Forum Activity for @randy-gilbert

the old rutherfordton race track

Stock Car Racing History

BOBBY,.....THE SPINDLE CITY FAIRGROUNDS IS NOT THE SAMETRACK THAT WAS IN SPINDALE, NC......THE TRACK IN SPINDALE WAS THE "RUTHERFORD COUNTY SPEEDWAY"......A 1/2 MILE FAST DIRT TRACK...IT WAS LOCATED AT THE COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS BETWEEN SPINDALE AND FOREST CITY, OFF HWY US 74. NASCAR NEVER RAN A CUP RACE AT THE TRACK BUT NASCAR DID RUN THE MODIFIED/SPORTSMAN CARS THERE AT SOME POINT. I HAVE CLIPPINGS OF RALPH EARNHARDT WINNING SEVERAL RACES IN SPINDALE IN HIS SPORTSMAN RACE CAR........PEOPLE LIKE BOBBY ISAAC, STICK ELLIOTT, CHARLIE BLANTON, SPEEDY THOMPSON, "GOAT" ROGERS, ELMO HENDERSON, BILLY SCOTT, FLOYD POWELL, SINGIN' SAM SMITH,"BURHEAD" NANCE, TOOTLE ESTES, PAUL GHOST, JOHNNY HALFORD, REX WHITE AND OTHER BIG TIME DRIVERS IN THE PAST WOULD RUN ON THE TRACK....SOME OF THE BEST DRIVERS AND BEST RACING THAT I EVER SAW..........SEE YA, RANDY

End of Top-35 Rule - Pemberton Says Could Happen for 2013 (HOOOOOORAY!)

Current NASCAR

PEMBERTON LEFT AN EXCAPE CLAUSE WHEN HE SAID "There's always a place for provisionals and there always has been for someone who's had a bad day," he said. "But you don't know where that will fall."...HE MEANS THE MONEY GUYS....I FOR ONE WOULD THINK IT WAS FUNNY TO WATCH SOMEONE LIKE HARVICK HAVE A BAD DAY AND HAVE TO GO HOME WHILE THE LITTLE COPE GIRLS IN THE #24 MADE THE RACE...MAYBE HARVICK COULD CARRY HER HELMET FOR HER........BUT IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN...BIG MONEY WILL STILL NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT MAKING THE SHOW BECAUSE PEMBERTON LEFT A WAY TO STILL BUMP OUT THE LITTLE GUY..UNLESS HE MAKES THE FIELD 44 OR 45 CARS...THEN I'D BE OK WITH IT..

"Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels" R.I.P. Kitty Wells

General

I'M SO SORRY TO HEAR THAT THE "QUEEN OF COUNTRY MUSIC" IS GONE. WHEN I WAS GROWING UP AROUND THE TRACKS IN THE 50'S I CAN STILL REMEMBER HEARING KITTY WELLS SINGING THAT SONG OVER THE LOUD SPEAKERS OF THE LOCAL SPEEDWAYS....ALONG WITH HANK WILLIAMS, ERNEST TUBB, HANK LOCKLAND AND ALL THE GREATS OF MY CHILDHOOD...I FEEL LIKE A FAMILY MEMBER HAS DIED...........

Shelby Fairgrounds Speedway...or Cleveland County Fairgrounds Speedway

Stock Car Racing History

IF YOU WANT TO ADD TO THE CONFUSSION..........THUNDER VALLEY SPEEDWAY IN LAWNDALE, N.C. JUST NORTH OF SHELBY IN CLEVELAND COUNTY, N.C. JUST LAST YEAR CHANGED THEIR OFFICIAL NAME TO "CLEVELAND COUNTY SPEEDWAY"..........WOW, NOW WHICH WOULD BE WHICH IN PEOPLE'S MINDS...........I WOULD GO FOR SHELBY SPEEDWAY AT THE CLEVELAND COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS.....AT LEAST THIS WOULD NOT CONFUSE THE TRACK OF YESTERYEAR WITH THE TRACK OF TODAY..........JUST A THOUGHT.

Shelby Fairgrounds Speedway...or Cleveland County Fairgrounds Speedway

Stock Car Racing History

JEFF, LET ME THROW IN MY TWO CENTS WORTH ON THE DEBATE OF WHICH CAME FIRST THE CHICKEN OR THE EGG. FROM AN OFFICIAL PAID NEWSPAPER ADVERTISMENTIN 1964 IT IS THE "SHELBY SPEEDWAY" AT THE CLEVELAND COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS........THIS IS WHAT I REMEMBER IT BEING CALLED WHEN IWAS GOING TO SHELBY........."WAY BACK WHEN". BY THE SOUND OFADVERTISEMENT, IT SEEMS AS IF EITHER NAME WOULD BE CORRECT........NOW WE ARE BACK TO "WHICH CAME FIRST.............?

Now you know why Racers Reunion Will survive if you watched sundays parade in Homestead

Current NASCAR

JOHNNY, I'M SORRY TO BREAK THE NEWS TO YOU, BUT THE OLD GAL IN COLUMBIA HAS ALREADY GONE OUT WITH ME...........WHEN I THOUGHT SHE'D DIED I WAS VERY DEPRESSED. THANKS TO MY HERO'S IN COLUMBIA SHE'S AT LEAST BREATHING AGAIN AND REGAINING HER BEAUTY. A LOT OF DRIVERS FROM MY AREA RAN THERE, SO I HAD TO SNEAK DOWN THAT WAY TO KEEP UP WITH THEM ONCE IN A WHILE....PEOPLE LIKE "SINGING" SAM, BILLY SCOTT, NED SETZER, TO NAME A FEW.........THEY'D RUN THERE ON THURSDAYS AND RUN AT HOME ON FRIDAY, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY....NOT EVERY WEEKEND BUT JUST ENOUGH TO KEEP MY HABIT FED. I REALLY THINK I'M A RACEAHOLIC.........I'VE GOT TO CONTINUE GETTING MY FIX OF THE OLD RACING STUFF. I SURE UNDERSTAND WHAT CHA SAYIN' BOUT OLE SWEET "COLUMBIA"..........SHE'S A SWEET ONE.............SEE YA, KEEP THE MEMORIES COMING THIS WAY.......I LOVE THEM, RANDYPS..............YOUR GAL DARLINGTON AND I HAVE BEEN GOING TOGETHER, ON AND OFF, SINCE MY FIRST TIME OUT WITH HER IN THE SPRING OF 1969......NOW BECAUSE MY MOM IS SO SPECIAL TO ME AND I'M NOT SURE HOW MUCH LONGER I'LL HAVE HER.....(I STAY HOME WITH HER ON MOTHER'S DAY) BUT I NEVER FAIL TO GO SEE MY OLD GAL IN SEPTEMBER WHEN THEY HAVE A LOT OF HER OLD CARS RETURNING FOR ANOTHER TRIP AROUND HER....I DO HOPE THEY KEEP THE "OLDIES" SHOW GOING......I FEEL LIKE I'M WALKING ON HOLY LAND WHEN I SEPT INTO HER INFIELD....IT MAY BE 95% BUT EVERYTIME I GET CHILLS..........SHE IS SPECIAL.............I'M GETTIN' CHILLS JUST TALKING ABOUT IT...SEE YA

Now you know why Racers Reunion Will survive if you watched sundays parade in Homestead

