Capella Speedway - A Short-Lived And Forgotten NC Half-Miler **UPDATE** (Aerials Found)
Historic Speedways and Ghost Tracks
I do not know.
Forum Activity for @dave-fulton
Capella Speedway - A Short-Lived And Forgotten NC Half-Miler **UPDATE** (Aerials Found)
Historic Speedways and Ghost Tracks
The Cumberland County promoter, Floyd Rankin once raced open wheel cars in AAA.
NC State University student, Billy Sockwell of Greensboro, NC used to field a two car open wheel team featuring he and Sockwell. I have read accounts of both operating racing garages in Greensboro. They entered the 1933 Indy 500.
The link below will take you to a 1933 story in the Spartanburg Herald-Journal telling of Rankin & Sockwell entering the Spartanburg Fair races in 1933.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1876&dat=19331024&id=...
We've Lost 3 NMPA Joe Littlejohn Award Winners This Week
General
I just saw a very nice tribute/opinion piece by Mike Harris about the three losses we suffered this past week on the site RacinToday.com.
In case you don't know the name, Mike is the retired former Associated Press Motorsports Editor and head racing writer who began those duties in 1980. Our time around the Cup circuit paralleled each other. When Mike began, he was headquartered in New York's Rockefeller Center and living in New Jersey. Before he retired from the AP, Mike convinced them to let him file out of Raleigh, NC and he and his family moved to wake Forest, NC, where he continues to live.
This is Mike's piece:
It Was A Week Of Loss For Racing
Mike Harris | Senior Writer, RacinToday.com
Sunday, 29 January 2012
Its been a tough week for old motorsports writers. Not only did we lose two of our longtime colleagues, Harold Pearson and Benny Phillips, but now comes word of the passing of Joseph Doc Mattioli.
All three of these men played important roles in my auto racing education and all three became friends.
Harold Pearson was part of the in crowd in NASCAR when I first showed up at Daytona in 1980. He was a good friend of recent Hall of Fame inductee Tom Higgins, then the dean of stock car sports writers, and his close corhort, Steve Waid, also a Hall of Famer in my book.
These guys knew just about everything there was to know about what was then a southern sport. They knew the drivers, crew chiefs, car owners and most of the secrets. To become a functioning writer in those days, you had to get to know the insiders and, somehow, become one of them.
Harold Pearson, who worked for the Richmond Times-Dispatch, was one of the first of that crowd to accept me as a colleague and give me the kind of guidance that I needed. He was a fine writer and, beyond that, Harold was fun to be around.
Benny was sports editor of the newspaper in High Point, N.C., when I met him. By then, he had earned his reputation as a fine journalist and a man who knew everyone who was anyone. But a friendlier, more
helpful guy you could not find.
He not only pointed this rookie in the right direction to find important stories, but he made sure to introduce me to the people I needed to get those stories.
Then there was Doc Mattioli, founder and owner along with his wife, Dr., Rose and chairman of the board of Pocono Raceway.
A powerful man who was determined to remain independent as the France familys International Speedway Corp., and Bruton Smiths Speedway Motorsports Inc., bought up more and more of the tracks at which NASCAR raced.
Doc always said the track was his and Roses legacy to their family, which to this day is integrally involved in running the successful racetrack in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania.
The early days of the Pocono track were not promising. It seemed even higher powers were against its success as race weekend after race weekend was drowned out by incessant rain. But Doc never wavered _ at least not publicly. He insisted the tracks day would come and persevered until it did.
He even chose to go against convention and run his races for years with no title sponsor.
That way, we can do whatever we want with our events without somebody trying to tell us how it should be done, Doc told me several times. Against all odds, the track still belongs to the Mattioli family and still retains two Sprint Cup dates the lifeblood of the track even though others have tried to convince NASCAR to take away one or both of those races. The major reason for those two facts is Doc Mattioli, who fought to the end to make sure that did not change.
During the tough times, Doc would get onto his bulldozer and work on the Pocono grounds himself. During one rainy season, I found him out in a parking lot, directing traffic and ferrying people from their cars to the grandstand under a huge umbrella, saying in his familiar booming voice, Dont worry, this is going to clear up.
He was an opinionated cuss, but also a lovable person who always remained a friend, no matter which side of the controversy you were on.
So, Harold, Benny and Doc, a sad farewell to all. You wont be forgotten by those who knew you.
