It is indeed a long haul, Andrew.. and as Tim pointed out, the roads from the American southeast to the northwest in 1957 were not the modern multi-laned ones we've come to take for granted here.
Yessir, I read his comments.... No Criticism of the product. PERIOD. He'd like to keep the traditional races in place, too, he sez... but, what about Darlington, Rockingham, North Wilkesboro?
By the way, I read last week they'd already decided not to open the backstretch grandstands at Daytona for the July 4th week. Don't need the seats. Wonder why?
And, I think that Myrtle Beach fellow is too busy on "Thong Patrol" to worry about golf!
NC woman arrested wearing thong at Myrtle Beach
The Associated Press
Posted: Saturday, May. 25, 2013
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. Authorities say a North Carolina woman has been arrested for wearing a thong at Myrtle Beach.
Police say 22-year-old Tiara Garness, of High Point, N.C., was warned twice to cover up around 5 a.m. Friday on Ocean Boulevard.
Authorities say when Garness refused, she was arrested and charged with misdemeanor indecent exposure.
Wearing a thong has been illegal in Myrtle Beach for 20 years.
A phone listing for Garness could not be found.
I'm glad The Legend cleared that up for us, Johnny, before we lost too much sleep!
Back in the day, the Pettys used VX-6 Battery Powerizer , a Cadmium based addiitive to prolong battery life - it's still available through the JC Whitney catalog. Someone auctioned a few VX-6 Petty promotional items on e-bay and there is a photo in Richard's 25th Anniversary Pictorial book showing the decal on the #42.
What's Richard holding in his hand? Gear shift knob? Cue ball? Big white marble?
My former next door neighbor in Richmond served in the White House as a secret service agent under several Presidents and owned a detective agency in Hawaii (his name was not Magnum), but what he was most proud of was being selected to walk the Honor Guard at the Tombs of the Unknown Soldiers at Arlington. We have old movie film we shot of him walking his detail in 1957. It is very stirring to see the reverence.
Many folks have made the ultimate sacrifice so that we enjoy our freedom. Hope we never forget.
I never watched Dale, Jr. or his sister in late models, but I was told that sister Kelley was the better driver. Any truth to that?
Charlotte Observer sports columnist, Tom Sorensen did a Question & Answer session with Dale Earnhardt, Jr. in which Junior expressed a desire one day to return to weekly racing. I've excerpted the last part of the column, where Dale, Jr. was telling of the brisket he'll barbecue for Memorial Day and comparing the preparation to weekly Late Model racing. There is a link at the bottom to the entire column. Sounds like car builder Rick Townsend may get an Earnhardt call again one day in the future like he did from Dale Earnhardt, Sr. to build the original Late Model Stock Cars driven by Dale, Junior and Kelley at Myrtle Beach.
Earnhardt studies brisket. He might have a brisket documentary.
Its just like working on old race cars. It reminds me of what it used to be like to work on a late model, doing things at the right time, getting things ready, kind of like loading a car up and taking it down to Myrtle Beach to race.
Earnhardt smiles when he talks about racing in Myrtle Beach .
Q. Do you ever wish you werent so well known and could just head down and race?
I think thats how Ill wind my career down. If I have the wherewithal and the financial ability Id like to go back to Nationwide then eventually back to late model and drive until Im in my 50s and 60s.
Back in the late model days you raced with your friends. Nobody had to really know anything. Nobody had to be perfect. Preparing the car was relatively simple; theyre really easy cars to work on. You take it down there, you run a feature, youre in and out and its not a whole weekend, its half a day.
You have fun. The track is kind of one big family. You see the same people every week. Its just a really simple way of doing things.
That would be the perfect way.
Sorensen: 704-358-5119; tsorensen@charlotteobserver.com; Twitter: @tomsorensen
Read more here: http://www.thatsracin.com/2013/05/24/106684/qa-with-dale-earnhardt-jr-his.html#storylink=cpy
Bob Coolidge has a good write-up of Blackie Pitt's career, beginning in Modifieds at Wilson County (NC) Speedway on his Studebaker racing site:
http://www.studebakerracing.com/biography3.html#William%20H.%20%22B...
The write-up includes a neat photo of a check written by NASCAR Director of Competition, John Bruner's wife on her personal Wachovia Bank checking account in Winston-Salem, NC after NASCAR disqualified Joe Weatherly and Jim Reed following a 1955 race at West Palm Beach. Ole Johnny Mallonee and Tommie Clinard probably saw her write the check!
