Forum Activity for @dave-fulton

Congrats to an old friend on your recent NASCAR Award of Excellence

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Out of the clear blue this morning I noted in a news release that an old friend had recently received the NASCAR Track Services Award of Excellence . Like the "I don't get no respect" character portrayed by Rodney Dangerfield, Richmond International Raceway's Linwood Burrow has toiled in the background for over 40 years at his post, first for the late Paul Sawyer and today for International Speedway Corporation.

As Director of Track Operations at the pristine Richmond track, it is Linwood who makes everything go smoothly at the track on race weekend, from the toilets flushing to coordinating the traffic flow in and out of the track to being sure the jet dryers are full of fuel.

Linwood is "Old School." He used to travel to the races and help work on cars for legendary Virginia car builder "Blue" Burton who fielded the famous #33 NASCAR Modifieds and Late Model Sportsman cars for such luminaries as Al Grinnan, Bill Dennis and Ray and Roy Hendrick, as well as a now and again outing by Lennie Pond. When members on this site like Bobby Williamson and Jim Wilmore may have seen the #33 Late Model Sportsman winning one of its many victories at the paved Cumberland International Raceway in Fayetteville, NC, Linwood would have been part of the crew. Ditto when Ed Sanseverino and Billy Biscoe saw it win at Orange County.

When I say Linwood is "Old School," it is a term of endearment, not derision. Linwood always worked in the background, not the forefront. At Richmond, it was Linwood who was directing the efforts of the post hole diggers when Neil Bonnett tore down the old Armco steel guardrail and it had to be replaced to keep racing. When the old half-mile infield was a mudhole, it was Linwood who had to get the cars towed out. When Richmond's "spring" date always came in February the week after the Daytona 500, it was Linwood who led the crew breaking the ice off the track in the mornings and getting the snow off the seats so competitors and fans alike could go racing.

Wonder why you never saw any trash littering the grounds at the Richmond track? Linwood Burrow is why. Who is the fellow on the hill with the weed eater showing 5 other guys how to do it right? That was Linwood.

Before I left the Richmond track in 1999, Linwood was stricken with cancer. He was hospitalized for many months at St. Mary's Hospital in Richmond, under the care of many of the same doctors and nurses he kept comfortable at the track's infield medical center complex when they volunteered their time on race weekends.

We never expected to see Linwood back again at the races. His wife Monica worked in the Raceway ticket office and helped everyone keep the faith. When you visited Linwood in the hospital he never complained. He was too busy planning how to make the experiences of drivers, crews, officials and fans visiting the "Fan Friendly " Richmond track even better. But Linwood was able to finally return to what he loved and where he has toiled for so many years as an unsung hero.

Linwood was always my "go to" person when I needed something done at the Richmond track. Everybody needs a "go to " person to be successful. It's been nearly 13 years since I've seen him, but I congratulate Linwood Burrow for his NASCAR Track Services Award of Excellence. I also congratulate NASCAR for recognizing the unsung folks who help make it happen.

Linwood Burrow (R) Receives NASCAR Excellence Award from Mike Helton

Richmond International Raceway Staff Receive NASCAR Awards of Excellence

1/17/2012

Two Richmond International Raceway employees recently received awards acknowledging their commitment to excellent service they provide to RIR and the NASCAR community.

Linwood Burrow , director of track operations, and Seiji Kashiwabara, nursing director, earned the Track Services Award for Excellence and Nursing Director of the Year Award for Excellence, respectively, at the 2012 NASCAR Summit earlier this week.

We are thrilled to have two of our staff members recognized at this years NASCAR Summit, said RIR President Dennis Bickmeier. Their continued enthusiasm and professionalism are vital to our operations throughout the year and on race weekend.

NASCAR presents The Track Services Award for Excellence annually to an individual who has taken the initiative to significantly improve track services at a NASCAR National Series Track over the duration of a career of ten or more years. Burrow, who earned the service award, has been a member of the Richmond International Raceway staff for over 40 years.

