Racing Through History - Tuesday Nights
Administrative
I missed the show and it sounds like I missed a good one. Can hardly get enough of former drivers.
Forum Activity for @dave-fulton
Administrative
Sprint will be out. Who will be next?
Current NASCAR
My urologist's office seems to be performing at peak. Perhaps they'd be willing to fund the Specimen Cup.
Yawn... 5 More NASCAR VPs Who Know Nothing About Racing
Current NASCAR
Watch out, NASCAR is at it again. While several of Bruton's tracks this week were busy tearing down seats - 41,000 at Charlotte and 17,000 at Atlanta - NASCAR was busy promoting more folks to VP positions who know nothing about racing.
Remember the line in the folk song Where Have All the Flowers Gone?... "When will they ever learn, when will they eeeevvver learn?"
If you read this post earlier, you'll note that I originally attributed the song line above to the wrong song. Thanks to eagle eyes in our midst with better memories than mine!
NASCAR elevates five to vice president
December 11, 2014, Official NASCAR release, NASCAR.com
New officers include dynamic leaders from across several key departments
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- NASCAR today announced it has promoted five leaders in its Daytona Beach, Florida, and Charlotte, North Carolina, offices to Vice President, in recognition of their various achievements and leadership roles in key business units.
The five promoted today include: David Higdon, Integrated Marketing Communications (Daytona Beach); Cory Posocco, NASCAR Events Group (Daytona Beach); Chad Seigler, Team Marketing Services (Charlotte); Colin Smith, NASCAR Digital Media (Charlotte); and Tshneka Tate, Legal (Charlotte).
"We have developed a very strong and deep leadership team that has provided expertise and strong results during a period of unique challenge and opportunity for our industry," said Brian France, NASCAR chairman and chief executive officer. "Each of these individuals has demonstrated success in driving key initiatives across NASCAR and now become part of an overall leadership group that has us well positioned for the future."
updated by @dave-fulton: 12/05/16 04:04:08PM
Passing of Don "Duck" Holder
General
The supporting cast of our heroes continues to dwindle. Thoughts and prayers to friends and family of Mr. Holder.
Thank you, Friends
General
I'd like to thank all of my racing friends for your thoughts, prayers and comments before, during and after my most recent November 4th surgery.
It's been a tough year and our family has sincerely appreciated your concern.
Special thanks to Tim Leeming and TMC-Chase for corresponding with my daughters.
updated by @dave-fulton: 12/05/16 04:02:07PM
MARTY ROBBINS
Administrative
In July 1982 I was staying in the long gone Howard Johnson motel with Bud Moore and Dale Earnhardt near I-95 just down the road from Daytona Speedway. The first morning when I opened my room door I was met by Marty coming out of the room next door. That was a pleasant surprise. That Firecracker 400 would be Marty's next to last race.
When my wife Joyce and I were in line that December checking into the Waldorf-Astoria in New York for the Winston Cup Awards Banquet, Bill France, Jr. came into the lobby to let the racers know he'd just gotten word of Marty's passing. That was a very sad moment.
The following May at Talladega, Ralph Seagraves brought Ronnie and his band in for the entertainment at the Winston 500 Grand Marshal's dinner. That was quite a night and a wonderful tribute to Marty.
Harry Jefferson's WC #95-1975
Stock Car Racing History
Guess who made a comeback this summer at Yakima, Washington?
Tri Track series will feature Harry Jefferson
YAKIMA, Wash. -- Crashing and dashing will make for a fan-favorite doubleheader this weekend at the Yakima Speedway, starting with todays annual demo derby and moving on to Saturdays return of the Tri Track Super Late Model Series with Harry Jefferson behind the wheel.
The 67-year-old Jefferson, whose NASCAR Sprint Cup career included three top-10 finishes in the 70s, is coming out of a 12-year retirement to drive Austin Reeds No. 14 Ford Fusion with his nephew Jason Jefferson as crew chief.
Austin Reeds father and car owner Dave Reed, who works with the extensively experienced Jefferson family when his North Carolina-based son races on the west coast, was eager to see Harry race on his home track again.
We have been looking to get Harry back in the car since last year since hes been coming to races to help Jason and Austin. Dave Reed said. I know he can still wheel a car so this should be really exciting for Harry and the fans.
