I recall Mr. Foyt, two weekends ago at the Rolex 24, declining to comment on the current status of Ms. Patrick and Mr. Stenhouse, citing his longterm marital status.
Drivers mellow with age and so does stock car racing - i.e. POWER STEERING .
In 1974, the late Gene Granger wrote an excellent article for the Spartanburg paper detailing each of the Wood family and relations and what they did at and away from the track. The article includes a group photo. Well worth a look. Here's the link:
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bnksAAAAIBAJ&sjid=N8wEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7332,4669288&dq=betty+mae+wood+stuart+virginia&hl=en
From Richmond International Raceway:
2/7/2013
The Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown returns for the third consecutive year and will benefit the Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU
For the third year in a row, the Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown is set to open the Spring race weekend at Richmond International Raceway . The race, which typically features a dozen NASCAR drivers and celebrities battling on the -mile track with some of the best local Late Model Stock Car drivers, will serve as a fundraiser for the Denny Hamlin Cystic Fibrosis Research Lab at the Childrens Hospital of Richmond at VCU.
In 2012, the Denny Hamlin Foundation committed to a 3-year grant totaling $150,000 for the Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU (CHoR). Funds from the grant, which are raised through events like this years Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown at Richmond International Raceway, will help accelerate the Denny Hamlin Cystic Fibrosis Research Lab's ability to bring new therapies to cystic fibrosis patients. In addition, the newly established Denny Hamlin Foundation Summer Scholars program will help train the next generation of CF research scientists.
"Every dollar we give to cystic fibrosis makes a difference, explained Hamlin, Virginian and driver of the No. 11 FedEx Toyota Camry in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. You never know. This could be the year that we find a cure."
The Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown at Richmond International Raceway has brought some of the best late model racing action to Hamlins hometown track for the past two years and is sure to provide another great show for fans who come out to support cystic fibrosis research.
We are excited to once again host the Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown at Richmond International Raceway, said RIR President Dennis Bickmeier. RIR is proud to partner with Denny to raise awareness and money that will assist one of the best research teams as they work to find a cure for cystic fibrosis.
The Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown and BLUE OX 100 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East races will run on Thursday, April 25, as part of an action-packed opening day of the Spring NASCAR weekend at Richmond International Raceway.
"The Showdown has had some of the best late model racing in the past, added Hamlin. This year will be no different. We've invited the regions finest drivers to compete against some of my Sprint Cup Series friends. I can't wait to get back to Richmond. It's going to be wild!"
Cystic Fibrosis is a fatal genetic disease that affects about 30,000 children and adults in the United States. CF causes chronic infections in the lungs and inadequate digestion of nutrients. There is no cure for CF, but medical advances have doubled the life expectancy of children in the last 30 years and increased the overall median age of survival to 38.
Childrens Hospital of Richmond at VCU (CHoR) has a large research staff focused on finding a cure for CF. This research group has been critical in developing new therapies for CF. They recently discovered a promising CF lung disease treatment that is in development and undergoing pre-clinical testing at CHoR. As the only accredited CF center in the region, CF patients cared for at CHoR have access to the latest therapies and can participate in groundbreaking clinical studies.
Click here or call 866-455-7223 to purchase tickets for the Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown. All tickets are general admission and $25. Children 12 and younger are admitted free with a ticketed adult. Thursdays ticket also includes the BLUE OX 100 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race.
Tickets are on sale now for the Toyota Owners 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. Advance tickets, including seats in Turns 1 and 4, start at $45, and can be purchased online by clicking here or by calling 866-455-7223. Tickets for the ToyotaCare 250 start at $30 in advance and can be purchased online by clicking here or by calling 866-455-7223. Children 12 and younger are admitted free with a ticketed adult in general admission sections on Friday.
Very enjoyable excerpts, Will. I would have given a hundred dollars to have been there when Dale yelled about his mother, Martha being able to drive either of your two test cars at Talladega if the movie stunt guys couldn't! That's priceless.
By the way... we let Hal shoot V.I.P. suite scenes in our Talladega Wrangler Suite during the actual race weekend. My wife, Joyce got off her bar stool at our horseshoe shaped bar at the front of the suite to use the restroom. The late Bubba Smith in his chauffeur uniform took her place. He was one BIG fellow! When Joyce came out of the restroom she told me "that man" has taken my seat. I told her "that man" could have any seat he wanted!
Yes, They were all in November. I actually sponsored the 1984 Phoenix event, the 7-Eleven NASCAR 250. Tim Richmond drove a second George Jefferson/Derrike Cope Ford for me for free. Unfortunately it blew up and finished last. Derrike stayed up all night rebuilding that same motor after it had practice problems. Derrike wound up 16th winning ROY, but losing the Championship to Jim Robinson by just a couple of points.
