Thanks, Jay. I had completely forgotten about NASCAR allowing Bobby to rebuild his car on Saturday night after the track closed in one of the exhibit buildings on the fairgrounds.
Here's a clip of the rainy end to the February 21, 1982 Richmond 400 when Dave Marcis scored his final victory. All of the event segments are posted on YouTube.
I think the 1982 Richmond 400 might be the strangest race weekend I recall.
Following the previous weekend's Daytona 500, Richmond would be the first short track test and plenty of drama unfolded before the cars took to the track.
Race day was Sunday, February 21, with qualifying scheduled for Friday, February 19 at Paul Sawyer's 1/2-mile asphalt Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway layout.
The day before the Richmond track opened, the race world was rocked by a drug scandal that saw a number of racers arrested in a Florida Federal drug sting. One of the arrested was Rahmoc Winston Cup driver, Gary Balough.
Balough made bail and was allowed to join his team to compete at Richmond.
However, Friday morning in Richmond dawned with heavy snow amid the usual frigid February temperatures. It was obvious there'd be no practice or qualifying on Friday.
Sitting on the Virginia State Fairgrounds, the Richmond track was surrounded by a number of large fair exhibition buildings. Arrangements were made to use several of these buildings as an indoor garage and inspection station for NASCAR to get everyone out of the snow.
Do you remember how the Blues Brothers were dressed in the movie of the same name? Well, all day on Friday, a number of guys in suits roamed the premises inside those two exhibit buildings where the cars were being worked on and inspected. The center of their universe seemed to be the Rahmoc car and its transporter.
Believe me, a bunch of guys in suits and sunglasses in the Richmond NASCAR compound on a snowy day in 1982 stood out like a sore thumb. We all kept whispering and waiting for something exciting to develop, but nothing did... at least, not on Friday. Somebody did sprinkle the contents of a Goodys Headache Powder wrapper on the hood of the Bob Rahilly & Butch Mock owned Pontiac.
The track crew worked furiously on Saturday morning to remove snow and ice and prepare the track for qualifying. When the qualifying round concluded, Darrell Waltrip had put his #11 Junior Johnson built Mountain Dew Buick on the pole with a lap at 93.256 mph.
Morgan Shepherd captured the outside front row position in the #98 Ron Benfield owned Levi Garrett Buick and Benny Parsons, winner of the last Richmond race, was third in Harry Ranier's #28 Pontiac.
A sellout crowd was on hand on a soon to turn nasty Sunday for the main event.
When the green flag dropped, it was roller skater Morgan Shepherd on the outside of the front row who beat DW back to the line to lead lap one and the following 29. It would be a competitive day with 11 lead changes up to lap 246 of the scheduled 400. That's when it began to rain.
All the lead lap cars immediately headed to the pits - except for one. Dave Marcis, driving for himself in his #71 independent Chevy stayed out and assumed the lead. Running under the yellow the rain soon became a frigid monsoon. The race was red flagged on lap 250 with Marcis in the lead and never restarted. The win would be the final trip to victory lane for the native of Wausau, Wisconsin.
Snow, drugs, ice, rain and the final Winston Cup win by one of NASCAR's most popular drivers. It was indeed a dramatic weekend on the NASCAR circuit.
From the pages of National Speed Sport News, here's a recap of the drug bust:
Black Thursday Saw Racers Arrested In Drug Ring
by Keith Waltz
Feb. 18, 1982, was identified as Black Thursday in the pages of National Speed Sport News as five prominent members of the South Florida auto-racing community, including NASCAR Winston Cup driver Gary Balough, were indicted on drug-trafficking charges.
The five were among 66 people charged in what FBI agents described as a multi-million dollar drug ring stretching from Florida to North Carolina. The indictments followed a long probe of alleged drug smuggling and other illegal activities among the Bahamas, several foreign countries and the Carolinas.
Other racing figures charged were Billie Harvey, Bruce Pee Wee Griffin, Herbert Tillman and Pete Pistone.
The FBI opened its investigation of Griffin in 1980 and agents identified Harvey and Griffin as the kingpins of the operation. FBI Agent Joe Corless said the drug ring had been making $300 million a year in profits since 1976.
