Forum Activity for @tmc-chase

Tell the Story

Stock Car Racing History

From what I know at high level, Richard thumped the wall during practice for the 1986 World 600 and destroyed his 43 Pontiac. Petty Enterprises didn't have a backup car available - at the track or apparently back at the shop. For reasons I don't full understand or remember, teams apparently weren't permitted to bring backups to the track back then. Seems like the funding was there - but just not permitted. Maybe it was an attempt by NASCAR to conserve costs. But I digress.

So RP worked out a deal with D.K. Ulrich to rent his ride for the weekend. Again, its only at this high level that I'm familiar with the story. I'm sure there is more to it as to how Richard and D.K. got together to make the deal.

Looking back, its a wonder Richard was permitted to race. As I understand it, he rung his bell good - most probably if not definitively a concussion.

New Blog Post: 1968 Alabama 200

Stock Car Racing History

Petty fans took it on the chin a bit on a cold December day in Montgomery, AL. The King was making what many expected to be his final start in a Plymouth. As was often the case in his heyday, the 43 was headed for victory. Bobby Allison didn't get the memo and rubbed salt in the wound of the Petty faithful.

Link: Petty's Final Plymouth Race ... is a win for Allison

updated by @tmc-chase: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM

WHERE SHOULD LARRY FRANK'S "1962 DARLINGTON SOUTHERN 500 WINNER DARLINGTON TROPHY" BE PLACED?

General

Is it possible to have your cake and eat it too? Perhaps more than one museum can display it on a donor-determined, rotational basis. If any of the museums plan to curate a Darlington-focused display, a 1x winner exhibit, a 1960s era display, Ford winners, etc., then perhaps the trophy could rotate from one place to another based on some sort of formal or handshake contract. That approach might allow different groups of fans to see it over a period of years vs. having it 'homestead' at a permanent location.

I have no clue if something like that works or not. In regular art museums, collections of art rotate from one museum to another every few months it seems. Why couldn't that be the case with racing memorabilia?

WHERE SHOULD LARRY FRANK'S "1962 DARLINGTON SOUTHERN 500 WINNER DARLINGTON TROPHY" BE PLACED?

General

MLM and NHOF are 2 obvious choices. And perhaps they are the most logical with their being in NC. But there is also the International Motorsports HOF in Talladega and the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, MI. Not trying to complicate matters - just saying other museums may be genuinely interested in the gift either as a permanent donation or a loan-based display.

New Tennessee Vols football coach

Stock Car Racing History

So UT hired a guy named Butch Jones was their new coach. His real name is Lyle Allen "Butch" Jones Jr.

Well, just great. Now I may get him confused with ...

Loy Allen Jr.

Source: Lee Greenawalt

or Buckshot Jones.

updated by @tmc-chase: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM

Petty Climbed Stand, Red Flagged Never Completed Dirt Race

Stock Car Racing History

With today being the anniversary of this race that wasn't, Dave Fulton's post from last December prompted me to pen a blog post of my own about the lost race of Tulsa.

https://bench-racing.blogspot.com/2014/08/august-4-1956-ok-race-that-wasnt.html

updated by @tmc-chase: 12/16/20 08:33:27AM

Petty Climbed Stand, Red Flagged Never Completed Dirt Race

Stock Car Racing History

August 4, 2014 is the anniversary of what is believed to be the only NASCAR GN/Cup race scuttled mid-race. I haven't found any photos or full accounts of the night's race. However, I did find a couple of nuggets about the race buried in some papers - and whose accounts of who was leading, how many laps had been completed, etc. differ significantly from Aumann's article.

Reading Eagle

Wilmington Morning Star

Car number and sponsor / owner connections

Stock Car Racing History

Awesome! Glad to see a 7-Up tie-in. Such an obvious number/product combo. I remember seeing 7-Up on Pete Hamilton's Superbird - but it obviously wasn't number 7.

Car number and sponsor / owner connections

Stock Car Racing History

While A.J. Reno wasn't sponsored by Union 76 in the 1975 Talladega 500 where he finished 21 or at Charlotte in the fall of 1975 where he DNQ'd, his number style certainly looks like it was influenced by the logo of the one-time Official Fuel Supplier of NASCAR.

From Randy Murphy Collection

In looking up Reno's records, I learned this Dawsonville Driver made only one other WCGN career start - in the 1974 Talladega 500 in a #09 car owned by none other than George Elliott. Which then made me realize one of the most obvious owner-influenced numbers from the early-80s through the early 90s.

9 - Bill Elliott - Highway 9 that ran through Dawsonville, GA

From Brian Higgins collection

Car number and sponsor / owner connections

Stock Car Racing History

66 - Darrell Waltrip - Kmart's Route 66 clothing line