Forum Activity for @dargan-watts

Dargan Watts
@dargan-watts
01/25/13 04:59:25PM
38 posts

Racing's Legends Parade
Stock Car Racing History

PONCE INLET, Fla. - For the first time in many years, the City of Ponce Inlet, officials of Volusia County and Racing's North Turn Restaurant will stage a parade of vintage race cars and motorcycleson the old NASCAR beach/A1Aroadcourse.
The last race held on the beach/road course was in 1958, the year before Daytona International Speedway opened. Many of the top names in racing ground it out on the demanding 2.1-mile beach sandheading north and the asphalt on A1A going south. Some of thestars who competed on the beach/road course are: Fireball Roberts, Curtis Turner, Glenn Wood, Junior Johnson, Lee Petty, Banjo Matthews Speedy & Jimmy Thompson as well as Billy Myers.
The event will be held on Saturday, February 16th and is free to the general public and there in no entry fee for entering a car in the parade.The parade will leave from in front of the North Turn Restaurant, located at 4511 South Atlantic Avenue in Ponce Inlet at 9a.m. The parade route will follow the NASCAR race course south on Atlantic Ave (Hwy A1A) through the South Turn onto the beach.
Following the parade, race cars will be on display in the parking lot across the street from the North Turn Restaurant Invited racers and others from the Beach Racing days will be signing autographs and will be interviewed inside the restaurant. This project has taken a lot of work and the full support of the city and county in obtaining a permit to drive north on this section of the beach.
The event is open to race cars and race car replicas from model years 1958 and older. Modified cars with fenders are welcome and open-wheel race cars that date from the beach racing era are also welcome as well as motorcycles from that era.
Cars brought in by trailers and haulers are urged to unload and park the trailers and haulers at the Ponce Inlet City Hall locatedon the west side of4100 South Atlantic Avenue, which is north of the North Turn Restaurant. Cars should arrive by 7:30a.m. and should be staged for the parade in a parking lot across from the North Turn Restaurant by 8a.m. A 15-minutemandatory drivers meeting will begin promptly at 8:30a.m. This meeting is a requirement in order to obtain the permit to drive on the beach. If you miss the meeting, you will not be permitted on the beach. The parade will roll off at 9a.m.
At this time it is undetermined whether another parade will be held on the beach/road course in future years, so for what could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to follow the path of legends from the 40's and 50's era should not pass this one up.
Ponce Inlet is located 10 miles south of Daytona Beach on Hwy A1A.
For more info, please contact Bob Coolidge at 386-956-3465 or Racing's North Turn Restaurant at 386-322-3258.
Race cars and drivers competing in the 1958 Modified/Sportsman come off the beach and enter the north turn, making their way to Hwy A1A,
heading south on the beach/road course. This was the final year of racing on the beach/asphalt course. Owners of vintage modified and sportsman cars
plus motorcycles from the 40's and 50's era will have an opportunity to drive the exact same 2.1-mile course on Saturday, February 16th.
(Photo by the late T. Taylor Warren and captions by Clyde Mangum)

updated by @dargan-watts: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
Dargan Watts
@dargan-watts
01/22/13 10:19:54AM
38 posts

New Smyrna Speedway and Orlando Speedway Under NASCAR Sanction
Current NASCAR

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 18, 2013) Florida is the birthplace of NASCAR and Friday afternoon, two marquee tracks in the state joined the NASCAR family.

NASCAR and track officials announced New Smyrna Speedway and Orlando Speedway will be sanctioned tracks in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series in 2013.

New Smyrna is a half-mile banked paved oval near New Smyrna Beach 25 minutes south of Daytona and Orlando is a .375-mile banked paved oval east of the city.

Super Late Models will be NASCAR Division I at both facilities. Speedworld operates on Friday nights and New Smyrna operates on Saturdays.

Representing NASCAR at the Friday announcement at New Smyrna Speedway were Jim France, NASCAR vice chairman and executive vice president; George Silbermann, NASCAR vice president, regional and touring series; and Bob Duvall, NASCAR senior director, business development. They were joined by New Smyrna general manager Terry Roberts, Orlando track promoter Ozzy Moya, and Robert Hart, who owns both tracks.

Sanctioning New Smyrna Speedway and Orlando Speedworld is important to our NASCAR Home Tracks program, Duvall said. Partnering with two well-established race tracks in central Florida is energizing the local racing community.

These tracks are known for entertaining competition among top-notch drivers, Duvall said. With NASCAR, they have a new platform for recognition on local, state and national levels. Track owner Robert Hart created mainstays for weekly racing in Florida. We look forward to working with him and officials at both tracks.

Hart represents the second generation of his familys ownership of the facilities.

