Forum Activity for @dave-fulton

R.I.P. Fred Martin, Jr. / 47-Year Holman & Moody Parts Manager

General

The following obituary for Fred Martin, Jr. is from the November 16, 2011 Charlotte Observer. Perhaps some of our members knew, worked with or dealt with Mr. Martin at Holman & Moody.

Fred Tidwell Martin Jr.

Mr. Martin, 78, of Charlotte passed away on November 14, 2011. Born in Rutherfordton, NC, he was the son of the late Fred Tidwell Martin Sr. and Zennie Mae Godfrey Martin.
Mr. Martin retired from Holman and Moody where he was a parts manager for 47 years.
He is survived by his wife, Jeanne Rogers Martin, children, Fred T. Martin, III, Rochelle M. Kerr, Steven E. Martin, Penny M. Phifer, Hope M. Houatchanthara, Joshua D. Martin and Shannon P. Lail; 10 grandchildren, 4 great-grandchildren and brother, James P. Martin.
In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by son, Michael D. Martin, sister, Margaret M. Christenbury; brothers, Samuel R. Martin, Max Claude Martin and John A. Martin.
He was a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather and, an avid Tarheel fan. His favorite past-time was spending time with family and, as a craftsman of stained glass, sharing his beautiful work with his family. He was adored by all.
Services for Mr. Martin will be held at 2:00 p.m. Friday, November 18, 2011 at Forest Lawn West Chapel with Reverend Earl Bradshaw officiating. Interment will follow the service in Forest Lawn West Cemetery. The family will receive friends 1 hour prior to the service.
Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association , 1300 Baxter Street, Suite 101, Charlotte, NC 28204.
Arrangements are in the care of Forest Lawn West Funeral & Cremation Service. Published in Charlotte Observer on November 16, 2011

updated by @dave-fulton: 04/02/17 01:49:53AM

JUST TO SEE IF YOU REALLY CAN PICK

Current NASCAR

Didn't hear any woulda, shoulda, coulda.... just praised Tony. That was class.

JUST TO SEE IF YOU REALLY CAN PICK

Current NASCAR

Tim is obviously already choking on the duck feathers that will fly when the Championship Trophy is presented in Homestead!

Brian Vickers Caught in Unusual Place

General

Tuned in the tv show Hart of Dixie Monday night on the CW network (which I probably shouldn't admit I have been watching since its debut) and got a surprise a minute or two into the show. There stood NASCAR driver Brian Vickers in the middle of a scene. The plot twist had one of the characters inviting Brian as a star NASCAR driver to the fictional BlueBell, Alabama where the show is set to judge a charity turtle race. Brian had agreed, but was now reneging on his promise due to another committment that had popped up. Definitely didn't have the "wow" factor of Cale Yarborough's long ago Dukes of Hazzard appearance as himself at the local weekly track. Maybe this Brian deal was dreamed up by NASCAR's new director of band-aid marketing.

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

I Guess Jeff Has Been Keeping This From Us

General

I had absolutely no idea whatsoever that our fearless leader had such pull, but here is the proof. Imagine what it must have cost to hire a world renowned talent to produce this new music for the Tuesday night broadcasts?!

http://www.yo-yoma.com/news/goat-rodeo-sessions

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

Billy Wood & His Hexes at the NASCAR Tracks

General

Another awesome piece on Billy. Thanks. That story was written in 1984 by Sandra McKee, the longtime racing writer for the Baltimore Sun and one of the best in the business. I always felt fortunate that Sandy covered all of our Richmond races. She knows her stuff. Ole Gary Nelson should have given Billy his hat. Sounds like he was convinced their season went south as soon as Billy hexed he and Bobby. Ya gotta wonder.

Billy Wood & His Hexes at the NASCAR Tracks

General

Fellas, y'all are just way too awesome. Thank you so much for posting the Stock Car Racing Magazine article on Billy. Back in the day, there was just so much going on that a lot of folks never heard of. I sincerely appreciate the two of you with the article posting and Ray Lamm with photos of Billy helping to educate our newer fans and racing participants who never had the pleasure of meeting Billy Wood or watching him start to rub those two index fingers together while pointing themn at some unfortunate driver. We all knew that driver's goose was cooked when Billy put the hex on him. Thank you again. I hope all of our RR members read the story and "get educated."

Billy Wood & His Hexes at the NASCAR Tracks

General

Awesome, Ray.... Cale was probably heading to victory lane while Billy hexed the field. Thanks again for posting from your marvelous collection.

Billy Wood & His Hexes at the NASCAR Tracks

General

Ray, thanks for posting the photo of Billy Wood.. Guess we (7-Eleven) tried to buy a little protection for Kyle as your photo shows and as TMC alludes in his post below. I always made a point to speak to Billy and ask how he was and slip $5-$10 and a hat of whatever driver I was promoting to him. It was amazing how he made all the big GrandNational / Cup races, but still showed up for every big race also at Langley, Southside, South Boston and Old Dominion. Another piece ofmy remembered stock car racing past that has slipped on forever. I hope somebody may come forward with the Stock Car Racing Magazine feature piece on Billy and post it.Believe me, the drivers and car owners were afraid of Billy. Thank you again, Ray. Your stock car racing photo collection is without peer.

Billy Wood & His Hexes at the NASCAR Tracks

General

The post today by TooMuchCountry about Richard Petty winning at Richmond on Nov. 14, 1971, 40 years ago today, had a newspaper clip of the event that recounted a name I haven't heard in years, but if you were trackside in the NASCAR garage or pits in the 60s-80s, you would know the name. It was BILLY WOOD . Please look at the story link posted by TMC and you'll see how Billy had the "hex" on the field for Charlie Glotzbach at Richmond that day.

Billy was from Norfolk, VA. He had a learning disability, but tremendous knowledge of stock car racing. He showed up at tracks from Daytona to Dover. Teams would get Billy in the pits and pay him to "hex" the field for them. He looked fearsome standing trackside with a scary grimace on his face, making finger and hand signals at various cars as he "hexed" them. Stock Car Racing Magazine once did a feature piece on Billy. I wish somebody would find it and post it. He has become another part of our lost stock car racing heritage. My last memories of Billy before he died in 1991 at age 59 were of him being paid by Darrell Waltrip to hex various fields.

In addition to the mentionin the story posted by TMC on Richard's Nov. 14, 1971 Richmond win, I quickly found 3 other references to Billy, one a note of his passing, one a reference in a Tom Higgins column and one a full length newspaper story in the Wilmington, NC newspaper.

I am posting the short note of his passing and the links to the two stories. Anybody who remembers Billy and can access stories, please chime in.

October 11, 1991

By AL PEARCE

Daily Press

BILLY WOOD DIES

Hardly anyone in racing truly believed that Billy Wood could hex their car. But nobody was quite sure, for they'd seen unusual things happen to those who doubted him. Wood, a native of Norfolk, was 59 when he died Tuesday following a long illness. For much of his life he embraced NASCAR racing, appearing everywhere from Dover to Daytona Beach, and from Langley in Hampton to Talladega.

He had a learning disability and wasn't schooled, but had an unfailing memory for racing trivia and statistics. Wood's favorite driver was whoever slipped him $5 or $10 (later, as inflation rose, $20 or $50) to keep him from jinxing their car.

Billy Wood Story Links:

From The Wilmington, NC Star News

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1454&dat=20040718&id=zo0mAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5x8EAAAAIBAJ&pg=3543,634936

From the book Dale Earnhardt: Rear View Mirror

updated by @dave-fulton: 09/07/21 09:21:35PM