Racing History Minute - March 21, 1954
Stock Car Racing History
The Daytona paper did this 1963 feature story on NASCAR's Johnny Bruner:
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Stock Car Racing History
Racing History Minute - March 21, 1954
Stock Car Racing History
From the Daytona Beach Morning Journal:
Defunct Southern 500 Truck Stop Chain - Elm City, Mt. Airy, Society Hill, Charlotte
Stock Car Racing History
When Bobby Williamson interviewed Steve Summerlin. PR Director for Elm City, NC's County Line Raceway , on Tuesday night's "Racing Through History" broadcast, I was reminded of the old Southern 500 Truck Stop that used to stand beside U.S. Highway 301 in Elm City, just north of Wilson, North Carolina.
When we raced on Saturday night at Wilson in the 1970s, we'd often wind up eating a wee hours breakfast at that now defunct establishment.
The first time I recall seeing the Southern 500 Truck Stop was on Labor Day weekend 1966. I was on a Greyhound bus enroute from Richmond, Virginia to Darlington, SC to see my first Southern 500 stock car race. I was very exciteed to see the big red arrow illuminated in the night with the words "Southern 500" as the bus transporting buddy Frank and me passed.
A little research uncovered the chain was headquartered in Darlington and began in 1958.
There were at least 4 locations.
* Society Hill, SC - just outside of Darlington
* Elm City, NC - just north of Wilson
* Mt. Airy, NC
* Charlotte, NC - I-85 @ Freedom Dr.
The chain is now extinct and the 3 buildings that remain look a little long in the tooth.
Thankfully, the original truck stops closed before the Southern 500 race was moved away from Labor Day weekend and before sponsor names were attached. Somehow the Mountain Dew Southern 500 Truck Stop just doesn't sound right.
Today's young race fans attending the big March 21st and March 22nd Friday and Saturday night races at County Line Raceway sure will be missing a treat, though. I can still taste and smell the fried eggs, sizzling bacon, link and pattycake sausage, cheese & bacon grits, hashed brown potatoes and fried cracklings served with piping hot black coffee and cold V-8 juice after a Saturday night of racing at Wilson County Speedway.
Here's 4 photos I've found online of Southern 500 Truck Stop locations. The first three are posted at Flickr by Roadside Robbie and the final shot at Dispatch Press Images.
Above - Former Southern 500 Truck Stop location in Society Hill, SC, outside of Darlington.
Above - Former Southern 500 Truck Stop location in Elm City, NC on U.S. 301 north of Wilson
Above - Former Southern 500 Truck Stop location at Mt. Airy, NC
updated by @dave-fulton: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
Miller's Time/Don Miller/A Book well worth the read
General
A May 12, 1974 Associated Press report from the Lakeland Ledger :
Sadly ironic that just this past Sunday we lost driver Gary Bettenhausen, driver of the Penske Matador Don was crewing for.
http://stockcar.racersreunion.com/forum/topics/r-i-p-gary-bettenhausen
Miller's Time/Don Miller/A Book well worth the read
General
Don is one of the truly finest gentlemen I met when working in stock car racing. First time I met Don was in 1981 in a buffet line at a Darlington Country Club luncheon when he tapped me on the shoulder and introduced himself. It wasn't until after lunch someone told me he was the same Don Miller who lost a leg during a pit stop at Talladega. I bet that book is just full of interesting behind the scene and historical facts.
Racing History Minute - March 20, 1966
Stock Car Racing History
In this photo, former Nashville racer, Walter Wallace is shown in 1991 in his role as a NASCAR inspector placing a template on the #2 Miller Genuine Draft Pontiac "Black Deuce" of Rusty (no relation) Wallace:
Racing History Minute - March 20, 1966
Stock Car Racing History
Jim Paschal, subbing for Richard Petty in #43 and John Sears in L.G. DeWitt's #4 pass by a nearly sideways #73 Walter Wallace in the March 20, 1966 Southeastern 500 at Bristol. Nashville native, Wallace was a Nashville Fairgrounds weekly champion and later became a NASCAR official. This was the first of 4 career Grand National starts for Wallace.
Racing History Minute - March 20, 1966
Stock Car Racing History
Here's another photo from Bristol on March 20, 1966:
Racing History Minute - March 20, 1966
Stock Car Racing History
Here's an excerpt in a 1960s story by Steven Johnson in Slam Sports , a wrestling publication, about Homer O'Dell , owner of the 31st finishing Bristol car of Sonny Lamphear , when O'Dell was traveling with wrestlers Rip Hawk and Swede Hanson:
