Thanks Tim, I could make a book of people like you that meant the world to him. He never met a stranger. His life was a lot like mine and yours of "living in the past, whenracing was really fun". He spoke highly of you. Thank you for all you do too. Charles
This is going to be one of the hardest posts I have ever made. Tonight we lost one of the best friends, historians, and supportersthat racing has ever had. Tommy Gurley has lost his battle with cancer. I left Serenity Hospice House inMooresvilletonight around 7:30, and Tommy passed away about 8:30.
Tommy was the person you would see when you walked in the front door of Memory Lane Museum. He would always love to call me and tell me who had come by that dayand shared their stories with him about the best days of racing.I was never able to stump him on any racing trivia question.
I have been very close friends with him since 1970. He decided he wanted to beinvolvedin racing in some capacity as a career. He first went to work as a show car driver forthe Bill Elliott team about 1985. He continued to work for various Cup teamsover the years. He spent a few years with the Mello Yellow team of Kyle Petty. He used to brag to me how he could sign Kyle's autograph to satisfyafan who would not leave a show without a souvenir. He then did John Andretti's Indy car show program and Davey Allison's Texaco team.. He was involved in the Days of Thunder car deal and went to California with the cars for the movie premier. His longest running team was the Tide program for drivers Darrell Waltrip, Ricky Craven, and Ricky Rudd. He continued with them until Tide ended their Cupassociation. Hehas been with Memory Lane and Sam and Alex Beam for the last several years. Hegot to be friends with many of hisracing heroes over the years andwas knownby mostall of the racing community. He was one of the organizers every yearfor the Racers Reunion tribute at Memory Lane . He was always a big supporter of my Cruise In and Racing Reunion forcancer research at my shop each October.
I will let everyone know of thefuneral arrangements when they become available. Charlie Craig
Merry Christmas to you too Jimmy. Thanks for all you do to help my charity event ( the Racing Reunion and cruise in for cancer) each year.
The red Riverside 1 was always one of the sharpest cars on the track. I helped on an ARCA team in the mid eighties and the first race we ran was at Atlanta. Standing on pit road at the old front straight and the field coming by with Lee leading at those speeds made the hair on the back of your neck stand up. He was GOOD!
Bennett and Doug Osteen were terrors in Bill Petty's 43 Camaros. They would come to Metrolina and would always put ona show. Bennett won a special show at Spartanburg Fairgrounds ona Saturday afternoon and rode up to Metrolina and won again that night. He was given a new large toolbox for the Metrolina win. Drove the car in bib overalls. Bill Connell used to say Bennett and Doug both should have bark on their arms instead of skin. "Benny", was one of the toughest I ever saw. RIP Thank you for telling us Johnny
Ervin's grandson Jamie just called me and Ervin passed away this morning at 11:44. I will let the Reunion members know as soon as arrangements are complete. Remember all his friends and family in the coming days. Charles
Ervin Carpenter has been hospitalized this week at Piedmont Medical Center in Rock Hill, S.C.Dub and I got to spend some timewithhim on Sunday. He is struggling with ongoing heart complications and the lasting effects of a recent stroke. He is very weak and on assisted breathing.
Dub just called me a few minutes ago and Ervin has been moved to Wayne T. Patrick Hospice House on India Hook Road in Rock Hill, S.C. I hope all his friends and fans here on Racers Reunion will take a second to think of him and his family. Ervin had a career in racing that anyone would envy. He has raced everything from 80 h.p. flathead coupes on dirt bullrings to tractor trailers on huge asphalt tracks. I have the honor of displaying his memorabilia in my little shop, "museum"for his family.He and therest of the Carpentersare kind enough have his trophies photos,uniforms and helmets here for all to see. My favorite piece is a picture of him in the beautiful orange number 75. He gave me thatphoto and signedit "To Charles, my friend for over 50 years" Means the world to me to be able to share inthe stories that my racing buddies tell and that are still a big part of their lives. I was very glad to have Ervin spend some time with us at my cruise in in October. He got to see a lot of his old buddies, seemed to have a good time.
Keep Brenda,Mark,Paul, Jamie and the rest of the family in your prayers as they go through this rough time. I will keep everybody updated as I get information.Charles Craig
Wishing Andy Hillenburg all the best as he works out issues with obtaining race dates for The Rock. Andy has bent over backwards to help our little t.v. show keep going and has always let us have free use of his shops, and has made us feel at home at the races he has promoted. No one is more deserving to make a go of this track than Andy. Whenhe is up and running again, we will continue to support him any way possible. Best of luck to one of the nicest and most generous people in racing. Call us if you need anything at all Andy. Charlie Craig, host of Racing Around Carolina.
Thoughts and prayers to the Pistone family. They have been involved in our sport since the very beginning.
Ervin Carpenter has been having some reoccurring health issues andhas been back at Chapel Hill. He is improving and has been moved to HealthSouth Rehab center in Rock Hill,S.C. Dub Simpson and I rode down today and spent an hour with him. He was in good spirits but was tired from the rehab he had just completed in the gym. We are hoping he will be able to attend my 5th annual cruise in and Racing Reunion on October the 12th. He is in room 304 at that facility. I hope everyone will keep Ervin in their prayers as he once again goes through rehabilitation. He was one of the most versatile race drivers to ever come along. He ran and ran well on everything from bullrings to super speedway trucks to sprint cars. He still has the love of the sport and brightens up when you ask about a certain race or car he drove. Take time to read his biography that I was privileged to write at "Ghosts of Southern Dirt Tracks" web site.
See you at my cruise in, Charlie Craig
