Forum Activity for @dave-fulton

Brian France Issues "Repurpose" Order to "Zero In" on NASCAR Problems

Current NASCAR

I'm not sure how you go about "repurposing" the NASCAR R&D Center, but that's one thing Brian France has charged Steve O'Donnell with doing while "zeroing in" to determine if there's an aero issue affecting racing quality.

The use of the word "zero" several times in Mr. France's remarks pretty well nails his comprehension of and ability to solve the diverse problems affecting NASCAR and its fan base.

Listening to Fans

May 19, 10:09 PM EDT

By STEVE REED
AP Sports Writer

CONCORD, N.C. (AP) -- NASCAR Chairman Brian France is aware of the fan debate surrounding the last two months of racing, and acknowledged the sanctioning body is studying several areas to ensure the on-track product is entertaining.

But France indicated it's difficult to judge where NASCAR is based solely on the last eight races.

"You just can't snapshot and give a grade like that," France said Saturday night before the Sprint All-Star race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Fans have been voicing disapproval since the March race at Bristol, which lacked the short-track punch people have come to expect. Then came California, which went green until rain brought out the only caution of a race that was called not long after the yellow.

Texas had only two cautions, Kansas had three and Richmond didn't heat up until the very end. Although ardent fans are insistent they don't root for wrecks, there seemed to be some satisfaction after Talladega, which was the first race in a month to feature multi-car accidents.

France seems to have heard the frustration with the long green-flag runs.

"We are very attentive to the fan base," he said. "We look at it a lot of different ways. You can look at lead changes and cycles of things and more green flag laps than at other times. But we look at it overall and look at things very carefully, and we have a hard job, and it's hard to put the rules forward that allow the best competition to come forward. That's what we've done for 60-plus years.

"It's not getting any easier with all of the technology and great teams and great innovators but we're zeroed in on what we have to get done."

All four manufacturers will introduce new cars in 2013, and France called it an opportunity to "make the racing better."

He has tasked senior vice president of racing operations Steve O'Donnell with repurposing the research and development center, which should help NASCAR "increase our focus on things that can make the racing better."

With that comes taking a hard look at aerodynamics, which many drivers have said is what's effecting the racing. NASCAR this week added a side skirt to the cars, which four-time Jeff Gordon called "a baby step" in addressing aero issues.

France said NASCAR is looking at everything.

"We're zeroing in on if there's an aero issue," he said. "From time to time, there's going to be other issues that we're able to get at those faster."

updated by @dave-fulton: 12/05/16 04:04:08PM

May 20: Petty captures a 1-of-27 win & a 1-to-go win

Stock Car Racing History

We shall never again see a season like the Petty clan posted in 1967. Simply amazing.

MEMBERS DANA AND JEFF GUNWALL. PLEASE READ

Administrative

The family is in our prayers.

"Miss Firebird" Float - Is it Winkie or Linda??

Stock Car Racing History

Wink replaced Linda Vaughn. Where's the confusion?

"Miss Firebird" Float - Is it Winkie or Linda??

Stock Car Racing History

Interesting stuff, Dennis. And a nice turn by you. Maybe you'll hear back yet.

"Miss Firebird" Float - Is it Winkie or Linda??

Stock Car Racing History

Yes... the postcard is of Linda and 1964.

1966 came into play when I said in the post above that I shot 8mm movie film of Winkie as Miss Firebird at Rockingham's Peach Blossom 500 in 1966.

Reply by Dave Fulton 16 hours ago

Thanks, Dennis.

I used to have beautiful 8mm color film of Winkie on the float at the 1966 Peach Blossom 500 at Rockingham until NASCAR's contractor for its 50th Anniversay Video productions lost it in a fire.

That's a really nice photo from your dad.

"Miss Firebird" Float - Is it Winkie or Linda??

Stock Car Racing History

LOL!! Thanks, Max.

"Miss Firebird" Float - Is it Winkie or Linda??

Stock Car Racing History

This is a sad letter from Wink(ie) sent to The Vintage Racer web site a couple of years back:

Hello.
My name is "Wink" Kramer, but during the late '60's, I worked as Miss Firebird for Pure Oil Co. before they were bought out by Union Oil of California, and was known as "Winkie Louise". (NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH LINDA VAUGHN. I REPLACED HER.)