Mike Harris can be reached at mharris@racintoday.com
Mike Harris | Senior Writer, RacinToday.com Sunday, 29 January 2012
We've Lost 3 NMPA Joe Littlejohn Award Winners This Week
General
There have been three separate postings on RacersReunion this week chronicling the deaths of Benny Phillips, Dr. Joe Mattioli and Harold Pearson. It has been a very sad week with the loss of three men who gave so much to stock car racing.
For those who don't know, each of those three men shared one distinct common trait... they were each one of a handful of people and organizations to be presented the yearly Joe Littlejohn Award by the National Motorsports Press Association since its inception in 1970, with the inaugural award going to Joe Littlejohn himself.
Joe Littlejohn Award
The Joe Littlejohn Award is presented each year to a person or persons, or an organization, in recognition for outstanding service to the National Motorsports Press Association. The recipient is determined by the president of the NMPA. It is named after the former track owner from Spartanburg, S.C. Littlejohn is credited with two career NASCAR starts, but raced extensively before the formation of NASCAR.
Year Recipient
1998 Drs. Joe & Rose Mattioli, Pocono Raceway
1988 Harold Pearson, Richmond Times-Dispatch
1977 Benny Phillips, High Point Enterprise
1970 Joe Littlejohn
I was fortunate to have known all four men, having been introduced to the late Mr. Littlejohn by Bud Moore in 1981. Not only was Mr. Littlejohn a racer and track promoter, he donated the space and rooms at his Green Street Motel in Spartanburg for the inaugural convention of the Southern Motorsports Press Association, which later became today's National Motorsports Press Association.
Mr. Littlejohn put Ricky Rudd and myself up at his Spartanburg motel in late 1983 when we were in sensitive negotiations to move Ricky to Bud's team and Dale Earnhardt to Richard Childress. You'd see Mr. Littlejohn in a motel restaurant early on race day mornings, looking like a lost soul from a retirement village, but he never missed anything going on. Two South Carolina Highway Patrol Troopers in uniform always accompanied Mr. Littlejohn and acted as his drivers/bodyguards.
My wife, Joyce and I got up to pay our breakfast bill very early one morning in Talladega, but the cashier told us that the "Old gentleman" who had just left had already paid. That was Joe Littlejohn.
I count it a true privilege to have known all of the men I note above and to have watched them give of themselves for the cause of bettering stock car racing. Let's hope there are many more deserving Joe Littlejohn Award winners waiting in the wings to help our beloved sport in the future.
updated by @dave-fulton: 12/05/16 04:02:07PM
Here Come da Judge(s) - Part II - Jeremy Mayfield in Richmond Federal Appeals Court
General
I guess since he first filled the cup for his drug test at Richmond International Raceway, it's only fitting that the latest Jeremy Mayfield legal outing be in Richmond.
Jeremy Mayfield at Federal Court in Richmond Tuesday
Mayfield Heard in Richmond Federal Appeals Court
By Associated Press, Published: January 24
RICHMOND, Va. Attorneys for former racecar driver Jeremy Mayfield are asking a federal appeals panel to reinstate his lawsuit against NASCAR over his suspension for failing a random drug test at Richmond International Raceway in 2009.
A three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond heard arguments on Tuesday over whether a lower court judge erred in dismissing Mayfields suit in 2010 because Mayfield had twice as a driver and an owner signed documents in order to race that waived his right to sue. At issue also was the district courts refusal to let Mayfield amend his complaint to bolster his case.
Following Mayfields 2009 suspension, he sued NASCAR, its owner, Brian Zachary France, and the drug testing company for defamation, unfair and deceptive trade practices, breach of contract and negligence.
Mayfield has argued that a combination of over-the-counter allergy medication Claritin-D and the prescription medication Adderall for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder led to the positive test in 2009, that NASCARs testing system was flawed and that it did not follow federal guidelines in its testing methods. He won an injunction to continue racing during his appeal, but the 4th Circuit reinstated the suspension after Mayfield failed a second random drug test.
But the arguments Tuesday focused on whether the terms of the contract are enforceable in this case and whether contract law broadly exempts any causes of action.
If you start carving out terms, then I dont know what youre left with. Thats not a contract, your honor, Mayfield attorney Tillman Finley told the judges.