The inaugural Tri Track Series, which launched in April at the Apple Cup, has six events of 12 in the books at the three tracks Wenatchee, Hermiston and Yakima. And the first half has been good for local drivers, who have claimed four victories heading into Saturdays 125-lap main event. Mike Longton of Moxee is the Series lone double winner, having won in Hermiston twice, and Naches drivers Jeff Jefferson and Tayler Riddle have claimed victories.
While Garrett Evans is winless, the Wenatchee veteran does have five top-four finishes and leads the points standings by 88 points over Lucas Valdez of Kennewick.
Super Late Model drivers in the region are coming off of last weekends Summer Showdown 200 at Evergreen Speedway, where Canadian Cameron Hayley a teammate of Reeds earned the $20,000 winners check just ahead of runner-up Garrett Evans and reigning Apple Cup champion Pete Harding. Owen Riddle, Longton and Tayler Riddle finished seventh, ninth and 10th, respectively.
In addition to the $2,000-to-win demo derby, todays lineup also includes Hornets, Youth Hornets and Bump to Pass.
For both days of racing, gates open at 4 p.m. with opening ceremonies at 5.
Harry Jefferson's WC #95-1975
Stock Car Racing History
Parky Nall's 2005 obituary story in the Charlotte Observer:
Parker "Parky" Nall
February 25, 1929-January 3, 2005
February 25, 1929-January 3, 2005
IT'S A MATTER OF LIFE...
He built engines, full life
Midland man was a popular mechanic in NASCAR, other circles
By GERRY HOSTETLER/Charlotte Observer
He built engines that won races on land or water. He crafted them for customers such as Sterling Marlin, Parnelli Jones, Marvin Porter, A.J. Foyt, David Pearson, Ron Hutcherson and Janet Guthrie, the first woman NASCAR (Modern era)driver.
Parker "Parky" Nall Jr. of Midland, known for his ability to wring extra power from a stock engine, died Jan. 3 at home of cancer. He was 75 and had retired in 2000.
His knack for increasing horsepower made him a popular mechanic in many circles. His talent contributed heavily to NASCAR wins for Porter in 1960, a second place in 1962, and more wins in 1963 and 1964 for the Ford team of Eddie Gray and Ron Hornaday.
He moved to Portland, Ore., and built engines for speedboats. He piloted one boat to victory in a Columbia River race from Portland to Astoria when he
was quite young, said Barbara Nall, his second wife.
Parky served aboard the USS Forrest B. Royal on his Korean War hitch in the Navy, then opened a machine shop on the West Coast. An early marriage produced son David and daughter Carrie (Oliver). He later married Barbara and added daughter Linda (Silwedel) and son Vance.
`Basically a Ford man'
In 1975, he came to Charlotte and set up shop next door to Hutcherson-Pagan Enterprises on Statesville Road. Ron Hutcherson met Parky that year when he
bought his first racing engine from him."He always built good, strong motors," Ron said. It was Parky's engine that powered the Chevrolet Laguna No. 36 to a 1977 win at Talladega. "He took a Chevy 358 cubic-inch motor, and it outran a Chrysler 426 and we won the race. He was basically a Ford man, and we teased him that he had `Ford' written on his shorts."
"He was a very, very gifted mechanic and was very particular. He was a little on the hard-headed side and wanted to do it his way," said Ron.
"But his was usually the best way."
`Always had a backup' That hard-headedness was "probably the most prominent feature of his
personality," said son Vance.
Parky's inflexible focus on quality and preparedness caused "the guys to tease him because he always had a backup for a backup and if that broke, he
had a backup for that." His dad was a self-taught mechanic and "never went to (mechanic) school that I know of," said Vance.
In 1989, Parky met Susie Cecil at the February Daytona 500 race; they started dating in November. "We had a nice life, a fun one," Susie said.
The couple enjoyed Parky's Navy reunions and attended those in Newport, R.I., New Orleans and Charleston.
"Parky loved the Navy reunions," Susie said of her silver-haired, tattooed companion. "He talked to all of his old friends and liked to relive those days. The first one we went to, they stayed up all night and he came home laughing."
Parky liked fishing at Southport and held many fish cookouts. "It was a big thing," Susie said.
A bigger thing was his induction into California's West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame in October. The induction program noted that he started in the sport
as a young boy by sneaking into races. His reputation for building engines spread, and in 1959 he got a job with the winning Vels Ford team.
In all, Parky had a career to be envied. He got paid for doing what he wanted to do -- and it's a good bet that he did it exactly the way he wanted