Weve enjoyed longtime friendships with folks at NASCAR, Hart said. My dad (the late) Clyde Hart was thinking about this 15 years ago. Now is the time to do it, and I have a feeling our new relationships are going to work out really well.

Moya operates Orlando Speedworld via lease from the Hart family. The two tracks will work together under the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series banner.

We spent the past year reviving and improving Lakeland Dragstrip, and were proud of what weve done there in a short period of time, Moya said. We plan to do the same with Orlando Speedworld and renew its status as one of Floridas premier short tracks. This is a great opportunity and its generating a lot of excitement.

My parents came to America from Cuba. They came here and worked hard for success, Moya said. Im following their path. Part of our promotions will be aimed at creating new race fans in central Floridas Hispanic community.

David Rogers of Orlando, won the 1994 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national championship at a former central Florida paved track. His undefeated season of 22 wins in 22 starts is legendary in NASCAR short-track racing. The 40-year racing veteran is excited about returning to NASCAR racing.

Obviously I like it, Rogers said of the new era. This is good for our tracks and for NASCAR. The racers will benefit from the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series. Theyre going to find out how important weekly racing is to NASCAR. This will work out good.

With their Division I designation, NASCAR-licensed Super Late Model drivers are eligible to compete for NASCAR Whelen All-American Series championships at the track, state and national level.

The track operators will designate support classes as NASCAR Divisions II-V and each will compete for points in the NASCAR Finalist program. The program brings added recognition to support division drivers.

Entering its 32nd season, the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series is NASCARs national championship program for weekly short track auto racing. More than 50 tracks throughout the United States and Canada participate. Asphalt Late Model driver Lee Pulliam, 24, of Semora, N.C., won the 2012 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national championship.


updated by @dargan-watts: 12/05/16 04:04:08PM
Dargan Watts
@dargan-watts
01/21/13 11:56:55AM
38 posts

Humpy Wheeler - 2013 LLOAR Pioneer of Racing Award Winner
Stock Car Racing History

