Planting the Racing Seeds as Bopper and Legend Have Described

I really enjoyed this past Tuesday night's Racing Through History broadcast, especially all the wonderful descriptions of the amazing event staged at Shelby.

Particularly gratifying to me was the observation of the numbers of youngsters on hand and how they were tutored and enjoyed the old-time atmosphere.

It was so neat last night to hear Bobby Williamson talk about the 11 year old who accompanies his #300 Bell & Bell Modified to the races, actually backing the car off the trailer. We all agreed on how important it is to plant the seeds while these youngsters are so impressionable.

I thought last night of how much I enjoyed hearing and reading of Tim Leeming's grandsons' experiences when he took them to Charlotte last year. I also thought of how much my own grandson enjoyed trips to the weekly tracks at Concord and Lancaster - good exposure to both asphalt and dirt! And, how much my now 11 year old grandson enjoyed Occoneechee last November.

The more I thought of all these things, the more I thought of a news release I wrote for the Richmond track 13 years ago in April 1999. I was media relations director there for 10 seasons from 1990-1999. I have written hundreds (if not thousands) of news releases over the years, but I've never been tempted to bore the RR family with one. I am going to make an exception to my own rule and share just this one old news release because it captures, I think, the essence of what we were discussing last night.

Upfront, let me set the stage by saying that the late and legendary Richmond promoter, Paul Sawyer was partial to modifieds and children. His grandstands were always open free of charge for all practice sessions and children under age 12 were always admitted free of charge to all non-Winston Cup events at his track.

I hope you might enjoy this old release. It received widespread publication at the time and many nice comments. I treasure the thoughts it embodies even more now that I am a grandpa.

I'm going to highlight the release in a different color for visibility. Thanks for letting me reminisce.

RICHMOND, VA (April 13, 1999) - The senior citizen and the preschooler walked hand in hand from the pickup truck toward the main entrance of Richmond International Raceway. The elderly gentleman sported a ball cap emblazoned in two colors electric blue and Day-Glo red. A stylized #43 adorned the front of his cap. The young boy wore a spiffy, brand new cap. It was colored like a rainbow shining in the afternoon sun, following a brief thunderstorm. It, too, had a stylized number on the front and sides - #24, as well as the words Rainbow Warriors embroidered across the back.

Approaching the grandstand gate, the pair stopped in their tracks as the crisp morning air was pierced by a rumbling, thundering sound similar to no other. Wow! Lets hurry grandpa, exclaimed the youngster. Hold on one second, son, the grandfather requested, savoring the full-blown roar of two NASCAR Featherlite Modifieds reverberating off 94,030 high rise aluminum seats and then resounding through the gate opening just ahead of the pair. Listen to that music just a minute, begged grandpa, even as his step hastened.

As the two fans born generations apart squint in the sun, a jet black and radiant yellow tornado roars off the fourth turn. The velocity is so great it feels as if the pairs jackets will be pulled into the maelstrom. Observers note a tight grip maintained on grandpas hand.

The black and yellow tornado rushes into the shade toward turn one before it is suddenly apparent that the heart throbbing commotion is being caused by not one, but two NASCAR Featherlite Modifieds. Jockeyed by two New Yorkers at that, the name on the black #7 Chevy is Tom Baldwin, while Tim Connolly is neatly lettered on the #4 Dodge. Both the drivers and the cars are familiar (and famous) to fans of the NASCAR Featherlite Modified Series. Baldwin hails from Bellport, while Connolly claims Endicott as home. The two Yankees are at the Sawyer familys Richmond International Raceway today testing tires for Goodyear tires theyll use when the entire Modified brigade returns to this bastion of southern culture the night of May 13 for the SAFETY-KLEEN 150, the Thursday opener for NASCARs 3-night RIR engagement.

Did Jeff Gordon drive Modifieds, grandpa? How about Ward Burton? I bet they were good NASCAR Modified drivers, exclaims the youngster just a hint of question in his tone.

