Forum Activity for @dave-fulton

My WTH Moment

Stock Car Racing History

Randy, I'm with you.

When I saw the story posted at NASCAR.com and saw the gentleman's title, I figured (until I read the story) he was going to be a VP of Cheating.

NASCAR is letting its farm system dry up much as major league baseball did. When I was a kid you had the baseball winter leagues in Venezuela and the Class D Grapefruit League in Florida, along with many leagues of Class A and Double AA, along with the three AAA Leagues - International, Pacific Coast, and American Association.

Now the major league baseball teams (and there are way too many with a very diluted product) take the college ballplayers and give 'em just a little seasoning before bringing them up.

Appears NASCAR is content to fill the Cup ranks these days with drivers coming from other sanctioning body organizations, rather than its one-time NASCAR sanctioned weekly tracks. I yearn for the days when a fan could follow a driver from local success, to regional success and upwards through the NASCAR ranks.

I'll take a resurgence in efforts toward building the weekly competition base and settle for jet dryers and pulling tires rather than expending the money on Air Titans and Racing Development VPs.

Thanks for the post, Randy.

Matt Kenseth Richmond Press Conference Video - Thurs. 4/25/2013

Current NASCAR

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

Racing History Minute - April 25, 1965

Stock Car Racing History

Here's a link to actual television news footage showing Buck crashing through the pit wall and almost taking out Ned's car as seen in the photo posted above by Chase. That crash actually happened during the Saturday qualifying race to determine the final 16 starting spots. Cale took the win in that 20-lapper. The footage also shows Perk Brown in Mason Day's #45 coach winning the Saturday modified race, as well as a good shot of Freddie watching the Saturday qualifier.

http://search.lib.virginia.edu/catalog/uva-lib:2215758

Racing History Minute - April 25, 1965

Stock Car Racing History

I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall when Bill France was explaining NASCAR to his mother.

Racing History Minute - April 25, 1965

Stock Car Racing History

That's Bondy Long top right with glasses.

Racing History Minute - April 25, 1965

Stock Car Racing History

Chase, back in the late 80s, after NASCAR forced Bill Gazaway's resignation, new Competition VP, Les Richter began distributing an "Official Hometown" list that all NASCAR tracks were asked to strictly abide by when they posted their entry information.

The list sometime bordered on the ridiculous in its attempt to list as many states and / or "foreign" countries as possible. The idea, as you have already noted, was not to have an entire field listed as being from Charlotte or Mooresville.

At the time, NASCAR didn't have anyone on a regular basis running from Washington state in Cup. So, even though Derrike Cope was born in San Diego, California, NASCAR wanted him to be from his one time residence in Spanaway, Washington. Anyway, it was Richter who began the concerted effort to name as many states as possible in the entry list to make the series more cosmopolitan.

Racing History Minute - April 25, 1965

Stock Car Racing History

Raresportsfilm.com advertises a double set of films that includes a 1966 segment of Ned Jarrett showing folks around Camden:

1965 1966
SOUTHERN 500 "THE QUICKEST
At Darlington QUIET ONE"

Here's a racing doubleheader that's an absolute must for Ned Jarrett Ford fans! All the historic action highlights of the 1965 Southern 500 at Darlington (won by Jarrett), PLUS a 1966 feature on Ned, the famous #11 and what a typical day was like back in 1966 for the 2-time NASCAR Grand National Champion!

Beginning with the 1965 Southern 500, this tape covers scenes of the garage area, practice and qualifications, as well as great closeup COLOR shots of racing legends such as Junior Johnson and Herb Nab, Fred Lorenzen, Buck and Buddy Baker, Dick Hutcherson, Jim Paschal, Marvin Panch, Cale Yarborough, Sam McQuagg, Banjo Matthews, Darel Dieringer, and Richard Petty. In all, 6 makes of cars are in the field, but over half are Fords!

As the race gets underway the spectacular action begins! Pole-sitter Junior Johnson, driving the yellow #26 Holly Farms Ford, completes only one lap before dropping out with ignition problems. Rookie Buren Skeen spins out in the third turn on lap two and is broadsided in the driver side door by the red #03 Ray Underwood Ford driven by Reb Wickersham. The crash proves fatal to Skeen, who died 9 days later without regaining consciousness. Other action includes #17 Junior Spencer blowing an engine in turn one, Earl Balmer's #15 Mercury crashing, and Buddy Arrington losing a wheel on the main straightaway. But the most spectacular crash of the race occurs on lap 118 as Sam McQuagg, driving the yellow #24 Betty Lilly Ford and Cale Yarborough in the red #27 Banjo Matthews Ford sideswipe going into turn one. McQuagg gets pinched against the guardrail and Cale's Ford sails up and over the guardrail out of the track, flipping several times and coming to rest at the edge of the parking lot over the 40-foot first turn embankment! Throughout the race, pit work is shown being done on the cars of Darel Dieringer, Fred Lorenzen, Junior Johnson and Buck Baker. With less than 50 laps to go, race leader Fred Lorenzen's engine sours giving the lead to Dieringer who is far ahead of third place Ned Jarrett. But at almost the same time Lorenzen drops out, Dieringer has problems of his own. A rear axle grease seal lets go, and the grease catches fire on his hot axle. By the 326th lap Jarrett passes Dieringer who then drops out of the race, and gentleman Ned coasts the rest of the way, winning by 14 laps - the largest margin in Southern 500 history!