Current NASCAR

JEFF, THANKS FOR THE WORDS YOU JUST USED. WHEN I WROTE MY LETTER, I FELT AS IF I HAD JUST BROKEN UP WITH MY WIFE OF 40+ YEARS. I WAS REALLY BROKEN HEARTED AND WHAT I WROTE WAS FROM DEEP WITHIN. I REALIZE THE DRIVERS AND CARS OF OLD ARE NO LONGER AROUND, BUT TO SEE THE SPORT BECOME TOO PRETTY , AND TOO CONTROLLED HURTS... I WATCHED INDY GROW FROM THE ROADSTERS INTO THE REAR ENGINE CARS AND DIDN'T LIKE THE CHANGE, BUT IT WAS STILL INDY RACING WITH NEW CARS AND NEW DRIVERS........THEN I WATCHED INDY TURN TO MONEY AND CART TOOK CONTROL OF THE OLD INDY RACING I LOVED SO MUCH. WITH ALL THE MONEY, RULES AND CONTROL CART JUST ABOUT RAN INDY CAR RACING AWAY. INDY RACING TOOK IT ON THE CHIN, AND HAVE NEVER RECOVERED FULLY FROM THE CART DAYS, AND I WONDER IF THEY EVER WILL. WHAT TUGS ON MY HEART IS WATCHING THE SPORT I GREW UP WITH, AND LOVED AS MUCH AS A FAMILY MEMBER, (NASCAR) START TO FOLLOW THE WAYS OF CART. MONEY,TOO MANY RULES AND FORGETING THE LITTLE OLD MAN THAT SAVED HIS "DEBBIE CAKE" MONEY FOR MONTHS TO BE ABLE TO GO SEE THE NASCAR BOYS RUN............AND NOT GET TO SEE WHAT I SAW WHEN THE DRIVERS WERE POOR AND A GOOD MEAL AT A TRACK WAS A CAN OF PORK N BEANS AND A PACK OF CRACKERS AND A COKE. I JUST WANT MY GRANDSON TO BE ABLE TO SEE AND HAVE THE MEMORIES OF GOOD OLE RACING JUST LIKE THE CHANCE I HAD GROWING UP. I DIDN'T MEAN FOR IT TO SOUND LIKE A NASCAR "HATE" LETTER........IT'S NOT.......IT'S MORE LIKE A DUMPED BOY FRIEND WRITING A LETTER TO HIS OLD FLAME TRYING TO GET HER BACK BY LETTING HER KNOW WHY HE LEFT AND HOW HIS FEELING WERE...........I JUST WANT US TO NEVER FORGET THE ROOTS....I'M PART OF THE ROOTS.........AND IT'S HARD TO SAY GOOD-BYE TO SOMEONE YOU DEARLY LOVE.....RANDY

Now you know why Racers Reunion Will survive if you watched sundays parade in Homestead

Current NASCAR

JOHNNY, THE OLD NASCAR IS DEAD. I HAVEN'T FOUND A SINGLE PERSON THAT WAS GLAD TO SEE JIMMY JOHNSON AND THE BIG MONEY TEAM WIN OR BUY?... THE 5TH CHAMPIONSHIP. JIMMY RAN WELL, BUT DID NOT "RACE" MUCH IN THE RACES LEADING UP TO THE "BIG 10 FOR THE 12"..........EVEN AFTER THE BIG 12 GOT TO RUNNING IN THE LAST 10 RACES JOHNSON DID NOT RACE LIKE DRIVERS OF OLD DID. AN EXAMPLE IS TALLADEGA...IF I HAD (WHICH I'LL NEVER DO AGAIN) PAID A HUGH PRICE TO SEE THE RACE AT TALLADEGA....I'D HAVE GOTTEN UP AND LEFT. JOHNSON AND THE SO CALLED BIG GUYS RUNNING FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP..........WHAT DO THEY DO?...THEY DROP TO THE REAR OF THE FIELD AND JUST DRIVE...NOT RACE....JUST DRIVE AROUND AND AROUND...WHY SHOULD I, AS A FAN, EVEN WATCH SUCH JUNK ON TV MUCH LESS PAY TO SEE IT. JOHNSON MAY BE CALLED A CHAMPION, BUT HE DOSENT HOLD A CANDLE TO PAST CHAMPIONS LIKE HERB THOMAS, LEE PETTY, REX WHITE, JOE WEATHERLY, RICHARD PETTY, DAVID PEARSON, TIM FLOCK, DALE EARNHARDT...THESE GUYS RACED EVERY LAP OF EVERY RACE THEY RAN....NO MATTER WHERE I SAW THEM RUN, I GOT MY MONEY'S WORTH........MY, HOW I DO MISS NASCAR OF THE PAST AND THE DRIVRS THAT RAN FOR THE LOVE OF IT....AND DIDN'T JUST WIN BECAUSE THEY BOUGHT THEIR WAY TO THE TOP AND THEN JUST DRIVE ROUND AND ROUND...THIS ISN'T RACING...AND WHEN NASCAR WAKES UP AND REALIZES THIS ISN'T RACING AND RETURNS TO YESTERYEAR THE STANDS WILL AGAIN BEGIN TO FILL UP BECAUSE THEN THE FANS WILL BE SEEING RACING AND NOT JUST A BUNCH OF LITTLE RICH KIDS PLAYING THE POINTS GAME...I TURNED THE RACE OFF SUNDAY AFTER BEING A FAN FROM THE EARLY 50'S.....I DO NOT PLAN TO EVEN TURN IT BACK ON NEXT YEAR....I'VE HAD MY FILL LIKE A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE....WE, THE PEOPLE THAT BUY THE TICKETS AND PRODUCTS ARE FED UP OF BEING RIPPED OFF WITH THE HIGH PRICES WE HAVE TO PAY TO SEE RICH KIDS PUT ON AN ACT.......NOT A RACE....NASCAR, I LOVE YOU, BUT NOT WHAT YOU ARE SELLING TO THE PUBLIC..........AND UP TILL LAST SUNDAY I KEPT BUYING , HOPING THINGS WOULD CHANGE...........I'M BROKE AND TIRED...I THINK I'LL RETURN TO MY LOCAL TRACKS WHERE I GREW UP....AT LEAST AFTER 60 YEARS, THEY STILL RACE JUST LIKE THEY DID WHEN I WAS A KID....SEE YA FRIEND...IT'S BEEN A GOOD RIDE UP UNTIL NOW...RANDYPS...TO BE A CHAMPION IN NASCAR NO LONGER HAS THE SAME MEANING THAT IT USED TO HAVE....THE SHINE HAS FINALLY GONE.

