ARENT YA GLAD YOU DONT WORK FOR EARNHARDT/GANASSI
Current NASCAR
Can anyone report on the employment history of Nathan and / or Probst?
I am very familiar with Tony, but do not quickly recognize either of those other gentlemen.
Forum Activity for @will-cronkrite
Current NASCAR
Bobby Allison '69 Holman Moody Grand American Mustang #49
Stock Car Racing History
VERY COOL 'stuff'.
Now were gettin' some where!
Bobby Allison '69 Holman Moody Grand American Mustang #49
Stock Car Racing History
Ken, That is not what I remember being told about that car, but it sure is a better conclusion.
I do remember the Ford part of your account, but thought I was told that Melvin ended up with it, and while there an oil company bought it and disposed of it because they did not want a big fuel mileage car any where around.
Is it possible that I could entice you to send me a photo of the car? A view from the front? Is there still a front spoiler on the car? I would LOVE to chat with you about that car for a book I am working on.
In the time that I worked for Ralph, he showed more interest in that car than anything we did while I was there. Are you in touch with Jr. at all? He, his sister and Mitzi were always very good to me. If you should see them, please mention that I was asking about them.
My email address: wildcad@comporium.net
Bobby Allison '69 Holman Moody Grand American Mustang #49
Stock Car Racing History
You would often see Melvin walking around the pits at Dover with two highway patrolmen by his side. It would appear some what unusual until you would see him with a 5" long piece of gold that was almost 3/4" in diameter. I would imagine that it was a 'trophy' from the diving sunken treasure 'haul'.
I was the early crew chief on the Janet Guthrie car, prepared by Ralph Moody. Ralph and Melvin were great friends and it was a pain in the butt to work on the cars at Dover when Melvin came to chat with Ralph. Melvin, the highway patrol guys and their entourage would crown around the car, and you couldn't get crap done.
We had gone to do a tire test / practice at Dover a few weeks prior to the race event and Janet was accompanied by Dick Simon, her Indy car owner. After the test we went out for a seafood dinner. Dick and a lady were in the front seat, Janet and I were in the back seat. Dick was driving and we were on a narrow two lane country road, looking for the restaurant that was recommended to us, when Janet hollered at Dick that he had just missed the turnoff. Dick, a good Indy car driver said 'not to worry, I'll just turn around'.
Just then, we were crossing a wooden bridge, no wider than the road, when Dick crossed it up, backed up on the wheel and did a 180 turn while we remained on the bridge. The lady in the front seat started screaming, and I just about crapped my pants and was sweating like hell, when Janet calmly said to Dick: 'You know Dick, that a real NASCAR driver could have done that and stayed in the same lane'.
Bobby Allison '69 Holman Moody Grand American Mustang #49
Stock Car Racing History
Late in the '70's I built a car for Ralph Moody that was owned by Melvin Joseph, and driven by Bobby. It was raced in Delaware, and I was told that it was never beaten in competition, and that Melvin had secreted it a rural farm barn that I was told he owned.
Perhaps that is a place to look.
While working for Ralph Moody Sr., we took Ralph Juniors baby grand car, installed a turbocharged Volvo boat motor in it, along with some lightening and other 'tricks'. It got 82 miles per gallon. I know that it did, because I was the one holding the calibrated gas 'can' while riding in the passenger seat with Ralph Sr. driving. That car was sold for a ton of money and promptly disappeared from the face of the earth. Rumor has it that it was sold to an oil company, went thru Melvin, and onto a large boat and sunk out in the ocean off the coast of Delaware.
Tiger Tom and Tommy III Pistone Back on the Track in 2012 in CWTS and Nationwide Series.
Current NASCAR
Hey, Tiger
Nice 'piece'. Good luck this season!
Thanks for all you have done for me.
I found another little bit of old 8mm film. I don't know the track.
Stock Car Racing History
Very, very nice, thanks for posting the link. Are these the same era cars that Billy Bisco restores?
Thanks again for RacersReunion help
General
I have just received an updated advertisement that says that the Dale Earnhardt Torino 1:24 Die Cast car will be out around December 28th, or there abouts.
My initial contact with you folks at RacersReunion was seeking a photo of the car to indicate the name across the rear of that car. Some one was kind enough to do that and I was able to get it to them to finish the artwork.
Another piece of advertisement followed and indicated that it was going to be offered in Platinum, Gold, Silver? and Copper plating. I am astounded that folks pay so much for these collector scale cars.
At the advice of the Lionel Action folks, as part of my contract with them, I was able to obtain the 50 lowest serial number cars. They advised me to hold on to them until the limited addition run was sold out and then offer them for sale to the 'serious' collectors, that seek low serial numbers.
I will be posting some of the artwork on my website in the future. Also on this page is some more of the NASCAR photos that I have saved over the years. I imagine several folks from here has seen this site as I have seen some of those pictures here on this site. You folks are sure welcome to use any pics that I have there.
At any rate, I just wanted to say thanks to all that have helped in that area.
I like seeing historical information posts here as opposed to the 'bickering' and 'demeaning' things I see from time to time. Foes any one have any pictures of old race car shops, car haulers, etc?
updated by @will-cronkrite: 12/05/16 04:02:07PM
Thanks for the Pit Crew video post
General
Tommie, Cecil was another gentleman that was instrumental in my development. When I was hired as his crew chief, I brought along with me the entire crew as well. It consisted of Mike Hill, who went on to work for Jr. and last I heard he was instrumental in some way with the Chrysler Corp. I would go visit him at Evernhams shop. His office was in the R&D building. Way Cool! Mike and I and Cecil prepared our CAR (one) for 34 races that year. It is impossible to explain to folks how much work that involved. No one believes it when you tell them, so I have quit trying! Our second race was the first NASCAR race in Riverside and the tow truck motor had just been rebuilt. It came back to the shop on the day we were to leave, so we installed it, drove it to the Mississippi river with the timing retarded to break in the motor, advanced it two degrees and finished the trip and the year with no problems.
I do not recall the particulars, but our first race was one held in Roughmont, NC (??). A race that was attended by all but the top three in points. We won that race, and thought we were hot stuff. That didn't too long, LOL.
Does anyone remember the name of that track?, the town?, the date?. I have a VERY funny story about Wendell Scott and his son at that event.
When you see Cecil next time, ask him if he remembers the days when Jr. Johnson would come to the shop to sell us moonshine for our 'medicinal requirements'. Cecil would have him tip out a small puddle on the shop floor, back off a little and toss a match. How it 'popped' and how high and long lasting was the flame determined the price. LOL. Man that was real living. Most people now only live in the reflection of lives past, often not even their own. I am trying desperately to not allow that to happen.
Billy: You are absolutely correct about those mini-fires from the lug nuts. I have experience a few of them. Singed my best fitting pit uniform pants in Phoenix one year. I used to wrap grey tape around my shoes to keep the laces from unraveling, and after that same Phoenix race when I was taking the tape off, there were tire smudges across the TOP of the tape. Do you recall if it was lug nut sparks that set of the large pit road fire in North Wilkesboro? I know we were all heating wind trying to get everything out of the way of the fire as it followed the spilled gas down that little 'ditch' that went down pit road.
We have GOT to get together face to face. I am still trying to recall some of these old memories, and they are best served by those that did the cooking.