[caption id="attachment_5281" align="alignleft" width="184"]
Eastern TN Mountains[/caption]
Perhaps such a youth qualifies him to that ethnic designation and I must admit some of his virtues are those of the great Americans that inhabit that part of our Eastern United States. However, I think there is much more to the designation of Appalachian American than that to which Jeff eluded.
My parents and my Uncle Bobby were definitely devoted to the mountains for their weekend getaways. I can remember, as a boy of about five, traveling to the North Carolina Smokey and Blue Ridge Mountains many times when the only access was the two lane black top upon which many of the moonshine runners played with the revenuers, although I really didn't know what that was in those days. I was actually about 12 years old before I saw a beach for my first time but had already experienced many a day in the North Carolina Mountains.
Visiting the mountains is a trip I still enjoy. In fact, this past weekend Ann and I spent a couple days with her sister and brother-in-law in Asheville. They live in a mountainside two-story chalet like home that overlooks the mountains and the Blue Ridge Parkway. In fact, the Blue Ridge Parkway is my brother-in-law's favorite place on earth. He will always take us riding up there and it's quite a treat to listen to him tell the stories of all the points of interest along the way.
As we sat out on the deck on a beautiful late summer evening Saturday, it was pitch black except for the twinkling of the lights far down the mountain. Somewhere around 10 p.m. I heard what sounded like a big block motor winding it up coming down the mountain. You can just imagine my immediate transport back to the days portrayed in "Thunder Road", which, incidentally, I am told, was filming in and around portions of Asheville. I sat there and listened to that big block winding up and shifting through the four speed and I could just imagine that was Junior Johnson on a run from his still in the early evening coolness.
A few years back I spent the weekend in North Wilkesboro to watch a friend race on a track not far from there. I could have actually stayed closer to that track but the hotel in Wilkesboro was not far from the North Wilkesboro track and part of my adventure for the weekend included an inspection of what remains of the once beautiful facility. That part of the trip was not pleasant but to be so close to the home place of Junior Johnson was a thrill although I never encountered him.
I'm not sure who all to include in the rundown of Appalachian Americans who contributed so much to stock car racing and I really don't intend to present a list of famous names, but immediately Junior Johnson, Rex White, Bill Blair, Sr. and Jimmy Lewallen come to mind. Their contributions to the sport are beyond measure and surely, without them among others, the very existence of the sport would be in question. Further, by definition of Appalachian American, these guys fit the description. Please allow me to elaborate.
I truly believe that nowhere else in America is the work ethic as strong as it is in the Appalachian Mountains. I am pleased to have been able to spend as much time there as I have over the years and I can tell you that almost to a man (and woman) the folks in that area are the epitome of manners and a certain rustic American charm. These aren't the "rednecks" we encounter in so many facets of racing, and I use that term "redneck" lovingly. The Appalachian Americans are a different breed of people. How much more difficult could it be earning a living than as a coal miner? Living conditions in much of Appalachia are meager, at best, but what I have found in my encounters with all those folks is a true appreciation of the simple things of life and the pure beauty of the countryside that surrounds them.
So, is it any wonder that when stock car racing was getting off the ground that much of the energy for the sport came from these hard working folks? Does it surprise even one person listening tonight that making and running moonshine was a way of life for these folks because that's how, in most instances, they put food on the table? Would anyone question the ingenuity of the "common man" who could manufacturer moonshine, make a stock car run faster than the factories in Detroit ever dreamed, and who would soon race these cars on tracks carved out of corn fields or cow pastures?
When we visit my in-laws in Asheville, they have taken us to places where the Appalachian folks gather on a Saturday night to play Bluegrass music and to dance the night away. Just sitting in the crowd and interacting with those folks gives you an entirely different perspective on the beauty of life. It is pretty awesome!
Truly, as I sit here thinking of all the visits I've had to those folks and hideaways in the mountains, I realize how blessed I have been to be even slightly included in this part of Americana.
Now on to the Labor Day reference of this Legendtorial. Finally, after more than a decade away from Darlington Raceway, the Southern 500 returns to that famed track. As you know, if you've watched any of the NASCAR races, you've seen the commercial where Darlington is selling this as the "tradition" factor. The commercial talks about the history of the famed track and how the history of the track is molding its future. If that's what you want to believe, then you have my blessing, but if you really want to know what I think, then stick around. If you don't, then tune out now but come back for the rest of the show because it's usually pretty good once my segment is finished and the boys get on with the show.