January 21, 2013 Living Legends of Auto RacingFrom Dargan Watts
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla - The circus industry had its P. T. Barnum and baseball had itsBill Veeck. who owned the Chicago White Sox, and introduced the exploding scoreboard and oncehired a midget to takea turn at battingin a major league game.
These men held the honorof being the most outstanding promoters in the world until a young whipper-snapper from Belmont, N.C.who was called "Humpy"surfacedand ifhe had come along while these other two men were doing their things, "Humpy" would have put them both to shame.
H. A. "Humpy" Wheeler, Jrbegan promoting bicycle races at the age of seven and his career went from there.
Wheeler got his nickname from his father, who played football under the late great"Red" Grangeat the University of Illinois. It seems that the senior "Humpy" was a left guard on the team, but he picked up a bad habit for that era and that was smoking his Camel cigarettes. Well, his coachcaught him in theact and issued a severe punishment, which was running for 30 minutes before each and every practice. His teammatesbranded him with the nickname "Humpy", sinceCamel cigarettes had the picture ofa camel with a "hump" on each pack.
When junior was born, he automatically inherited the name of "LittleHumpy", and that name has followed him for the rest of his career.
While in high school, Wheeler played football and was also a Golden Gloves and AAU boxer, competing on the Belmont Boxing Team, which was theNo. 1 ranked team in the state of North Carolina. Wheeler compiled a record of 40-2 with 24 RSC's (referee stopped contest). In 1992, he was inducted into the Carolinas Boxing Hall of Fame. He was good enough in football to be granted a scholarship at the University of South Carolina, where he was a teammate of the late Jim Hunter, who wenton to become president of Darlington Raceway and a guru with NASCAR.
A severe back injury ended his football career, but f ollowing his graduationwith a degree in journalism from USC(the one in Columbia, S.C.), in 1961 he remained in sports by working with the Columbia The State newspaper and while there he tried his hand at racing cars on dirt tracks in Sumter, Columbia, Greenwood and other small tracks in the Columbia area. According to Wheeler, he cut his driving career short because of "lack of funds", but his wife, Pat swears it was the lack of "ability".
Following his career as a sports writer, he became a television director and followed that as a real estate manager and a dirt track racing promoter. He later served as director of racing for Firestone Rubber & Tire Co. during its most visible years in the sport.
Then the name "Humpy" became a household word in the racing circles as he showed his genius skills as a person and as a racing promoter. He became involved in the management of Charlotte Motor Speedway andquickly transformedthe 1.5-milespeedway into one of the world's leading sports facilities. Right off the bat,the new president/general manager/promoter won over the car owners, drivers, sponsors and equally important, the fans. His down-to-earth approach made believers of all involved, as there was nothing he wouldn't do to entertain the people who were paying their hard-earned money to see a good show.
The attendance continued to increase and during his tenure, the seating capacity grew from 75,000 to 167,000 and on almost any givenrace day, there would be more than 185,000 fans on the property. (There has not been a capacity crowd since Wheeler left the organization). In 1992, the track was the first modern superspeedway to host night racing with the addition of a $1.7-million lighting system. Under his direction, the speedway was also the first to offer extensive VIP suites, condominiums and extravagant pre-race entertainment. The track hosts more major events than any other motorsports facility in the world.
Wheeler was part of another motorsports first in 1995 as he and majority owner Bruton Smith went public with Speedway Motorsports, Inc. the first publicly traded motorsports company on the New York Stock Exchange,(NYSE:TRK), Today, Speedway Motorsports operates facilities in Atlanta, Bristol, Tenn., Charlotte, Las Vegas, Fort Worth, Tx., Sonoma, Calif. and Kentucky Motor Speedway. The company also provides souvenir merchandising services.
Currently, Wheeler is chairman of the Wheeler Company, a management consulting firm specializing in professional sports, motorsports and general business. He founded the company with son, Trip and daughter, Patti.
He has become well known as a book writer and his latest publication Growing Up NASCAR , Racing's Most Outrageous Promoter Tells All is by far one of the best books on racing this writer has ever read. It issold in most well-known bookstores.
Wheeler has been inducted intoeight Halls of Fame, including the International Motorsports Hall of Fame. He is also a member of Belmont Abbey Hall of Fame, the Carolinas Boxing Hall of Fame and the World Karting Hall of Fame.In 2005 he was voted into the Gaston County Hall of Fame and In 2008, Wheelerbecamea member of the American Racing Hall of Fame He was inducted into N.C. Public Relations Hall of Fame last April and was selected as a member of the N.C. Sports Hall of Fame last May. He is the holder of dozen awards, including the National Auto Racing Promoter of the Year, the N.C. Travel Attractions Award, the Charles J. Parker Award for the person who contributed the most tourism to the state of North Carolina and the Hugh Deery Memorial Award for outstanding service to the motorsports industry. The University of South Carolina honored him with the University of South Carolina Journalism Alumni Award in 2009 and in 2012 he was given the Sports Business Journal Pioneer of American Sport Award.
At its 21st annual banquet on Wednesday, February 20, the Living Legends of Auto Racing will present Wheeler with the Pioneer of Racing Award, which goes each year to the person who has done the most in promoting the sport.
Social hour will begin at 6p.m. and the banquet will follow at 7p.m. Tickets are still available and can be purchased in advance by contacting Paulette Mandala at 386-299-7343. The festivities will be held atThe Shores Resort & Spa, 2637 S. Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach Shores.

Recipients of the 2013 awards are:

Allison Family Corporate Award (In memory of Clifford & Davey): Fox Sports - Dave Hill

Dedicated Service: Don Bok (Photographer)

Distinguished Driver: Dale Jarrett (Former championship driver and presently TV commentator)

Pioneer of Racing: Humpy Wheeler (You name it and he has done it)

Russ Moyer Media: Eddie Roche (Sports Writer)

Saturday Night Hero: Billy Scott (Winner of more than 300 races..National Dirt Late Model Hall-of-Fame Inductee, 2010)

Tribute to Early Years: George and Ginny Baker (George was the first NASCAR pilot and Ginny was one of the original employees of NASCAR)

H. A. "Humpy" Wheeler, former president/general manager/promoter of Charlotte Motor
Speedway will be presented the Pioneer of Racing Award at the 21st annual Living
Legends of Auto Racing banquet in Daytona Beach, Fla. on Wednesday, February 20th.
Wheeleris a past winner ofthe National Auto Racing Promoter of the Year Award.
Wheeler was Grand Marshal of the Martinsville 500 in 1984. He is shown here with his
wife, Pat.

updated by @dargan-watts: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
Dargan Watts
@dargan-watts
01/11/13 11:33:35AM
38 posts

