Forum Activity for @robert-turner

Curtis Turner

Stock Car Racing History

I guess I am also intrigued by Curtis Turner as I named my son Curtis also which makes him a Curtis Turner. I couldn't quite hang him with the middle name Morton thought. As a big eyed boy of 15 or so I got the privalige of seeing Curtis drive some when he was allowed to return to NASCAR and also on dirt at the old Lakewood Speedway. He won the sportsman race at Lakewood in '64 or '65 in a borrowed Chevelle against such drivers as Tootle Estees, TigerTom Pistone and others. He was delayed geting to thetrack so BruceBrantly qualified the car. After the race a bunch of us were sitting aroundon a pile of tires talking to Curtisand some other drivers. Someone said thatthey had heard that they were going to pave Lakewood to which Curtis answered, "Hell, don't let 'em do that, then you'll have to race wearing a coat and tie". He surly made an inpression of me and I have tried to get all the Curtis Turner photos and such I could find to give my son to keep. I regrett that I didn't get to see him race in his earlier years.

Question of the day for March 25, 2011

General

Woops, that wasn't the photo I planed to post. Here are photos of the tribute car when Lorenzen was the GrandMarshall and a couple of old photos shot by a 15-16 year old with a $2.00 camera.

Question of the day for March 25, 2011

General

I had the pleasure of meeting my hero more than once. In the '60s my hero was Fred Lorenzen. The first race I heard on the radio was the '62 Atlanta 500 which Feddy won. The first race I attended was the '63 Atlanta 500 and watched Fastback Freddy win that as well as the '64 race, he wrecked in '65. I was fortunate that I had a father and several friend's families that would let me go to the races and I never missed the races in Atlanta until the mid '90s. I built a model of Freds '64 car and gave it to him through Herb Nab. I sneaked into the garage area and couldn't get to see Fred that time.I saw him in passing in later years at the track. He came back in the '80s or '90s as grand marshall and I had my photo made with him. I was shooting photos for Racing News by then and got to talk to him in the Press building.

I have met many of the drivers of the '60 to '90s era and most have been good to talk to when aproached when they weren't getting ready for the race or such. As others have stated Pearson is great as is Petty and as was Earnhardt and Bonnett. Curtis Turner was fun to talk to and so was Tim Flock. The Trickles, Ridleys and many other short trackers, dirt and asphalt, go out of their way to be friendly. Mark Martin was such a short tracker when I first met him. He and Bango Grimm would travel around in an old cuib van pulling the car on an open trailer.

Sorry to ramble on but there are so many great drivers and stories out there.

THE CLOSING OF A GOOD FRIEND

Stock Car Racing History

I had the pleasure of having photos published by the NSSN. I don't exactly know how they got the photos but I was shooting for three or so other papers at the time and he may have borrowed the shots from them. I just happened to pick up a NSSN somewhere and looked down and saw the photos with my by line. I didn't subscribe as I was getting the other papers and a couple of mags. I don't know if there were ever any more of my stuff but I would have been and was proud to be in the publication. Although I never got to carry on a conversation with him I was around Chris at many races and saw the respect others had for him.

Ben Arnold Passes

General

I just heard about Ben Arnold pasing. I had the pleasure of meeting Ben several years ago and found him a like-able fellow and a joy to talk to. The following is his obituary as copied off the internet.

ARNOLD, BEN, age 74, of Fairfield, passed away March 20, 2011. He was a member of Edgewater Baptist Church. He was a member of Numerous Automobile Clubs. He was a former Grand National Stock Car, Driver, and part of the Alabama Gang. He retired from Dana Automotive. He still holds the Track Record at Talladega International Speedway for qualifying backward at 178 mph. He is survived by his wife of 35 years, Tabbie Arnold; special sons, Rooster Killian and Mike Capps and numerous friends. A Funeral Service will be held on Wednesday, March 23, 2011, at 2:00 PM with burial in Peoples Chapel Funeral Home with burial in Elmwood Cemetery. Visitation will be 12 - 2 P.M. on Wednesday at the funeral home.

Here are scans of a couple of photo cards he gave me.

updated by @robert-turner: 03/06/19 07:47:14PM

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THESE 2 AMENDED NASCAR POLICIES?

General

Although it is good for the next generation of NASCAR fans to have access to the drivers the garage area is not the place, specially on race morning. If you have ever worked a Cup race you know the hustle-bussle of the garage area as the crews get ready to take their equipment out to pit road and get their mind ready for the day ahead. There are usually groups given garage tours that are connected to the sponcers. I can see family of the drivers and crews being allowed in temporarly but just being able to get a one day pass doesn't mean you know what is going on in the garage area. I learned to get my photos and get out of the way, don't interupt the crews duties and don't corner the driver as he has enough problems keeping up with the sponsers coming around. On a second note, when I was about 15 or so, I would get in step with someone like Buddy Baker and walk into the garage area with my white levies and painters shirt with patches. I got caught a few times but got away with it a lot back in the sixties.Of course I weighed 200+ pounds and was close to 6 ft, the days of such things have changed. I remember that in the eighties you would get hassled even with credientals some times if they weren't in full view.

As far as dress code goes, the garage area isn't a good place for shorts, loose clothing or open shoes. There is a lot of hot, sharp and sliperly stuff there.

As you can see I am not the best speller and my spell checker won't work here.

Bud Shootout? More like Dancing with the Stars!

General

Absolutly non racing. Put the radiators in front of the bumpers and then let them try to push each other. I didn't like "bump drafting" and I sure don't like train racing. Take them back to stock sheet metal and see who has the best car. NASCAR has been going steadly down hill ever since they closed North Wilksboro and started catering to the wine and cheese crowd. I started going to races in '63 and never missed an Atlanta race and attended a lot of races elsewhere until the late 90's and then never went back.

How the heck do you get spell checker to work here????

Old Find to Brighten Fred Lorenzen's Day

Stock Car Racing History

Didn't know Fastback Feddy was in the nursing home. He was my hero back in the sixties. I built a model of his car and gave it to him in Atlanta (actually I gave it to Herb Nab to give to him). I met him when he was the grand marshall at Atlanta several years ago and had my photo made with him.

Wish him well and tell him this old Georgai mountain boy (I'm 61 now) still remembers him and he is still my hero.