We obviously can't blame Gene's Rossi to Andretti typo on "Spellcheck" - although Gene later had numerous computers in his wonderful Spartanburg basement office in the early 80s when nobody else had one at home. Can't justify the year Petty switched to Plymouth either. As Chase said, Gene had a really bad day.
Funny/ironic that Gene's name would pop up today. I was just looking at Gene's 2005 obituary over the weekend.
I was big fan of Gene's and spent uncounted hours on the telephone with him as well as in that wonderful office he maintained in the basement of his Spartanburg, SC home. Gene was an unbelievable pre-internet researcher and could also be a mighty pest. Just ask my wife how many times our dinner was interupted by a call from Gene!
Near the end of his career, Gene became paranoid that NASCAR had bugged his office. He had a treadle switch under his desk that activated a tape recorder that he used to record all conversations, unknown to most callers.
Gene's office held, in addition to multiple computers in the 80s, a beautiful barber's chair, a magnificent Wurlitzer jukebox and a traffic signal. Down the walll from the copiers and around the corner was a beer keg in a refrigerator given him by Falstaff. Gene's wonderful wife, Anne made trips to pick up a new keg whenever the one in the keg cooler got low.
I've never been around a writer who wanted to get it correct any more than Gene did. That makes the article above very unusual.
Back when the SMPA/NMPA first proposed Buck Baker for its Hall of Fame at Darlington, it was Gene who discovered that Buck had come back and run a race making him ineligible for a period of several more years. During one of that year's Charlotte races, Gene got a knock on his door at the old Ramada Inn off I-85 behind a now defunct steakhouse popular with the racers.
When Gene opened the motel door, Buck delivered a knockout punch to Gene's nose, breaking it. Gene was definitely a battle tested writer.
Gene was also a smart writer.
He befriended the wives and girlfriends of drivers and car owners and got their private home telephone numbers. When he needed info, he called the wives and girlfriends when the owners and drivers were out of town. I have sat across the desk from him when he called Harry Ranier's wife to get info nobody else could unearth. That's how he operated.
To say that Gene Granger would make the short list of most memorable characters I met in racing would be an understatement. I was honored in December 1981 when his annual year end awards column in Grand National Scene newspaper named me as the individual contributing the most to NASCAR Grand National Stock Car Racing for 1981 with my management of the Wrangler Jeans racing program.
Gene was a wonderful guy for taking deserving newcomers under his wing. He did that for me. He did that for a young Deb Williams, one of the most talented writers I've known. Here's what Deb wrote as a memorial statement tribute for Gene at his funeral home's tribute page:
While a young reporter with United Press International, I possessed a strong desire to become a full-time motorsports writer. In fact, it was this desire that led me into journalism. When I was sent to cover a race at North Wilkesboro [N.C.] Speedway, I met Gene and he saw my passion for the sport. He took me under his wing that day and for the next 20 years he guided and coached me along the way, often providing me with tips on stories that helped me emerge as a top reporter in the business.
Even though Gene and I had not maintained contact during the last year, he was often in my thoughts, especially when I was fortunate enough last fall to teach a course at Appalachian State University on the "Evolution of Southern Motorsports."
Gene loved baseball and racing, and during his years as an historian he amassed an awesome collection of statistics. In fact, his racing stats are probably the only accurate ones that exist as many people attempt to alter stock car racing's history.
Gene will be missed for his knowledge and his friendship.
My deepest condolences to his family, whom he loved dearly. He always made me feel as though I was a part of the family.
With deepest condolences.
Deb Williams For the Gene Granger I knew to make both of those monumental errors in the same story, it was definitely a bad day. I sure do miss Gene and other "old school" writers like him who knew their racing and were unswayed by PR folks. I am sad to report though, Chase, that Gene's office was full of David Pearson / Purolator memorabilia! |
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"Any Day is Good for Stock Car Racing"
1965 - Before Jayski, rumors were often reported in traditional newspapers - including this one about David Pearson possibly moving to USAC because of the Chrysler boycott in NASCAR. From Spartanburg Herald .
1969 - Plymouth finally announced what was pretty well known by January 27th - that they would not have any factory supported teams for the 1969 season. From Spartanburg Herald .