Living Legends of Auto Racing Saturday Night Hero
Stock Car Racing History

STORY WRITTEN BY RHONDA BECK AND DARGAN WATTS
Daytona Beach, Fla.- On Wednesday night, February 20, 2013 The Living Legends of Auto Racing will host its 21st annual awards banquet at The Shores Resort and Spa, located at 2637 S. Atlantic Avenue in Daytona Beach Shores, beginning at 6 p.m.
One of eight people being honored at this affair will be dirt track championBilly Scott of Union, S.C., who will receive the "Saturday Night Hero" award for his accomplishments in a career that spanned from 1955 until retirement in 1997. During that time, Scott chalked up more than 300 victories and numerous track championships.
In 1955, Scott and his wife, Barbara, purchased a house in Union, across the street from a race car shop owned by Robert Brock. He would help the boys work on the cars while holding down a job at Milliken Mills during the day. Back then, the cars were in-line 6's and Ford had the flathead 8. Most of the men and some women were known as "shadetree" mechanics and all of the parts came from salvage yards.
"I worked a few weeks on the cars and then I was asked if I wanted to drive one of them. That was the reason I was working on thecars,"Scott recalled. That's where his career started, ashe ran his first race that year at the near-by Beltline Speedway, driving a 6-cylinder Plymouth. There was no rookie class, so he ran with the "seasoned" veterans.
He flipped his car in five of his first seven races as he tried to circle the track with the gas peddle glued to the floorboard. The track announcer gave him the nickname of "Rollover" which stuck for many years. Scott also drove a '35 Ford that year, but won his first race the following year in a car owned by driver/car builder Sam Smith.
After six years of helping work on the cars, he was offered a ride in a car owned by J. D. Sexton who wanted him to drive for him at Interstate Fairgrounds, near Spartanburg, and he took him up on the offer. That's when Scott became a driver-only. He had a 200-lap race and won it with Sexton's car and the team received $150 for its efforts. He started running NASCAR sanctioned Late Model Sportsman events in 1961and competed until 1975 when he decided to return to the non-sanctionedtracks closer to home.
Every placehe went, his main goal was to beat Ralph Earnhardt, who was the king of the dirt tracks in that era. "When you beat him, you beat the best, and we did it," Scott said. In 1967, He landed a ride in a car owned by famed car builder Marion "Preacher" Coxand the pair won championships at Charleston, S.C., Savannah, Ga.and Monroe. N.C.,while also competing atColumbia, S.C. (where he finished second in the points behind Ralph Earnhardt)and Greenville Pickens.The duo was third in points in South Carolina as well as Georgia and finished the season ninth in the national standings.
The championship at Charleston was rather unique as the final race of the season was scheduled on Saturday night, but was called due to rain before action could begin and was re-scheduled the next day. Cox was a devout Christian and refused to put his cars on a track on Sunday, so Scott was without a ride. He had wondered about returning the next day but was talked into it by Earnhardt and car bulder/driver J. D. (Junior) Johnson of Florence. When he returned on Sunday, Scott found all 38 cars had drivers, so he was stuck without a ride. Johnson, who had his car alongside Earnhardt on the front row, saw Scott was without a ride, so he climbed out of his car and told Scott to take the wheel and and told his new driver he had to win the race.
He did just that and it was announced that he had finished the the season in second place in the points. Barbara, who ispresntly known as the "Queen of the racing websites" protested this and supplied NASCAR with her accurate accounts of each race and after a thorough re-count, Scott was declared the track points champion and was given and invitation to compete in the 1968 Permatex 300 at Daytona.
"I teamed up with Tiny Lund and went to Daytona. I borrowed a drivers suit from Richard Petty for practice and put duct tape over his name. That was the year physic Jeanne Dixon predicted a terrible accident at Daytona andBarbara remembered seeing the name Richard Petty," added Scott. "She wouldn't let me wear his suit after she heard about the prediction, so Darrell Dieringer got me a suit for the race." He qualified in the middle of the 50-car field, but the car developed a problem after 11 laps and had to drop outof the event.
Scott's hard charging driving style made him a fan favorite. With many votes from his fans anda tremendous write-in campaign by Barbara andtheir friends in 1973 and again in 1974, Scott was selected by the fan vote to compete in the World 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the"Big Chance Special" both years. Drivers who had never won a Grand National race were eligible, but the winner of the opportunity to drive a car built by top Grand National builders was selected by the fans.
Scott raced against many of the best during his career and finished either ahead of them or near the front. He competed against dirt track aces Freddy Smith, Chuck Piazza and Ralph Earnhardt. During their dirt track driving days, David Pearson, Cale Yarborough, LeeRoy Yarbrough and Tiny Lund rubbed fenders with him as well.
He continued to compete, and was competitive during his twilight years, often mixing it up with future dirt track Hall-of-Famers, Scott Bloomquist, Donnie Moran, Red Farmer, Freddy Smith, Mike Duvall and Buck Simmons. "Duvall, Bloomquist and Smith worked on their cars, but I was a driver only after 1961," Scott said. "I just drove 'em and other people worked on 'em."
For years, other drivers were chasing him, but as his age crept up on him and his cars were not as superior as they were for years, Scott became the one who had to do the chasing. He ran his last race in 1997 at the age of 64. Even at his age and competing in not the best of equipment, he was still one of the best on any given night. He retired with more than 300 wins to his credit.
In 2010, Scott was honored by being selected to the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame.
Scott is the first to tell you that his faith in God, his wife, Barbara and their children were the backbone of his success. "My family followed me everywhere and I couldn't have done what I did without them, Scott added. "Looking back over all the years of racing, I just thank God for being with me through all that stuff."

