THE JUDGE and a GATOR
This took place in the late 60's on one of my outings in southern dirt track racing..
It was getting later in the season and this year was a little different for some reason. I left home around 12;30 and headed out to Columbia S.C. to run in thurs nites race then go to Thundervalley for friday nites race,at least that was my plans,but as you probably already know plans can go haywire in a heartbeat. I was going up 301 out of Ga into S.C. when just as I crossed the line at the river there in the middle of the road was a monster gator,no not a recap off a big truck,but a monster gator. I got on the brakes real hard and managed to stop but the lady that was passing me at the time didnt. So over the gator she went and off into the ditch she went and dang near rolled her car while dragging old jaws with her to the ditch. Man that gator was a kicking up a fuss swinging that tail around and beating the side of her car to death. Now mind you this lady was in a VW Beatle so you can see the gator was whacking that car and every time he hit it it would roll and come back down on him.
This was going on for about 5 minutes or so when finally the trusty SC highway patrol came up and proceeded to take control of things,or at least he thought he was. Well old jaws whacked the car again just about the time the officer was reaching the car and well it kinda rolled onto his foot and he let out a howl which must have got old jaws fired up again because he started thrashing around like you wouldnt believe. About that time a couple of fishermen stopped to see what was going on being as I had the right lane blocked on the north bound side with the racecar and trailer. They got out and started laughing at what was going on and one went back to his old truck and come out with a rope and a bag. I thought to myself he aint bagging that gator but in fact he took a limb and reached out and covered the gators eyes and sure enough he calmed right down. Old john law finally got up out of the mud he was in and after finding him ok we set in to getting this lady out of the car. Now mind you she wasnt no spring chicken and was on her way home to a little place south of Columbia called North SC.
A wrecker came and pulled her car out of the ditch while the local folks dealed with ole jaws. After surveying the damage it became very apparent she wasnt driving that car home today or next week so now I stuck, I cant leave because we drew quite a crowd now and cars were everywhere. To get this show rolling again I offered the lady a ride to her house because I was in fact going through North SC. I know where the town is because I own a small piece of the court room there because the town was a speed trap and I had done been had there. So off we go with Mrs Matty Mae in the passenger seat setting all prim and proper and proceeding to tell me the whole story of her life. Well as time has it im not going to make it to Columbia in time so I say told you so to myself and politely hauled my lady in distress home.
As I got into North she instructed me to turn left at the court house,hmmm I know where that is so as I got to the turn I saw old John Law setting across the street watching for his next victim. I turned left and headed up the road to her house hoping to maybe get at least to Columbia to see the finish. About half way up the road I heard the siren and said oh no not again,Miss Matty said whats wrong sonny,I asked myself now im named too. I told her that I had done been in this town clutches before and sure wasnt wanting a repeat performance. Old john law looked in at me and said just where do you think you a going boy,about that time the local wrecker pulled up in front of me,you getting the picture now arent you.
I said im taking this lady home and he said no trucks were allowed up here period. About 15 seconds passed and the wrecker driver was already out getting set to hook up when Miss Matty spoke up and said,Julius you leave this young man alone and I mean right now,he looked over and saw her and his mouth just fell open. After a few seconds he wanted the particulars as to why she was in the truck with the likes of me. This talk now done turned into some shouting and me in the middle. Up pulls a white Caddy and a man gets out of the back seat that looked familiar somehow. Well he and Mrs Matty knew each other because he took her out of my truck and placed her in the back seat of the caddy and the driver took her on up the hill to her house. So now here I set with the local law and this guy that looks familiar and then the tow truck has it hooked up and ready to go when I get the courage to ask why was i being towed and john law proceeds to read the riot to me when this other guy says i dont think mama is going to let you do this Julius. Now i am in a loss for words but the wrecker cuts me loose and the cop gives me my license back and the guy says mind if I catch a ride with you to the top of the hill? Uhh why sure no problem because I got to turn around somewhere and he said we got a circle drive that will work perfect.
