Forum Activity for @tim-leeming

NOW HOW IN THE HECK DO YOU LET THIS HAPPEN--------

Current NASCAR

I tried to let you all know what is going on in The Chase. But no one wants to believe me. This is, apparently, just the start. Watch the next 9 races. More to come.

A Reason to Believe This Sport Has a Future/Jordan Anderson

General

I had met Jordan once, face-to-face, almost a year ago at the S.C. State Fair. I have heard him several times on S.T.A.R.S. Radio here on Racers Reunion on Thursday nights when he would co-host with Jerry Smith. Last night, however, at The Sumter Speedway, I had an opportunity to renew acquaintance with the young man and actually had a few minutes of one-on-one conversation with him.

I have been impressed with Jordan since I first heard of him, even before I met him, more to do with his ease of sharing his faith statement than knowing how he handles a race car. I know he's on the Humphy Wheeler development program and can expect to achieve great things in racing. But, having the chance to talk with him last night, Iknow it's more than Humphy Wheeler, it's more than being able to handle a race car, and it's more than the support of Forest Acres and his family. Jordan Anderson is a real person! There is no pretense there, no statement of greatness not yet achieved, only the statement that he is working to achieve his goals and dreams. He has a great deal going for him, without a doubt.

Whether Jordan Anderson is ever a Cup winner, a Cup Champion, or whatever he may achieve in the sport of stock car, he is already a winner in life and with fans. He is sure of his ability and sure of his salvation through Christ. Don't really need much more than that but he has been blessed with the unique personality to share all of that with those he encounters.

Yep, Jordan, you've got a fan here. Thanks for the time last night. Hope we get to share more time in the future.

Tim

updated by @tim-leeming: 12/05/16 04:02:07PM

git rid of the chase

Current NASCAR

I have a suggestion but Brian has caller ID and won't accept my calls. I have tried e-mailing him but there is no response from that avenue either. I have confirmed the e-mail address as being correct so I know he is simply ignoring me. Maybe someone else can e-mail him. His e-mail, if you're interested, is: bigdummy@snortingone.stupid Good luck. If you want my recommendation before you try Brian, e-mail me and I'll fill you in.Tim

Going to and being there for the unknown visitor at Racers Reunion Gatherings

-RacersReunion® OUTREACH

That picture is such a fine example of the wonderful person Free Pennington is. Look at that "happy look"on the faces of all three of those kids. You're right, Johnny. This is what all us true racers need to be doing with the young people every chance we get. If we don't, the glorious history of stock car racing will be gone with the wind. Thanks for adding this.Tim

HERE'S HOPING I SEE ALL THE GREAT PEOPLE ASSOCIATED WITH RACERS REUNION AT "AIRPS"

Historic Speedways and Ghost Tracks

Johnny, not that I am considered in the company of "the greatest" people on RR, but Ann and I will be there. So will Wayne, Devin, and I'm not sure who else from TSCM. I'll have to get out of there about 2:00 because I have committments at Sumter Speedway Saturday night. I am truly looking forward to this event. The folks in Augusta do a great job of honoring these true heroes and it's great to be a part of it.Tim

LET'S PUT JEFF GILDER IN THE RACE

General

We, as members of Racers Reunion, have an opportunity to put Jeff Gilder in a racecar for the Frank Kimmel event in Rockingham, North Carolina November 27. Although the "deal" is in the preliminary stages at this time, a great deal of effort has been put into the project by Sam Beam and Jimmy Johnson to make this happen. Jeff has agreed to drive. So, the only thing left to do is raise the necessary funds. We need $5,000.00. Roughly stated, that is 150 members contributing $35.00 each to make it happen.

At this time, we are launching a "feeler" to see how much interest there is in going forward with this project. We need 150 people to step up between now and October 1, 2010, and get on the list to contribute. If we are successful in that, an account will be set up and we will ask that checks or moneyorders be mailed to be received no later than October 15th. NO MONEY IS BEING REQUESTED AT THIS TIME, we are merely asking for the committment from those of you who believe in Jeff. The money will be requested ONLY when and if we have sufficient committment to allow this project to go forward.

Should there be any business owners or corporate entities who wish to come forward with primary sponsorship, it can be arranged to have your company name and logo on the entry. We can discuss details if you will e-mail me at: legendtim83@yahoo.com and work out a suitable arrangement to benefit our effort and your company.

We are hoping, through these efforts, not only to put Jeff Gilder on the trackO one more time,but also to bring recognition and support to Racers Reunion projects, one of the most important being the Memory Lane Racers Reunion Hall of Fame in Mooresville, NC. We have an induction ceremony, for the second year class, scheduled for October 17th.

