"Old" Gordon?
Current NASCAR
That Hugh Connerty owned Outback Steakhouse Pontiac ran one time. Jeff started 2nd in the Fall 1990 AC-Delco 200 Busch race at Rockingham and crashed out very early.
Forum Activity for @dave-fulton
Current NASCAR
"Old" Gordon?
Current NASCAR
When Jeff was interviewed at Richmond walking down pit road in the rain with his head hanging down, I wouldn't have bet a solitary dollar on his chances. It was quite an amazing comeback. One can only wonder what would have happened had Jeff & Ray stayed together.
Jeff didn't look old enough to be out of high school when he wheeled that Bill Davis Baby Ruth Busch Ford, but he was amazing in it.
David, Bud Moore always said that Lee Morse did more to keep Ford competitive than anybody. He found the old 351 block castings in Australia, etc. Lee was very highly thought of by the old main line Ford guys like Bud and the Wood Brothers.
There sure did seem to be a fire burning again in Jeff's belly, Bobby. When have ever seen a driver celebrate 2nd place like Jeff did Saturday night?
NASCAR does not want anyone to even think outside the rules much less go there.
Stock Car Racing History
Trivia note: Scotts Valley, California for many years was home to NASCAR Western Operations Offices - Ken Clapp, Bob Barkheimer, Owen Kearns, Dennis Huth, etc.
TEAM ORDER or LACK OF
Stock Car Racing History
I watched the whole thing and slept in until 9:45 this a.m. No doubt Junior let Jeff lead the first lap. However, my hat's off to Jeff, Clint Bowyer and Tony Stewart (did I say that!) for their amazing comebacks the final hundred laps. All were way out of contention, Jeff & Tony from handling issues and Clint from his spin when his left rear tire was cut down.
Lotta good side by side and nose to tail in the pack racing at times. Rain really screwed up some pit strategy... i.e. Denny Hamlin & Martin Truex.
Looking for an Earnhardt - Petty photo
Stock Car Racing History
Glad you found it. I tried all over the internet with no luck, either.
Looking for an Earnhardt - Petty photo
Stock Car Racing History
I'm like you, Tim. I've seen that photo a million times, too, Chase. Last year I gave away all of my Winston Cup Yearbooks, but I'd try the 1994 version - UMI Publications - if you have a copy. Bet it has the photo.
Memories of Another Blue & Gold Car
Stock Car Racing History
Cool... and I know all about those painted racecars, lol!
Memories of Another Blue & Gold Car
Stock Car Racing History
Didn't need none of those current NASCAR roof fins to keep Legend from getting airborne!
Memories of Another Blue & Gold Car
Stock Car Racing History
Delma's Daytona partying was legendary. Might explain some of his wild crashes at "Big D."
Here's a good Delma piece from 2009:
All-Star Flashback: The Clown Was Shut Down In Showdown
Rick Minter | Senior Writer, RacinToday.com Saturday, 16 May 2009
The late Joe Weatherly was NASCARs original Clown Prince, a driver who loved to have a great time and went to great lengths to make sure everyone around him enjoyed themselves as well.
Delma Cowart was the most recent driver to wear the Clown crown. The Savannah, Ga., native ran his first race in the division now known as Sprint Cup at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 1981. He ran 21 races over an eight-year span before an incident during the NASCAR All-Star race in the mid-1990s ended his Cup career.
It was a vintage Delma Cowart affair.
He showed up to run the preliminary race now known as the Sprint Showdown.
His engine blew in practice, and his crew spent the whole afternoon trying to make the repairs.
They finished their work just as prayer was said and the National Anthem sung. The only thing missing: the required NASCAR inspection.
They said, Gentleman, start your engines, so I cranked mine up in the garage area, said Cowart, 67. I hopped in it and drove by the tech shed, but it was locked up.
He figured, What the heck? so he pulled onto the track and started racing. He ran about four laps before NASCAR officials black-flagged him off the track.
They were raising cain with my crew chief, and after the race they called me to the trailer for a little conversation, Cowart said. It was kind of a warm conversation. They said I should have known better.
I told them I didnt think theyd mind.
Told hed be fined $5,000, he paused and said, Make it $5,000,000 because I aint giving you a dime.
His days as a NASCAR driver were over for Cowart, who now works as a construction contractor, building swimming pools and installing septic tanks in his hometown.
But hes far from forgotten on the NASCAR circuit. Most of the good Delma Cowart stories carry a dateline of Daytona Beach.
Cowart made four starts in the circuits premier race, the Daytona 500, but he was better known for his Speedweeks parties than his performance on the track.
Atlanta Motor Speedway president Ed Clark remembers one year at Daytona, when he spent most of Speed Weeks sick in bed with the flu. Unfortunately for him, his bed was right over the hotel bar, where Cowart was spending most of his nights playing the piano and entertaining the audience. The whole bed was rocking, Clark said. I couldnt sleep.
After several years away from the track, Cowart was once again allowed to enter the garage. Mostly he comes to reminisce and to line up some Cup drivers for charity events he ram-rods around Savannah. He said the same man who once banned him, NASCAR president Mike Helton, signed the pass that now gets him in the track.
I asked Mike if hed gone brain dead when he signed for me, Cowart said. He just grinned and said he must have slipped up.
He said that age 67 he still enjoys himself, whatever hes doing.
You hear people say that if theyd known they were going to live that long theyd have taken better care of themselves, he said. The way I look at it, if Id known I was going to live this long Id have run a little harder into the corner at some of those short tracks.