NASCAR annually awards The Nursing Director of the Year Award for Excellence to a Nursing Director who shows outstanding leadership and organizational skills, quickly addresses concerns and delivers an immediate and positive outcome. Kashiwabara and his medical team operate the RIR Infield Care Center on race weekends, where they provide medical care to competitors and track guests. Kashiwabara has been a part of the RIR team for the past 11 years.

Its an honor to have one of our team members recognized by NASCAR, said Dr. M. Stephen Kramer, M.D., Medical Director at Richmond International Raceway for the past 23 years. Seiji is such a talent and a great representation of Richmond International Raceway.

The awards were presented based on the employees service during the year 2011 and prior.

updated by @dave-fulton: 12/05/16 04:02:07PM

What a Sad Day

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Guess I'm a bigger sissy than I thought I'd be. Guess I'd rather see Pearson & Petty come off #4 at Daytona side-by-side than the Busch Brothers. Guess I'd rather see modified coupes on the 1/3-mile at Southside than the things that look like spaceships. Guess I'd pay big bucks to see Al Grinnan and Mutt Powell banging each other on the dirt through the turns at Wilson just one more time. Guess I'd also like to turn on the tv one afternoon and see Howdy Doody. But we know none of those things will come to pass. As PattyKay so neatly summed up, it's our turn to be the generation left behind. However, there is a little speck of hope on the horizon with the approaching activities at the Historic Cleveland County Fairgrounds Speedway. I definitely don't want to give up my air conditioning or microwave - two things we didn't have at my house growing up.

What a Sad Day

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When the "new" Richmond track layout opened in September 1988, a state of the art infield media center opened with it. That media center boasted two large darkrooms for use by photographers from Associated Press, UPI, and the Richmond newspapers (there were two at the time). Almost before the media center was up and running UPI had faltered and was almost a non-entity by the time the respected Deb Williams left its Raleigh bureau to join Rob Grigg's Charlotte-based Grand National Scene Newspaper.

I remember Steve Helber (Virginia state AP photo chief) one day showing me some cameras that he said he could transmit photos directly over our phone lines without developing any film in the darkroom. Within two years of that race we were using our two fancy darkrooms to store food that the caterer was preparing for the press corps. Who could have seen how quickly the change would come as Bobby noted above.

What a Sad Day

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One of my best Wrangler truck drivers went to work in the late 70s for a Kodak chemical operation in Kingsport, Tennessee. Don't know if that operation still exists or how it would be affected. Hurts to see a company that was a respected worldwide giant stumble off the main stage.

What a Sad Day

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Ernie Irvan and Sterling Marlin once ruled the roost in the car above. The glory days in racing for the famed multi-time Daytona winning Morgan-McClure #4 are fading into the distant past as this sad news hits. Who'd have ever thought it?

Eastman Kodak Files for Bankruptcy
By MICHAEL J. DE LA MERCED

Eastman Kodak, the 131-year-old film pioneer that has been struggling for years to adapt to an increasingly digital world, filed for bankruptcy protection early on Thursday.

The American legend had tried a number of turnaround strategies and cost-cutting efforts in recent years, but the company which since 2004 has reported only one full year of profit ran short of cash.

Since 2008, despite Kodaks best efforts, restructuring costs and recessionary forces have continued to negatively impact the companys liquidity position, Kodaks chief financial officer, Antoinette P. McCorvey, said in a court filing on Thursday.

Citigroup is providing Kodak with $950 million in financing to allow the company to keep going. Kodak plans to continue operating normally during bankruptcy.

The company will also seek to continue selling a portfolio of 1,100 digital imaging patents to raise cash for its loss-making operations.

Kodak has become the latest giant to falter in the face of advancing technology. The Borders Group liquidated last year after having failed to gain a toehold in e-books, while Blockbuster sold itself to Dish Network last year as its retail outlets lost ground to online competitors like Netflix.