I worked an average of 28 major races each year for Pure, beginning at the Daytona 500 in Feb. Those years were so much fun, but more than that, over four years, I became close to a number of the wonderful drivers and some of their families. It was an important time in my life. I treasured the photos that were taken in Victory Lane, and also many, many candid shots given to me by fans and photographers outside of Victory Lane. However, most of the photographs were IN Victory Lane with people like Richard Petty, Cale Yarborough, Lee Roy Yarbrough, Buddy Baker, A.J. Foyt, Bobby Allison, David Pearson, Junior Johnson, always kind...you know, all the Greats.

I was a southern girl, and felt pretty much at home with most of the drivers and their wives. I recall one big race when everyone made a big deal out of Richard Petty's finally buying his wife a new washer and dryer set! Can you imagine that today?!

I knew that someday I would want those photo images for my children. I carefully put them into a large models' portfolio and put them away. As much as I treasured them, I knew that one day my children would want to see them. (My children were always busy with sports when they were in high school, and college, and since I quit the races to marry Jerry Kramer, 11 years pro-football player under Coach Lombardi, our home was already full of trophies and photos...well deserved, too, I might add.)

Now comes the new and bigger NASCAR and cable racing stations. My youngest son, Jordan, (now trying for a spot with the Tennessee Titans) was watching a cable racing station at college and phoned me to say that he had seen me with different drivers in Victory Lane on a cable racing station. He asked to see my photographs. On Thanksgiving break, I got out my portfolio and showed all three of my children my days before I was just "MOM, where are my clean socks?" They all wanted copies of most of the photographs and some of the newspaper clippings. (My long-winded way of getting to my point. Sorry.)

So, I put the portfolio in the trunk of my car where they would be handy when I found a place that would copy them "in-house" since I worried that they might be lost if sent somewhere to be copied. About two weeks later, while we were away for spring break, our house was burglarized. When the burglars found a spare set of keys to my car, they loaded it with everything they could steal and hauled it away with their own car also filled. They went somewhere, dumped what they stole, and got rid of everything that was in the trunk of my car.... including my wonderful pictures. All the electronic things didn't bother me, but I am still heartsick about losing my photographs, and even a charm bracelet which had a charm on it given to me by Richard Petty. I didn't realize it was gone until Jordan said that he saw a video clip on the racing channel and I was wearing that charm bracelet.

I have searched, tried to contact the burglars...three are in prison.. druggies, tried to appeal to them to tell me where they took the things from my car trunk, but can't get any information. I am afraid that after all this time, the photos probably went into a garbage dump somewhere. One of the burglars...a young man I had substitute taught in high school, told me of a shed where I could find them. This was immediately after his sentencing. The police detective went there, but told me that nothing was in the shed, and it was so dusty that they could see that nobody had been there for at least months.

It is hard to give up on this because I know that there are people out there...racing fans (and drivers themselves) from that era whom I know would have photographs if I only knew how to reach them. I am trying especially to contact people who might have copies of Victory Lane during those years...I think 1966 thru 1970. I do not have any idea who might have copies of "the old days" though everybody who lived during that era certainly knows who was winning! I had great copies of photos and treasured them. Now, it feels like there is a huge gap in my life that I need to continue to fill. If I were to die tomorrow, I would say that I have had an extraordinarily wonderful life. I just would enjoy sharing THOSE days and THOSE PEOPLE with the kids.

Could you point me in a direction or give me any advice about where I could write to anyone who might have photos of those years? So far, website archives haven't been helpful. The other night, I was so happy to find the attached photo, which was in one of my cookbooks! I just sat down and bawled until I felt better! Thought I might try again.

I think it is wonderful that the popularity of racing has increased...all the new, young drivers, etc. Glad to see it. But, there was something different, more personal about that group of guys in stock car racing in those days, much like what has happened to pro-football since Jerry played. (He retired from football after the l968 season...they had just won their second Super Bowl.) It seems like a whole new ball game to me, and I feel like you can't really appreciate where you are until you recognize where you have been.

~Wink Kramer

"Miss Firebird" Float - Is it Winkie or Linda??

Stock Car Racing History

Winkie Louise - Miss Firebird

Atlanta International Raceway

Dixie 500 - August 1968

"Miss Firebird" Float - Is it Winkie or Linda??

Stock Car Racing History

It was definitely Winkie at Rockingham in 1966 on the Firebird.