Vintage Racing at Carolina Speedway

We had a little bit of every "normal" part of Saturday night dirt track racing last night at Carolina speedway. The Bell & Bell Vintage Modifieds managed to get in the race....NO RAIN!!

I had a DNF, but still got to experience all this:

1. Went out of the track driving too deep into turn 3. Sherman Garris, Bobby williamson, and Pete Corey Jr. all told me this is what I would do if I drove in too deep, but I'm stubborn that way....had to see for myself. Turns out they were 100% right. I think we actually have that on video.

2. While sitting in line for practice got to see a Saturday-night-dirt-track brawl...right out side my window. Had a front row seat. Nope wasn't our group, we're all too old and mellow for that, it was a bunch of guys in the late model division.

3. Saw Billy Biscoe on the race track in full race mode...well maybe not full, but he was out there with us having a good time. Only problem was getting his helmet off between rounds. Seems he had a bad case of "perma-grin".

4. Once again Karen Biscoe stole the show with a smorgasbord of chicken, biscuits, cookies, etc. The lady knows how to go racin!

5. For the first time ever...I was the youngest driver in the class.

6. Got to make changes to the car and actually feel the difference. Still have some brakes, steering, and some fuel delivery issues to work out, but I think there is hope for the #46.

7. Exposed Kay to all the above including getting home at 1:30 am. All of this was a first for her. I can only imagine what she is thinking...lol. For her this was truly a "cultural" experience.

8. I have never been to a race track where they worked on the cars on the front stretch during cautions. While I'm extremely grateful to the fine folks at Carlolina Speedway for having us, you might speed up the show by requiring folks to "PIT" when they need repairs.

9. Eight divisions of racing on a Saturday night is just too much. We left the track at 12:15AM and there were still two features left. Again...very grateful for them allowing the Vintage Cars to run.....but...I'm just sayin.

10. I am very grateful to Bruce James Racing for allowing me to drive their car. They prepared it, pulled it to the track, and worked on it at the track. While we have a bit of work to do to make it competitive, Bruce is committed to having winning cars. I like that!

I was a great experience for Ann and I to see Jeff, Billy and Bobby, folks we know well, out there racing. Billy and Jeff had car problems but Bobby really is a racer underneathe that "bopping" frame. I must say though, and I told Ann, Jeff's car appeared so ill handling that I doubt it could have been driven on I-95 by Kyle Busch.

Jeff is right about the show. 10:17 p.m. the first race took the green flag. That was AFTER every vehicle in the country, with the exception of the WWI tank in front of the VFW in Dillon had made a qualifying attempt. Ann and I left as soon as Jeff's feature was over and we got home at 2:15. The track is a beautiful reminder of good dirt tracks of the past. The stands are NOT acclimated for older folks. The distance between one platform to the next on the steps requires legs at least 6 feet long to make the climb.

Ann and I are both very glad we went to see Jeff race and watch the Bell & Bell series show their stuff. But no more such adventures for the old folks at tracks that prolong the program until it's almost time for the sun to come up again. Wonder what time the last checker fell?

Tim

Jeff, Sounds like you folks had a wonderful time.

Regarding your Point Number 9 - too many divisions:

This has been my pet peeve with local tracks for years. Too many divisions equals too few cars per division and all night shows. I still maintain that any track running more than three classes is shooting themself in the foot. I actually think two very well promoted classes would be even better.

Right after the NASCAR Modifieds were dropped at all the Virginia tracks, the best local shows I ever saw were at Richmond's Southside Speedway in late 60s/early 70s. That'swhenmaster car builder, modified and Cup winner and later owner of Stock Car Products Emanuel Zervakis (the Golden Greek) promoted the place on Friday nights. Running 3 divisions, NASCAR Late Model Sportsman, NASCAR Limited Sportsman and a Hobby Class, the racing action began promptly at 8:30 pm and was over at 10:30 pm. It was two solid hours of non-stop racing for $5. You could set your watch by it. Out at 10:30 every Friday night and the best late model drivers in the country. None of this all night time trial crap, either. It was all pure racing with no breaks in the on-track action. Two ten lap heats for each division and the feature race. No prolonged cautions or red flags. Get 'em off the track and keep racing. All three divisions had huge car counts, 25-30 NASCAR Late Model Sportsman cars with guys from western VA like Jimmy Hensley and Paul Radford and the Carolinas like Harry Gant and Morgan Shepherd (even DW from Tennessee)all coming in to run with our local Ray Hendrick, Sonny Hutchins, Al Grinnan, Tommy Ellis, Lennie Pondand crowd. And guess what - the grandstands were full every Friday night. When NASCAR killed the Late Model Sportsman division and created the Touring Series,the attendance rapidly declined, though. Thank goodness for the Gore family at Old Dominion Speedway in Mannassas, VA introducing the Late Model Stock Car class and convincing NASCAR to adopt it, though that hardly matches the old 60s style NASCAR fuel injected Modified action or later Late Model Sportsman action I grew up with. In the last two years I have attended a few weekly races at the dirt Lancaster, SC speedway and the paved Concord, NC track - both beautiful facilities that are fan friendly and a nice place to take kids. My grandsons went with me. HOWEVER - the races lasted all night and there were so many divisions at both tracks you needed a Philadelphia lawyer to figure it out. After having attended races for 47 years, I was completely lost at these two places trying to figure out what was going on. Some of the races only had 5 cars. It was ridiculous. My grandsons spent more time playing with matchbox cars and going to the concession stand than watching 5 cars spread out around a race track. That's not racing. Please, promoters and racers, kill all these extraneous divisions and put on a great 2-3 hour show where the fan is kept occupied with big fields in just three or so divisions. We're just letting racing get killed so many ways. It's not just at the Cup level.

