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Only His Hair Dresser Knows for Sure
Stock Car Racing History
I've been watching various "celebrity" reports this past week about Bruce Jenner . His name always gets my attention because a company I worked for once sponsored race cars that he drove.
A little background is in order.
Bruce Jenner came to worldwide attention when he won the Gold Medal in the Men's Decathalon (10 event track & field trial) at the 1976 Summer Olympics held in Montreal.
His smiling face was soon featured on every Wheaties cereal box in the USA.
Along the way, Bruce divorced his first wife and married the long-time girlfriend of Elvis Presley. The past few years Jenner has been best known as the husband of Kris Jenner... the one time Kris Kardashian and mother to the daughters of Keeping Up With the Kardashians fame.. or infamy.
Back in 1984-1986, I was Motorsports Coordinator for Dallas, Texas-based Southland Corporation and its family of brands, including 7-Eleven, CITGO and Chief Auto Parts.
My prime interest was the stock car program featuring Kyle Petty and Derrike Cope. However, we had a lot of deals going, including drag racing, Indy cars, unlimited hydroplanes, and TransAm and IMSA racing.
The car program sponsorships were all being done in conjunction with Ford Motor Company. We sponsored the Zakspeed/Roush Ford Probe GTP car in IMSA races and also the Roush Prototype and Roush Racing Mustangs in IMSA GTO.
It was at the 1985 Charlotte IMSA event that I first met Bruce Jenner. He was a rotating co-driver of our 7-Eleven/CITGO GTO Roush entry, usually with Scott Pruett. The IMSA series sponsor at the time was RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company under its Camel cigarette brand.
Charlotte could hardly give away tickets to the sporty car race, even though Camel distributed some 90,000 free tickets.
Jenner spent most of his time riding a bike through the infield and hanging out in one of the new turn one condos bought by a Chief Auto Parts VP, usually the one sublet to Ford's Michael Kranefuss. There the unshaven Jenner complained about everything. He was a total prima donna pain in the butt.
The straw that broke the camel's back... literally... was when RJR's Robertson came to me and said Jenner refused to do a promotional head shot wearing a Camel hat. With 7-Eleven being the country's largest distributor of Camels and Winstons, we quickly explained to the uncooperative Jenner why he needed to cooperate. He finally did, whining all the way.
Exactly one month after Kyle Petty won the first Winston Cup race for 7-Eleven at Richmond in February 1986 (Derrike Cope had already been winning NASCAR Winston West races for us for two years) , Bruce Jenner co-drove the 7-Eleven/CITGO Roush Mustang to a GTO class victory at the 12 Hours of Sebring.
Whereas we all cheered Kyle's win, the same wasn't true for Jenner. Some people are just hard to like.
With the completion of the Rolex 24 at Daytona this past weekend, it seemed somewhat ironic to me that Bruce Jenner was once again in the news. Seems he has been getting medical assistance to puff out his lips and other areas. Rumor has it he'll announce a "transformation" on national television this coming week.
Two phrases come to mind... "only his hairdresser knows for sure (paraphrased)" and "you can't tell the drivers without a program."
Back in the 60's, FoMoCo used the ad campaign "Ford has a Better Idea." With Jenner in its race cars, it did not, IMHO.
Now lets move on to stock cars at Daytona!
updated by @dave-fulton: 12/16/16 07:54:05AM
Another long time racer has passed
Stock Car Racing History
Here's the nice Jon Button write-up Bill has told us about in today's Syracuse Post-Standard :
Racing legend Jon Button dies at age 76
Jon Button, of Chittenango, pushes his 1936 Hillegass car onto his flatbed transport trailer after exhibiting it in the Temple Adath Yeshurun classic car show in Dewitt on Aug. 17, 2003. Button got the car from a person in New Bridgeport. "It was in a guy's tiny garage; been there for years". (Marilu Lopez-Fretts | The Post-Standard)
The Central New York racing community lost another member this past Monday with the passing of 76-year-old Jon Button. He was a man who did almost every form of racing you could think of and he did them all well.
