Dennis... it was definitely Junie's car that Chad Little drove to the 1989 Evergreen Speedway win. I looked randomly at some of the tape. In the post race winner's interview in the tent, Chad clearly states it was Junie's car. I watched one pit stop. I didn't see Junie or crew that I recognized. Not sure if Junie was there or not or who was pitting Chad. The race was rained out on Sunday and held on Monday. A much bigger Monday crowd than we see today at Cup races that are rained out. Here is the tape. Let me know if you see or hear Junie's name. RR member, Scott Baker may know who pitted Junie's car. Winning the 500 at Evergreen was ALWAYS a BIG deal, regardless the driver, car or owner. That race was HUGE.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuK4bxvLi8k
Dennis, I'm guessing since Chad was driving Cup for Junie in 1989 that it may have been the Richmond car. Guessing, though. That race was HUGE. Chad had won previously drivng for George Jefferson, who also owned the Ford Derrike Cope had driven to the win previously in the same race. It was a big, big deal to win that event - whether for a Cup owner or West owner. That Evergreen race was a really big deal.
One year after his Evergreen win in Junie's car in a Seattle Times interview at the same race, the ungrateful Little dissed on driving for Junie and living in Richmond:
http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19900715&slug=1082175
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Chad Little, enroute to victory, leads the July 17, 1989 Motorcraft 500 NASCAR Winston West race at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Washington driving Junie Donlavey's #90 Red Baron Frozen Pizza Ford. |
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Cup regular Bill Elliott (right) started on the pole in the Harry Melling #9 Motorcraft Ford, but blew a head gasket and finished 25th. Cup regular, Derrike Cope (left) - a season away from his Daytona 500 win - finished 4th in the #09 Midgley Racing Chevy. |
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A year before Derrike Cope's 1985 Washington 500 Winston West win in our 7-Eleven / George Jefferson Ford at Evergreen, I brought Jefferson and Derrike from Yakima, Washington to Richmond to try to qualify for the 1984 Wrangler 400 Cup race. I gave them $10,000 extra, promoter Paul Sawyer furnished motel rooms and Leo Mehl at Goodyear gave us our tires. The chassis was an old, used up former Elmo Langley one that was welded and pieced together. Cup director, Dick Beatty requested that the car not be brought to another Cup event other than Riverside, but he let it race. They made the field, as evidenced by the photo below of our #07 racing Bill Elliott.
Dave,
Thanks for the above racing history information, you're the best!!
Dennis Garrett
Richmond,VA.
Tiger,
Happy Birthday.
Dennis Garrett
Richmond,VA.
