Forum Activity for @dave-fulton

Dave Fulton
@dave-fulton
06/21/13 12:18:31PM
9,138 posts

Take the Train to Sonoma


Current NASCAR

I've written on these pages about taking the race train from Richmond to Rockingham in 1966 and 1967. A race train also ran from Richmond to Darlington and in the 1980s a race train ran from Roanoke, Virginia to Martinsville.

Now comes word from the Sonoma Index-Tribune there is a sold out race train running in California to this weekend's Sonoma / Sears Point race. Glad to hear it is sold out. Maybe there's hope yet to save our sport.

Take a train to NASCAR
By Bill Hoban

INDEX-TRIBUNE MANAGING EDITOR
Jun 20, 2013 - 07:51 PM

The vast majority of the more than 100,000 fans at Sundays Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway will arrive by car, pickup, bus or RV. But for the first time, about 500 will arrive by train.

Thats right, by train.

A special Capitol Corridor train, the NASCAR Express, will pick up fans in Sacramento, Davis and Suisun City, deposit them right across the road from the track and take them back after the race.

The trip is sold out.

Among the 500 riders will be a group of about 40, some of whom arent necessarily NASCAR fans, who are railroad rare-mileage collectors riding because the stretch of track from Suisun City that passes by Sonoma Raceway hasnt had passenger traffic in decades.

Ive been looking out my window at the tracks for 22 years, said Steve Page, Sonoma Raceway president and CEO, thinking, What a wonderful way to deliver people.

But the trip didnt come together overnight.

Weve tried to plan this for as long as Ive been here, Page said.

There were lots of obstacles to overcome, not the least of which was the condition of the deteriorating tracks.

But a couple of years ago, when the SMART Train was formed, the Northwestern Pacific Railroad rebuilt the tracks from the Schellville Junction to Cloverdale. While SMART will be running trains along the 101 corridor, the tracks from Schellville were upgraded to haul freight traffic in and out of cities along the corridor and connect with the California Northern Railroad in American Canyon.

This has been an interesting project, Page said, naming most of the entities that had a hand in it, including SMART, Amtrak, the Capitol Corridor, the Northwestern Pacific Railroad, the federal Railroad Authority, the California Northern Railroad and all the respective insurers and risk management teams.

Raceway workers started putting together a platform on Monday.

Weve been fairly bullish about the project, Page said. The challenge has been getting it off the ground.

One of the rare mileage collectors who will be riding the train is Bill Crawford, who is flying in Saturday from Boston to make the trip.

Crawford has been a serious mileage collector since about 1967 or 68. I want to ride every mile of track in the world, he said with a laugh.

But hes serious about his hobby. Hes been a railroad fan most of his life.

My family didnt own a car until I was 7, so we went everywhere around Philadelphia by public transportation trollies and trains, he said. And my older brother dragged me around when I was a kid.

He said some people are content to just walk along the tracks. But I dont count it unless its a steel wheel on a steel rail, he added.

The furthest hes ventured is Japan, where he traveled on business several years ago, and managed to squeeze some extra time in riding the rails.

Even on our honeymoon, my wife and I got 21-day Eurail passes, he said.

But though hes been a mileage collector for around 45 years, Crawford hasnt yet sat down to figure how many miles that entails. I have lots of paperwork, including a Rand McNally Rail Atlas, he said. Ive marked the lines and color-coded them by the railroad.

He estimated there are probably about 50 of what he would consider hard-core rare mileage collectors nationwide, and probably another 300 who are avid collectors.

No website lists special train runs over abandoned or little-used track, but since its a fairly close-knit group, members are in contact with each other and share information.

With the Internet, its simple, he said. It was tougher 40 years ago when youd have to wait for the latest issue of Trains magazine to see about charter trips.

While Sundays NASCAR Express may be the first of its kind, Sonoma Raceways Page is hoping itll be around for a long time.

If I didnt have to be at the track so early, Id be riding the train, too, said Page.


updated by @dave-fulton: 12/05/16 04:04:08PM
Dave Fulton
@dave-fulton
06/21/13 11:52:23AM
9,138 posts

Racing History Minute - June 21, 1959


Stock Car Racing History

I've posted some photos previously of motorcycle riders on the Richmond track who later drove stock cars, but here are a couple again on the Richmond dirt track that include Buck Brigance, Joe Weatherly, Paul Goldsmith, Dick Beaty, and even James Lewter who became a famous machinist for Holman-Moody and Robert Yates Racing. All from the Eddie Boomhower book, The Racer's Book .