Jeff, Sounds like you folks had a wonderful time.

Regarding your Point Number 9 - too many divisions :

This has been my pet peeve with local tracks for years. Too many divisions equals too few cars per division and all night shows. I still maintain that any track running more than three classes is shooting themself in the foot. I actually think two very well promoted classes would be even better.

Right after the NASCAR Modifieds were dropped at all the Virginia tracks, the best local shows I ever saw were at Richmond's Southside Speedway in late 60s/early 70s. That'swhenmaster car builder, modified and Cup winner and later owner of Stock Car Products Emanuel Zervakis (the Golden Greek ) promoted the place on Friday nights. Running 3 divisions, NASCAR Late Model Sportsman, NASCAR Limited Sportsman and a Hobby Class, the racing action began promptly at 8:30 pm and was over at 10:30 pm. It was two solid hours of non-stop racing for $5. You could set your watch by it. Out at 10:30 every Friday night and the best late model drivers in the country. None of this all night time trial crap, either. It was all pure racing with no breaks in the on-track action. Two ten lap heats for each division and the feature race. No prolonged cautions or red flags. Get 'em off the track and keep racing. All three divisions had huge car counts, 25-30 NASCAR Late Model Sportsman cars with guys from western VA like Jimmy Hensley and Paul Radford and the Carolinas like Harry Gant and Morgan Shepherd (even DW from Tennessee)all coming in to run with our local Ray Hendrick, Sonny Hutchins, Al Grinnan, Tommy Ellis, Lennie Pondand crowd. And guess what - the grandstands were full every Friday night. When NASCAR killed the Late Model Sportsman division and created the Touring Series,the attendance rapidly declined, though. Thank goodness for the Gore family at Old Dominion Speedway in Mannassas, VA introducing the Late Model Stock Car class and convincing NASCAR to adopt it, though that hardly matches the old 60s style NASCAR fuel injected Modified action or later Late Model Sportsman action I grew up with. In the last two years I have attended a few weekly races at the dirt Lancaster, SC speedway and the paved Concord, NC track - both beautiful facilities that are fan friendly and a nice place to take kids. My grandsons went with me. HOWEVER - the races lasted all night and there were so many divisions at both tracks you needed a Philadelphia lawyer to figure it out. After having attended races for 47 years, I was completely lost at these two places trying to figure out what was going on. Some of the races only had 5 cars. It was ridiculous. My grandsons spent more time playing with matchbox cars and going to the concession stand than watching 5 cars spread out around a race track. That's not racing. Please, promoters and racers, kill all these extraneous divisions and put on a great 2-3 hour show where the fan is kept occupied with big fields in just three or so divisions. We're just letting racing get killed so many ways. It's not just at the Cup level.

Eight division are too many, but eight divisions are not the weekly format at the Carolina Speedway. The Bell & Bell vintage cars, for example, are an 'extra' one-a-month addition, as are the 'outlaw U-cars'. Resulting from the recent rain-outs, everything, all 80-something race cars, converged on the Carolina Speedway on Saturday night. A "perfect storm" scenario. On a positive note, too many race cars is a problem many promoters would love to have.

To many race cars,wow Ive never been to a track that had that problem. I have been to a track or two that did run late due to poor timing on the promoters part.

One time was because the track got so dusty we paused for the water truck to soak down the track then to let the water soak in . That was over in Mississippi on Saturday nite.

But the farther from home spectators get the more uneasy they seem to be come midnite, You got to admit everyone wont camp out at the local motel after the race and surely Bobby wont put up very many at the Motel 6 . Case in point The car thing cant be every race nite. So folks not familiar with the track may just get a negitive taste in their craw. My point of view only---------------------------------------------------memories

Your recognition of the Gore family is spot on. That family has played a huge role in the advancement of motor racing in general.

BB and Karen, we are very honored to have you join us! Please know that you are always welcome! It's all about having fun, I know the night ran long, but the socializing was priceless...along with the fried chicken!

My group made it back home around 2:00 AM, we hung out at the all night convenience store 'til THREE AM re-running everything and I was teaching my Sunday school class at Camp Methodist Church at 10 AM!! Gotta love it!

Jeff, here is a specific example of what I was talking about with the Gore family at Old Dominion Speedway. This 1971 National Speed Sport News story documents 65 NASCAR Late Model Sportsman cars on hand for the 1971 Bill Bogley Race (I was fortunate to watch it). Just look at the names in the race report, including National Champ, Red Farmer, who had a bad night. There was even a 20-lap consi... anyway, again, if promoters ran fewer divisions...

Jeff Gilder said:

Your recognition of the Gore family is spot on. That family has played a huge role in the advancement of motor racing in general. From being one of ...if not ..the first working "legal" drag strip east of the Mississippi to the great short track racing contributions over the years...great folks, too!

the photo that Jack Walker posted, made me wonder, were you saying a prayer for a win or a finish. or were you trying to be a Dale catching a few winks? glad everybody had a good time. I am in Pa making things work.