Founded in 1880 by George Eastman, Kodak became one of Americas most notable companies, helping establish the market for camera film and then dominating the field. But it has suffered from a variety of problems over the last four decades.

First came foreign competitors, notably Fujifilm of Japan, which undercut Kodaks prices. Then the onset of digital photography eroded demand for traditional film, squeezing Kodaks business so much that in 2003 the company said that it would halt investing in its longtime product.

The Chapter 11 filing was made in United States Bankruptcy Court in Lower Manhattan. Kodak said that its non-American subsidiaries were not part of the filing.

The company said that it had about $5.1 billion in assets and nearly $6.8 billion in debts. Its biggest group of unsecured creditors are bondholders represented by the Bank of New York Mellon who are owed $658 million.

Kodak is taking a significant step toward enabling our enterprise to complete its transformation, Antonio M. Perez, the companys chief executive, said in a news release. At the same time as we have created our digital business, we have also already effectively exited certain traditional operations, closing 13 manufacturing plants and 130 processing labs, and reducing our workforce by 47,000 since 2003. Now we must complete the transformation by further addressing our cost structure and effectively monetizing non-core I.P. assets.

Under Mr. Perez, who joined Kodak from Hewlett-Packard in 2003, the company has bet on inkjet printers. That strategy has yet to bear fruit, however.

It has also turned to patent lawsuits to generate revenue, winning settlements from the likes of LG of South Korea.
Antonio M. Perez is the latest in a line of Kodak chiefs who have tried to remake the company after its film dominance eroded.Jonathan Fickies/Bloomberg NewsAntonio M. Perez, chief executive of Kodak.

Nonetheless, the company has burned through its cash reserves, stoking concerns that it may run out of money. As of Sept. 30, Kodak reported having $900 million in cash and short-term investments.

As a last-ditch effort to raise cash, Kodak announced last July that it had hired Lazard to sell its digital imaging patents, hoping to cash in on a frenzy for intellectual property that drove Googles $12.5 billion takeover of Motorola Mobility. But the company had failed to garner enough interest among potential buyers, driven in part by fears of Kodaks deteriorating financial health.

But by the fall, it became apparent that Kodak was also preparing for a potential Chapter 11 filing, hiring advisers who could help with a court-supervised restructuring. As reports swirled about Kodaks preparations for bankruptcy, some of the companys vendors stopped providing services or demanding quicker payments, the company said in a court filing on Thursday.

Besides potentially aiding in the patent sale, bankruptcy protection could also allow Kodak to shed hundreds of millions of dollars in pension obligations. Kodak said in a filing that it contributed about $245 million to its United States pension obligations last year, and that it has been unable to shrink those liabilities to a more manageable level.

Earlier this month, Kodak announced a corporate overhaul that split its businesses into consumer and commercial segments, which some analysts said could aid in the sale of parts of the business.

The company has also filed new patent infringement suits against a number of competitors, including Fujifilm and Apple Inc., an effort to shore up the value of the patents it hopes to sell.

In a court filing, Kodak argued that Apple, the BlackBerry device maker Research in Motion and HTC of Taiwan all owed the company substantial royalties for the use of its patents in their smartphones. Reaching licensing agreements with these companies, as Kodak has done with Motorola and LG, could reap Kodak substantial fees.

Kodak is being advised by Lazard, FTI Consulting and the law firm Sullivan & Cromwell. The company said that Dominic DiNapoli, vice chairman of F

updated by @dave-fulton: 12/05/16 04:02:07PM

Monsters, Inc. (or 2 Shrubs Get Energy Drink Sponsorship for Title Attempt)

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I noted this morning in a different news account of this venture that our well respected RacersReunion member Mike Beam will crew chief this new Nationwide deal. I thought Mike looked really, really good calling shots for Carl Edwards last season on the Jack Roush Nationwide pit box. Mike is one of the long time good guys in racing and a graduate of the Butch Lindley / Richard Petty brand of motorsports training. Should be an interesting pairing.