I pulled up into the yard of an old mansion type house and stopped while he got out when here come his mama back out and insisted i come in for a spell. Ok but I cant stay long because I got to get to Columbia as soon as possible for tonights race. Getting out of that house anytime soon was going to be impossible because supper was setting on the table and I was the guest. After we eat here come in a couple of young boys a hollering about the racing car setting out front. well another hour shot going over the car with them when one says can you crank it up so we can hear what a racing car sounds like? I look over and got the go ahead nod from their dad and warned everyone it was going to be loud but here goes,I fire it up and let it idle there for a minute and I think it scared every chicken and half the Guinneys to death because if they werent running all over the place it wasnt because they were not trying. I let the two boys set in it and cracked the throttle a couple of times with the boys in there,their grin would have made a good toothpaste advertisement shot. It wasnt 5 minutes before half the town of North was up there gawking and asking some kinda questions, when one said JUDGE sure didnt know you like racing, judge(now i know where i remember him from). He answered where do you folks think i go every chance i get huh?? i love car racing, boy this is turning around to a bigger mess than i ever thought of.
Dark has come and im still setting in the circle drive way with half the town still up here talking and taking pictures.
Judge declares that im not going nowhere tonight because im his house guest. Well now if this isnt a turn of events !!
We set up half the night talking nothing but racing and the judge knows his stuff on racing and cars,them two boys were in hog heaven setting there living every minute of the stories that were told.we even had a laugh over the gator deal at the line because a phone call had been made up to the judge telling him mama was riding home with a race car driver.
next morning was early up about daybreak I think because that rooster wouldnt hush his dang crowing. Breakfast at the table was just as extravagant as supper was because this is southern hospitality. Anyway with that out of the way I started to mosey out to the truck when the judge said havent you and I met before? Why lie now and out came a croaked yes about 3 months earlier. Judge said thought so and walked out to the truck with me and helped me load my stuff in the cab and we all said our goodbys and out the driveway I went and tip toed through town till I got out of the city limits a good way. I stopped in Cayce coming down that long hill at a gas station I usually stop at and filled up the truck an a gas can in back and said well ill be early at Thundervalley tonite i guess. A couple of people stopped by and said they watched us race at the speedway but didnt see me last night and I told them I got waylaid but never fear I would be there next Thurs and that made them happy .
The race in thunder valley was mine easy that night and on to Woodruff for sat nite was a good one for a second place. Sun was a hop down to Anderson for a afternoon race and that one had a bunch of the Greenville boys there so you earned everything you got there,but all in all I done pretty good that weekend and headed back home and decided I better call home and tell them we coming back all together this time. We pulled in about 2am mon morning and I went straight to clean up and to bed I went.And the dreams I had that nite were not of racing but a pretty lil beach bunny down in Florida.
Next week we rebuilt the transmission on car and a bunch of preventative maintenance and loaded up for another shot at Columbia. We made it there this time with no ill effects at the line or as I crawled through North and on to the track in Columbia. I unloaded and was getting ready to go out on the track when there was that familiar face again,with the local cop too,in uniform no less.Now mind you it dont do no good to have a cop in your pits at a track,you know like whats he afraid of or worse.
We talked for about 15 min and he said he was going to watch the race and pull for me if that was ok, well I guess so .
Out I went and car was real good that night so we made a little money and was loading up when here he came over and said how much he enjoyed the race tonight and for me to stop in north any time and see him and his boys.Sure will do that sir and tell your mama the food was real good too.
About three of 4 weeks later Dad called me and said come over to the office so over I went and there setting in the office was the judge. Said he had to come down to Ga to see this operation where my car was maintained. Dad told him I did 90 percent of the work on the car myself and that amazed him and his two boys. After setting around for awhile he said Ive come down here to make you an offer,I want to buy both rear quarter panels of your car for advertisement of our factory in North , I looked over at dad and he okayed the deal and right there I had a real sponsor. He bought both panels for $100,000 and I said ---nothing, I was speechless. That built me a new car with enough to bank for rough times. Also it doesnt hurt to have your own town turn out as North SC did cheering on their own little advertisement with a Judge and City police smiling in the pits with you.

Oh yeah it was that year that I married beach bunny and my future book keeper and from that day forward my life has been a joy , to be able to race as I wanted and where I wanted now with 2 cars and to have a mate to look after me and make my life what it is now---------

Now folks you may have thought this was a tale,well it is a story of a time in my life but a tale ??? Nope all this happened as told and this is what makes our sport we dearly love so precious to us because it is so full of GREAT -----------------------------------memories