Forum Activity for @tim-leeming

REMEMBER THE GOOD OLD DAYS OF INSPECTIONS ? ?

Stock Car Racing History

My NASCAR rules violation confession: In 1969, when I was running the ONLY Mopar make in the Limited Sportsman circuit in Georgia and SC, and The King had abandoned his Mayflower for a Ford, I developed quite a following of fans who had no real Mopar make to pull for anywhere else. I actually got paid "appearance" money a few times to bring the Plymouth to the track. We were competitive in every event, but as I've said many times. I could NOT win a race under any circumstance.

On one of our trips to the half mile, high banked asphalt track in Augusta, we somehow "nicked" the oil pan. I think it happened taking the car off the trailer but since a crewmember did that, I never made the accusation. We were not aware of the oil leak when we went out to practice. After a few laps, the oil pressure dropped a little and I went in the pits to check it out. One of the Chevy drivers (probably Mallonee, but I don't recall) went and told NASCAR I was leaking oil. The NASCAR official came to our pits and looked under the car while standing in a pretty good size puddle of oil. His comment was, as he looked over his shoulder and the good size gathering of Plymouth fans in the stands was "I don't see no oil".

We patched the hole, went out to race. Think we finished third that night. That Chevy driver who turned me in beat me for second. Must have been that Mallonee guy!!

REMEMBER THE GOOD OLD DAYS OF INSPECTIONS ? ?

Stock Car Racing History

What's the new National Motto? "If you see it, tell it". Not calling out anyone here but we can all suppose that if there is ANYONE in the garage area who can tell when something is not right, it has to be Chad Knaus. After the Gary Nelson cheating became such common knowledge, NASCAR hired him to catch cheaters. I would suppose that when Chad leaves the 48 team, he will be installed as NASCAR's Grand Potentate of Supreme Decisions in regard to rules, no matter how flexible the rules may be.

Wonder if Unique checked the walls in Kansas

Current NASCAR

I'm sure Unique was right there checking it out! She's the young lady in motion all the time.

Sean Collier, slain MIT officer, the brother of Hendrick Motorsports crewman

Current NASCAR

I heard this on the national news last night. Even without the now "personal" connection the tragedy in Boston had with all of us, it is now VERY personal to the race fans as we are all one family. My prayers go out to the Collier family and to all Americans. As a Nation, we are all involved when our country is attacked and what happened in Boston was certainly an attack on our way of life.

God bless the Collier family.

Is Dirt track racing detremental to keeping you sharp ??

Stock Car Racing History

Nice article on Tony. Johnny, as you know, I started on dirt, then ran dirt and asphalt. I still can't decide which one I favored but looking back I guess it was whichever one I was racing on at the time.

Racing History MInute - April 19, 1953

Stock Car Racing History

Another beautiful memory Jim. Thank you.

Racing History MInute - April 19, 1953

Stock Car Racing History

Dave, I thought you were only 50? Seriously, you look much younger than you claim to be. But thanks for your addition to this History Minute.

Racing History MInute - April 19, 1953

Stock Car Racing History

Chase, I certainly didn't intend to run into your space with this, but thanks for all your addition to the post.

Dave, as always, you amaze me with all you come up with. The best part of posting these History Minutes for me is waiting to see what you, Chase, and someone else will add to the post. This is becoming true History.

Thanks to both of you.

Racing History MInute - April 19, 1953

Stock Car Racing History

Hmmm, 60 years ago today! Our Richmond boy, Dave Fulton, wasn't even born yet but things were happening in Richmond, Virginia, on the half mile dirt track at what was then called the Atlantic Rural Fairgrounds. I assume that is the same track that remained on the circuit and is currently on the circuit, now in its three quarter mile configuration. In any event, and I'm sure Dave can fill us in, we are going back 60 years this morning to that day in history when 30 cars showed up to race 100 miles but only 28 started the race. What happened? Well, let me fill you in.

When qualifying got underway that day, the track was in such poor condition that Greg Fielden's written description actually described the track as "sorry". The track was so rough and "choppy" that the pole winner, Buck Baker, qualified at an average speed ON A HALF MILE TRACK, of 48.465. I would imagine the track was in even worse condition than "sorry" if Buck Baker could win the pole in an Oldsmobile 88 at that speed.

Tim Flock and Fonty Flock wanted to wait to be the last two cars to qualify in hopes that the track conditions would improve. The track conditions did not improve, if anything became worse. In an unexpected move, officials closed qualifying without allowing the Flock brothers on the track to attempt qualifying. NASCAR offered to allow Tim and Fonty to start 29th and 30th, but the Georgia drivers decided to load up their cars and head home. Not quite the boycott of Talladega in 1969, but none-the-less, the Flocks stood up to NASCAR and walked away rather than capitulate to what they perceived as unfair treatment by the sanctioning body.

Lee Petty, in his Red Ram Dodge, "bounced" his way to victory at an average speed of just over 45 mph. Must have had some very special shocks on that Dodge that day. An interesting side note here is that there are two drivers actually credited with 16th place and the official rundown indicates that position as a "tie". Those two drivers were Ralph Liquori driving a Lincoln and Slick Smith in an Oldsmobile.

Top Five Finishers were:

1. Lee Petty, Dodge, winning $1,000.00

2. Dick Rathman, Hudson, winning $700.00

3. Buck Baker, Oldsmobile, winning $450.00

4. Dick Passwater, Oldsmobile, winning $350.00

5. Bill Blair, Oldsmobile, winning $200.00

Other finishers of note were Herb Thomas 10th,Jim Reed 20th, Jim Paschal 21st, Jimmy Lewallen 22nd, and Al Keller 26th.

Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future

updated by @tim-leeming: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM

His wife said no racing this weekend

Stock Car Racing History

Shocking!!!!! lol