Recipients of the 2013 awards are:

Allison Family Corporate Award (In memory of Clifford & Davey): Fox Sports - Dave Hill

Dedicated Service: Don Bok (Photographer)

Distinguished Driver: Dale Jarrett (Former championship driver and presently TV commentator)

Pioneer of Racing: Humpy Wheeler (You name it and he has done it)

Russ Moyer Media: Eddie Roche (Sports Writer)

Saturday Night Hero: Billy Scott (Winner of more than 300 races..National Dirt Late Model Hall-of-Fame Inductee, 2010)

Tribute to Early Years: George and Ginny Baker (George was the first NASCAR pilot and Ginny was one of the original employees of NASCAR)

Tickets for the banquet are $50, while Corporate tables (8 people) are $500. Those who plan to attend should contactPaulette Mandalaas soon as possible at 386-299-7343.

Visit: www.livinglegendsofautoracing.com

Billy Scott landed a ride in the Marion Cox owned and build For in 1967.

The team was track champion at three race tracks and was runner-up at

another. In addition, the Cox/Scott duo finished ninth in points on a naional

level.

When Billy Scott arrived at a track in 1967, all he had to do was climb behind

the wheel and drive the Ford owned and built by famed legend, Marion Cox.

Scott is pictured sitting on the front fender while Cox is third from the left.


updated by @dargan-watts: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
Dargan Watts
@dargan-watts
11/03/12 07:59:05PM
38 posts

Living Legends of Auto Racing to present Dale Jarrett with the 2013 Distinguished Driver Award
Stock Car Racing History

Living Legends of Auto Racing
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla - During its 21st annual banquet, The Living Legends of Auto Racing will present the Distinguished Driver Award to champion driver and well-known racing analyst Dale Jarrett.
The banquet will be held on Wednesday, February 20, 2013 at The Shores Resort and Spa, located at 2637 South Atlantic Avenue, Daytona Beach Shores and will honor persons who have dedicateda big portion of their lives to the sport of auto racing.
Jarrett, the son of two-time NASCAR Grand National (Now known as the Cup Series) champion Ned Jarrett followed his father as a championship driver as well as a top TV broadcaster.
He was born in Newton, N. C.and decided to follow the path of his father in racing after excelling in athletics in high school and actually turned down a golf scholarship to the University of South Carolina. He started his racing career at age 20, a relatively late start in the profession by today's standards and quickly proved he was a natural behind the wheel of a race car.
During his career, Jarrett chalked up 32 wins in the Cup Series and 11 in the Nationwide Series. He captured three Daytona 500 victories and was the Series national champion in 1999.
His first taste of driving a race car took place at Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway and was quickly on his way to the top. In 1982, he became a charter member of the new NASCAR Nationwide Series and finished sixth in points. Two years later, while still a full-time Nationwide Series driver, he finished 14th in his Cup Series debut at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. His first Nationwide win came at Rougemont, N.C.in 1986 at the Orange County Speedway and ran his last full Nationwide season the following year. That year, Jarrett participated in 24 of the 29 Cup Series events as well.
His first Cup Series victory came at Michigan International Speedway in August, 1991 driving a car owned by the famed Wood Brothers and captured his first Daytona 500 win two years later in a car owned by Joe Gibbs. He joined forces with Robert Yates in 1995 and won his second Daytona 500 the following year. In 1997, he won a personal-best seven races and finished second in the Cup standings before finally putting it all together in 1999 which earned him the Cup Series championship. His third Daytona 500 win came the next year.
His 2007 season was his last full one in the Cup Series, but ran five races the following year. His last race was the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Challenge at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May, 2008. In 10 seasons spanning from 1993 thru 2002, Jarrett finished in the topfive in season points seven times and once in the top 10. He captured 29 of his career wins during this span. His three Daytona 500 wins ties him third all-time with Bobby Allison and Jeff Goldon. In his career, he earned 32 victories in 668 starts and finished in the top five 163 times and had 260 top-ten finishes. He also captured 16 pole awards. He and his father, along with Lee and Richard Petty, are the only two father-son combos to win cup Series titles.
Jarrett is a member of the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame and is an inductee of the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame.
He now works for ABC/ESPN as lead analyst for NASCAR's Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series races. The personable announcer brings a wealth of racing knowledge to the television booth.
Others being recognized at the annual affair are:
Pioneer of Racing: H. A. "Humpy" Wheeler
Dedicated Service: Don Bok
Russ Moyer Media: Eddie Roche
Allison Family Corporate: Fox Sports, David Hill
Tribute to Early Days: George and Virginia Baker
Saturday Night Hero: Billy Scott
For more info, contact Joan Epton Maxwell at 386-255-7428
Dale Jarrett after winning the NASCAR Winston Cup Championship in 1999
Dale Jarrett today as a businessman and lead analyst for ABC/ESPN

