Track Smack

A Walk through the NASCAR Hall of Fame

Angie — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 00:08:02 +0000

: Image by michelle.makar via Flickr

I woke up early in anticipation of my visit to the Hall of Fame. After a stop to meet up with a pal, we were on our way and finally arrived around 11:30am.

The first stop was a visit to The High Octane Theater to see a short film about the evolution of NASCAR. It was just enough to get the adrenalin pumping and we walked out eager to explore.

The first thing that caught my eye was Dale Jr’s bright yellow and blue No. 3 Wrangler car. As I approached to get a closer look, I found myself grinning from ear to ear. His emotional win in the Nationwide Series race at Daytona just a few weeks earlier will probably always be one of my favorite NASCAR memories.

I was especially pleased to see that the car had been brought from the track perfectly preserved, down to the mud splattered hood and windshield.

Next, we walked up “Glory Road,” the ramp leading to the second level. It has something for everyone. It’s like a candy store for NASCAR fans with the likes of David Pearson’s No. 21 Purolator car, the Intimidator’s black No. 3 car, Jimmie Johnson’s #48 car and many others.

The cars sit on a platform that mimics the various degrees of banking at different racetracks. The steepest banking simulated is the 33 degrees of Talladega. You might be surprised to find that it’s almost impossible to even walk up this incline.

It’s these small details that make the Hall of Fame a complete experience.

Making our way along the ramp, I stopped to take some pictures of the famous “Petty Blue” No. 43. As I stood there, an employee happened to walk by.

“Come back in an hour,” she said,” Richard Petty will be stopping by to film some commercial spots.”

We couldn’t believe our luck and made sure to stake out a spot in front of his car.

While we waited, I saw Winston Kelly, the Executive Director of the Hall of Fame, and I introduced myself to him. My husband had worked with him at Duke Energy so we stood there and chatted a few minutes.

I asked him how he had made the leap from Duke Energy to NASCAR. Of course I knew that he’d been involved with NASCAR for most of his life but I was curious as to what he would say.

He told me that he had always been a fan and had worked as a radio broadcaster for Motor Racing Network for several years. He was approached and asked if he would like to be a part of the Hall of Fame.

Kelly smiled and went on to say “In a weak moment, they asked me and in a weak moment, I accepted. “

The next thing I knew, Richard Petty was standing just a few feet away from me in his trademark hat and sunglasses. He had walked in alone, with no security, and joked with the staff as they prepared to shoot his part in the commercials.

The entire process was over in about twenty minutes and then came the hard part.

Petty looked over at Winston Kelly and jokingly asked “How are you getting me out of here?”

To no one’s surprise, he was almost immediately surrounded by a crowd of eager but respectful fans. As Petty slowly made his way out, some were brave enough to ask for a picture with the King but most settled for an autograph.

We were later told by an employee that Petty has become a regular visitor. You never know who you might happen to see on any given day at the NASCAR Hall of Fame. On this day, we considered ourselves very lucky indeed to have been in the presence of one of NASCAR’S icons.

The second level features a celebration of the Hall of Fame Inductees and highlights their individual achievements. It’s also known as the interactive level and can provide hours of entertainment with the different displays.

You can try running a couple of qualifying laps on a simulator at the current track on the NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule. I tried two laps at Bristol and believe me; it’s not as easy as it looks, but loads of fun.

There’s also a pit crew challenge with a daily prize. You can compete as an individual or as a two person crew. We saw an awesome father and son team and a few that weren’t so memorable but everyone was having a blast.

They also have racing simulators where you can try your luck in the car of your choice and compete for the best time of the day.

There are too many activities to list and almost too much to do in just one visit. We still had one more level to explore so we headed up to the third level.

It’s named Heritage Speedway and tells the story of NASCAR with countless displays. Each case is filled with a slice of history and as I walked down the aisles I felt a sense of awe.

The pioneers of NASCAR, those we have lost, past champions and today’s best are all represented. There are tributes to Wendell Scott, Louise Smith, Herb Thomas, Smokey Yunick, Rob Moroso, Davey Allison, Alan Kulwicki, Dale Earnhardt and countless others.

Almost four hours and 200 pictures later, we finally left, tired but satisfied. I’m proud of my hometown and what they’ve accomplished with the NASCAR Hall of Fame. I can hardly wait to visit again and see the progression of this tribute to NASCAR history.

As I rode home and reflected on our trip, I found myself grinning again. I had in my hands an autograph from the King, Richard Petty.

How cool is that?

JR Motorsports signs Aric Almirola to Multi-Year Contract

Angie — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 14:08:14 +0000

: Image via Wikipedia

PRESS RELEASE

08.18.10

JR Motorsports cemented an integral part of its future Wednesday by signing Aric Almirola to a multi-year driving contract for the company’s flagship No. 88 NASCAR Nationwide Series team starting in 2011, general manager Kelley Earnhardt announced today.

A 26-year-old native of Tampa, Fla., Almirola has 32 career Nationwide Series starts, including one for JR Motorsports in which he finished third at O’Reilly Raceway Park in July. Almirola’s full-time duties as the No. 88 driver will officially begin in 2011, but he could potentially fill the seat in select races this season while he continues to run for a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship.

“The chance to drive full time in the Nationwide Series with a top caliber team is something I am extremely excited about,” Almirola said. “I was at the shop yesterday, and Kelley gathered all the employees around to announce our deal. The energy and excitement was addicting. We raced at ORP together a month ago and had a really good run. There is no reason why we cannot compete like that every race, and there is no reason why we shouldn’t be running for a championship. I would expect nothing less.”

