CHILDHOOD HERO
Ricky J. Coody
Friday January 8 2010, 3:07 PM
Only ONE hero! I believe most of us thought along the same lines when we were 5,6,7, years old.I'd like to share this childhood hero memory most of us have: Saturday morning,spring 1966, my twin sister and I had gone to town with our dad for farm supplies,(a Saturday morning ritual). On the way back home we stopped at the Sheffield farm, about a mile from our farm. Steve and Jimmy Sheffield owned our favorite racecar! When we got out of the truck (to go play in the racecars) there stood our favorite driver and hero,Sam McQuagg!!They were loading up to make the ten mile trek from Madison Fla. to I-75 Speedway, just south of Valdosta Ga.,a very fast half-mile dirt track! After meeting our hero, he asked us if we wanted to go for a ride on the dirt road with him in the racecar? "Well that was a stupid question"! After the OK from our dad, off we went down the dirt road past our house. The racecar was a beautiful Petty blue late 30's DeSoto sedan # 67. Sam sat in the middle of the car, almost over the rearend. My sister and I stood on each side of him and HELD ON!!! That night at the speedway we watched Sam, Harvey Jones,Coot Roland, J.E. Sapp, Eddie McDonald, Henry Humphreys, and many more sling some dirt for the win! Our hero won the race and I'm pretty sure my sister and I were riding with him! LOL!! Thanks Sam, for a lot of GREAT memories!! Rick Coody
Jeff Gilder
@jeff-gilder   14 years ago
Love that story. My cousins raced there at times...in that time frame....mid to late 60's
Johnny Mallonee
@johnny-mallonee   14 years ago
Great story Rick,Im from Warner Robins and grew up around racing in the 50's when my father was racing all over GA,Fla,Sc and NC. and the track in valdosta was one of the stopping places in life. After getting in the drivers seat myself in the early 60's I too drifted down on regular occasion to race with my heros growing up ,the jones--mcdonalds ,Aubry,sam,and the list goes on--go back in your old pictures and dig out some of those old great photos you have of everybody and post them on here--man i can just see some of them now--happy posting sir
Mike Sykes2
@mike-sykes2   14 years ago
Stories like this keep my mind going keep up the good work.
Sam McQuagg JR
@sam-mcquagg-jr   2 weeks ago
Love this!