It's a wonderful treat to read this again, two years after you wrote it. It is truly a great honor to Ray that you remember him is such away as to make him live again to be introduced to young fans who may never have seen him race. Thank you Dave!
Wow, Dave, that is quite a fact of interest. Perhaps you should e-mail NASCAR PR in Daytona with that information and then follow up with Bill's suggestion.
I hope you are doing well this morning after all your "procedures" recently. Keeping you in my prayers.
I wish you could have been at Occoneechee this weekend. Remember the grandstands there? Almost complete full. Over 100 classic race cars. Over 200 show cars. Five member of the Wood family including Glen, Leonard and Delano. Beautiful weather. Every year it gets better and better. Hopefully you can be there with us next year.
Thanks for posting his article.
You beat me Bopper! Good going. Not often The Legend loses to a Bopper!
Many of you who frequent the Stock Car Home page here where we post Forum comments and such may never check up on the "Home Page". If not, just go to the top of the Stock Car Page and click on the "Home Page" Devin has posted an article about a book, "Stock Car Racing in the 50s" you all should really check out.
When I received my copy of this book, I spent over an hour just absorbing the pictures. This is a fascinating collection of stock car racing photos from the 1950s from Western New York and West Pennsylvania. While I am very familiar with many of the names in the book, as I was growing up in South Carolina, several of the drivers included in the book known to me. But I'm telling you, folks, the photographs are outstanding.
So, two things I would offer for your consideration:
1. Check out the Home Page very day. Devin posted a beautiful article about the book. Legendtorials are posted there weekly almost as soon as they are read on the air, and other writers contribute from time to time.
2. Order yourself a copy of Ford Easton's book. If you are a fan of early stock car racing, you MUST have this book in your collection. You won't be disappointed.
Finally, this is NOT a paid endorsement, just a statement to support a fine effort by someone who loves the old days of stock car racing as much as I do.
A great article for sure. Thanks for sharing that Ray!
Johnny, I will "weigh in" but only a little. From my very limited research into Ontario County, NY politics, it appears the District Attorney position is an elected office. That would indicate it would be of great benefit for the D.A. to present the case to the Grand Jury. For one thing, this action makes it appear to his potential voters that he is proceeding in the best interest of Ontario County and the Ward family. Further, because this is a case sure to draw maximum publicity, that D.A. is bound to garner a great deal of press.
I think it is well known and well documented throughout the country, that a Grand Jury will often return with an indictment which then "covers their butts" by getting it out of their hands and leaving it to a 12 man jury in a full blown trial. I anticipate this will probably be the outcome of this Grand Jury. By doing that, all possible allegations of "sweeping it under the rug" would be dismissed and the case would go to a full blown trial.
As to how long it would take the case to get to trial, I won't even guess. Docket loads and legal maneuvering can keep the matter floating for a year, two or three. I would think that the Ward family would be anxious to end it rather than reliving that night over and over in the press. It would certainly behoove Tony Stewart to have it over quickly.
The measure of a jury decision is always supposed to be on "the greater preponderance of the evidence" but in my 37 years of working in the legal system, it is without a doubt clear that a jury can't rule out personal feelings in making a decision no matter the evidence. Look no further than O.J. for proof of that.
Again, my heart goes out to all parties involved here and my prayers as well. We don't know what evidence the D.A. has which indicated that, in his opinion, the case should be submitted to the Grand Jury, but that may have been the very best thing to do so as to end all speculation by all the folks involved, including all those social media folks who offer their opinions.
Really great report with all those articles and pictures. I would take this opportunity to remind folks that they can visit this historic speedway on Saturday, September 27th, for the 8th Annual Celebration of the Automobile. This year will be my sixth trip to the event and it is one that goes on my calendar as soon as a new year starts. It is a "do not miss" event. Even the year it rained so hard it was spectacular. Hope to see many of you there this year, just over a week away. Thanks, Chase, for adding this post to the history.
