Forum Activity for @tim-leeming

Thank Goodness for The Rules of Engagement

Current NASCAR

Thanks, Will. The comments here are all well respected as I think highly of all the commenters. Your deep involvement in the sport for so long makes me feel vindicated that I was seeing the same thing you were seeing. I absolutely was stunned when no red flag was displayed. Routing the cars through the pits and still no red flag. It is a huge black mark for Nationwide and NASCAR. No wonder Nationwide is bailing as did NAPA. Maybe when the lack of dollars makes an impact on the sport, it will take care of the lack of "sense" in the management of the sport.

Thank Goodness for The Rules of Engagement

Current NASCAR

Wally, you are correct that I "rue" the day the sport I cared about so much became fodder for jokes with the stand up comedians. Twelve laps under caution last night in Homestead was a very obvious effort by NASCAR Race Control to manipulate the outcome of that race and the championship. Not MY conspiracy theory but an obvious effort to accomplish what NASCAR felt was best for its bank account. As I stated, I will attempt to watch the Cup finale today, with a strong emphasis on "attempt". The actions of NASCAR and some involved in the sport have degraded what was build by such heroes and pioneers honored by this site. Yes, I "rue" the day when someone takes over the sport who doesn't give a damn where he takes the sport as long as it keeps up his lavish lifestyle and pays his alimony and child support.

Thank Goodness for The Rules of Engagement

Current NASCAR

As if I weren't already sick enough over NASCAR's handling of that Nationwide race, I come back here and see pictures of BZF. That man's face is enough to gag a buzzard on a gut wagon!

Thank Goodness for The Rules of Engagement

Current NASCAR

Our fearless leader, Jeff Gilder, once posted Rules of Engagement which essentially forbid crude remarks and name calling. For this reason I am restrained from adequately expressing by total disgust with the way NASCAR Race Control handled the Nationwide race tonight. To allow the cars to continue to run under caution for that length of time is unprecedented in recent years. A red flag should have been displayed. They were even routing the cars down pit road for two or three laps.

In my estimation, it was an effort by NASCAR to manipulate the outcome of both the race and the championship. Not sure if they got all they wanted but they sure made the effort.

I am cringing at the thought of what travesties may be pulled off tomorrow in the Cup race. It is very obvious, at least from my point of view, that ALL of the crooks and liars are not located inside the D.C. Beltway.

Not that it matters or that anyone in NASCAR cares, but you will be closely watched tomorrow. This may be your last chance with many fans.

updated by @tim-leeming: 12/05/16 04:04:08PM

Racing History Minute - November 16, 1952

Stock Car Racing History

All these pictures are incredible. Thank you all so much for these. Love seeing my life before me back when I was younger and smart. I really feel down today and these help "lift" me up.

Racing History Minute - November 16, 1952

Stock Car Racing History

The 33rd, and next to last race of the 1952 season was run at the 1 mile dirt track known and Lakewood Speedway in Atlanta, GA. The Championship was being contested between Herb Thomas and Tim Flock, with Tim holding a comfortable, but not insurmountable lead over Herb.

Herb's brother, Donald, always hidden in the shadow of his famous brother, qualified a second Herb Thomas Hudson on the pole with a speed of 72.874 mph with Herb Thomas qualifying second. Two of the FABULOUS Hudson Hornets on the front row, number 9 - Donald, number 92 - Herb. Fonty Flock would qualify the Air Lift Olds third, Tim Flock in Ted Chester's Hudson fourth and Roscoe Thompson in a Studebaker would start fifth.

Herb Thomas jumped into the lead on the green flag and was steadily pulling away from the field. Lee Petty, Donald Thomas, and Tim Flock were hotly contesting second place, but the lead was all Herb. On lap 86. the axle in the Herb Thomas Hudson broke as he exited the second turn and the big car came to a stop on the back straight. The caution was displayed and Herb jumped out and flagged down his brother. Donald stopped on the track and Herb climbed in the number 9 and Donald sat and waited for the wrecker to come haul off the number 92 and give him a ride back to the pits. At the time, a relief driver could gain points for where the car finished based on a formula NASCAR had devised to allow relief drivers to earn points.

Tim Flock's car owner and crew chief immediately expressed a howl of dissent to NASCAR for allowing Herb to transfer cars on the track rather than in the pits and to further cause issues, Herb was now leading in the car his brother started. After being allowed to lead two laps under caution, NASCAR black flagged Herb and made him pit. Herb returned to the track at the rear of the pack with only 14 cars running. At the time, Lee Petty was leading.