The FBI confiscated approximately $6.5 million in property, including a 400-acre ranch in Floridas Broward County and a marina in Dania, Fla. Marijuana, rifles, pistols and shotguns were also seized.
FBI Special Agent Welton Merry said the ring consisted of four groups that imported and distributed at least a million pounds of marijuana a year. These people are the beginning of the octopus, Merry said.
According to the FBI, evidence showed that some of the suspects used their race cars to transport narcotics to other states.
Balough was released from a Miami jail on $100,000 bond and drove the No. 75 Rahmoc Racing Buick in that weekends Winston Cup race in Richmond, Va. Ironically; he was involved in an early accident and finished last in the 32-car field.
Id like to say a few things, but my lawyer says not to, Balough told reporters at the track. Maybe when its all over, Ill make some comments.
Others in the garage area said the publicity surrounding the arrests gave racing a black eye.
Chris Economakis column in the Feb. 24 issue of NSSN included: The unfortunate headlines of last week concerning a few racing insiders caught up in a drug investigation is another slap in the face for our sport. Unlike the moonshiners of the 30s and 40s who broke an unpopular law, drugs, particularly the hard ones, are a cancer on the American scene. Papers that wouldnt carry a race result if the mayor of their city won at Indy, bannered the racing connection of the drug story.
# # #
If you're interested in detailed information here is a pdf file link to the U.S. Attorney General's file on the matter:
http://www.archives.gov/news/john-roberts/accession-60-88-0498/010-organized-crime/folder010.pdf
1982 Richmond 400 NASCAR Winston Cup race number 2 of 30
|
| Fin | St | # | Driver | Sponsor / Owner | Car | Laps | Money | Status | Led | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | 71 |
 Dave Marcis
|
J.D. Stacy ( Dave Marcis ) | Chevrolet | 250 | 19,145 | running | 5 | 180 |
| 2 | 15 | 43 |
Richard Petty
|
STP ( Petty Enterprises ) | Pontiac | 250 | 16,325 | running | 1 | 175 |
| 3 | 3 | 28 |
Benny Parsons
|
J.D. Stacy ( Harry Ranier ) | Pontiac | 250 | 15,475 | running | 120 | 175 |
| 4 | 8 | 15 |
Dale Earnhardt
|
Wrangler Jeans ( Bud Moore ) | Ford | 250 | 10,960 | running | 1 | 165 |
| 5 | 10 | 44 |
Terry Labonte
|
J.D. Stacy ( Billy Hagan ) | Chevrolet | 249 | 6,330 | running | 0 | 155 |
| 6 | 5 | 50 |
Joe Millikan
|
Performance Connection ( Cliff Stewart ) | Pontiac | 249 | 8,635 | running | 0 | 150 |
| 7 | 21 | 21 |
Neil Bonnett
|
National Engineering ( Wood Brothers ) | Ford | 249 | 2,970 | running | 0 | 146 |
| 8 | 13 | 88 |
Bobby Allison
|
Gatorade ( DiGard ) | Chevrolet | 249 | 6,910 | running | 0 | 142 |
| 9 | 9 | 47 |
Ron Bouchard
|
J.D. Stacy ( Jack Beebe ) | Buick | 249 | 7,710 | running | 0 | 138 |
| 10 | 2 | 98 |
Morgan Shepherd
|
Levi Garrett ( Ron Benfield ) | Buick | 248 | 2,010 | running | 31 | 139 |
| 11 | 17 | 12 |
Tommy Ellis
|
Industrial Boiler ( Tommy Ellis ) | Chevrolet | 248 | 1,610 | running | 0 | 130 |
| 12 | 20 | 9 |
Bill Elliott
|
Melling Tool ( Harry Melling ) | Ford | 247 | 1,590 | running | 0 | 127 |
| 13 | 18 | 90 |
Jody Ridley
|
J.D. Stacy ( Junie Donlavey ) | Ford | 246 | 7,570 | running | 0 | 124 |