My deal is this: My first Southern 500 in person was 1957, infield, third turn. I recall listening to at least three of the previous 500s while sitting on my grandfather's front porch at the old home place and rocking away the hot Labor Day afternoons in the front porch rockers. From 1957 through 1964, the third turn fence was my place. I missed the 1965 race because of the Mopar boycott. In 1966, I was back in the third turn. In 1967, the Navy had me out at sea and I didn't even find out Richard Petty won it until two days later when we came into port. From 1970 through 1973, we parked in turn four against the fence. It was there I saw Richard have that awful accident. From 1974 through 1989, we watched from atop the motor home parked behind Victory Lane. It was from that vantage point that we saw David Pearson tear out of the pits in the beautiful Wood Brothers Mercury and dispose of his left side tires. In the 1990s, I was either working the event for my radio station or, in later years the guest of Ford Motor Company in a variety of premium seats. My last trip there, by myself, I ended up between two huge burley guys wearing Dale Earnhardt t-shirts, with a cooler of beer. It was hot that day and it was obvious that beer had been high on the shopping list where deodorant was not. I offered to allow the two sit next to each other but that was not acceptable. The race was less than 50 laps old when I went to the back of the grandstands and stood to watch the rest of the race.
I had to good fortune, in the mid nineties, to do an extended interview with Harold Brasington for my radio show. Everything you've ever read, or heard, about how Harold build that track and arranged that first Southern 500 was told to me in person. The one thing he told me that I had never heard before was that the Plymouth in which Johnny Mantz won that first Southern 500 was actually used by Bill France and the speedway, as an "errand car" before painting on the numbers and getting it through inspection.
I mentioned a week or so ago about all the old Southern 500s I’ve found on YouTube. I am truly fascinated and mesmerized watching the 1953, 1956, 1957, 1962 and 1964 races. To see Fonty and Tim Flock, Fireball Roberts, Rex White, Ned Jarrett, Joe Weatherly, Larry Frank and so many more of the early stars of the sport race that slick track for 500 miles is an adventure for the senses. I absolutely love it.
This year the Southern 500 is back to Labor Day weekend, albeit on Sunday night rather than Monday afternoon. I know, Lord willing, that I will watch it on television because it is Darlington, a track I have always appreciated more than the others and the track about which I could tell so many stories. Long before they moved it from Labor Day weekend the race had been run on the Sunday before Labor Day but it was an afternoon race. In my mind, there is just something not right about running the Southern 500 at night. Guess that's just the old school in me. But, night or day, it is still The Southern 500 and it is still Darlington, although a far cry from the Darlington, where I spent so many weekends over the years. NASCAR can make all the emotional overtures it wants about honoring its history at the Southern 500, but for me, those overtures ring hollow.
In a way, it's sort of like the Appalachian Americans. They are simple, down to earth, hard working folks who cling to their traditions. Those folks made stock car racing. Those folks made NASCAR stock car racing. Appalachian Americans honor their history and heritage. Those folks made the Southern 500 a spectacle, along with folks from Florida like Fireball Roberts and others from the non-Appalachian parts of North Carolina, Virginia, South Carolina, and Georgia. Today the sport is full of guys from California, Nevada, Wisconsin and while I have nothing against those areas of this great nation, it's not like these guys can, or do, appreciate what it means to be a part of the early history of both the U.S.A. and the sport of stock car racing. To me there is no comparison between the honest conversation with the Appalachian folks and the blow-hard California way of presenting things. When the checkers drop Sunday night, I'll think of the old heroes, not the cupcakes handling the throwback cars of today. I think the "throw-back" scheme is just another effort my NASCAR to fool us old timers into thinking we make a difference. While I appreciate the effort, I cannot imagine a Ricky Stenhouse driving the blue and gold 17 made so famous by David Pearson. That, my friends, is almost sacrilege. I haven't seen Kevin Harvick’s throwback car, but I'm hoping it is a tribute to the Gold Thunder of Rex White. It would be fitting to see Harvick win in such a tribute car.
Throwback or throw-up. Your call as you watch the race. In my eyes, such a race with never be worthy of being called the Southern 500 for I have seen the Southern 500 when it was a true contest of men, machine, and track. Happy Labor Day weekend everyone.