Photos taken at Richmond half-mile dirt track at Strawberry Hill on the grounds of Atlantic Rural Exposition:

A PIECE OF MOTORCYCLE HISTORY THIS PICTURE IS REALLY A PIECE OF MOTORCYCLE HISTORY IN RICHMOND IN THE LATE FORTIES. LEFT TO RIGHT BUCK BRIGANCE , LEO ANTHONY, BILL HARLEY, JIMMIE CHANN, JIMMIE LEWTER , BILLY HUBER AND HANK SYVERTSEN (H-D RACING ENGINEER THAT PRECEDED DICK OBRIEN) THESE WERE ALL FACTORY GUNS AT THE TIME. BUCK BRIGANCE WAS FROM CHARLOTTE NC , LEO ANTHONY FROM PORT HURON, MI, JIMMIE CHANN FROM NEW JERSEY, JIMMMIE LEWTER FROM CHARLOTTE, AN ACE RACE MECHANIC, AND LAST, HANK SYVERTSEN WHO CALLED ALLTHE SHOTS IN THE RACING DEPT OF HARLEY DAVIDSON. BILL HARLEY WAS THE SECOND GENERATION OF HARLEYS,AND HE WAS CHIEF ENGINEER FOR HARLEY DAVIDSON

DICK BEATY AMA NATIONAL #46

DICK WAS FROM CHARLOTTE, N.C. HE WAS ONE OF THE TOUGHEST RACERS I EVER KNEW. HE WAS BRUTAL ON EQUIPMENT. HE WAS SO POWERFUL THAT IT WAS NOT UNCOMMON FOR HIM TO BREAK FRAMES THROWING THE BIKE IN A CORNER. DICK RODE FOR THE TRIUMPH CORPORATION IN TOWSON MARYLAND. HE DECIDED WITH THE HELP OF DOUG CREECH IN CHARLOTTE TO GIVE A KR A TRY. TRY AS HE COULD IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE FOR HIM TO RIDE IT. DICK EVEN WENT TO SUCH EXTREMES AS TO CHANGE THE FORK BACK TO A WR FRONT END AND STILL DIDNT WORK AND HE GAVE UP RACING AND BECAME THE COMPETITION DIRECTOR FOR NASCAR . THE KR THAT I RODE WAS PURCHASED FROM DICK. ONE NIGHT WHEN DICK AND BUCK BRIGANCE WERE LEAVING RICHMOND THEY CENTER PUNCHED A LADY AT THE INTERSECTION OF RT.1 AND RT.58. THEY WERE IN A FORD WOODIE AND IT WOUND UP A PILE OF KINDLING WOOD. IT WAS PITCHBLACK AND BUCK YELLED DICK, HELP ME FIND MY WALLET DICK SAIDTO HELL WITH YOU, HELP ME FIND MY NOSE. THEY FOUND THE NOSE, PUT HIM IN AN AMBULANCE AND RUSHED HIM 80 MILES TO THE MEDICAL COLLEGE IN RICHMOND WHERE THEY REATTACHED THE NOSE AND TOLD HIM TO BE VERY CAREFUL TO NOT BRUISE IT. THE NEXT WEEKEND HE SHOWED UP AT THE TRACK WITH TWO STRAWS IN HIS NOSE AND RACED. REALLY A TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW.

Here's photos of Joe Weatherly and Paul Goldsmith on their Harleys at Richmond before their stock car days.

Also Eddie Boomhower photos from his book.

If that old Richmond dirt track coulda talked, it would have told as many great motorcycle stories as stock car stories.

Two more Buck Brigance motorcycle pictures from Eddie Boomhower's book. The top shot is the first post World War II event held at Princess Anne Speedway in Norfolk, Va. and the bottom photo is the 1950 AMA 10-Mile National at Richmond. Buck definitely rode with the BIG DOGS!

Dave Fulton
@dave-fulton
06/21/13 08:34:47AM
9,138 posts

Racing History Minute - June 21, 1959


Stock Car Racing History

Thanks Tim & Chase.

