Ah, yes... Kyle's birthday. I can hardly believe today is the 28th anniversary of the little risque 25th birthday celebration we had for the Petty boy at Riverside on June 2, 1985, as I recounted last summer in answer to one of your posts, Chase.
http://racersreunion.com/community/forum/stock-car-racing-history/16077/happy-7-eleven-day-tribute-to-dave-fulton-day#r16079
Thanks, Chase. Hope your Dad has celebrated a teriffic day.
Wonder if Johnny ever brought one home that looked like this?
The truck below was always owned by Eddie Ratliff, but the car had been driven by some fellow named King. Story below the photo from NHRA.com.
Clinton Snead sent this photo of the ex-Richard Petty 43 JR. Barracuda, which by then had been purchased by Eddie Ratliff. "Maybe it's not a famous crew, but it is a famous car," wrote Snead. "The reason I have these pictures is because my dad, Larry Snead, actually drove this car for Eddie Ratliff a few times, and he is on the far left in this picture. One quick and interesting story about this truck: When Eddie acquired the car, he, of course, had to paint the truck to match. From what I have been told, they actually made a pattern from the '43 JR.' on the side of the race car and used that as a stencil to paint it on the door of the truck. No vinyl wraps in those days! And yes, I know this is more of a flatbed truck, but I still thought it would go with the theme."
Darned, Johnny... they got a doublewide outhouse between those two racecars!!!
How about a little "Rubbin' is Racing" and "Boys Have at It" Lancaster style!
The guy who t-bones the other didn't read Jeff Gilder's book about not taking off your helmet before you start throwing punches and kicking through the driver's window of his adversary. Guess he also didn't take into account that the other guy might re-crank his car while he was spread-eagled across the windshield!
Chase, thanks for picking up The Legend's baton and keeping a History Minute going these past several days. I know Tim will enjoy reviewing them when he returns.
I need to get back down to Lancaster Speedway one Saturday night soon and take my two grandsons. Took the older boy three summers ago and we had a good time. It's the only dirt track race he's seen and the weather was perfect that night. We sat in the old concrete stands coming off turn 4 as high as we could get. It wasn't high enough to keep from getting a generous coating of the Lancaster surface mixed with tire rubber, though. But, we saw good racing.
I live inside the Charlotte city limits in the southeastern area known as Ballantyne, not far from the SC border. It is a straight shot for me down U.S. 521 to the track. Mapquest says it is 24 1/2 miles. Sometimes on Sunday morning if the grandsons sleep over, we'll get up very early before dawn and drive down to downtown Lancaster and park and walk around several blocks.
Like many downtowns, Lancaster has a number of abandonned, historic buildings. The favorite of my grandsons is an old bank on the main drag that has the vault door open. They love to stare through the old bank window and speculate what might be left inside that vault! The trip back home always includes a stop at the Bojangles on the NC side of the border on 521. We make a big deal of it being just guys and all the ladies still being in bed.
I'm glad you picked Lancaster for the Racing History Minute. The boys and I need to go back. It was a nice track with a nice crowd of "regulars."
Chase, there's a very similar shot at Getty Images:
Thank you, Chase. Love thta bottle of "most poles!!!"