With 11 laps to go the green was once again displayed and Herb mounted a charge to retake the lead in his "back up" car. On lap 94. Thomas stormed around Petty and took over first place. He would hold that position to the checkered flag. Herb would leave Lakewood 194 points behind Tim Flock with 1 race remaining in West Palm Beach, FLA, on November 30th. Tim Flock would go on to win the title in 1952.

An interesting note is that NASCAR records are to reflect the name of the driver STARTING the car in the finishing order. Herb Thomas so over dominated his brother Donald, that Donald was not given credit for the win in the NASCAR records until quite sometime AFTER the end of the 1952 season. Seems NASCAR only had an interest for Herb Thomas , over looking the fact that Donald had won his first Grand National Race. In fact, NASCAR continued, for quite some time, giving credit to Herb Thomas for the win although he was driving in relief.

The average speed for the winner was 64.853mph, being slowed by 3 caution flags There were 18,000 fans in attendance to witness the Thomas Brothers combined effort.

Finishing Order:

1. Donald Thomas, Fabulous Hudson Hornet, winning $1,080.00

2. Lee Petty, Petty Engineering Plymouth, winning $700.00

3. Joe Eubanks, Oates Motor Company Hudson, winning $450.00

4. Tim Flock, Ted Chester Hudson, winning $385.00 ( 1 lap down)

5. Gober Sosebee, Chrysler, winning $200.00 (2 laps down)

6. Jack Smith

7. George Bush (not THAT one)

8. Ralph Liguori

9. Gene Comstock

10. Bub King

11. Ted Chamberlain

12. Jimmie Lewallen

13. Herb Thomas

14. Dick Rathman

15. Perk Brown

16. Buddy Shuman

17. Fred Dove

18. Fireball Roberts

19. Fonty Flock

20. Roscoe Thompson

21. Bob Welborn

22. Bill Blair

23. Mike Magill

24. Robert Wiesemeyer*

* Robert is shown as making 9 laps before being "disqualified". There is no reason given for the disqualification that I can determine.

Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future

updated by @tim-leeming: 04/29/21 12:27:31PM

2013 Stock For Tots at the NASCAR Technical Institute

Administrative

I will be there for the third consecutive year. This event is most special and the fans that I have encountered in my two previous visits are the type of "core fans" NASCAR should be seeking out. Last year, four college guys drove down that Tuesday from Pocono, PA, stood in line for all that time for autographs, and were driving back to Pocono that night for classes on Wednesday. A couple in their 70s had driven down from Indianapolis strictly for the event but they planned to stay overnight before driving back. Every one who came through that line, all ages and genders, were all smiling and all talking excitedly about the event. One even mentioned to me what a big deal it was to him to have a chance to meet all the personalities and be giving to such a worthy cause. It is simply a great event for a great purpose. Don Miller has the right idea about priorities.

Racing History Minute - November 15, 1970

Stock Car Racing History

Yes, I was in the infield both times the races was postponed because of rain. On the third Sunday, the fog lay thick over the track but the race got started anyway. There were two or three places on the track, especially in turns 3 and 4 where the fog was track level. I could not believe NASCAR would start a race like that. When the Superbirds and Daytonas went into the fog, you could see only those wings through the fog. They dropped the green flag and in about 10 laps the fog was gone. Guess the famous D.W. "vortex" worked that day!

Racing History Minute - November 15, 1970

Stock Car Racing History

North Carolina Motor Speedway, Rockingham Raceway, "The Rock", or whatever you wanted to call it, the little one-mile track located just outside of Rockingham, NC was one of the favorite tracks for fans and drivers alike. Opening in October, 1965, the very first race saw Curtis Turner return to his winning ways of old as he won the very first 500 mile race on that track. Through the years there were many outstanding races run at Rockingham but then it lost its way when greed of others set in and its race dates went elsewhere. Andy Hillenburg fought valiantly to bring the track back but, once more, things aren't looking good for one of MY favorite tracks.

But, for today, we will return to 1970 when big time racing was set to go for 500 miles in The "American 500. Charlie Glotzbach would qualify at a speed of 136.498 in a winged Nichels-Goldsmith Dodge Daytona. Cale Yarborough would make the Wood Brothers happy by putting the Mercury from Virginia in second starting spot. Third place qualifier was Bobby Allison in a Mario Rossi Dodge Daytona, fourth place starter was Dick Brooks in a Plymouth Superbird and fifth place went to Bobby Isaac in the K&K bright red Dodge Daytona.