updated by @dargan-watts: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
Dargan Watts
@dargan-watts
10/25/12 06:58:17PM
38 posts

Chocolate Myers to Host Living Legends of Auto Racing Banquet
Stock Car Racing History

Daytona Beach, Fla. - The Living Legends of Auto Racing is honored to have one of the most famous pit crewman in all ofauto racing asthe Master of Ceremonies for its 21st annual Awards Banquet to be held on February 20, 2013 atThe Shores Resort and Spa, located on the oceanfront in Daytona Beach Shores.
Danny "Chocolate" Myers was the backbone of Richard Childress Racing for 20 years and served as gas man on race days. He served on the pit crew that seviced the cars driven by the late Dale Earnhardt, Sr.and visited Victory Lane 84 times and chalked up sevenchampionships in NASCAR's Cup division. The highlight of his career with his good buddy and team owner, Childress, was winning the Daytona 500 in 1998.
Myers is a native of Winston Salem, N. C. and is the oldest son of the late Bobby Myers, who was one of the pioneer driversin racing and was killed in 1957 while driving a car owned by Lee Petty during the Southern 500.
Every year, NASCAR bestows the pretigious Myers Brothers Award to the person, corporation or entity that has made the most positive impact on the sport of auto racing during the year. The award was named for brothers Bobby and Billy Myers, who were both pioneers and champions in the sport.
Chocolate is married to the former Caron Pappas, a television/radio broadcaster. Caron has worked as a NASCAR reporter and as a reporter for Fox affiliate WGHP television in High Point, N.C. and prior to that was a talenton Inside NASCAR with Ned Jarrett and also RaceDay with Pat Patterson. Shewas also a reporter for WFDD, the triad's NPR news and arts station.
The couple has a23-year-old daughter, Alexi Nichole Pappas Myers. The family lives in a log home on High Rock Lake in Southmont, N.C.
Myers remains with RCR as the curator of the RCR Museum inWecome, N.C. and he isalso the host of a radio show on SiriusXM satellite radioNASCAR 90 called "Tradin'Paint" four days a week from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m.. He makes it known that he and Caron arein this venturetogether. He has worked as a color commentator for ESPN2, appeared in countless television commercials andacted in movies, including "Smokey and the Bandit". He has appeared on several episodes of QVC.
As a crew member, he is in the International Motorsports Hall of Fame and was inducted into the Legends of NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2006. He and Caron are featured in a chapter of Peter Golenback's book"The Last Lap". Myers is also on the Racers Speaking Circuit.In his spare time, Myers enjoys relaxing on his pontoon boat, surrounded by family and his dog, Diesel.
Tickets for the Awards Banquet are still availabel and for information, one can call Joan Maxwell at 386-255-7428.
On Friday, February 24, LLOAR Vice-President, Bo Coolidge is hosting Living Legends of Auto Racing History bus tour that will take riders to all the points of interest in racing in the Daytona area. For info, contact Coolidge at 386-956-3465.
Danny "Chocolate" Myers poses with his wife Caron and daughter, Alexi before a big race.
Myers will be Master of Ceremoniesfor the 21st Living Legends of Auto Racing Awards
Banquet on February 20, 2013.
Former racing "gas man" turned radio personality Danny "Chocolate" Myers with
beautiful wife, Caron.

updated by @dargan-watts: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
Dargan Watts
@dargan-watts
10/11/12 05:53:21PM
38 posts