| 14 | 23 | 67 |
Buddy Arrington
|
Buddy Arrington | Dodge | 245 | 3,850 | running | 0 | 121 |
| 15 | 4 | 2 |
Joe Ruttman
|
J.D. Stacy ( Jim Stacy ) | Buick | 244 | 4,395 | crash | 78 | 123 |
| 16 | 24 | 97 |
Bob Schacht
|
Test Tube ( Bob Schacht ) | Oldsmobile | 244 | 1,285 | running | 0 | 115 |
| 17 | 26 | 48 |
Slick Johnson
|
Palatine Auto Parts ( James Hylton ) | Pontiac | 244 | 3,285 | running | 0 | 112 |
| 18 | 32 | 52 |
Jimmy Means
|
Broadway Motors ( Jimmy Means ) | Chevrolet | 244 | 3,080 | running | 0 | 109 |
| 19 | 22 | 17 |
Lake Speed
|
Kings Inn ( Roger Hamby ) | Buick | 244 | 2,975 | running | 0 | 106 |
| 20 | 16 | 42 |
Kyle Petty
|
STP ( Petty Enterprises ) | Pontiac | 243 | 2,890 | running | 0 | 103 |
| 21 | 31 | 64 |
Tommy Gale
|
Sunny King ( Elmo Langley ) | Ford | 242 | 2,645 | running | 0 | 100 |
| 22 | 14 | 3 |
Ricky Rudd
|
Piedmont Airlines ( Richard Childress ) | Pontiac | 242 | 2,450 | running | 0 | 97 |
| 23 | 27 | 70 |
J.D. McDuffie
|
Mack's Stores ( J.D. McDuffie ) | Pontiac | 241 | 2,095 | running | 0 | 94 |
| 24 | 30 | 24 |
Lennie Pond
|
Washington Freightliner ( Cecil Gordon ) | Buick | 239 | 2,060 | running | 0 | 91 |
| 25 | 29 | 40 |
Tommy Houston
|
Midlothian Texaco ( D.K. Ulrich ) | Buick | 238 | 875 | running | 0 | 88 |
| 26 | 12 | 02 |
Mark Martin
|
Apache Stove ( Bud Reeder ) | Pontiac | 210 | 1,340 | running | 0 | 85 |
| 27 | 1 | 11 |
Darrell Waltrip
|
Mountain Dew ( Junior Johnson ) | Buick | 206 | 10,905 | running | 14 | 87 |
| 28 | 28 | 92 |
Joe Fields
|
Richmond Printing ( Joe Fields ) | Buick | 190 | 770 | running | 0 | 79 |
| 29 | 19 | 6 |
D.K. Ulrich
|
D.K. Ulrich | Buick | 169 | 1,235 | engine | 0 | 76 |
| 30 | 7 | 33 |
Harry Gant
|
7-Eleven / Skoal Bandit ( Hal Needham ) | Buick | 138 | 1,200 | engine | 0 | 73 |
| 31 | 25 | 37 |
Tom Sneva
|
Simoniz ( Bob Rogers ) | Buick | 94 | 1,225 | rear end | 0 | 70 |
| 32 | 11 | 75 |
Gary Balough
|
Sanyo ( RahMoc Enterprises ) | Buick | 42 | 1,200 | crash | 0 | 67 |
* Race shortened to 250 laps due to rain.
Ray Hendrick, pictured crashing above, was a Richmond modified standout brought in by Rockingham promoter and Ellerbe, NC peach trucking magnate, L.G. DeWitt to draw more Virginia fans to the race. DeWitt owned the Benny Parsons #72 and put Hendrick in an old Benny Parsons car from a previous season and numbered it #42 with sponsorship from Sonny Mallory's Mallorys Speed Shop in Richmond.
Who could have ever dreamed that before the end of the 1993 season Davey Allison would also be gone.
Do you remember this moving moment at the conclusion of the season ending race at the real Atlanta track?
The Bristol spring race weekend rolls around 3 weeks earlier than it did on April Fool's weekend of 1993.
Bruton Smith has knocked down mountains and built gargantuan grandstands in the years since he bought the track. The asphalt is gone, replaced by concrete.
The reigning NASCAR Winston Cup Series Champion wouldn't recognize the place he was headed when tragedy struck 19 years ago.
Below is a replay of the ESPN opening by Jerry Punch, Ned Jarrett and Benny Parsons for the first Bristol telecast following Alan Kulwicki's tragic death, along with his fellow passengers/crew.
R.I.P. Underbird. You died a Champion.
