Raising Cain
The other day a guy came by and we sat around talking of the days back when and he got started on his lifes story.
Said he was born back during the war time of the 40's in the Carolinas.
His dad was racing with a bunch of old guys in the Piedmont and ventured down thru Columbia on into Georgia and ran all over the southeast. It seems a lot of our fathers did that, he was doing pretty good at it. He grew up with motors in his head and when he got old enough he built an old chevy with a V8 caddy in it and terrorized the local roads till one day the law dragged his hind end up before the judge. Well as soon as the judge saw him he said set there boy and in a few minutes here came the boys dad,he and the judge were buddies. After a long and extended chewing they walked out and nothing was said. Off to the house they went and over the table for supper the law was spoken.
Any further racing you do boy will be on a track whether it be a drag strip or track. He said he took the track because of the knowledge he had setting in front of him. Next day he parked the old chevy and went to work building an old racecar out of it. That evening his dad said if you going to build a car its going to be right so they pulled the car into the old shop and the work began.
About a month later out rolled the best looking car he had ever saw, and his dad sat him down and the rules got more ridged.
They loaded it up and off to a track that was about fifteen miles away and school took a meaner deeper twist now. He pulled out on the track and dead in front of him was his dad in his car and slowly they started circling the track getting a little faster each round until it was faster than he had ever been before especially on dirt and a quarter mile on top of that. They stopped and started talking and his dad said that was pretty good there son but that was only a warm up,next we going to get up to speed. Wait what was that we were just doing out there? He laughed and said going to school,next time its going to be for real,and off we went again with me following like last time.About three laps into it he waved to come on and away he went,me keep up? Ha thats a joke because he was gone and me doing what he thought was a good job. Then out of nowhere there he appeared again behind me and now he's flying as fast as he can and then that gentle tap on the rear,woah what was that for but he stayed in it for all his worth.Next lap another tap going into the turn,not bad,just a little love tap and up the track he slid,now so thats what he was showing him huh, so off they go again and then dad passes him on the outside,howed he do that ??.
Things are getting better now,he is learning control and how to handle situations as the come. After a couple of hours they pulled in the infield and take a break,but wouldnt you know it they done drawed a small crowd and boy was he blushing when his dad explained to all that the kids got it he thinks, because there in the end he was giving it all he had to stay with him.
That night they discussed the future of him racing and the real ground rules were set. It was either dads way or no way because best I could figure it was his dads money he was racing with.
The first race and he finishes it at least,more schooling was given that race, but he done real good in consi race and the feature he finished in the front five, not bad for a beginner,with a heck of a teacher.
Things progressed until he was doing great everywhere he ran,short tracks and a few longer ones.
Things went real good and he actually broke out on his own and ran a few big tracks around and tried the sportsman division too but the real fun and money was in the Wed,Fri,Sat nite races and then on Sunday afternoon race. He was racing and making money and enjoying himself and his dad was proud of him too.
It was really hard to race how Nascar wanted you to race and keep yourself financially sound so you wildcatted at other tracks with a unigue name,some may call them fictitious names,his was a guy who worked for his dad.
Racing was good for about 25 years for him until the expense overoad the purse so he parked the car and went to work and dreamed of the day when he could do it again.
He had retired reciently and was introduced to a site on the internet called Racers Reunion and now his plans are falling back into place. He understands there are going to be vintage racing going on all around the south so he can continue his dream.
Christmas is here and we were talking about the new season coming and figured this was as close as we will ever get to the good old days of yesteryear.
So next year when the season starts be on the lookout because what name the car will race under could very well be kept a secret because it may run in more than one circuit but it will be there, how do I know all this to be certain?? Because this is a conversation I held with myself a few months ago and now you know "THE REST OF THE STORY" otherwise said.