LLOAR Calendar
Stock Car Racing History

Once again the Liviing Legends of Auto Racing is offering its Lottery Calendar and the 2013 edition is featuring many pictures of the cars and drivers of yesteryear with a couple of new ones tossed in for good measure.
David Pearson and Ray Fox grace the cover page and on the inside, you will seeRonnie Rohn and family, former NASCAR chief scorer Joe Epton, Ray Liss, Jack Anderson and family, Billy Scott and many others. Each calendar page shows at least one smaller photo of many other drivers.
Each calendar has a number on the cover and if your number matches the Florida Pick-3 drawn on that weekday, you will be the winner of a cash prize of $20. If your number is drawn on Saturday or Sunday, you could win $30 and between $100 and $500 on selected NASCAR race days. If you are a winner, your prize will be sent out automatically.
Each calendarsells for $20 and can be ordered by mail.Send form below to:
LLOAR
373 Woodland Ave
Daytona Beach, FL 32118
NAME_______________________________________ Payment Method
ADDRESS___________________________________ ____Check or money order
CITY________________________________________ ____Visa ___MasterCard
STATE_______________________ Zip____________ Credit card number__________________Exp date _____/ ______
PHONE_____________________________________Signature_______________________________
NUMBER OF CALENDARS______@ $20 EACH For more info contact Joan @ 386-255-7428

updated by @dargan-watts: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
Dargan Watts
@dargan-watts
08/30/12 04:05:06PM
38 posts

Living Legends of Auto Racing
Stock Car Racing History

From Dargan Watts.........August 29, 2012 ......Telephone 407-352-6592.........For Immediate Release
Living Legends of Auto Racing
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Many of the racing fans who will be attending the racing action during Speedweeks at Daytona in February, 2013and the nightime short-track events at New Smyrna Speedway as well as dirt track racing at Volucia County Speedway Park, have pretty much gotten their motel rooms reservedand plan to meet old friends who gatherevery year at the same time for rest and relaxation.
Members of the Living Legends of Auto Racing are busy putting together a schedule that they hope will attract racing fans as well as others who wish tolearn about the early years of auto racing. LLOAR is made up of more than 600 members who have been or are still involved in the sport and several events are held throughout the year.
The best kept secret in Central Florida is LLOARand the Living Legends of Auto Racing Museum of Racing History, located in the Sunshine Park Mall, 2400 South Ridgewood Ave (US 1) in South Daytona. The facility is open free to the public from 10a.m til 5p.m. Monday thru Saturday, and offers a wide array of racing artifacts, such as helmets, driving suits, car parts, pictures and full size race cars. On most days, visitors will be able to sit and talk to many of the people responsible for helping to grow the sport. The Museum is a meeting place for many of these people and they love to share stories of the "Way we used to do it".
Telephone number is 386-763-4483.
Memberships are $25 per year or one may purchase a lifetime membership for $250. Membership packages may be purchased by contacting Joan Maxwell as soon as possible at 386-255-7428..
Highlights of the 2013 Speedweeks festivities for LLOAR begin on Sunday, February 17with sign-up for the annual Beach Parade. The parade consists of vintage cars and drivers who will cruise along A1A. Anyone who would like to participate should sign up at the Museum between the hours of 10a.m. and 4p.m.
On Monday, the parade cars will be on display, beginning at 9a.m. at the Drive-In Church located on A!A in Daytona Beach Shores and the cars will be lined up for the 3-mile parade route. Cars will return to the church following the parade and will be on display. Refreshments and memorabilia will be available and several legend drivers are expected to be on hand.
Tuesday will bring the annual LLOAR Charity Auction and Autograph Session, scheduled to kick off at 6p.m. at The Shores Resort and Spa, located at 2637 South Atlantic Avenue in Daytona Beach Shores. This auction will include items such as new and used racing memorabilia, plus door prizes will be given away. A number of racing legends will be on hand to pose for pictures as well as sign autographs. Advance tickets are $15 each, but will be $20 if purchased at the door the night of the auction. For info, call Paulette at 386-299-7343.
The highlight of the weeks activities comes on Wednesday night, February 20 with the 21st Annual Legends Awards Banquet and this event usually draws a packed house to The Shores Resort and Spa. The night kicks off at 6p.m. with a cash bar and dinner will follow at 7p.m.
This event salutes men and women who have done so much for racing through the years and each is singled out for their accomplishmens.
Recipients of the 2013 awards are:
Allison Family Corporate Award (In memory of Clifford & Davey): Fox Sports - Dave Hill
Dedicated Service: Don Bok (Photographer)
Distinguished Driver: Dale Jarrett (Former championship driver and presently TV Color man)
Pioneer of Racing: Humpy Wheeler (You name it and he has done it)
Russ Moyer Media: Eddie Roche (Sports Writer)
Saturday Night Hero: Billy Scott (Winner of more than 300 races..Member of NDRA Hall-of-Fame)
Tribute to Early Years: Ginny & George Baker (Ginny was one of the original employees of NASCAR and George was the original NASCAR pilot)
Tickets for the banquet are $50, while Corporate tables (8 people) are $500. Those who plan to attend should contact Joan Maxwell as soon as possible at 386-255-7428.
Jean Thurman cuts the ribbon at Darlington Raceway on Labor Day, 1950. Looking on is NASCAR President Bill France (with microphone), Strom Thurman (with straw hat) and raceway builder and owner, Harold Brasington. Brasingdon built the track by himself and did not use the help of any engineers. (Photo from Watts Collection)
It took NASCAR inspectors 19 days to check all the cars before the running of the first Southern 500. There were 25 rows of 3 for a starting line-up of 75. Notice the white solid line just to right of the cars. This line was the pit wall. When a car came in for service, the pit crew jumped a pipe wall to work on the car, with no protection at all. Notice the black spots on the ground near the row of people...This is oil that spilled during practice times. Johnny Mantz bought a brand new Plymouth from a dealer in Florence, drove it to the track and won the race. He drove the same car home to California the next day. (Photo from Watts Collection)