Joe Marotta has been working at racetracks for almost 50 years and watched Jon throughout his racing career.
"Jon was a true racer," Marotta said. "Whether it was a dirt track, an asphalt track or a dragstrip, he did it all and he did it well and he really enjoyed it. He was a true friend and I'm really gonna miss the guy."
He first met Jon at the Fulton Raceway dragstrip which was located where the pit area is today. He made an immediate impression.
"In comes this International Carryall and this guy gets out and this woman gets out and a bunch of kids get out," Marotta said. "It was towing this great big, long dragster. A double A Top Fuel Dragster What really impressed me, I watched them unload and push the car alongside of the hauler and everybody, all the kids, Margaret the wife and everybody had a little job to do.
"They prepped the car and they pushed it up onto the racetrack. Margaret was driving the Carryall to push it up and of course they had to push start it. And that baby fired up and it shook everything, the trees, the birds and the raccoons and everything. Jon lined it up and he took a run down and it was really a pretty good run."
Later in the day he got to meet the driver of the car that grabbed his attention earlier.
"A little while later this little short framed guy comes up and he says, 'Hey, can you tell me what I turned?' I said, 'Who are you?' and he says, 'Well I'm Jon Button.' I said, 'Oh, you had the dragster.' He says, 'Yep.' And I gave him his ticket, what he turned and from that day on, I knew Jon and Jon knew Joe."
In the coming years, many people would get to know Jon Button. He raced his dragster locally at tracks in Cicero, Savanna and Utica Rome. Later he bought a former Jimmy Shampine Coupe and raced that on dirt at places like Fulton, Utica Rome, Weedsport and Nazareth, Pa., against legendary drivers like Kenny Brightbill, Gerald Chamberlain and Frankie Schneider.
In the 1990s, he went to the other side of the fence and began working as an inspector for DIRT Motorsports in the sport's glory days when Glenn Donnelly was at the helm. His no-nonsense attitude was perfect for the job and it was tough to sneak something past the former racer who knew the tricks of the trade.
In his later years he became involved in vintage racing and restored two midgets, a sprint car and a champ car, all from the ground up. And he didn't restore them to sit and be looked at. He raced them.
A few years ago he took the cars down south and was named Florida State Champion. He often loaded all four cars onto a trailer and brought them to various cruise nights to show them off and remind people of the sport's roots.
Those cars are currently on display at the DIRT Motorsports Hall of Fame and Classic Car Museum in Weedsport. His sons are still involved in local racing today. His oldest son Gordy is in the Empire Super Sprints Hall of Fame and also successfully drove both modifieds and late models while younger son Mike is the all-time sportsman win leader at the Cayuga County Fairgrounds and still competes today at both Fulton and Utica Rome.
We may have lost a legend but his legacy lives on with his family's involvement and the race cars he so painstakingly restores. He will be greatly missed. May he rest in peace and enjoy racing in heaven.
Another long time racer has passed
Stock Car Racing History
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Mr. Button's family and acquaintances.
Bud Moore's Right Hand Man by Perry Allen Wood (a review)
Administrative
My entire family will testify that they don't come any finer (or nicer) than the Moore family, who once gave us a place to live at no charge, bought us two weeks of groceries and gave us a new Ford front end for our rookie Cup operation when Ford Motor Company wouldn't. I look forward to reading Perry's book and seeing Greg's recollections.