1984 7-Eleven NASCAR 250
NASCAR Winston West Series race number 11 of 11
November 25, 1984 at Phoenix International Raceway, Phoenix, AZ
156 laps on a 1.000 mile paved track (156.0 miles)
Time of race: 1:34:05
Average Speed: 99.486 mph
Pole Speed: 116.849 mph Cautions: 3 for 16 laps
Margin of Victory: 29 sec
Lead changes: 3
Fin St # Driver Sponsor / Owner Car Laps Money Status Led
1 9 73 Bill Schmitt Mountain Dew (Bill Schmitt) Chevrolet 156 5,090 running 117
2 6 78 Jim Robinson Hammer Security (Lois Williams) Oldsmobile 156 3,545 running 1
3 5 98 Jim Bown Wholesale Truck Parts (John Kieper) Buick 156 2,035 running 0
4 16 94 Harry Goularte Mountain Dew (Harry Goularte) Chevrolet 155 1,435 running 1
5 8 56 Ron Esau McDonald's (Jack Lee) Buick 154 1,450 running 0
6 7 83 Sumner McKnight Aero Wash (Sumner McKnight) Chevrolet 153 1,100 running 0
7 10 93 Jimmy Insolo Saied Contractors / Dry Sys. Buick 152 800 running 0
8 15 51 Scott Miller MDB Systems Pontiac 151 750 running 0
9 11 32 Ruben Garcia Suncrest Motorhomes (Fred Stoke) Buick 151 800 running 0
10 3 04 Hershel McGriff Mark C. Bloome / Stanton Industries (Gary Smith) Pontiac 151 1,010 running 0
11 18 28 Randy Olson RAO Construction (Rich Olson) Chevrolet 150 600 running 0
12 25 96 Pappy Pryor California Blending Dodge 149 550 running 0
13 20 45 Bob Kennedy Erlich Motors (Myung Suk Lee) Chevrolet 148 700 running 0
14 17 24 Buddie Boys Clements Automotive Buick 144 450 running 0
15 23 41 Kevin Terris Lone Star Auto Brokers Buick 144 425 running 0
16 4 95 Derrike Cope 7-Eleven / Jefferson Racing (George Jefferson) Ford 138 400 running 0
17 24 91 John Krebs KC Racing (John Krebs) Oldsmobile 133 375 oil pump 0
18 22 86 Eldon Dotson Stoner-Hurst Racing Buick 131 350 running 0
19 14 71 Scott Autrey McIntosh Ranch (Dick Midgley) Oldsmobile 108 325 engine 0
20 12 12 Terry Petris Petris Custom Homes (John & Terry Petris) Oldsmobile 108 300 rear end 0
21 2 2 Bobby Allison Miller High Life Buick 54 550 rear end 37
22 1 7 Ron Eaton Bondo / Lake's Body Shop (Ron Eaton) Buick 24 225 engine 0
23 21 16 Bill Osborne Pete Ellis Dodge Buick 24 220 engine 0
24 19 35 Pat Mintey Valencia Machine / Stick (Pat Mintey) Chevrolet 19 415 overheating 0
25 26 22 St. James Davis St. James Racing (LaDonna Davis) Chrysler 7 210 clutch 0
26 13 5 Tim Richmond 7-Eleven / Jefferson Racing Ford 7 205 engine 0
Noticed a Needham movie pilot for a tv series that wasn't picked up named "Stockers" that was released in April 1981 as a made for television movie. Cast included Terry Bradshaw & Mel Tillis. Plot had two stock car racers driving across the country trying to elude a bill collector. Written by Brock Yates. Any possibility?
Link:
Did you film any movie scenes at Phoenix for the Hal Needham movies?
I looked at the same sources as Chase and don't find a June Phoenix race of any kind. Could it have been a manufacturer test or ad shoot perhaps?
That's right Mr. Bowyer. The star of the upcoming movie, OZ THE GREAT & POWERFUL has been named as Grand Marshal of the upcoming Daytona 500. Ya ain't in Kansas anymore. Evidently the other Great & Powerful will be busy with other Daytona duties. We'll see where the yellow brick road leads when the Daytona checkers fly.
James Franco, Oscar-nominee for Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role co-hosts the 83rd Annual Academy Awards broadcast by the ABC Television Network from the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, CA Sunday, February 27, 2011. (Michael Yada / A.M.P.A.S.)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (KABC) -- Actor James Franco will serve as grand marshal for the 55th running of the Daytona 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.
The race is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 24, at Daytona International Speedway.
Franco will give the famed starting command, "Drivers start your engines." He will also participate in pre-race ceremonies and ride in one of the grand marshal cars during the pace laps before the green flag of the 200-lap, 500-mile race.
The 34-year-old actor is the star of Disney's "Oz The Great and Powerful," which is slated for release March 8. The film also stars Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz and Michelle Williams. Franco's other credits include "127 Hours," the "Spider-Man" trilogy, "Milk" and "Rise of the Planet of the Apes."
Franco joins a star-studded list of previous Daytona 500 grand marshals including John Travolta, Ben Affleck, Nicolas Cage, Kate Upton, Jane Lynch and Matthew McConaughey.