Monsters, Inc. (or 2 Shrubs Get Energy Drink Sponsorship for Title Attempt)

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Kyle, Kurt Busch make joint bid for NASCAR Nationwide title

By Nate Ryan, USA TODAY

MOORESVILLE, N.C. Backed by a sponsor that likes their "edgy" reputations, Kurt and Kyle Busch will be tag-teaming the NASCAR Nationwide Series next season with aspirations for an owners championship.

Kyle Busch Motorsports will field a Monster Energy-sponsored No. 54 Toyota for the talented but often mercurial siblings, who both found trouble near the end of last season. Kyle Busch was benched for a Sprint Cup race for intentionally wrecking Ron Hornaday Jr. in a Camping World Truck Series race, and Kurt Busch left Penske Racing after video of him berating ESPN reporter Jerry Punch went viral.

That created the opportunity for Kurt, 33, to be hired by the team owned by his younger brother, who said his new energy-drink sponsor fully supported the move.

"Essentially, they said we love your attitude and the way you guys can be a fit for the Monster brand," Kyle, 26, said. "You guys are edgy, aggressive and take no fear and just win the race. It fits us perfectly, but there's still other brands like Dollar General, M&M's and Interstate Batteries that I'm working with, too. There's going to be a balance there, but it's going to be fun.

"It's not necessarily where we can do some of the antics we've done before, but at Monster, they'll probably be a little more lenient."

Said Kurt, who will drive for one-car operation Phoenix Racing in Cup this season: "It's just about getting to victory lane. That's what they want to see. We're always out there going for the trophy, and sometimes we let that rough edge drag. It's just like (the Monster logo) with the jagged edge. That's us."

The brothers, who last raced together in Legends cars 13 years ago in their hometown of Las Vegas, haven't settled on divvying up the 33-race schedule. Kurt will drive the majority of the races, including those that are most logistically difficult (such as a Nationwide race in Wisconsin followed by a Cup race in Sonoma, Calif., the next day).

"This is an opportunity to keep having fun and jump behind the wheel of a competitive car," Kurt said. "We've got a shot at winning 33 Nationwide races this year between Kyle and I."

The 2004 Cup champion joked the name should read "Busch Brothers" above the doorframe of their Camry.

"We'll have a lot of fun this year," he said. "It's a key deal for both of us. He's a champion, I'm a champion. He's the most winningest driver in Nationwide (with 51 career wins). That says it all about Kyle and how he drives and his intensity behind the wheel always shines through. I have the same fire in the belly of just worry about driving. This gives us a chance to buddy up on something more important than just driving."

Kyle Busch Motorsports has competed primarily in the truck series the past two seasons, winning the 2010 owners championship in its debut season. Kyle said he'd like to expand to a two- or three-car Nationwide team down the road. He and his brother also left the door open on perhaps driving with each other in Cup someday if the team made that leap.

"We want to see this place be around for a long time," Kyle said. "It's a beautiful facility and near and dear to my heart. I didn't inherit this. This is something I've been building and hiring the right people to get them in right places to make it successful."

In driving 10-15 Nationwide races next season, Kyle said he won't run trucks next year because it was "highly recommended" by Cup team owner Joe Gibbs. He also will be competing against Joe Gibbs Racing in Nationwide next year.

"After it was this close to being signed, Joe called and said, 'Why are we doing this? Why are we letting you open your own deal to compete against us?'" Kyle recalled. "I said, 'I don't know, (JGR President) J.D. (Gibbs) said it was OK. Joe is not necessarily a fan of us, but he's open to it. He understands, too, this is Kyle Busch Motorsports, and there's a family of people that work here that need to have an income, and we put food on the table for a lot of people."

Kurt also had to get clearance to drive a Toyota in Nationwide while he'll be driving a Chevrolet for Phoenix, which gets its chassis and engines from Hendrick Motorsports.

