Got another connection there for you in reference to Don Bumgardner. My mother was friends with him and his wife as they came to eat at Lineberger's Fish Fry and Mom waited on them every week and she used to keep me posted on Don's recovery after his near fatal wreck at Concord. He passed away a few years back but I work for his first cousin Laura Bumgardner at the County Police here in Gaston.
Dot was Bill Baldwin's daughter and was married to Rick Stowe at the time. His brother Lewis was the owner of Precision Electronic Balancing in Belmont and Rick was on the crew.My wife's uncle lives on WoodrowAve. in Bemont and is named Eddie Bolen Sr. If I am not mistaken, he bought someof the Baldwin's equipment and they continued to run at Columbia. Eddie was severely injured in a pit road accident at Columbia and can probably fill in some of the blanks for us.
Let me get up with Jimmy and Tony Austin. I worked for them at Austins Body Shop in the seventies and remember Tony talking about Roger's shop way back then. I remember Precision Electronic Balancing and Dixon Ford as sponsers too. Lewis Stowe did and still does run the balancing shop and his brother Rick was married to Bill's daughter at the time. I went to high school with Roger's daughter Delores but haven't heard from her in YEARS.
Glad you called me and I could help with a couple of your questions. I grew up in Belmont and New Hope and Roger's shop was a frequent stop of mine. Keep me posted on anything especially pictures you come up with about the Baldwins. Charlie Craig
I live about two miles from the old Lowell Fairgrounds,Gastonia Fairgrounds,Spindle City Fairgrounds property. i have some photos I took there and Humpey Wheeler promoted there one year. I loved the place. It was a quarter mile, just like the track two miles away called Robinwood. Great memories. I spent many hours there. I am open for any questions. Love to discuss what I can remember bout these places. Charlie
Yea, that's him. I hope to do some kind of bio on Harold and Glenn over the winter. Harold will be at my Cruise In on Oct. 13th. with lots more of the drivers from the 60's. Try to come. Also, read Ervin Carpenter's bio I did on "Ghosts of Southern Dirt Tracks".Charles Craig
I gave Bobby my email address in case I can't figure out how to post it. I'll scan it this week and get back with you and you can let everyone see it. It had large concrete stands and was very modern looking. I'll ask Harold Dunaway what he remembers about it too.
Robert and Bobby, I've got a pretty good photo of the track when it was in operation if you haven't seen it. Taken up close from the air, looking from turn 1 and 2 down the straits. It came from Glenn Dunaway's collection. I'll dig it out this week when I'm off if you aren't familiar with this photo.Charles Craig
Had a great time Friday night!Great show! Keep it up. Hate I can only get there every other Friday.Charlie Craig
It was called Suicide Circle. I believe, if I am not wrong that Hugh Gray Earnandez ran it. We lost him not long ago. Lots of guys who are still around can fill you in on it. Ervin Carpenter, Jake Jacobs, Eddie Morgan etc. I can hook you up with them. Somewhere...in my stuff I have a few minutes of video on it. I do have some newpaper articles from the early sixties on it. My 3-B Chevrolet ran there lots of times. I bought it from the Faulkenberry family in 1990. It would still run and was driven by Don AArants, Eddie Morgan, Ervin Carpenter, Jerry Boyce,Harry Marlowe and Cecil Nivens.