Marty Robbins Book Brings Back Memories
New book talks about Marty Robbins, NASCAR driver. (Photo courtesy of NASCAR)
Larry Woody
Senior Writer, RacinToday.com
Tuesday, 13 March 2012
One summer Saturday night at Nashville Speedway, Marty Robbins was leading a caution-delayed race when he suddenly swerved into the pits and began unbuckling his helmet.
Crew chief Preacher Hamilton (grandfather of future NASCAR star Bobby Hamilton) rushed over to see what was wrong with the car.
Nothings wrong, said Marty, but were runnin late and Ive gotta get down to the Ryman to play the late set on the Opry.
That combination of racing and singing was part of the legacy of the late Robbins, whose life is chronicled in a newly-released book, Twentieth Century Drifter: The Life of Marty Robbins.
Written by Diane Diekman, the book consists of 304 pages and contains 25 black and white photographs. It is available for $29.95 online or through Amazon.com.
Drawing from a series of personal interviews and in-depth research, Diekman explains in a press release, how Marty saw himself as a drifter, a man always searching for self-fulfillment and inner peace.
Born Martin David Robinson to a hard-working mother an abusive, alcoholic father, he never fully escaped from the insecurities burned into him by a poverty-stricken nomadic childhood in the Arizona desert.
In 1947 he landed his first gig as a singer and guitar player. Too nervous to talk, the shy young man walked onto stage singing. Soon he changed his name to Marty Robbins, cultivated his magnetic stage presence, and established himself as an entertainer, songwriter and NASCAR driver.
Robbins competed in all levels of racing, from the Saturday night fender-benders at Nashville Speedway to the top Winston Cup level in NASCAR. He never won a race in the upper series but was well-liked well-respected by his fellow drivers and was a fan favorite wherever he went.
Larry Woody can be reached at lwoody@racintoday.com
Larry Woody | Senior Writer, RacinToday.com Tuesday, 13 March 2012
Out of the Vegas papers this week came this story of 4 generations of ladies attending the Vegas Nationwide race together, including the great grandmother who turns 96 next week. It was her first NASCAR race! Way to go, granny!!!
Four generations of family share passion for NASCAR
By Ron Kantowski
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
Posted: Mar. 11, 2012 | 3:02 a.m.
It always has been about family in NASCAR, a sport that gets handed down from generation to generation, an heirloom as precious as a golden brooch to those who feel a need for speed.
There were the Frances -- Bill Sr., Bill Jr., Brian, Lesa, Jim and J.C.
There were the Pettys -- Lee, Richard, Kyle and Adam.
There were the Earnhardts -- Ralph, Dale, Dale Jr. and Kerry.
And the Allisons -- Bobby, Davey and Clifford.
There were the Jarretts and Wallaces and Pearsons and so many more.
And that's just on the track.
Off the track, there are the Greer women of Las Vegas -- Charlotte Greer, her daughter Susie Cope, Susie's daughter Lisa Denison, and Lisa's daughter Taylor.
The Greer women range in age from 13 to 95. On March 20, they will range from 13 to 96, as matriarch Charlotte Greer is set to celebrate another birthday.
On Saturday, she watched the Sam's Town 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with her daughter, granddaughter and great-granddaughter from the top row of the Earnhardt terrace -- there's that family thing again -- in Turn 4. Her son-in-law Jim served as crew chief for the group.
It was Charlotte Greer's first NASCAR race. She said LVMS looks much bigger in person than on television. Then she hugged a reporter, telling him she had been watching stock-car races on TV "for years and years."
"Even when they raced on dirt tracks," she said.
Susie, 60, said her mother was the one who handed down the golden brooch, the need for speed, to the other three generations of Greer women.
"Mom's into all sort of different racing, NASCAR, IndyCar, even ski racing. (Charlotte grew up in Minnesota.) I used to think it was boring. We have a lot more in common now."
Susie pulls for the Busch brothers of Las Vegas. So does Lisa. So does Taylor.
Charlotte's favorites are Darrell Waltrip and the Labontes.
She's been around a little longer.
Contact reporter Ron Kantowski at rkantowski@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0353.
I've watched members of the Falk family race in Virginia since I started going to races in 1964.
