I loved reading Donohue's book. He was so honest and candid about his whole racing life. Seems like NASCAR was the most humbling experience of his great career. That is still true for a lot of drivers and champions that come from open wheel and sports car ranks to NASCAR today.
I, too, used to curse those Wood Bros. Fords and Mercs, never dreaming that one day I'd sponsor their car for 7-Eleven and later being asked by them to pitch CItgo to handle their media relations, which I did and got the account. I was so fortunate to get to work with the Wood family, along with some other wonderful NASCAR families. Twice a year, on Martinsville Cup weekends, the Woods and friends staged a wonderful theatrical production and dinner in Stuart, Virginia for invited racers in a barn-like theatre owned by a neighbor. These were awesome nights. My girls still talk about the first one they atended in 1985 when we were seated with DW and wife Stevie and they talked about how nervous they were with young daughter, Jessica. 32 years later, my girls still talk about a little German Shepherd puppy named Flopso who befriended them that night. Now, as Tim states, many torches have been passed, but NASCAR fans are indebted that families named Wood and Petty are still involved.
On openng practice day for this April 1981 Darlington race Dale Earnhardt sent me back to our Florence motel to change pants. He didn't want to be anywhere near the bright green Wrangler double-knits I showed up wearing. He told me I must have thought I was going to Augusta for the Masters instead of Darlington for a race.
