Yes, Johnny, I did see the entire race. Always watch Darlington, no matter what. Chase is impressive and seemingly will keep his good attitude about his accomplishments. He and Kyle Larson make it exciting to look ahead for the sport. Now, this begs the question, how many Nationwide races did Danica win? Cup wins? Oh well, NASCAR can't have everything it wants.
Great to see this post re-appear this year. It was great the first time around and even better to have my memory refreshed this morning. Thanks, Dennis.
Dennis, great report and absolutely outstanding photos!!!! Thanks for adding this part of our racing history to the site. All I want to say is "more, more, more". I attended several of the Grand American races when there was time but I honestly have very few memories of the races. I was racing myself at the time and was going to the Grand National races too so all that began to run together. Although there are races of which I have vivid memories, I just can't seem to put a handle on many of the Grand American. I do remember the Tiny Lund Camaro and definitely those Cougars.
Way to go NASCAR. NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What a great history lesson! I especially enjoyed seeing a baseball stadium become a race track. But you would have to understand my extreme dislike of baseball, fostered as an 11 year old kid, to know what joy I received in seeing those photos. Thank you!
Great set of photos. Thanks Danny for sharing and thank you Devin for getting them on the site. Wonderful historic photos to jog memories of good days gone by.
Dave, this is exactly the issue I have with the "local" tracks. Two examples:
1. I managed to talk Ann into going over to that track where the Bell and Bell boys were running ( the track in South Carolina the name of which I can't recall). This was maybe 3 years ago when they were just getting started. I had hoped to go into the pits and be around the guys. WRONG. Pit passes were $50.00 each, which would have been $100.00 for Ann and me to go in the pits. Some have denied that to be true, but Ann was with me when we went to the sign in booth and we were told, and a sign was posted clearly indicating $50.00 each. So, we retreated to the grandstands. Dustin was there videoing some of the action. Ann and I suffered through lap after lap of one car qualifying but I couldn't tell you now for which divisions. Seems like they "qualified" every vehicle there but my mini-van and the water truck. Not sure how many divisions were there but the "racing" went on endlessly, which wouldn't have been so bad if the racing was good. Some events had three, some four, some more cars which would get strung out almost on the green flag. By the time the Bell and Bell boys (not even sure they were Bell and Bell then) got on the track, it was approaching midnight. As soon as their race was over, Ann and I left, not knowing what may still be left to run. It was after 3:00 a.m. when we got home and we had to have showers as we were covered in dirt and dust. Needless to say if I tried to take Ann back to that track, I would be charged under South Carolina Domestic Violence law.
2. A "local" track, about an hour's drive from me, had a long history of providing fair to good racing. A couple of seasons ago, I made several trips there hoping to get some good short track racing in. I'm not sure how many division they were running, but it was at least six. Heat races with two cars each? Come on folks, just let them draw for position and save all the time it takes to run 10 laps with a caution every lap or two for a spin. The last time I attended an event at that track it was well after midnight before I left and they were just lining up the last event. Some of the races were exciting and worth the time. Those races were in two divisions which I would equate to the old days Late Model Sportsman and the Limited Sportsman. I must say the ticket prices were fair at that track. Concession prices were fair and the food was good quality. But this I noticed on my last trip there. I counted the number of cars in the pits and the number of fans in the stands. Yes, there were that few fans that they were easily countable from my seat in turn one. Even as poor as I am in math, if every CAR in the pits had fans in the stands, then that was 3.5 fans per car.
All of my years of going to short tracks and seeing Late Model and Limited Sportsman compete, usually two 10 laps heats for the limited with a 25 to 50 lap feature and two ten lap heats for Late Model with a 50 to 100 lap feature were wonderful years. Not that I cared so much then about getting home late (which usually meant 11:30 p.m. or at least before midnight), but we had time to hang out in the pits afterwards with the drivers we got to know. It was somewhat difficult to have a "favorite" back then because we knew them all.
Here it is Sunday morning and I should be drinking my coffee, reflecting on some good short track racing last night before going to church. Problem is trying to find some good short track racing close enough to visit on Saturday night. Oh, I would love to attend Bowman-Gray some night, but that is quite a drive from Columbia.
So, Mr. Fulton, thank you for putting into words my very thoughts. Surely our paths crossed many times in the days of yore! I'm glad that now those paths have finally converged!
But I was thinking about having to add all those dollars together every week.
But Chase is failing math!!!!
Thank you Dennis and thank you also for your contributions to the "Minutes". I would personally love to see more of YOUR Minutes in regard to your father's career. I attended several of those "Grand American" races back in the day and saw your father run that Cougar the way only a great driver could.