That 1959 Richmond race marked the second and final GN win for Tiger Tom Pistone, both coming in 1959. He won earlier in the year at Trenton. Tom had some good "highs" at Richmond. He'd come back to Richmond in 1966 in his '64 Ford and set the never to be broken, all-time Richmond dirt track qualifying record.

Of interest finishing 15th in the 1959 Richmond race was Buck Brigance of Charlotte. Buck was an old motorcycle racer who worked for years at Charlotte's Radiator Speciality Company, maker of Radiator Stop Leak and other such products. Buck had teamed with future Winston Cup Series Director, Dick Beaty earlier in the 50s on the Harley-Davidson Motorcycle team, along with Joe Weatherly.

It was on a return trip to Charlotte from a motorcycle race at the same Richmond track earlier in the 50s that Brigance and Beaty had a bad wreck around South Hill, Virginia resulting in Dick Beaty's nose being severed. It was reattached at Richmond's Medical College of Virginia Hospital.

Later in life, Buck could usually be found in Buddy Baker's pits assisting on the crew and his daughter, Darlene for many years was one of the top Marketing Department officials at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Dave Fulton
@dave-fulton
06/21/13 08:18:18AM
9,138 posts

RIP George T. "Blue" Burton, 83, of Mechanicsville,Va.,passed away Monday, June 10, 2013


Stock Car Racing History

Dennis, I'm not much help this morning. I don't know the answer to any of your questions. Sorry.

Dave Fulton
@dave-fulton
06/20/13 04:58:01PM
9,138 posts

RIP George T. "Blue" Burton, 83, of Mechanicsville,Va.,passed away Monday, June 10, 2013


Stock Car Racing History

Any time your car beat Morgan Shepherd, Jack Ingram and Sonny Hutchins, you had a pretty good ride. Blue Burton fielded outstanding rides for many years for some of NASCAR's best.

Dave Fulton
@dave-fulton
06/20/13 04:34:31PM
9,138 posts

RIP George T. "Blue" Burton, 83, of Mechanicsville,Va.,passed away Monday, June 10, 2013


Stock Car Racing History

The late Virginia driver Al Grinnan, originally from Fredericksburg, had his beautifully restored "Blue" Burton built #33 NASCAR Modified on display in 1991 at Richmond International Raceway. That's RR member and Virginia racing historian, Joe Kelly taking a peek at the famous ride. Photographer unknown.

Dave Fulton
@dave-fulton
06/20/13 10:40:15AM
9,138 posts

RIP George T. "Blue" Burton, 83, of Mechanicsville,Va.,passed away Monday, June 10, 2013


Stock Car Racing History

Thanks for posting this sad information, Dennis.

Blue Burton fielded some of the most potent and competitive NASCAR Modifieds and Late Model Sportsman cars to ever grace a dirt track or asphalt speed plant.

Al Grinnan and Bill Dennis sure made names for themselves in his #33 modifieds.

Some of our Carolina readers like Bobby Williamson may remember seeing his #33 NASCAR Late Model Sportsman cars make a few trips down to the paved Cumberland International in Fayetteville, where a way past his prime Ray Hendrick cleaned house in Blue's #33 and later his son Roy also won there driving the #33.

Our longtime Track Superintendent at Richmond International Raceway, Linwood Burrows served on Blue Burton's crew. A pillar of NASCAR racing in the Commonwealth of Virginia has passed. I am so thankful you saw this Dennis.

By the way, I noted a post to Blue Burton's family from former Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year, Denny Zimmerman who competed against Blue's cars when he'd bring his modified down from Connecticut to Richmond in the early 1960s.

Dave Fulton
@dave-fulton
06/20/13 10:52:33AM
9,138 posts

Racing History Minute - June 20, 1957


Stock Car Racing History

Thanks, Tim. I never tire of reading about the exploits of the 1957 Chevys. If you recall, that model year was the first to win back to back Southern 500s at Darlington - in 1957 & 1958.

Dave Fulton
@dave-fulton
06/19/13 01:13:11PM
9,138 posts

June 19, 1955 - Lee Petty Pockets Plattsburgh


Stock Car Racing History

I love hearing that a host track for an early Grand National races still operate today. Thanks, Chase.

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