updated by @dargan-watts: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
Dargan Watts
@dargan-watts
08/31/11 04:42:02PM
38 posts

J.D. “Junior” Johnson 1927 - 2011
-RacersReunion® OUTREACH

I write this with many tears in my eyes as I have lost three friends in the last few months that I became very close to in my time in racing. First there was H. C. Pritchard, who started his racing career in the cow pasture that Gene Stokes converted into a race track and recently, H. C.'s son Harry passed away and now the most famous of them all....J. D. (Junior) Johnson, Jr is gone. Johnson got his start dodging cow patties at the Sumter Speedway on Bethel Road near Sumter, S. C.

Johnson, like the older Pritchard, took to all the tracks being built in the Pee Dee area of South Carolina and he and his brother, Cecil were unbeatable at Hartsville, Dillon, Little River, Rockingham, Sumter, Summerville and many other tracks in the Carolinas and Georgia. Johnson built his own cars from front to back and did his own driving. He then founda long, lean drink of water by the name of Jimmy Hatchell who made his living making dentures, but he was some kind of a race driver. The combination of Jimmy Hatchell and Johnson along with the addition of brother, Cecil became unbeatable.

Then promoters began slipping some green in Johnson's pocket to make sure he had a car at the promoter's track. Another deal was struck so Hatchell would be the top attraction the same night at another track. A few years later another driver was added to the Johnson Stable by the name of J. D. (Slick) Johnson III.

Slick became a terror right off the bat and was a regular at Columbia, Myrtle Beach, Savannah and Fayetteville. He moved up to the NASCAR Grand National division, but dropped down to ARCA, where he lost his life.

There were two funny things that happened with Junior and me......The first was concerning Permatex Products. We had a Permatex race at Columbia on Thursday and since Junior had two cars there, I gave him two boxes of Permatex goodies. He put the boxes in his tool box and on Saturday night when he came up to me at Sumter, he had a cardboard of wrenches and the wrenches were covers with about a half-dozen shop rags. He pulled the rags off the wrenches and most of the Permatex adhesives had covered his tools. He said to me, "Since you gave me this stuff, I feel you should be me a new set of tools." I told him I thought the best thing to do was that I get him some more Permatex. He wanted me to clean his tools, but I talked him out of me having to do it because he had put both boxes in with the tools upside down.

Another night at Sumter, it started raining before the race go underway and I needed to talk to Junior about a story I was writing about him and we sat in my car with Junior breaking the conversation every couple of minutes telling me the rain was not going to let up and he needed to go racing somewhere else so he could make some money. He would say, "I ain't making no money here in this rain, man....I gotta go." Eventually, the rain stopped and we got the race in and who won.....None other than Junior Johnson.....

So long H. C. Pritchard, Harry Pritchard and Junior Johnson.......Thanks to all three of you for sharing a part of your life with me.

Dargan Watts
@dargan-watts
08/24/11 02:56:31PM
38 posts

Baton Rouge International Speedway
Historic Speedways and Ghost Tracks

I was the last announcer heard at the 5/8-mile high-banked oval. I don't know the degree of banking, but I would say it was 25 degrees or better. I don't remember the date it closed, but the reason for closing was the limited number of cars and drivers. The so-called track manager who happened to know nothing about promoting a track convinced the owner into letting all of the area dirt track cars compete against the super-fast late models and it turned into a disaster. One of the dirt cars spun in the third turn and here came one of the late models full bore into him. The late model driver got out of his car unhurt as did the dirt track driver, but the late model sat at the bottom of the track and burned completely to the ground. The track had on hand a fire truck as well as two commercial type fire trucks, but all of them emptied their trucks and still couldn't put the fire out. Some of the drivers who competed that final year are: Rusty Wallace, Mark Martin, Freddie Fryar, Bobby Allison and the father-son Nydeckins. The owner was a real estate developer and turned the track property into a housing development. He donated the lights, speakers and light poles to the Baton Rouge Babe Ruth Baseball group.

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