In the interest of full disclosure , I must state that Perry Allen Wood and I are friends. I must also disclose that with the exception of the $5.00 discount Perry gave me on his second book, I have paid full price for the other two. When I first saw "Silent Speedways of the Carolinas" advertised, I ordered it, read it, and tracked down Perry at his workplace to tell him what a fantastic record of racing history he had compiled. I never really expected to meet him in person, but he and I have attended several of the same events. I have a deep respect for Perry and his writing, although sometimes the exposure of things not previously known about certain competitors brings reactions from readers quite the opposite of reactions expected. Nevertheless, I own "Silent Speedways of the Carolinas", "Declarations of Independents" and now Perry's latest, "Bud Moore's Right Hand Man: A NASCAR Team Manager's Career at Full Throttle" which is the story of Bud Moore's son Greg and, essentially, the story of Bud Moore Racing. Perry has another book coming out soon all about Bud Moore. Now, my review of the book.
I actually bought this book back in September and tried several times to read it cover to cover but other things kept getting in the way. Finally, after writing the Legendtorial Sunday, I switched off the computer, turned off my cell phone, and settled down in my favorite reading chair and started over on page one. The first sentence grabbed me this time. Greg Moore speaking "From the time I was born Daddy was a pretty big name in NASCAR". Immediately my mind rewound over all my years around the sport and I could certainly back up that statement from personal knowledge, not that I would doubt Greg's statement to begin with.
As I continued my journey through this history of Bud Moore racing, I had vivid flashbacks of the day Joe Weatherly was killed at Riverside in 1964. As I read about the Billy Wade accident in which he was also killed in one of those black and red Mercurys, my thoughts were more about the four straight races Billy had won on the northern tour the year before. Billy was killed in tire tests at Daytona so the only recollection I have of that accident is what the newspapers reported back then. However, reading about it from Greg's point of view gave powerful insight to the feelings of the man who build those cars.
The book continues through the successful years on Bud Moore racing, always including insight from Greg and comments from Perry which add so much to the reader's involvement in the book. The final chapters deal with efforts to continue Bud Moore Racing until finally there are no options left and the team is sold and the shop closed. My memory of that happening calls up a sadness in me to have lost a great team I watched growing up in racing. The way Greg sets out the story, it gives me a better feeling that what was done was done for the good of the Moore family and although the team is gone, the impact is not, and never will be gone from NASCAR racing. Bud Moore was a force that helped to build NASCAR into a worldwide sports power.
So, thank you Bud Moore for all you did. Thank you Greg Moore for giving us a personal insight into what it takes to run in the big leagues. Thank you Perry Allen, for bringing all this history to the fans like me. Do I recommend this book as reading for a fan of racing history? You bet I do! I have proudly added it to my racing library here in The Lair and I am sure to re-read it in the future. I will be looking forward to Perry Allen's new book about Bud Moore, written with Bud Moore, coming out soon.
Perry, I know you'll probably read this so I have a favor to ask. The next to last paragraph on page 215 just screams at me to use in a Legendtorial. May I have your permission, and Greg's of course, to do so?
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What a change! It's been awhile since I've checked in and I'm quite surprised. It may take me awhile to figure it our but first look it's really great.
updated by @tim-leeming: 12/05/16 04:02:57PM
