Forum Activity for @dave-fulton

Racing History Minute - May 1, 1964

Stock Car Racing History

What do you suppose LeeRoy thought he'd find when he got the hood pins out at Daytona in 1971?

From HowStuffWorks.com

Racing History Minute - May 1, 1964

Stock Car Racing History

Thanks for the history lesson, Tim.

I particularly enjoyed the "background" color. That Johnny Mallonee is a pretty cagey fellow and you were playing in his sandbox.

In 1972, for the second consecutive year, I talked 5 Wrangler Jeans co-workers from our Wilson, NC division headquarters into accompanying me to Darlington's Southern 500. We pitched a tent outside Robert E. Lee's Paddock in the Darlington Rescue Squad parking lot early on Sunday afternoon and partied through the night.

I have a special memory of that 1972 Southern 500 because LeeRoy drove my Richmond "hometown" #90 of Junie Donlavey that day. In fact, he gave the #90 one of the best Darlington qualifying runs it ever had, putting the volunteer crewed Swansboro Motor Company / Truxmore entry in the 10th starting position for Junie.

I shot a lot of Kodak Super8 movie film that Labor Day weekend. During the pre-race activities, I got an outstanding shot of LeeRoy with my zoom lens. He was holding a baby up in the air as he stood beside the Donlavey #90 on the starting grid wearing a smile from ear to ear.

Little did we know it would be LeeRoy's final career Darlington start and next to last career Cup start. Unfortunately, he, along with 7th qualifying Bobby Isaac and 11th qualifying Donnie Allison would crash out together on lap 12 that afternoon 41 Labor Days ago.

My final memory of LeeRoy will always be the one of the lean fellow in the immaculate white driving uniform holding the baby as he smiled a Pepsodent ad worthy smile beside #90.

That wasn't the only time LeeRoy drove for Junie. Back a coup[le of years ago our RR member, David Bentley posted a photo of LeeRoy with Junie's #91 Ford Modified at Trenton, a team car to Junie's #90 modified driven by Sonny Hutchins.

April 30, 1966 - Rebel 400 footage

Stock Car Racing History

I've heard this pointed out before and would love to hear the answer. A week later at Richmond, Pearson's car owner, Cotton Owens, came out of retirement and drove a black roofed Dodge #5 to victory on the dirt at Richmond to teach David a lesson.

Here's a photo of the black roofed Dodge #6 at Darlington in 1964 as posted by Paul Mossburg on Photobucket from a copy originally posted by a gentleman from Sweden:

Here's the black roofed #5 below a week later at Richmond on the dirt with Cotton taking checkers.

COG website

April 30, 1966 - Rebel 400 footage

Stock Car Racing History

Enthralling to watch.

Thank you so much for your efforts in getting this posted, Chase.

Kudos.

RCR Crewmen Fined & Suspended; Drivers Scott & Piquet, Jr. & Crew Chiefs on Probation

Current NASCAR

Scott, Piquet Jr. teams penalized post-Richmond

April 30, 2013, Official NASCAR release, NASCAR.com

Penalties have been levied to two NASCAR Nationwide Series teams as a result of their involvement in separate post-race incidents following last Fridays race at Richmond International Raceway.

Thomas Costello and Michael Scearce, both crew members for the No. 2 team, have each been fined $15,000 and suspended from NASCAR until the completion of the next four NASCAR Nationwide Series Championship events. They have also been placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31. Both Costello and Scearce were found to be in violation of Section 12-1 (Actions detrimental to stock car racing. Involved in an altercation with another competitor after the race had concluded).

Drivers Nelson Piquet Jr. (No. 30 car) and Brian Scott (No. 2 car) have been placed on NASCAR probation until June 26 for violating Section 12-1 and their involvement in an on-track altercation with their two cars after the race had concluded.

Crew chiefs Chris Carrier (No. 30 car) and Phil Gould (No. 2 car) have likewise been placed on NASCAR probation until June 26 as a result of the on-track incident between their two drivers.

updated by @dave-fulton: 12/05/16 04:04:08PM

Billy Kingsley

General

Sending thoughts and prayers up to the Empire State for Billy's swift recovery.

Ghost Track Noise Problem as Analyzed by U.S. DOT - Beltsville Speedway

Stock Car Racing History

Beltsville opened in 1965 and closed after the 1978 season. In the Larry Jendras, Jr. photo below from the Vintage Racer web site, the Beltsville "Sound Wall" is visible behind the cars.

Ghost Track Noise Problem as Analyzed by U.S. DOT - Beltsville Speedway

Stock Car Racing History

This might be of interest to both the historians of racing history and those of you RR members with technical expertise.

The best race I ever saw was at the ghost track Beltsville Speedway north of Washington, DC in Maryland. I have covered that in other posts.

I happened to think of Beltsville again when I saw a results sheet posted by Jack Walker from Old Dominion asking for Beltsville finishes.

What did Beltsville in was the same thing that did in so many other tarcks, encroachment by neighbors who complained of noise.

Beltsville was still darned near brand new when it closed. They tried everything, including high sound barrier walls and mufflers on the cars.

What is very interesting, is that in 1976, the United States Department of Transportation published a study conducted at Beltsville of sound abatement procedures and wrote an extensive article on the subject.

If your local track is catching flack from the neighbors about noise, you can give the promoter a copy of this report from United States Government experts!

Link to full report on U. S. Government study on race track noise:

http://www.sandv.com/downloads/7602clos.pdf

updated by @dave-fulton: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM

Separated at Birth? Parnelli Jones & Eddie Royster?

Stock Car Racing History

The link below will take you to RR member, Johnny Royster's photo page, where'll you find more photos of and stories about his dad, Eddie Royster:

http://stockcar.racersreunion.com/photo/photo/listForContributor?screenName=16q91ebxy38sx

Separated at Birth? Parnelli Jones & Eddie Royster?

Stock Car Racing History

Back in the late 1960s, one of my favorite drivers and one of the best driving talents I have ever seen was NASCAR Late Model Sportsman driver, Eddie Royster of Middleburg, NC - driving the beautiful gold 1955 Chevy with the black #98 and later gold Chevelles with a black #98 prepared by Middleburg, North Carolina's Frank Edwards.

Eddie, the 1967 North Carolina State NASCAR Late Model Sportsman Champion, was a young lion to be reckoned with at Trico, South Boston, Southside, Beltsville, Old Dominion and Cumberland International in weekly competition.

In August 1969, Ediie had a horrific wreck in a Late Model Sportsman race at Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway, suffering a career ending injury to his hand.

Eddie's car builder, Frank Edwards, who built those beautiful gold #98s went on to work for several decades fabricating cars for another friend, Rick Hendrick at Hendrick Motorsports.

I happened to be looking at film this week of the 1965 Indianapolis 500, where the Wood Brothers pitted both winner, Jim Clark and stock car ace, Bobby Johns in their Team Lotus Colin Chapman cars.

While watching the 1965 Indy qualifying, I was struck with the paint and number scheme of the Parnelli Jones' Indy ride - gold with a black #98.

Certainly not identical, but the film of Parnelli's 1965 Indy ride sure made me think of Eddie Royster and my wonderful Friday, Saturday and Wednesday night visits in the 60s to the Virginia, North Carolina and Maryland bullrings!

Eddie Royster at Beltsville, MD. Speedway - posted previously by RR member, Jim Wilmore

Eddie Royster at Martinsville - posted previously by his son, RR member Johnny Royster.

Eddie Royster's 1969 Richmond Wreck as posted by his son, Johnny Royster.

Parnelli Jones - Indianapolis 500 - 1965 - IMS Photo

updated by @dave-fulton: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM