Johnny Mallonee
Middle Ga Raceway
Tommie Clinard putting his nose under Cale Yarborough in Sam Ards car at Middle Georgia Raceway in 1974 in turn 3---This is happening just over the Famed Moonshine Still of MGR. PHOTO compliments of Tommie Clinard and his vast photographs of ---------------MEMORIES
That is a really great photo!
Yes it is,no cosmetics here,no photo shopping either--thats Tommie in all his glory in the Schlitz Ga Special. Told yall he was a wheel man. Doing it with an underfunded car but but with abundance of talent and the desire to win---------------------------------------------Memories
JM, I was pretty sure the #82 was Sam Ard's car. It was orange/blue numerals. Sam ran this car a lot at Myrtle Beach., I think this particular car existed during one of the brief splits of Sam and the Thomas Bros. But, they made up. Sam was behind the wheel of the TB Country Ham special the very next year, and for many years thereafter.
You are correct on the color of the car Bobby.Sam's name is on the door under the window opening.Cale's namewas not on the car.There was much discussion after the race. Ronnie Sanders was declared the winner. Cale protested, as he wound up second, saying that he was not credited with a lap. The victory stood for Ronnie.As for me I was not quite as fortunate. I broke a right front hub and did not have a replacement. I had a right front tire go down and when they replaced the tire they did not get the lugs tight and the vibrationcrackedthe hub. I wound up 25th but I was ahead of Bill Elliott who was 28th I believe.
I remember Cale winning there about that same time ina 66 chevelle with Sam's name on it and everyone's check bounced. I don'r know if any one ever got paid.
Funny. I ran into Cale several years ago and he distinctly remembers that race. He was paid, but not for first!! A scoring error showed him in second! I found it odd that he remembered that race. Francis Sullivan and I were invited by Curtis, the promoter at the time, to a tire test. Sam Ard was changing the engine in his #82 after the test. We sat on the old guard rail on pit road, and talked about hunting and fishing with Cale. When I mentioned that to Cale, he remembered both Francis and I and our conversation. I was amazed that he remembered that day. Really nice guy! I will be a fan of his forever. One of the greatest.I