As I have written about several times in the past, thanks to Herbert Corley loaning me a trailer to tow my race car, my second race, after my debut at The Columbia Speedway in 1969, was at the half-mile, high-banked asphalt Augusta International Raceway. In a matter of three days, I went from a half-mile dirt track to a half-mile asphalt track. That August night in Augusta remains one of the memories of my driving career I treasure very much.
I ran second in the second heat race of the night behind a black and gold 1956 Chevrolet. My memory can't call up the name of the driver of that car but I do remember he was from Savannah. That gave me the outside second row for the feature race that night. On the pole was the winner of the first heat, and again the name recollection fails me, but it was a red and white 1956 Ford, that I do recall.
It was a hot night weatherwise in Augusta, as are so many of those August nights anywhere in the South and I remember sitting in the car as they lined us up for the feature looking at all the bugs flying around the lights. Weird how my mind worked back then. There are those around who say it still works that way but those folks are friends (right, Johnny) so I live with it.
Dan Scott, the NASCAR official, motioned us to move and we started the first "parade" lap. I looked at the car beside me and in the mirror at the one behind me and, again, my memory fails to call up even the numbers on the cars. As we came off turn four, Dan held up the one finger indicating we go green next time by. My concentration went totally on the back bumper of that Chevy ahead of me until we were in turn three and then I was watching intently for the green flag.
We were already on the straight, almost to the line, when the flag was thrown. We went into turn one with the pole guy and the Chevy side by side and I was on the back bumper of the Chevy. The guy to my inside had fallen back a little so I was thinking I would duck low coming off two and go for it. Then, to my surprise, the Chevy guy came down the track ever so slightly and he and the Ford bumped a time or two and the outside of the track was wide open. I put my right foot to the floor and watched out my driver's window as the front row drivers slipped to the rear of my vision field. I was actually leading the race!!!
I remember going into turn three and looking in the mirror as the two front row starters were still hung together and I had them by five or six car lengths. My dream of more than twenty years had come true at Columbia Speedway two nights earlier and now the dream of actually leading a NASCAR race (albeit a Hobby Division Race) was realized. Turn two at Augusta International Raceway had catapulted me into the lead of a race.
My lead lasted 7 laps before the guy in the Chevy blew by me on the inside of turn one. I could stay with him, but I just couldn't pass him back. Of course, if I had known back then that it was ok to "rattle his cage" or "dump him" as the sayings now go, I could have done that because I could run with him in the turns, just couldn't catch him on the straights. But oh what memories.
I am looking forward to being back in Augusta this Saturday, September 18th. When I was last there, I stood on the hill of dirt that I was told was turn two back in the day. For a brief, fleeting moment, it was a hot Augusta night in 1969 and I was watching that red and white Ford and black and gold Chevrolet in my rear view mirror. My first laps led in a NASCAR race. Very special to me. I sometimes have problems remember details these days, but I do remember that feeling.
See you all in Augusta!!!!!
Tim
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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 04:08:38PM