R.I.P. Bill Schmitt - 4-Time NASCAR Winston West Champ
General
1984 7-Eleven NASCAR 250
NASCAR Winston West Series race number 11 of 11
Sunday, November 25, 1984 at Phoenix International Raceway, Avondale, AZ
156 laps on a 1.000 mile paved track (156.0 miles)
Time of race: 1:34:05
Average Speed: 99.486 mph
Pole Speed: 116.849 mph Cautions: 3 for 16 laps
Margin of Victory: 29 sec
Attendance: n/a
Lead changes: 3
Fin St # Driver Sponsor / Owner Car Laps Money Status Led
1 9 73 Bill Schmitt Mountain Dew (Bill Schmitt) Chevrolet 156 5,090 running 117
2 6 78 Jim Robinson Hammer Security (Lois Williams) Oldsmobile 156 3,545 running 1
3 5 98 Jim Bown Wholesale Truck Parts (John Kieper) Buick 156 2,035 running 0
4 16 94 Harry Goularte Mountain Dew (Harry Goularte) Chevrolet 155 1,435 running 1
5 8 56 Ron Esau McDonald's (Jack Lee) Buick 154 1,450 running 0
6 7 83 Sumner McKnight Aero Wash (Sumner McKnight) Chevrolet 153 1,100 running 0
7 10 93 Jimmy Insolo Saied Contractors / Dry Sys. Buick 152 800 running 0
8 15 51 Scott Miller MDB Systems (Scott Miller) Pontiac 151 750 running 0
9 11 32 Ruben Garcia Suncrest Motorhomes (Fred Stoke) Buick 151 800 running 0
10 3 04 Hershel McGriff Mark C. Bloome / Stanton Industries (Gary Smith) Pontiac 151 1,010 running 0
11 18 28 Randy Olson RAO Construction (Rich Olson) Chevrolet 150 600 running 0
12 25 96 Pappy Pryor California Blending Dodge 149 550 running 0
13 20 45 Bob Kennedy Erlich Motors (Myung Suk Lee) Chevrolet 148 700 running 0
14 17 24 Buddie Boys Clements Automotive (Buddie Boys) Buick 144 450 running 0
15 23 41 Kevin Terris Lone Star Auto Brokers Buick 144 425 running 0
16 4 95 Derrike Cope 7-Eleven / Jefferson Racing (George Jefferson) Ford 138 400 running 0
17 24 91 John Krebs KC Racing (John Krebs) Oldsmobile 133 375 oil pump 0
18 22 86 Eldon Dotson Stoner-Hurst Racing Buick 131 350 running 0
19 14 71 Scott Autrey McIntosh Ranch (Dick Midgley) Oldsmobile 108 325 engine 0
20 12 12 Terry Petris Petris Custom Homes (John & Terry Petris) Oldsmobile 108 300 rear end 0
21 2 2 Bobby Allison Miller High Life (DiGard) Buick 54 550 rear end 37
22 1 7 Ron Eaton Bondo / Lake's Body Shop (Ron Eaton) Buick 24 225 engine 0
23 21 16 Bill Osborne Pete Ellis Dodge (Mike Brown) Buick 24 220 engine 0
24 19 35 Pat Mintey Valencia Machine / Stick Only (Pat Mintey) Chevrolet 19 415 overheating 0
25 26 22 St. James Davis St. James Racing (LaDonna Davis) Chrysler 7 210 clutch 0
26 13 5 Tim Richmond 7-Eleven / Jefferson Racing (George Jefferson) Ford 7 205 engine 0
Failed to qualify or withdrew:
R.I.P. Bill Schmitt - 4-Time NASCAR Winston West Champ
General
Bill Schmitt
Obituary
Bill Schmitt ~
Bill Schmitt, loving husband, dad and grandpa, respected businessman, NASCAR Champion, and community supporter in his home city of Redding, made his last lap here on earth, and headed to his final pit stop in heaven on Saturday, November 8, 2014 at the age of 78.
Bill was a prolific businessman, starting or buying more than two dozen businesses over his lifetime, and driving the majority to success. He was well-known as one of the leaders in the North State logging industry in the 1980s and was chosen Logger of the Year in 2007. He wasn't all work, though, and made time to play hard at his dual passions, fishing and NASCAR racing. Bill and Sylvia hosted dozens of their friends and family on their Alaskan King Salmon fishing trips annually. He was also a constant presence on the NASCAR circuit from the late 1970's into the 1990's, powering his way to NASCAR Winston West Champion four times with the help of Sylvia, his family, and many friends. He was inducted into the Gatorade Circle of Champions in 1989 and competed in the very first International NASCAR race.