Ok folks, the car is in OUR pit. Are we going to put it back on the track? E-mail me and let me know your thoughts and your committment.

Thank you

Tim

updated by @tim-leeming: 12/05/16 04:02:07PM

Race car haulers

General

I had my race car pulled to the track for my first race behind a green Ford pickup truck belonging to Marty Stephens' Daddy, with Marty driving, with the race car hooked to the truck with a logging chain threaded through a six foot long piece of pipe. I steered the race car. Got quite a bit of attention when we stopped at the Sunoco station at the intersection of I-26 and 378 in West Columbia. Thankfully, we didn't wreck the car so we towed it home that way. Herbert Corley loaned us a trailer for the rest of the races in 1969 and then we bought our own trailer during the off-season. I never used a ramp truck or a closed trailer. Part of all my fun was towing the car on the open trailer to all the tracks we ran. One of the most awesome starts to a movie is the "Tiny Lund-Hard Charger" movie where the camera is panning all the racecars on open trailers and ram trucks leaving a track in a rainout. I sure wish we could find that movie. The opentrailers/ramp trucks are so much more memorable for me than the huge enclosed trailer/billboards of today.Tim

Ever wonder why they did this back then?

Trivia

Because they cheated on the left side! Funny how the "left" still means liars and cheaters!

Augusta International Raceway holds a special memory for me

Historic Speedways and Ghost Tracks

As I have written about several times in the past, thanks to Herbert Corley loaning me a trailer to tow my race car, my second race, after my debut at The Columbia Speedway in 1969, was at the half-mile, high-banked asphalt Augusta International Raceway. In a matter of three days, I went from a half-mile dirt track to a half-mile asphalt track. That August night in Augusta remains one of the memories of my driving career I treasure very much.

I ran second in the second heat race of the night behind a black and gold 1956 Chevrolet. My memory can't call up the name of the driver of that car but I do remember he was from Savannah. That gave me the outside second row for the feature race that night. On the pole was the winner of the first heat, and again the name recollection fails me, but it was a red and white 1956 Ford, that I do recall.

It was a hot night weatherwise in Augusta, as are so many of those August nights anywhere in the South and I remember sitting in the car as they lined us up for the feature looking at all the bugs flying around the lights. Weird how my mind worked back then. There are those around who say it still works that way but those folks are friends (right, Johnny) so I live with it.

Dan Scott, the NASCAR official, motioned us to move and we started the first "parade" lap. I looked at the car beside me and in the mirror at the one behind me and, again, my memory fails to call up even the numbers on the cars. As we came off turn four, Dan held up the one finger indicating we go green next time by. My concentration went totally on the back bumper of that Chevy ahead of me until we were in turn three and then I was watching intently for the green flag.

We were already on the straight, almost to the line, when the flag was thrown. We went into turn one with the pole guy and the Chevy side by side and I was on the back bumper of the Chevy. The guy to my inside had fallen back a little so I was thinking I would duck low coming off two and go for it. Then, to my surprise, the Chevy guy came down the track ever so slightly and he and the Ford bumped a time or two and the outside of the track was wide open. I put my right foot to the floor and watched out my driver's window as the front row drivers slipped to the rear of my vision field. I was actually leading the race!!!

I remember going into turn three and looking in the mirror as the two front row starters were still hung together and I had them by five or six car lengths. My dream of more than twenty years had come true at Columbia Speedway two nights earlier and now the dream of actually leading a NASCAR race (albeit a Hobby Division Race) was realized. Turn two at Augusta International Raceway had catapulted me into the lead of a race.

My lead lasted 7 laps before the guy in the Chevy blew by me on the inside of turn one. I could stay with him, but I just couldn't pass him back. Of course, if I had known back then that it was ok to "rattle his cage" or "dump him" as the sayings now go, I could have done that because I could run with him in the turns, just couldn't catch him on the straights. But oh what memories.

I am looking forward to being back in Augusta this Saturday, September 18th. When I was last there, I stood on the hill of dirt that I was told was turn two back in the day. For a brief, fleeting moment, it was a hot Augusta night in 1969 and I was watching that red and white Ford and black and gold Chevrolet in my rear view mirror. My first laps led in a NASCAR race. Very special to me. I sometimes have problems remember details these days, but I do remember that feeling.

See you all in Augusta!!!!!

Tim

updated by @tim-leeming: 12/05/16 04:08:38PM

Remember how you felt?

General

That is an awesome story, remembrance, and account of the day Jim Wilmore. Thanks for sharing that. Thank you for the service to this great country of ours. Always brave young men available in the U.S.A.