David Boies, an attorney for NASCAR, said Mayfield consented to the NASCAR contract and when somebody consents, they cant complain saying they were defamed.
Boies added that there is a clear public interest in whether a driver tests positive for drugs, saying that in making the test results public, NASCAR was trying to protect fans, drivers and the sport itself.
In November, Mayfield was arrested in North Carolina and charged with possessing methamphetamine. He was arrested following a raid on his rural mansion in which police found 1.5 grams of meth, 69 guns and $100,000 in goods that authorities claim were stolen from at least two businesses. Authorities have said Mayfield may face more charges.
An attorney for Mayfield has said he denies those claims. That case is pending in North Carolina Superior Court.
After the hearing, Mayfield commented briefly, saying that hes glad he was able to get his time in court on this issue, that hes working his way through his North Carolina case and is looking forward to seeing what happens. France did not comment after the hearing.
Since being suspended, Mayfield has faced judgments against him in excess of $2 million for failing to pay bills, and he owes another $109,000 in property taxes. Mayfield also faces foreclosure on his 388-acre property.
Mayfield was the first Sprint Cup driver suspended for failing a random drug test. NASCAR argues its policy is needed so that it can police the sport.
NASCAR originally countersued Mayfield, but it dropped the suit so the appeal could move forward.
The appeals court panel usually takes several weeks to issue a ruling.
___
updated by @dave-fulton: 12/05/16 04:02:07PM
Here Come da Judge! (and he rules for Bruton over ISC)
General
Boys have it!
Jan 26, 6:46 PM EST
Judge tosses verdict against New Hampshire track
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) -- A judge has thrown out a verdict that would have required New Hampshire Motor Speedway to pay nearly $1 million to cancel its contract with Motor Racing Network.
A jury awarded MRN $993,724 last September because New Hampshire did not meet a three-year notice of termination when Speedway Motorsports Inc. bought the track in 2008. SMI wanted its radio network - the Performance Racing Network - to broadcast NASCAR events at the track.
New Hampshire Superior Court Judge Richard McNamara presided over the trial, but threw out the verdict in a Wednesday ruling.
McNamara wrote the jury based its award on MRN's projected lost profits, and that can't be a basis for damages.
International Speedway Corp., which owns MRN, said in a statement it will appeal the ruling.
updated by @dave-fulton: 12/05/16 04:02:07PM
harold pearson richmond time dispatch sport writer pass away at 78
General
Harold Pearson
Former T-D sportswriter Harold Pearson dies
By: John O'Connor
Richmond Times Dispatch
January 26, 2012
Lanny Wadkins dealt with hundreds of journalists on a regular basis during his illustrious professional golf career. One of them, former Richmond Times-Dispatch staffer Harold Pearson, stood out to Wadkins. "I don't think, with all of the sportswriters I've ever met or come across, I've ever felt like I trusted someone as much as I did Harold," Wadkins, a Richmond native, said Wednesday. "He knew when I'd had a bad day, give me a little space. He understood. There aren't many (sportswriters) I considered friends. I definitely considered Harold a friend."
Mr. Pearson, a Times-Dispatch sports staffer from 1965 to 1996, died Tuesday evening at 78 after a period of declining health. In addition to NASCAR and golf, sports on which his work focused, Mr. Pearson wrote about college and high school athletics. "During my time at the T-D, Harold was an integral part of our sports coverage," said Bill Millsaps, Times-Dispatch sports editor from 1973 to 1991. "He had good contacts in his areas of responsibility golf and NASCAR and he used them to educate and entertain our readers."
Millsaps added that Mr. Pearson "was a kind and caring man," a compliment seconded by Wadkins. For decades, Mr. Pearson reported on elite professional golf events, and is remembered by Wadkins as "someone who cared about the game of golf. More importantly, he cared about the people he wrote about, which made him truly special. "He left a nice legacy, he really did."
Harold Dean Pearson, a native of Kings Mountain, N.C., attended Gardner-Webb College and graduated from Appalachian State University. An Army veteran, Mr. Pearson served in Europe following World War II. Following his time at the Times-Dispatch, Mr. Pearson edited Virginia Golfer, the official publication of the Virginia State Golf Association.
