it by the short & curlies today.

As for Dover & McGlyn, I really don't know that bunch well. I'm going to Dover in October for the 1st time for 3 reasons: (1) it looks like I'm going to meet The King (2) I've never been and (3) did I mention I'm GOING TO MEET THE KING.

Those guys took a business risk. They rolled the dice of a "build it and they will come" strategy. Apparently to Dave's point, McGlyn must not be a great biz guy. One, tracks had already been snatched up by ISC or SMI - everyone else was living on borrowed time. Two, 5 years ago when the NASCAR market was at its peak, Dover should have auctioned off its whole portfolio and made its shareholders whole. They would have been crucified for it by racing purists. But economically, it would have made the most sense.

Instead, they'll likely have to sell Nashville to ISC at a Craigslist price. And they'll be drawn and quartered by NASCAR for their 2 dates that will likely go to SMI's Vegas and a TBD ISC race.

The Pettys' Pull Pushed Derrike Cope to Big Time

General

Well, I'll be dog. Our own Scott Baker had an image of the car - albeit without the STP / 43 markings - the whole time. Never knew it. Great find.

The Pettys' Pull Pushed Derrike Cope to Big Time

General

The more I've studied pics of this car over the last few years and talked to a few folks about it, I think it was white on top and more of a muted orange on the bottom vs. Petty blue and day-glo "red". I'm thinking it was a Hershel McGriff Pontiac in the colors he frequently used.

(McGriff's car at Nov 1984 Riverside race as shared by Dennis Garrett here . Probably the same Pontiac King drove at Seattle.)

And here is McGriff's colors a couple of years later on the Pontiac GP 2+2.

updated by @tmc-chase: 02/17/17 03:50:26PM

The Pettys' Pull Pushed Derrike Cope to Big Time

General

Bringing this discussion back to life. The good folks at Randy Ayers posted this link a day ago to several, fantastic photos from the [ 1984 Stroh's 200 in Seattle ]. Dave Fulton - several good 'uns of your 7-11 cars of Cope and Kyle Petty are there as well.

The Pettys' Pull Pushed Derrike Cope to Big Time

General

I've been a Petty fan since the mid 70s, and never did I think I'd find a link between them and Derrike Cope (other than the 1990 Firecracker 400 lap 1 crash between King, Cope, and Sacks). So thanks...I guess...for articulating a link I didn't think existed. LOL

However, that memory of the Seattle WW race is GOLD. I knew both RP and KP ran it. I've been trying to find pictures from the race for years. Fellow RR and Schaefer Racing Ring of Honor member, Ron Willard , hopes to build a model of the RP version.

This is the most detail I've ever read about how the Pettys were led out west. But the only pics I've ever found of their cars from that race are these two - and they're not the greatest resolution. I think that is Cope's 95 just behind Richard.

It Really is a Small World of Racing Acquaintances

General

Great stories.

1986 Hayride 500

Stock Car Racing History

Images sourced from on-line newspaper archives are very hit & miss in terms of quality. In this case, Tim Richmond looks like a scarecrow from a midwestern corn field.

1986 Hayride 500

Stock Car Racing History

Update: August 1, 2014 represents the 28th anniversary of the Hayride 500. The rigs of NASCAR's teams left Charlotte Motor Speedway with the blaring of air horns on Friday, August 1, 1986.

From  Gadsden Times

From The Dispatch   of Lexington NC

updated by @tmc-chase: 07/26/17 12:13:58PM

1986 Hayride 500

Stock Car Racing History

The Myers Bros. award may be the single remaining classy thing about NASCAR anymore. Except for Norris Friel, I'm familiar with everyone (company) on that list. And there's nothing but winners amongst 'em. Well, there is that Helton feller not quite 10 years ago. Nope - I'm not going to go there.

1986 Hayride 500

Stock Car Racing History

25 years ago this year...

Following the July 27, 1986 race at Talladega, several NASCAR drivers including Tim Richmond, Phil Barkdohl, Richard Petty, and others mobilized the Hayride 500.

Picture from my collection. Thanks to RR's Jerry Bushmire for supplying the article that I once had.

updated by @tmc-chase: 04/12/18 05:21:17PM