PAUL "GHOST" -DIRT TRACK KING

General

JUST AN ADDITION TO THE PAUL GOSE "GHOST" STORY. PAUL IS BEING PUT INTO THE CHEROKEE SPEEDWAY HALL OF FAME ALONG WITH 4 OTHER PEOPLE ON SUNDAY SEPT. 5, 2010 AT THE CHEROKEE SPEEDWAY IN GAFFNEY, S.C. . FRIENDS AND SOME OF THE GOSE FAMILY WILL ATTEND ALONG WITH THE ORIGINAL PAUL "GHOST" ORANGE #32 3 WINDOW 32 FORD RACE CAR FROM MORRISTOWN, TENN THAT IS OWNED BY PAUL'S LONG TIME FRIEND AND MECHANIC, JAMES LONG. JAMES RESTORED THE #32 TO IT'S GLORY YEARS LOOK AND NOW HAS THE SAME FLAT HEAD ENGINE THAT PAUL RAN IN THE CAR BACK IN THE EARLY 60'S THANKS TO A LOT OF DETECTIVE WORK BY FRIENDS AND THE KINDNESS OF RAY CANTRELL. JAMES WILL ALSO HAVE THE #32 CAR ON DISPLAY AT THE 19TH ANNUAL HOT NIGHTS AND COOL RIDES CAR SHOW IN FOREST CITY, N.C. ON SATURDAY AUGUST 21st. WE HOPE A WHOLE LOT OF FANS WHO REMEMBER PAUL OR WOULD LIKE TO JUST FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE MAN AND HIS CAREER WOULD COME TO FOREST CITY FOR THE CAR SHOW OR ATTEND THE CHEROKEE SPEEDWAY IN GAFFNEY SC FOR PAUL'S INDUCTION INTO THE CHEROKEE SPEEDWAY HALL OF FAME................THANKS, RANDY

Where were the fans

General

HARVEY,DO YOU KEEP UP WITH BASKETBALL? IF YOU DO, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THE COLLEGE GAMES ARE PRETTY GOOD WITH A LOT OF ACTION AND RUNNING AND EXCITEMENT..............GO TO THE PROS AND YOU WATCH A BUNCH OF MILLIONAIRES WALKING AROUND DRAWING A BIG PAY CHECK AND NOT PLAYING A GAME THAT WILL KEEP TOO MANY FANS AWAKE FOR VERY LONG....NOW COMES RACING..........YOUR LOCAL SHORT TRACKS KEEP YOU AWAKE....MOST OF THE CARS LOOK LIKE CARS AND THE DRIVERS DRIVE THEIR HEARTS OUT.....THEN A LUCKY DRIVER WILL GET A CHANCE TO GO TO THE PROS AND HE CAN'T BE EXCITING TO THE FANS AFTER HE GET THERE...........FIRST HE GETS PAID A BUNCH OF MONEY BECAUSE HE'S PRETTY AND CAN SPEAK WELL.........IF HE HAS ENOUGH OF HIS OWN MONEY AND GOOD LOOKS HE'LL GET TO THE TOP........AND HE'LL BE PUT INTO A COOKIE CUTTER CAR AND DRIVE WITH 42 COOKIE CUTTER DRIVERS THAT LOOK AND ACT JUST LIKE HIM....NOT MANY PRO DRIVERS....(NAPCAR.......YES, NAPCAR).........HAVE THEIR OWN PERSONALITY LIKE THE BOYS DID BACK IN THE 40's, 50's, 60's AND 70's.................I'M NOT KNOCKING THIS LOUD ROCK MUSIC............I GUESS IT HAS IT'S FANS, BUT NASCAR SEEMS TO HAVE EXPELLED GOOD OLE COUNTRY MUSIC FROM THE RACING SCENE IN FAVOR OF THIS YOUNGER GENERATION STUFF..........WELL I FOR ONE HAVE STARTED GOING BACK TO THE LOCAL DIRT TRACKS AND WATCHING RACING LIKE IT'S BEEN FOR OVER 60 YEARS.............GOOD OLE COUNTRY MUSIC, HARD DRIVING, BUTT KICKING, DIRT THROWING, KNOCK DOWN BUMPING AND REAL RACING....THESE DRIVERS MAY BE MISSING A TOOTH OR TWO AND NOT TOO PRETTY TO LOOK AT, BUT THEY CAN DRIVE A CAR AND THEY HAVE THEIR OWN PERSONALITY, NOT ONE THAT HAS BEEN FORCED ON THEM BY BIG MONEY AND THEY DRIVE A CAR THAT IN MOST CASES LOOK LIKE A CAR YOU SEE ON THE STREET..............THEY KNOW THAT THEY WILL NEVER GET TO THE TOP BECAUSE THE REAL RACERS AREN'T WANTED AT THE TOP (ONLY PRETTY RACERS) , BUT THEY KEEP TRYING AND PUTTING ON SHOWS THAT KEEP THE FANS COMING BACK.........YOU GO TO A NASCAR TRACK AND YOU FIGHT TRAFFIC, DRUNKS, LOUD MOUTHS, AND RUDE PEOPLE ALL DAY AND WHEN YOU GET TO YOUR SEAT IT'S SO SMALL THAT YOU SIT ALMOST ON YOUR NEIGHBOR'S LAP AND YOU WATCH A BUNCH OF OVER PAID PROFESSIONALS (MOSTLY MILLIONAIRES) CRANK 'UM UP AND GO OFF INTO THE 500 MILE CHASE..........THEN DROP TO THE REAR TO STAY OUT OF TROUBLE AND NOT RACE UNTIL THE LAST 10 OR SO LAPS..................WHAT KIND OF RACING IS THAT?....AND ON TOP OF THAT ON THE WAY HOME YOU REALIZE WHY YOU DIDN'T BRING YOUR FAMILY.................BECAUSE YOU WENT BROKE PAYING THE PARKING FEES, TICKET PRICES, SOUVENIER PRICES, FOOD AND DRINK PRICES AND THE FUEL YOU SPENT TO GET TO THE TRACK AND BACK........SO NEXT SATURDAY NIGHT YOU GO TO THE LOCAL DIRT TRACK TO WATCH A REAL RACE AND ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON WHILE THE "NAPCAR" RACE IS ON TV YOU ENJOY YOUR SUNDAY NAP..........SORRY I'M SO DOWN ON NASCAR, BUT I'VE WATCHED IT GO FROM A SPORT WITH EXCITEMENT TO A SPORT THAT IS SO BOORING THAT THE FUN IS GONE...........EVERY ASPECT IS COOKIE CUTTER.....AND I DON'T LIKE COOKIES..........I'D RATHER HAVE A HOT DOG AND APPLE PIE............THANKS FOR LISTENING TO ME GRIPE................THINK I'LL GO GET A NAP NOW....I'M GETTING TIRED JUST TALKING ABOUT IT........SEE YA, RANDY