A gentle Nope from grandpa leaves a puzzled look on the youngsters face. The look turns to a beam, though, as grandpa says, Jeffs crew chief, Ray Evernham drove em and worked on em before he moved south. And, Wards crew chief learned all about racecars working on NASCAR Modifieds for his dad. Look, there goes Tommy Baldwin, Juniors dad again right now, grandpa shouts as Tiger Tom Baldwin puts his RIR-sponsored mount through its quick paces.

Know how you love to watch Mr. Excitement? Well, Jimmy Spencer was a two-time NASCAR Featherlite Modified Series champion. And, Dale Earnhardts Winston Cup driver, Steve Park won 16 Modified races before he joined Dale. Thats the same number of Modified wins that Mike McLaughlin got before he started driving in the Busch Series. But, Jeff Fuller won 31 NASCAR Featherlite Modified races. Only two Modified drivers have more wins than that.

Well get to see Reggie Ruggiero (38 NASCAR Featherlite Modified wins) here with his Modified in May. And well see the all-time NASCAR Featherlite Modified Series winner in September, when Mike Stefanik (58 NASCAR Featherlite Modified Series wins) brings his new NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series ride to Richmond. Ken Bouchard was the 1988 Winston Cup Rookie of the Year after driving on the Featherlite Tour and Brett Bodine won three tour races.

Son, I can remember when those last two guys I named had brothers driving NASCAR Modifieds before they started in Winston Cup. Im talking about Ron Bouchard and Geoff Bodine. But, that was in the days before the touring Featherlite Modified Series started in 1985, grandpa patiently explains. When we come back in May, those two fellows on the track will be the ones to watch, along with Reggie and Mike Ewanitsko and Chris Kopec. I even hear Rick Fuller will be back. He won the first Featherlite Modified Series race at RIR in 1990 before you were born, laughs grandpa.

Grandpa, are you gonna talk again tonight about the good old days and Joe Weatherly, Ray Hendrick, Eddie Crouse, Sonny Hutchins, Runt Harris, Ted Hairfield and Bill Dennis in Modifieds here on the dirt track? Are you gonna tell me how Junie Donlavey had his #90 Ford Modifieds here before they ever built that first NASCAR superspeedway in Darlington in 1950 and how he took Bob Apperson and Runt Harris down there for the first Southern 500?

Are you gonna tell me about the Woodchopper Glen Wood and his #21 Ford Modified winning here on the dirt, too? Are you gonna tell me how Paul Sawyer started out owning NASCAR Modifieds? Are you gonna tell me again about how Eddie Flemke, Juniors daddy came to Richmond with Denny Zimmerman, Rene Charland and Red Foote in Modifieds and yall called them the Yankee Bandits?" quizzed the youngster.

Nope, fibbed grandpa, telling a small white mistruth. Im gonna think of which of these NASCAR Featherlite Modified Series drivers will be NASCARs next superstars.

Good, said the youngster. And, Im gonna pull for that yellow Dodge of Tim Connollys when we come back for the SAFETY-KLEEN 150. Its the only Dodge body in the Series.

One more thing, son did I ever tell you about Red Byron winning the first-ever NASCAR race in Virginia right here at Richmond in 1948 in a NASCAR Modified and how he was the first NASCAR Modified champion and then won the very first NASCAR Winston Cup championship in 1949? He was the first NASCAR Modified driver to make it big in Winston Cup, grandpa continued to the yawning youngster.
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Dave,your play of words on the past gets better every time you hit a key. The modifieds were the thing back then,especially the old style.

Thanks, Johnny.

Dave, that is awesome!!!! Such writing makes a "wannabee" scribe want to definitely hang up his laptop. Thanks for breaking your self-imposed rule and posting that one. It is, for sure, one for the Home Page! Great job.

Dave, thank you for your comments. Unless we pass the baton to the next generation, the sport can be lost. I know I was introduced to stock car racing by my own father, and I've always wanted to fulfill that role to a new and aspiring fan. Here's a shot of 11-year old Reise Corbett.....the team was fortunate to win the inaugural "Michael 'Porkchop' Billings Memorial" event, and the team celebrates the moment in victory lane...... L-R: "Hulon" aka the "man on the street", Charles Todd (Reise's grandfather), Reise Corbett, (me), and Bruce James therace sponsor.

Reise at the driver's meeting

Dave - Excellent article !!!!