He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Sylvia, his children and their spouses, Jim & Karen, Steve & Rhonda, Kathie & Frank, Kenny, his nine grandchildren and their spouses, Jimmy, Tracie, Kristi, Melanie, Denise & Joe, Frankie, Jon & Beth, Megan & Steve, Amber & Dustyn, and seven great-grandchildren Kevin, Matthew, Addison, Ryder, Jaylen, Baylie, and Kynzie.
There will be a public celebration of his life on Saturday December 6th, 2014 from 1pm-3pm at the Shasta Baptist Church at 6600 Westside Road in Redding. If they wish, parties can make a donation in his memory to the schools he supported Shasta Baptist School, 6600 Westside Road, Redding, CA 96001, or the school his granddaughter Megan teaches at: Fort Bragg High, Ag Department, 300 Dana St, Fort Bragg, CA 95437.
- See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/redding/obituary.aspx?pid=173158089#sthash.Dyl9XcWI.dpuf
R.I.P. Bill Schmitt - 4-Time NASCAR Winston West Champ
General
I was hospitalized this past November and just discovered the passing on November 8, 2014 of a great NASCAR stock car driver, 4-time NASCAR Winston West Champion, BILL SCHMITT of Redding, California. Bill won the only Winston West race I ever sponsored - in 1984 at Phoenix.
Bill was a great driver, a great businessman and a nice fellow. Over and over he told me how much it meant to his NASCAR series for my national company to sponsor a race and a car in his series, even though it belonged to his competitor.
My prayers and thoughts go to Bill's family and friends.
Bill Schmitt is presented his trophy in honor of winning the NASCAR Winston West Series championship.
Remembering A Grand Champion
Four-Time West Champ Schmitt Left Indelible Legacy On NASCARWhether it was as a businessman in his hometown of Redding, California or racing stock cars Bill Schmitt worked hard to be the best at whatever he did and gained a lot of respect along the way.
Schmitt passed away in November at the age of 78. A public celebration of his life will be held from 1-3 p.m. on Saturday at the Shasta Baptist Church in Redding.
His hard work was evident in both of his endeavors. He was a successful entrepreneur running multiple businesses during his lifetime and being well-respected. He was particularly well-known in the logging industry in Northern California.
In racing, Schmitt was a four-time champion and one of the most popular drivers of his era in what was then known as the NASCAR Winston West Series (now the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West). He raced in the series for 20 seasons, from 1974 to 1993. During that span he competed in 237 races, scoring 19 wins and garnering 24 poles. Several of his career marks remain as records in the modern era of the series (1971 to present):122 top-five finishes, 163 top-10 finishes and 4,274 laps led.
Schmitt and his wife, Sylvia, were fixtures on the circuit during the two decades he raced.
You could always depend on him, recalled Ken Clapp, who served as NASCARs Vice President for Western Operations at the time. Personally, he worked very well with me. He made personal appearances and did interviews as we needed. And he was well respected by the other guys. Even though he had a lot of money, you didnt get that feeling. He didnt flaunt that around.
He was very understated, Clapp said. He was a gentle giant. He was as tough as there was. There wasnt anybody any tougher than Bill Schmitt on a race track. He would race you clean, fair and square unless you messed with him. He was nobody to mess around with, on or off the track.
Despite their early success, Clapp says Schmitt and his family-operated team continued to improve.
They got better and better as time went on, Clapp said. The boys became better mechanics. Bill was a good short track racer when he arrived. It took him a couple of years to get it all figured out, but he became fast everywhere he went. I dont recall him being better at one particular track over another whether it was a dirt track, a road course or a paved oval.
In addition to winning series titles in 1977, 1979, 1989 and 1990; Schmitt finished as the runner-up in the championship standings six times. As a competitor in the Winston West Series, he raced in numerous combination races with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series where his best overall finish was fourth in 1979 at Riverside (California) International Raceway.
Among the drivers Schmitt challenged in the Winston West Series was the legendary Hershel McGriff.
