Revenuers Too!

The chorus from the George Jones country classic "White Lightning" goes like this:

Well the "G" men, "T" men, revenuers, too Searchin' for the place where he made his brew They were looking, tryin to book him, But my pappy kept a-cookin' Whshhhoooh . . . white lightnin'

We just had the Shinefest over in Madison, NC and we constantly talk about stock car racing's whiskey running past featuring a cast of characters like Junior Johnson and Curtis Turner.

But, just like Rodney Dangerfield, the "revenuers" don't get no respect.

Whenever I hear those song lyrics, I immediately think of one of the great independent drivers my Richmond, Virginia friends and I pulled for in the 1960s - Worth McMillion of Amelia Court House, Virginia. You see, Worth who had 62 Grand National starts as a driver between 1962-1969 was one of the "revenuers" not one of the shine runners. At the time he was racing, Worth's full time job was as an agent for the Virginia ABC (Alcoholic Beverage Control) Board. And there he was, out there racing Junior Johnson, Curtis Turner, Buddy Arrington and a host of others who had skirted the law when it came to whiskey running. Worth sometimes entered two cars, the #83 and the #80, big ole Pontiacs that looked like land yachts. His brother Allen McMillion was involved and G.T. Nolen drove his cars, along with Bunkie Blackburn and others. Between 1962-1969, Worth posted 18 top ten finishes in those big ole Pontiacs. We loved it at Richmond when he'd enter two cars on the dirt. Members on this Racers Reunion site includeWorth's son, John, daughter-in-law Susan and former driver G.T. Nolen. John has tons of great pictures posted on his page and I have borrowed three from his page to illustrate. You'll notice Cotton Owens inthe dirt trackshot and the white car shotis from the 1966 Peach Blossom 500 at Rockingham. I always remember Bud Moore telling me he "did mechanic work" for both bootleggers and revenue agents. I really miss having guys like Worth out there and the great story lines they produced. I know years ago there were stories written about him, maybe somebody can find some and post them.

Worth & Wife Gloria at Martinsville

A Dirt Track Show... Cotton Owens on Far Right

Worth at Rockingham's 1966 Peach Blossom 500


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"Any Day is Good for Stock Car Racing"
updated by @dave-fulton: 12/05/16 04:02:07PM

Last year at the Occoneechee RR & Car Show event I had the great pleasure of meeting Mr. Worth McMillion. We were both looking for a shady spot to sit as the cars lined up on the front stretch of the old speedway and we struck up a conversation. He told me that he had ran there back in the day and pointed out his family. You could tell those were things that he was proud of. I count myself as very fortunate to have met him.

Littleremembered fact: In 1963, enroute to his second NASCAR Grand National Championship,Joe Weatherly drove 5 different makes of cars for 8 different car owners, with most starts being in Bud Moore Pontiacs and late in the 1963 season in Bud Moore Mercurys. In the South Boston 400, Little Joe posted a 16th place finish after rear end problems. He was behind the wheel of none other than Worth McMillion's #83 Pontiac at South Boston that day, on his way to NASCAR's biggest prize!


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"Any Day is Good for Stock Car Racing"

I know a modern day Worth McMillion though his line of duty is far from the lone ranger position the revenuer held, he did mention that he doesn't like the other drivers to know he's a cop for the "beach patrol".

Yes, I know, I thought it was a little silly to worry about being a Bay Watch cop to the other drivers but I suppose he could be an example of other people that work in the line of duty that might feel a little uneasy and out of place if they disclosed their day job to their car jockey friends.