"I just have to respect who each are with the Toyota brand and their information and the Chevrolet people as well," Kurt said. "They're involved with Hendrick, so we need to understand that line of information, and I'm here to respect that. This is one of the first times you'll see a driver bouncing between manufacturers. I hope to learn and put myself in front of as many people as I can."

updated by @dave-fulton: 12/05/16 04:02:07PM

Kenly, NC's Southern National Gets NASCAR Sanction for 2012 Weekly Saturday Night Action

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NASCAR To Sanction Southern National In '12
Revival Of Marquee Track Includes Whelen All-American Series
By Paul Schaefer, NASCAR
January 16, 2012 - 10:51am

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. NASCAR will sanction a marquee North Carolina short track when it reopens in March.

Southern National Motorsports Park, a .400-mile paved oval in Kenly, N.C., will be part of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series. The track will operate on Saturday nights with Late Models as its NASCAR Division I. A 22-event schedule has been announced. Late Models will compete weekly in 150 lap or twin-75 lap feature events. A 200 lap race is scheduled for July 7.

Southern National Motorsports Park is a great facility for fans and race teams alike, said George Silbermann, NASCAR vice president, regional and touring series. Michael Diaz, Jerry Brown and Jim Dean have formed a great team to put this track back on the map.

Diaz acquired the track as principal owner with partners Brown and Dean. All three have racing backgrounds as car owners.

NASCAR is the best organization in racing, Brown said. Being part of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series adds credibility to our track and recognition for people who race with us.

In addition to the headline Late Model division weekly racing will include Limited Late Models, Street Stocks and four cylinder U-Cars. Legends Cars, Bandoleros and Mini Cup cars will make appearances and special events for Super Late Models are also on the schedule.

Diazs son Mason has competed in the Bandolero division at Old Dominion Speedway in Virginia. Browns son Brandon drove Late Models to the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Virginia Rookie of the Year Award in 2010. As a longtime Late Model car owner, Dean won NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national championships with drivers Mark McFarland in 2003 and Philip Morris in 2011. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship contender Denny Hamlin won Southern Nationals Late Model division championship driving for Dean in 2003.

Originally opened in 1993 as Southern National Speedway, the track was sanctioned by NASCAR from 1998 through 2008. It has been idle for three seasons.

In addition to Hamlin, past NASCAR Late Model track champions at the track include Jamey Caudill, James Kelley, Billy Lucas, Deaton McCaskill, Drew Herring and Corey Strickland.

Other NASCAR sanctioned weekly tracks in North Carolina include Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, Caraway Speedway in Sophia, Concord Speedway and Hickory Motor Speedway. Modified driver Burt Myers won the 2011 state championship racing at Bowman Gray.

NASCAR-licensed Division I drivers are eligible to compete for NASCAR Whelen All-American Series championships and point fund awards at the track, state, national level. State champions also receive customized helmets and racing uniforms from series sponsor Whelen Engineering.

NASCAR-licensed drivers in each tracks second, third, fourth and fifth tier divisions compete for points in the NASCAR Finalist program. The program brings added recognition to drivers who compete in support divisions. Points are kept separately for asphalt and dirt tracks.

More than 50 tracks throughout the United States and Canada participate in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series.

The Southern National Motorsports Park website is www.snmpark.com and fans can get updates on Twitter at @SNM_Park. The NASCAR Whelen All-American Series information is available at NASCARHomeTracks.com.

updated by @dave-fulton: 12/05/16 04:02:07PM

Ned Jarrett To Be Grand Marshall for VCS Shelby Event

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What an excellent choice. Great accomplishment.

Tonight's Racing Through History Chat Problems

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Thank you. She'd been out of the hospital in Greenville, NC and in a hospice situation for just over a week. 53 years old. My wife lost her only brother to cancer at age 19 in 1973 and still has one older sister in Wilson.