He was just a very good friend, McGriff recalled. Those were racing days back when I thought it was real good racing. He was a clean racer. I never did have any problems with him. We had good clean racing all the time. We were kind of a big family. Those were good times.
The friendship between the two competitors also extended beyond the race track.
We were good friends away from the track, too, McGriff said. He hauled logs and he did gravel. He did a lot of stuff that I do. We always had a lot in common.
I use to go to the lake there. One time I parked my boat in front of his house. He had other equipment out there. I had asked him a week or two earlier if I could do that. So, I left it there for two weeks and I came back and said, Bill, I took my boat. He said, I didnt even know it was here.
The role Schmitt played in the series, left a strong impression, meanwhile, with many new drivers coming into the Winston West Series. An up-and-coming rookie who raced door-to-door with him in 1986 was Chad Little.
He was one of the ones to beat everywhere he went, Little said. He was a veteran and I was new to the series at the time.
He was a very good competitor, said Little, who won the rookie title in 1986 and the series championship in 1987. He raced you clean. He raced you the way that, from my standpoint, the way I wanted to be raced and the way I tried to race other people. You could trust him, whether you were at a high-speed oval or a real tight road course. So there are a lot of good memories from that standpoint.
Little went on to compete in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series and now works for NASCAR as the Director of the Camping World Truck Series.
Little was not the only new driver to face Schmitt when he came into the series. Bill Sedgwick developed an early bond with the veteran driver, who had already won two series championships.
He was a good guy and an intense racer, Sedgwick said. We had a lot of fun times. We respected one another.
The two drivers battled each other in some of the toughest championship contests in the history of the series. Schmitt won the title over Sedgwick in 1989 and 1990, while Sedgwick took the crown over Schmitt in 1991 and 1992.
Sedgwick remembers the stress of those championship battles, especially in 1990 when the title was decided by just one point.
It was a little nerve-racking, Sedgwick said. He and I were running together at Phoenix. I dont remember what position we were in, probably 15th or so. For a few laps Id be in front of him and for a few laps he would be in front of me. It all came down to who would pit and who didnt pit. I ended up pitting. I thought that was the thing to do. No caution came out. I got back up to him, but couldnt get by him and lost the championship by one point.
Although the two were highly competitive, Sedgwick credits Schmitt with providing an early boost to his career.
When I first started, he said youre good. I remember that about him. It gave me a lot of confidence, said Sedgwick, who in addition to his two driving titles, has five champion crew chief awards. Thats why I try to do the same when I see an up-and-coming young driver. I try to build them up and share my thoughts with them. It did a lot for me. It meant a lot.
There was something else about Schmitt, meanwhile, that captivated Sedgwick as a series rookie.
I just admired the operation that he put together, Sedgwick said. He was always real competitive and went out and got the resources and sponsors and everything he needed to be successful.
Before I started driving, he picked up a sponsor, California Cooler, Sedgwick said. I just marveled at how somebody could put together an operation like that on the West Coast. I also knew he had ties with Junior Johnson. He would get motor parts and stuff from Junior. He knew how to go out and get what he needed to succeed. I have a lot of respect for that. Instead of sitting at home and crying about what you dont have, he went out and made it happen.
Schmitts accomplishments in racing also left a strong impression with a young driver/owner, who was coming into the series as the veteran was wrapping up his career. Bill McAnally took note of the four-time champion, with hopes of being able to emulate him someday.
I always admired Bill Schmitt, said McAnally, who has gone on to win five series championships as a car owner. He set a great example of how to build a successful racing program. As a newcomer to the series, I looked up to him and wanted to develop a race team like his. He was a great leader. He contributed a lot to this series.
After retiring from racing in 1993, Schmitt focused his attention on running his businesses.
He was in the inaugural class of inductees into the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame in 2002.
Bill Schmitt at the wheel of his Chevrolet Nova in 1977 as he heads to victory in the Monterey 100 NASCAR Winston West Series race at Laguna Seca Raceway. Photo by ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images
updated by @dave-fulton: 12/04/20 05:41:26AM