At the end of the day, it is what it is.
Current NASCAR
That's hilarious!
Forum Activity for @dave-fulton
At the end of the day, it is what it is.
Current NASCAR
Forget the Chase a moment.
In the Talladega race's closing stage (before the predictable late cautions) I found myself in the unlikely for me position of pulling for Danica Patrick as she bullied her way to the front straight up the middle, cars to the left of her and cars to the right of her. It was an impressive drive.
I was thinking of several things as Danica got to 2nd place late in the event.
1) If she wins, the Chase will be totally overshadowed and Brian will get no mentions of various Nations in print or electronically.
2) If she wins who is gonna throw a microphone in Ricky Stenhouse's face and ask how it felt to miss the race and watch his girlfriend win?
The other thing I was thinking throughout the race was how it stunk to watch teams intentionally race for last place at the back of the pack hoping to make it to the next round. Can you picture Fireball Roberts, Curtis Turner, Dale Earnhardt, Junior Johnson, Charlie Glotzbach, the Flock brothers and hundreds of other former drivers fighting to go to the rear? I think not. What a sad thing it is to buy a ticket to watch drivers intentionally go to the rear. Just awful. What has the Cup series become?
Early 1950's Race Track Between Erwin & Dunn, NC - Anybody Know What Track?
Historic Speedways and Ghost Tracks
Dennis, Patsy is our "Dancing Queen" of the Tuesday night Goat Rodeo broadcast, PR exec for the Bell & Bell Vintage Modified Series and daughter of the late Chubby Thompkins.
Early 1950's Race Track Between Erwin & Dunn, NC - Anybody Know What Track?
Historic Speedways and Ghost Tracks
Those American Legion Fairgrounds are evil places, especially the one in Dunn... not the sort of place Rev. Bopper would want to be seen...
Early 1950's Race Track Between Erwin & Dunn, NC - Anybody Know What Track?
Historic Speedways and Ghost Tracks
That Jonesboro Road site is the track that was listed as Fairground Speedway in the 1963 Dunn City Directory.
Early 1950's Race Track Between Erwin & Dunn, NC - Anybody Know What Track?
Historic Speedways and Ghost Tracks
A side note, the 1961 and 1963 editions of Hill's Directory list the Dunn-Erwin Go-Kart Center and Rent-A-Kart on Erwin Rd., in addition to the Fairgrounds Speedway on Jonesboro Rd. in Dunn.
Early 1950's Race Track Between Erwin & Dunn, NC - Anybody Know What Track?
Historic Speedways and Ghost Tracks
Had occasion in 1970 while in training at Blue Bell, Inc. (Wrangler Jeans) to go to Erwin and visit Erwin Mills , at that time producing more denim in a single year than any other textile plant in the United States. That would be the origin of the Denim Drive name you see on the various maps. Had no idea there had once been a race track close by.
ERWIN, N.C. The town of Erwin used to be called the denim capital of the world. Three years after the town's major textile employer closed, residents are still trying to piece their lives together.
In November 2000, Swift Denim left Erwin for cheaper labor in Mexico.
"It was bad with this NAFTA thing. It's kind of getting everybody out of jobs, it seems like," former employee Kim Naylor said.
Naylor was one of 800 employees who lost their jobs. She found other work, but many others have not.
"You don't take people's jobs away from them and let them draw unemployment and them have their pride. We want our jobs back, that's what we want," Mayor George Joseph said.
Joseph has worked to attract new jobs -- Wal-Mart has expanded and Lowes will hire 170 employee when it comes to town.
Swift Denim's empty mills continue cast a shadow over the town Joseph hopes to fill with a big, new employer.
"Erwin will rebound. We're going to fight to get it back," he said.
The mayor blames U.S. free-trade policies and politicians who allow the policies to force more textile companies to leave.
"They took the 800 jobs. They should be made to give it back to us. It's their responsibility," he said.
Mexico may have the old jobs, but Erwin still has the memories and the will to survive.
"You know, it's a really nice town. I want to see it prosper," Jasper said.
Even though no denim is made there anymore, the town still plans to hold its annual Denim Days Festival in October.
Since 1989, closings and layoffs in the textile and apparel industries agve affected more than 100,000 people in North Carolina:
- Wednesday, textile giant
Pillowtex
, of Kannapolis, announced the closing of 16 plants and 6,450 layoffs.
- Monday, 526 people in
Wilson
found out their employer, V.F. Jeanswear, was letting them go. The company's Windsor plant is closing, laying off 366 employees.
- Vance County's
Harriet and Henderson Yarns
threw in the towel on July 15, leaving 124 people out of work.
- Catawba County lost 290 jobs in the spring when Gold Toe closed.
"JAck Approved" 80th Birthday Greetings to JAck Redd in Maryland
General
Happy 80th birthday greetings to RR member , JAck Redd in Temple Hills, Maryland.
Wishing you a "JAck Approved" kind of day!
Without a doubt, JAck, you are one of our most knowledgeable members and contributors on all things stock car and drag racing. Hope you got your shagging shoes shined!
From working the gate at Beltsville and being the neighbor of Norris Friel in NASCAR's early days, you bring such a wonderful perspective to our community about NASCAR history and pre-NASCAR history all over Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
Hope all the gals line up and save you a birthday dance on the Racing Through History "Goat Rodeo" broadcast Tuesday night.
updated by @dave-fulton: 01/05/17 02:06:50PM
ASKED FOR YOUR PRAYERS FOR BADLY INJURED AMA CHAMPION MOTORCYCLE RACER RUSTY ROGERS
Stock Car Racing History
Certainly hope that Rusty Rogers has a good recovery and that Joe Kelly can find a new station. He has been a knowledgeable voice of racing news to the Richmond community for many, many years.