Jimmy Scott
Stock Car Racing History
Good stuff Dave. What can you dig up on Tommy Ellis wheeling the car?
Forum Activity for @richard-gouldman
Stock Car Racing History
Jimmy Scott
Stock Car Racing History
I'm pretty sure that Tommy did drive Jimmy's car on occasion, I believe he ran it at Langley at least once. I'm sorry that I didn't know you or Worth back in the day. I visited Jimmy's shop every so often, but mostly hung around Ted Hairfield's shop, Donalevy's some, even Pappy's old Swansboro Motor Company in Southside. Used to stop in at Red Britton's Total Service Garage on Walmsley when he was wrenching Larry Manning's Chevrolet, and Bob Adam's shop when they were running a Mopar with Larry. I grew up across the street from Joan Marie, Jimmy Scott's wife, and her brother Billy Jones and I have been friends for many years. I worked for Automotive Machine Service on Hull Street and Jimmy would occasionally bring in pieces and parts for work. I got to see some of the wizardry that you mention there and at Jimmy's shop.
Jimmy Scott
Stock Car Racing History
I thought there was an existing discussion, but perhaps it was on the Drag Car site. I have been talking with friends and relatives of Jimmy Scott and have learned quite a bit of history. First, my apologies to Ray Lamm for contradicting his input. I have learned that Scott did indeed buy back his '58 Delray Business Coupe D/S drag car, and converted it into a circle track car. Most of you recall the 3VA car as the "Bumblebee". When Jimmy was not the pilot a number of "name" drivers wheeled this car, to include Bobby Allison, Paul Radford, Sonny Hutchins, Ray Hendrick and Ted Hairfield. Jimmy later built a Chevelle that Ted Hairfield took to a win in the Aug '77 Va 300. The most interesting part is that Ted and Bugs Hairfield bought Jimmy's car for Bugs to race, and at that time it was a Nova. Bugs tells me that the same chassis and roll cage morphed from the '58 Bumblebee into the Chevelle, into the Nova that they bought. Woody Delbridge has pictures of this car that perhaps he will re-post. I would assume that the rules for the Late Model Division dictated updating the body model. The Bumblebee car was built and began to compete early '70s. Roy Hendrick says he competed with Jimmy's '58 in '72-'73. I would guess the Chevelle was constructed about mid-'70s.
updated by @richard-gouldman: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO DAVE FULTON!!!!!!
Administrative
Day late and a dollar short, but Happy Birthday Dave!!
Joe Falk owned team at Richmond - Donlavey tribute
Stock Car Racing History
Apparently this is the Hudson that Junie went to, replacing the Oldsmobile around '52. I didn't realize that Junie had won as a driver until now, although I was aware he did drive early on. I would imagine that whoever the fan was that bought the trophy would have had to be someone of status. I didn't know anyone that had $100 to blow in 1954. I can remember a couple of visits to Junie's shop...well Pappy's shop in Swansboro back in the 60's. Junie was always a class act and a fine gentleman. He always had time to stop and speak with folks and share a few minutes with anyone interested in racing.
August 30, 1963 - Ray Hendrick Takes Virginia 400 NASCAR National Championship Modified-Sportsman Go at Richmond's Southside Speedway Over Future Winston Cup & Indy 500 Rookies of Year in Same Race!
Stock Car Racing History
Dave, a couple more points of interest. I have a picture of the #66 Commonwealth Ford entry, I assume driven at that time by Johnny Allen. I noticed it has "Cafe Burgundy" on the front fender. I can post the pic but it has someone's watermark. (?) I notice also that the picture here of Red Foote has him in Junie Donalevy's #90 coupe. No surprise, as anybody that ever drove a race car probably drove Junie's cars at least once. The "Perkins Pure Oil" caught my eye. Ronnie Perkins used to have a service station at the corner of Forest Hill and Westover Hills Blvd. Ronnie was a good customer when I worked in the automotive machine business. Attached is a picture of Sonny Hutchins in either the same car or a later version with the same sponsor logos. Aw heck, Commonwealth pic too.
August 30, 1963 - Ray Hendrick Takes Virginia 400 NASCAR National Championship Modified-Sportsman Go at Richmond's Southside Speedway Over Future Winston Cup & Indy 500 Rookies of Year in Same Race!
Stock Car Racing History
You realize, of course, the Atlanta race is on TV now. Ha!
Not sure about other tracks, but Southside put the Sportsman and Modified cars all in the same feature, I guess to fill out the field. There really wasn't a great deal of difference in the cars. Sportsman ran carburetors, Modified ran fuel injection, generally Hilborn. There were no tires to handle the horsepower back then, so the cars were all pretty competitive. There were a number of very competitive Sportsman cars that could hold their own against the Modifieds, including Denny Zimmerman, Lennie Pond, I believe Melvin Bradley at that time was Sportsman, and a number of others. Pete Marshall (Ted's father-in-law) ran a Pontiac powered Sportsman with a tri-carb set-up. Ray Hendrick "borrowed" Pete's car one night and drove it to a third place finish in the feature. The car was pushing like a dump truck, but Ray drove it like no one else could.
August 30, 1963 - Ray Hendrick Takes Virginia 400 NASCAR National Championship Modified-Sportsman Go at Richmond's Southside Speedway Over Future Winston Cup & Indy 500 Rookies of Year in Same Race!
Stock Car Racing History
Denny and Ted Hairfield at Ted's shop just a few years back. It is online for all to see, but Zimmerman had quite the career driving bullrings, on to Indy cars, and as a commercial airline pilot. Denny's 4X Sportsman car that he brought down from the Northeast. This is the car that I believe was sold to Talbot.
August 30, 1963 - Ray Hendrick Takes Virginia 400 NASCAR National Championship Modified-Sportsman Go at Richmond's Southside Speedway Over Future Winston Cup & Indy 500 Rookies of Year in Same Race!
Stock Car Racing History
Dave, I'm pretty sure I was there for the '63 race. I attended pretty much every modified event during that era, at Southside at least. I have to admit there are 3-4 drivers here that I am not familiar with though.
What background can you dig up on Denny Zimmerman's #4 pictured here? I recall that Winnie Talbort purchased that car. I was at Southside the night that Winnie drove this car and the throttle stuck, sending him hard into the third turn wall. The car rolled back down the track and burst into flames. I believe two brave souls jumped the pit fence and pulled him out of the car. I recall that his injuries were pretty extensive also. I'm not certain, but I don't believe Winnie is with us any longer. He was a friend of my brother, and I can recall riding with my brother to visit Winnie when he had a shop just off of Chamberlain Ave. (pardon my spelling)