Cale Yarborough, Charlie Glotzbach, David Pearson, LeeRoy Yarbrough, and Richard Petty would wage a torrid battle throughout the race, changing the lead a total of 15 times before Cale took over for good with 42 laps to go. 20,000 folks watched Cale take the checkers 4 seconds ahead of David Pearson in a Holman-Moody Ford. Pearson had mounted a tremendous charge to catch Yarborough, but Cale was not to be denied on that day.

After the race, during an interview, Cale said out right that he may not return to NASCAR for the 1971 season. He said "I'll be driving a race car of some kind next year. I don't know if it will be in NASCAR of USAC. Gene White has already offered me his Indy Car ride next year. If I'm in another part of the country next year, I wish to thank the southern fans for their support of my career". Yes, we know Cale tried out Indy but we also know he came back to all we "southern folks".

It should be noted here that Peter "Pete" Goodwill Hamilton drove his last race for Petty Enterprises that day after winning the Daytona 500 and BOTH 500 milers at Talladega in the Petty Superbird. No rhyme or reason to that in my mind.

Bobby Isaac wrapped up the Championship that day although there was one race remaining on the schedule for the year. After the race Isaac admitted that he had "stroked" his was to a 7th place finish as he was intent to do so to wrap up the title. He went on to say that he did not like to run like that but he wanted that title.

Finishing Order:

1. Cale Yarborough, Wood Brothers Mercury, winning $20,445.00

2. David Pearson, Holman-Moody Ford, winning $11,170.00

3. Bobby Allison, Mario Rossi Dodge Daytona, winning $6,195.00 (3 laps down)

4. Donnie Allison, Banjo Matthews Ford, winning $3,045.00 (6 laps down)

5. Buddy Baker, Cotton Owens Dodge Daytona, winning $2,190.00 (7laps down)

6. Richard Petty

7. Bobby Isaac

8. James Hylton

9. Friday Hassler

10. Buddy Young

11. Joe Frasson

12. Neil Castles

13. Elmo Langley

14. Jabe Thomas

15. Pete Hamilton

16. Jim Vandiver

17. Ben Arnold

18. J. D. McDuffie

19. Raymond Williams

20. Wendell Scott

21. Cecil Gordon

22. Johnny Halford

23. Roy Mayne

24. Larry Baumel

25. Bill Champion

26. Frank Warren

27. Hoss Ellington

28. Henley Gray

29. LeeRoy Yarbrough

30. John Sears

31. Charlie Glotzbach

32. Dave Marcis

33. Benny Parsons

34. Bill Seifert

35. Tiny Lund

36. Bill Shirey

37. Bill Dennis

38. Roy Tyner

39. Dick Brooks

40. Buddy Arrington

PERSONAL NOTES: We were at this race, parked against the fence coming out of turn 2 onto the back straight. This was before our motorhome days so we would later have the staked out lot near victory lane but for this event it was the fence in turn two. I loved watching those Dodges and Plymouths come around that turn with those big wings on the back. I did so love those cars. We hung around quite a long time after that race talking with Richard and trying to talk him out of the Superbird since he wouldn't be racing it in 1971. I really thought we had him about ready to make a deal but it never happened. As a side note to that, we were up at Petty Enterprises about a month after this race and sitting out behind the shop was the entire front end, fenders, hood, and the nose cone of the Superbird all in one piece, without a scratch. I jokingly asked Richard how much and he said we could just take it. That day we were in my 1969 Road Runner so we had no way to transport it but looking back, if I knew then what I know now, we would have strapped that baby to the top of that Road Runner and headed back down to Columbia. Hindsight, as they say, is 20-20 but that's the way the cookie crumbles I suppose.

As my friend Johnny Mallonee would say "Memories.........................."

Honor the past, embrace the present, dream for the future

updated by @tim-leeming: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM

Mrs. Nina Cox on Racing Through History 11/19

Stock Car Racing History

I agree with Dave for sure. Ought to be an outstanding segment. I think I'll skip the Legendtorial this week so she can have more time. Also, Coastal Jack needs time to count us down FOUR spots this week. Really looking forward to Ms. Cox.