Mr. Pearson is survived by his wife, Diane, and a son, Chris. The family will receive friends Saturday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., at the Morrissett Funeral and Cremation Service, 6500 Iron Bridge Rd. (Route 10).
harold pearson richmond time dispatch sport writer pass away at 78
General
Thank you, Ray. I just saw this posting about Harold Pearson's death and it is heart breaking. Harold was a good racing friend, a great racing writer, multiple-time President of the National Motorsports Press Association, and one of the most respected golf writers on the east coast. Every April, Harold had the enviable task of juggling his coverage of both the spring Darlington opener as well as the Masters Golf tourney in Augusta, Georgia... two venues for which he had a true reverence.
In addition, for many years Harold, even after retirement from the Richmond Times-Dispatch as the golf and motorsports writer, "ran" my deadline filing room in the Richmond International Raceway Infield Media Center. Many years ago, when he was the racing writer for the Roanoke (VA) Times & World News, Steve Waid began calling Harold "Weird Harold" after the Bill Cosby character. That eventually morphed into just plain "Weird," the sobriquet by which Harold was known to all his racing friends.
We have lost another really good person and fine racing writer who did much behind the scenes unsung to improve things for today's racing media. May Harold's family find peace and comfort. When the Azaleas bloom this spring in Augusta and the call is made at Darlington to start engines, you'll recognize Harold by the winning grin on his face. Goodbye old friend.
Passing of Dr. Joseph Mattioli
General
So sorry to hear this news. A wonderful man with a wonderful family who operated a wonderful racetrack. Prayers to the family and all of the Pocono contingent.
Press Release from Pocono Raceway:
Long Pond, PA (January 26, 2012) Dr. Joseph Mattioli, Pocono Raceway Founder and Chairman of the Board, passed away today at the Lehigh Valley Hospital Center, surrounded by his loving family, following a lengthy illness. He was 86. Doc as he was known to friends and associates, was one of the most respected and admired men in automobile racing. He founded Pocono Raceway in the early 1960s and has been at the helm of Pocono ever since. Under his leadership, the track grew in stature and has hosted 68 very successful NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Events. His passion and drive helped Pocono Raceway succeed when other tracks fell by the wayside. Pocono Raceway is the only remaining family owned and run track on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule. He was always concerned that race fans and race car drivers and their families were treated with the upmost respect and constantly upgraded procedures and Raceway facilities to meet that goal.
He kept his fingers on the pulse of stock car racing and read everything printed concerning the sport. He was in the office daily, until last fall, and oversaw all aspects of the Pocono Raceway operations. At age 83, Dr. Mattioli spearheaded an ambitious solar energy project. He built a three megawatt photovoltaic solar energy system on 25 acres at Pocono Raceway. It is the worlds largest solar-powered sports facility, making Pocono Raceway a leader in the renewable energy and environmental fields.
Dr. Mattioli was also well respected in the community. In 2009, he received the Philanthropic Lifetime Achievement Award presented by the Association of Fundraising Professionals for his generous and continuous contributions to local civic organizations, hospitals, schools and charities. He served on the board of directors of numerous organizations and was dedicated to improving the quality of life in Northeastern Pennsylvania.
He served in the Pacific during World War Two as a Navy medic. Using the G.I. bill, he enrolled in the dentistry program at Temple University (where he met his soon to be wife, Rose.) Upon graduation, he developed his dental practice into a very lucrative business by working 12 to 14 hour days, six and sometimes seven days a week. He then began investing in and developing properties in Philadelphia and Northeastern Pennsylvania where he became involved in the start up of Pocono Raceway.
Dr. Mattioli is survived by his wife of 63 years, Dr. Rose, daughters Louie and Michele and son Joseph Mattioli III, seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. His passing leaves a void in the NASCAR community and especially to his family and extended Pocono Raceway family.
Service Arrangements for Dr. Joseph Mattioli are incomplete at this time.
Read more: http://thetimes-tribune.com/sports/pocono-raceway-patriarch-dr-joseph-mattioli-has-died-1.1263139#ixzz1kbjBwGhK
Wal-Mart to sponsor Bill Elliott for race
General
This doesn't surprise me. The former advertising and PR operative who headed the Gillette Atra racing program in the early 80s, the KFC sponsorships for Junior Johnson and became VP, Public Relations for Home Depot and sponsored Tony Stewart, is now VP, Investor Relations for Wal-Mart and married to the former Head of NASCAR media for RJ Reynolds Winston Cup Series.