This past week I had spend a wonderful time with my wife Julie at the beach. It was our first time alone for a prolonged period of time for the first time in nearly 20 years after raising our son. We lounged at the beach, caught a show, hung by the pool, slept a lot and ate a lot. Until, we got tired of hanging out at the beach and took a little road trip over to Pawley's Island, SC. We had no direction, just driving along and whenever we saw something interesting we'd stop. Well, Julie got out her smart phone and looked for a place that sells crafts, and up pops some crafts store off the beaten path, back among trailer houses and dirt driveways. There we were gazing at handmade crafts, Julie looking for something special, me, I was just wandering around (waiting patiently). Here's where things get interesting...as we were driving away I spotted a split-window coupe in the back of some big warehouse and decided to turn around to investigate. As we pulled in the driveway I spotted some guy cutting some boards and ask if I could speak to someone about the old car out back. He said "Everyone's at lunch" (in broken English). So I decided to call the search off and text Bobby Williamson to tell him "There's some old cars over here" and we left. Later we were close to the location of the old split-window coupe so I asked Julie if I could go over one more time to see if the owner was back from lunch, she agreed, so off I went.
Sure enough, the bay doors were open and I could see some old pickups and cars inside with a few more out back. As I walked in the bay door the first thing I spot is a 1939 Ford Coupe MODIFIED DIRT CAR!!! HOLY FLATHEADS BATMAN!!! Up on a hoist sits this traditionally built 39' Ford coupe. I ask a worker about the car and he said "It belonged to Archie Downs". ARCHIE DOWNS!!! He's a LEGEND! I spoke with Archie years ago when I bought my first old modified, can this be for real? A while later the owner shows up and we introduce and start talking cars. A real down to earth gentlemen he was, showed lots of interest in our conversation and took me on a tour of his shop (quite a collection I might add). I told him all about my racing venture with the Bell & Bell Vintage Modified Series, and how fun it is to race these old modifieds. It was the most unlikely places I would have gone, no where near our destination, just riding some back road and happened to see a split-window coupe (old 30's Ford) and the next thing I knew I was engaged in conversation with a guy that just might change his mind of turning the old Archie Downs Ford into a street rod, and instead, fix it up and race it someday. Goes to show, you never know where the "track" of life takes you.
On another note; I just got a text from an friend that use to be one of my soldiers back in the 82nd Airborne Division, Chad York, now the Race Director for rookie driver Bill Catania #18 ARCA race team making his first start in the ARCA series at Berlin Raceway in Marne, Michigan tonight. I hope I had a little influence on Chad, at least with his new Race Director career. Again, I never expected that text.
What are the chances of these two events? Luck? Fate? I've always said, Luck is when preparation and opportunity meet. Then again, some things are just meant to be. Also, it's not what we don't do in life, it's what we do that makes a difference. Take a chance, take a risk, take a turn down an old beaten path and you'll never know what you'll find there until you do it.
updated by @jim-wilmore: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
