Inaugural Vintage Championship Series Report Historic Cleveland County Fairgrounds Speedway
Historic Speedways and Ghost Tracks
Can't wait to see your pics Raytona!
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Historic Speedways and Ghost Tracks
Inaugural Vintage Championship Series Report Historic Cleveland County Fairgrounds Speedway
Historic Speedways and Ghost Tracks
Charlie, it was great seeing y'all. Glad you enjoyed our show.
Inaugural Vintage Championship Series Report Historic Cleveland County Fairgrounds Speedway
Historic Speedways and Ghost Tracks
Photo by Ben Earp/Shelby Star
Bobby (the Bopper) Williamson and Sherman Garris battle off turn 4 at Shelby.
Story from the Star
Racing roars back to life at Fairgrounds
Saturday, Apr 21 2012, 8:40 pm
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Clark Leonard
The cars roared to life. The red dirt flew. More than a few wrecks were part of the festivities. The grandstand was nearly full by days end.
Racing returned to the Cleveland County Fairgrounds Speedway for the first time since 1974 on Saturday.
Ned Jarrett, a two-time NASCAR champion, was the grand marshal for the Racers Reunion event ahead of Fridays first night of Good Old Days Series races at the track.
Jarrett won the final two Grand National (now Sprint Cup) races at the Fairgrounds track, both in 1965. On Saturday, Jarrett recalled winning one of those events by 22 laps.
I always enjoyed coming here, Jarrett said. The stands were always full.
He said he grew up partial to dirt track racing after being raised on a farm in Catawba County.
Its neat to see whats been done here, Jarrett said.
Plenty of families were in the stands. One included Shelbys Angela Stokes. She said her husband, son and daughter love racing.
I was kind of outnumbered, Stokes said. Now that I got here and watched it, I like it. Its really fun watching them.
Perhaps the biggest reactions from the fans came on some of the wrecks, which kept one of the races constantly rotating between caution and green-flag racing.
Like Jarrett, returning to the Cleveland County Fairgrounds had special meaning for Don Moore, a 61-year-old Spartanburg, S.C., resident.
Moore won his first race at the track more than 40 years ago.
When I saw it online that they were going to do it, I was excited, Moore said of the track opening back up for racing.
After a roughly 25-year absence from the sport, he and his son Noel built a car about six years ago. He began to make a comeback and won seven or eight races before Saturday.
This race really means more than the other races Ive won since I started back, Moore said. I love dirt.
The Good Old Days Series kicks off Friday at 8 p.m. at the Fairgrounds Speedway. Races will begin at that time each week and will be held no matter how many cars show up.
Moore said he will absolutely be back.
Stokes has a feeling her family will be, too.
My husband will probably be here every Friday if I let him, Stokes said.
Inaugural Vintage Championship Series Report Historic Cleveland County Fairgrounds Speedway
Historic Speedways and Ghost Tracks
Pete Corey Jr carries the left front off #2 at Shelby on his way to his first ever victory which gave him the title of Bell & Bell Vintage Modified (V8) VCS NC State Champ.
Inaugural Vintage Championship Series Report Historic Cleveland County Fairgrounds Speedway
Historic Speedways and Ghost Tracks
After more than three decades of silence, Saturday April 21, 2012 was the day racing returned to Historic Cleveland County Fairgrounds Speedway in Shelby, NC. Fans were treated to five divisions of racing, one exhibition, and several vintage cars for show. The weather was awesome, the track held up wonderfully, and there are five drivers who can add to theirresume "Vintage Championship Series North Carolina State Champion".
The day began with an autograph session including legendary drivers who raced at this historic Speedway. Grand Marshal, Ned Jarrett, Rex White, Paul Lewis, Jimmy Helms, Marvin Panch, Brownie King, and some I may have missed were on hand for interaction with some eager fans
Open ceremonies began with an invocation, Color Guard presentation, and the National Anthem sang by teenage singing sensation, McKayla Reese. Then a few words from our Grand Marshal, Ned Jarrett, and three parade lap including all cars... old school style to the tune of Dixie, led to 100 laps of dust-free green flag racing. The entire racing program took less than two hours.
Everyone involved should be very proud to have been part of this event that ran as well as any dirt race I've ever attended...actually better than most. From the guys prepping the track, to the guys parking cars and race cars, to the turn marshals and safety crew, to the wrecker crews (yes we needed them several times), to Mike Sykes the flagman, to Jerry Smith the announcer (who kept the crowd pumped beginning to end), to Billy Biscoe the Pit steward, to the safety inspection team, the gate crews, trophy girls, big Poppa, Larry-the-starter guy (no relation to the cable guy), photographers, hospitality team, Karen Biscoe the radio coordinator (bigger job than you might imagine), all the drivers, the legendary guests, magazine sales and pr (Dangerous Devin and The Legend), the real Jimmy (not Jimmie like a girl)) Johnson, and especially the fans.
Michael W smith saw his dream (bringing racing back to Shelby) and the fruits of his long hours of labor result in one of the best and most significant events I can remember. When most of us are gone..on to the big race track in the sky, the history books will most certainlyrecordthe accounts of this day and the effortsleadingup to it.
Many thanks to all worked to create this dream and to those whoparticipated in seeing it become reality!
2012 RacersReunion Vintage Championship Series
North Carolina State Champions
Steve Davis Southeastern Vintage Club V8 Division
Don Moore Southeastern Vintage Club 6 Cylinder Division
Pete Corey Jr Bell & Bell Vintage Modified Series V8 Division
Sherman Garris Bell & Bell Vintage Modified Series 6 Cylinder Division
Marty Spittle Old School Vintage Club
updated by @jeff-gilder: 08/05/18 08:35:16PM
Weather Favorable for Inaugural Vintage Championship Series in Shelby, NC Saturday
Administrative
This is really cool seeing these race cars come into town for OUR event!!. There is a buzz around town for sure.
Weather Favorable for Inaugural Vintage Championship Series in Shelby, NC Saturday
Administrative
10% chance of rain until 3 PM then 20%. We'll be finished by then. C'mon out and see some old school racing.
updated by @jeff-gilder: 12/05/16 04:02:57PM
Goat Rodeo Graphic by John Bockelman
Stock Car Racing History
updated by @jeff-gilder: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
Richmond Has No Race Sponsors
Current NASCAR
On a much smaller scale, we have no sponsor for this week ends VCS event at Shelby. First time we've ever had to do an event without sponsorship.