Also on this tape is the 1966 film "The Quickest Quiet One", which shows a typical day in the life of 2-time NASCAR National Champion Ned Jarrett. A well-known and popular ESPN Race Announcer today, Jarrett is shown at home in Camden, SC with his family, including 9-year-old son Dale, himself destined to someday become a regular on the Winston Cup circuit. The cameras follow Ned around town, and to a speaking engagement with Ned answering questions about why he began racing, how a car feels during drafting, and the different driving styles required for dirt track racing versus superspeedway racing. During this segment you'll see plenty of racing action at tracks such as Daytona, Atlanta, Charlotte and Darlington. You'll see Ned in his office at Bowani, Inc. and you are there as Ned instructs the crew on how to set up the famous blue #11 Bondy Long Ford for the next race. By 1966 Ned Jarrett had become the winningest active driver in NASCAR. A devoted family man as well as a competitor dedicated to the sport and business of stock car racing, he's racing's goodwill ambassador.

To get your own color copy of both of these historic racing films now available for the first time on video, send $29.95 + $5.00 for shipping and handling (Illinois residents must add $2.00 tax) to:

"RARE SPORTSFILMS N", 1126 Tennyson Lane, Naperville, IL 60540 (630) 527-8890

Racing History Minute - April 25, 1965

Stock Car Racing History

Chase, Ned had actually moved to Camden - the hub of South Carolina horse racing - for a while, where Bondy Long lived and had his shops, during the time Ned was running the Bondy Long Ford.

NOTE: Bondy Long bought his first stock car from Petty Enterprises in 1963 - a used Plymouth!

Chase... when you get a chance, look at this post I made a while back about Bondy... it'll explain the Camden, SC connection:

http://racersreunion.com/community/forum/general/12574/when-his-mom-met-bill-france-sr-bondy-longs-drag-racing-career-took-a-spectacular-left-turn

Racing History Minute - April 25, 1965

Stock Car Racing History

Tim, I was delighted to hear the story of Columbia receiving the special exemption to operate without you in 1965! Too funny.

I know how you felt about the all Ford factory fields most of that year, though.

Thanks for the Martinsville recap. Back when they ran in late April, the drive from my home in Richmond and later from Wilson, Greensboro and Charlotte was absolutely gorgeous, with wild dogwoods and azaleas blooming in the woods beside U.S. 220 and U.S. 58, depending on which direction I was driving in from. A steak at Clarence's Steak House and prime rib at the Dutch Inn made for a nice weekend of racing.

1969 Speedweeks

Stock Car Racing History

The late Don Hunter was an outstanding photographer. For many years he was chief photographer at Charlotte Motor Speedway. When Bruton Smith agreed to build the new Cup garage compound at Charlotte, Don did a tremendous amount of experimentation before the lighting system was installed in the garage complex to assure the very best quality light for photography. Don did a lot of work to insure photo professionalism at NASCAR events, including having darkrooms in the Charlotte infield media center and having a dedicated professional photographer's compound on site at CMS.

Don Hunter (photo & writeup courtesy of Octane Press)

Don Hunter's iconic images span nearly 50 years of stock car racing and represent a Hall of Fame roster; Lee Petty, Curtis Turner, Fireball Roberts, Richard Petty, Fred Lorenzen, David Pearson, Mario Andretti, A.J. Foyt, Darrell Waltrip and Dale Earnhardt to name only a few. He spent a lifetime documenting the men, machines and rarely seen moments that fueled this American obsession. His images capture the emotions, drama and determination that unfolded each weekend at tracks around the nation. One of the true legends of racing photography, Don's body of work is timeless.

Born in Asheville, NC Don was an avid racing fan from an early age. Shortly after his discharge from the Navy Don began documenting the exploits of some of NASCAR's early pioneers on the dusty dirt tracks surrounding his hometown. Lexington, North Wilkesboro, Greenville-Pickens and Asheville-Weaverville were some of his early favorites. There he watched as men like Curtis Turner, Lee Petty, Cotton Owens and Ralph Earnhardt began driving careers that would turn them into legends.

In 1954, Don began work at the local Asheville paper. He spent countless hours working in the darkroom where Don learned first hand the importance of lighting and the art of photo developing. These early experiences would create a style that made his images instantly recognizable. Don would eventually get his shot as a photographer for the paper where his talent was quickly recognized, winning a national photo competition. Although he would cover numerous stories while working for the paper, Dons true passion was motorsports photography. In 1959 he went to work for the Charlotte News (Charlotte Observer) where his career and his reputation continued to flourish.

During his career Don found himself covering a multitude of stories and events around the United States including celebrity appearances, cultural events and even Presidents. Don's reputation continued to grow, as did the personal acknowledgments. Numerous awards for his growing body of work inspired Don to excellence. Always captivated by the human condition, many of Don's most noted images document the character and intense emotion of his subject. A knack for being in the right place at the right time often found Don in position to capture compelling moments as they unfolded. This skill would lead to his highest honor.

Don retired from the newspaper business after a 29-year career and soon accepted a position as Director of Photography for the Charlotte Motor Speedway. He also continued his work with nearly every major racing publication in the United States, including his long term relationship with Car & Driver. He worked for Chrysler and was 7-time Champion Richard Petty's official photographer during his final season in 1992.

After a lifetime as one of the premier photographers in the country, Don "unofficially" retired in 2001. His vast archive continues to yield treasures that evoke emotion and offers a glimpse into the past. Although Don passed away in 2008, there is little doubt that his enormous body of work will continue to inspire, captivate and educated people for many years to come. His images are as relevant today as the day they were captured.