A wonderful collection of photos. Red Foote - originally from Massachusetts, raised in Connecticut and one of the "Eastern Bandits" - moved to Richmond around this time and raced there, spending the rest of his life in Chesterfield County. We lost Red a year ago this week.
http://stockcar.racersreunion.com/forum/topics/melvin-red-foote-192...
A wonderful memory. Thanks for sharing with us, Tim.
Both the SpeedWeeks NASCAR Midget races and drag races are highlighted on the program cover.
Brandon Lucas posted the photo below on February 4 on the Facebook site for Bakersfield Tuff Magazine of the Ford powered Studebaker Modified his grandfather, Frank Secrist qualified with on the 1962 Daytona Modified pole.
Anybody see Uncle Bobby's '57 Plymouth or a young Legend in this 1962 Daytona Journal photo?
NASCAR sanctioned a series of Midget races at Daytona's Memorial Stadium during 1962 SpeedWeeks. Willie Wilson won on February 10, but Mel Kenyon swept three consecutive nights on Feb. 15-17, 1962 as reported in the Daytona paper:
According to that same Daytona paper, the spectators at the Modified race got a little more than planned during the Air Force Thunderbirds pre-race show:
We only get one chance for a "first" trip and it's wonderful so many years later how much we remember of those special days. The getting there and back and the experiences surrounding the race often prove more memorable years later than the race itself. We're lucky you have such a wonderful memory and great things to share, Tim.
i.e. Charlotte's bankers
When you see the front page of today's Daytona paper, you might think you're reading about construction of a municipal football stadium... what with the tax breaks proposed for Daytona Speedway making their way through the Florida legislature.
Then again, you realize that taxpayers for years have also paid the building cost of these other sports stadiums for their wealthy team owners.
Just this past year in my Charlotte home town, the city voted to "give" Carolina Panthers owner, Jerry Richardson $86 Million for immediate upgrades to his privately owned Bank of America football stadium in Charlotte. With the $86 Million in hand, Mr. Richardson made a gift of $50 Million to defer construction costs of the new football stadium at the University of North Carolina - Charlotte campus. The name of that college stadium was immediately changed to Jerry Richardson Stadium. It should have been named Charlotte Taxpayer Stadium.
I don't begrudge racetrack owners one iota for trying to get a piece of the taxpayer pie that for years was reserved for the wealthy owners of ball sports. We used to publicize auto racing as the only sport where the fan literally paid for the seat in which he sat. That is now changing to some degree around the country.
A bill that could extend up to $60 million in tax breaks to Daytona International Speedway continues to cruise through subcommittees as the 2014 Legislative session approaches.
The bill sponsored by Sen. Dorothy Hukill, a Port Orange Republican, would provide the Speedway with $2 million per year in sales tax rebates as the track undergoes an extensive overhaul of its frontstretch grandstands.
The measure was passed unanimously Thursday morning by the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Finance and Tax chaired by Hukill, who was absent from the meeting.
This story is developing. Check back for more details.