Almirola comes to JR Motorsports with proven credentials. In 2006-07, he competed in the Nationwide Series with Joe Gibbs Racing, earning three poles and six top-10s. He is credited with one victory – the June 23, 2007, race at Milwaukee Mile – in which he and Denny Hamlin shared seat time in the victorious No. 20 car. That performance was part of a successful 2007 campaign, which opened doors to a lifelong dream of racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Dale Earnhardt Inc. signed Almirola to a part-time driving deal in 2008 with the unique task of splitting seat time with one of NASCAR’s all-time greats, Mark Martin. Nineteen of Almirola’s 30 Sprint Cup starts came with DEI (later to become Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing). In his very first race of the 2008 season, Almirola scored a career-best Sprint Cup finish of eighth at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Almirola continued racing in sporadic Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series races in 2009 and 2010, but the opportunity to compete full-time this year with Billy Ballew Motorsports in the Camping World Truck Series was too good to pass up. In 15 races so far this season, Almirola has two wins (Dover on May 14 and Michigan on June 12) and has finished in the top-10 in all but four events. He currently sits second in the championship point standings.

“If there is a quintessential JR Motorsports driver, we feel it’s Aric Almirola,” Kelley Earnhardt said. “The way he drives, the ambition he carries, the way he represents himself on and off the track, it all fits within our company’s dynamics, our core objectives, and the values of our sponsorship partners. We look forward to putting him in our No. 88 car so he can continue his success.”

Almirola’s one stint for JRM took place on July 24 at O’Reilly Raceway Park. He started the Kroger 200 in sixth position, led one lap, ran among the top-five all night, and finished third in his debut in the No. 88 GT Vodka Chevrolet. Almirola is one of 10 drivers who has or will have raced the No. 88 Chevrolet at least once in 2010. Team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. will drive the No. 88 Realtree Outdoors Chevrolet at Bristol this Friday night in the Food City 250.

“This has been a far different year than anything we have ever experienced before, but we feel like our decision to take our time and not be rushed into naming a full-schedule driver for the No. 88 paid off with the signing of Aric,” Kelley Earnhardt said. “He brings a lot to the table for us, as well as our sponsors. He is someone they can build their brands around, and he has the talent to take them to the Winner’s Circle.”

About JR Motorsports:

JR Motorsports is the management company and racing operation for Dale Earnhardt Jr., NASCAR’s seven-time Most Popular Driver and winner of more than 40 NASCAR-sanctioned races. JR Motorsports competes in multiple racing divisions, including the NASCAR Nationwide Series. In 2008 JRM enjoyed a breakout season with four Nationwide Series victories between its two teams. The company followed suit with four more wins in 2009. The JR Motorsports facilities are based out of Mooresville, N.C., and include the JR Nation retail store, Hammerhead Entertainment, and DEJ Realty. For more information on JR Motorsports, visit www.dalejr.com.

NASCAR Beginnings Featuring “Tiny” Lund

Angie — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 01:47:31 +0000

DeWayne Louis “Tiny” Lund was named as one of NASCAR’s 50 best drivers in 1998. The list is a mix of drivers with varying qualifications. Some won a lot of races and some won multiple championships. Often the reasons are not as obvious as numbers on a piece of paper but they all have one thing in common. Each had a huge impact on the sport of stock car racing.

Lund was born in Harlan, Iowa in 1929. He began his career racing motorcycles but later moved on to midget and sprint cars. Lund eventually found his way to the Modified Division where he quickly became a dominant force.

He made a name for himself as a hard charger who never lifted. Iowa was his proving ground and he excelled on every kind of short track. From dirt to clay, from flat track to banked, Lund became a master at his craft. No one can say for sure how many features that he won but estimates are as high as five hundred.

Lund was a bear of a man at 6’6” tall and weighed in at around 300 pounds. He towered over most of his fellow competitors who jokingly referred to him as “Tiny.” Those who knew him best will tell you that this big man had an even bigger heart.

He also had a reputation as an aggressive driver who loved fast cars and wild parties but off the track he was better known for his practical jokes. His booming laugh was often heard echoing through the garage.

There was a gentle side to Lund too, especially when it came to his younger fans. It was not uncommon for him to give away a trophy to a child who came up to him wanting nothing more than an autograph.

The early part of Lund’s career was spent driving for different owners including A.L. Bumgarner and Gus Holzmueller. One of his most explosive partnerships was with Lee Petty. Lund drove about five races for Petty in 1957 but their partnership ended abruptly after the two had a disagreement.

The specifics of the argument aren’t known but they put on quite a show during driver introductions at the Greensboro Agricultural Fairgrounds on April 28, 1957.

Tom Higgins of ThatsRacing.com was researching an article on NASCAR fights and talked to Tim Flock who was there that day.

“Oh, by far the best fight I ever saw was between Tiny and the Petty family,” Tim said. “Even now, 30 or so years later, when I think about it, the thing makes me laugh so hard it brings tears to my eyes.”

“Lee and Tiny passed each other on the stage, and one of them made a remark to the other. Then the fists started flying.”

“Lee was as tough a guy as they come. But at about 6-3 and maybe 175 he was no match for Tiny.”

Petty’s sons, Richard and Maurice rushed over to help their father.

“Danged if Tiny wasn’t putting a whipping on all three of them. Tiny was so big and stout they couldn’t handle him.”

At this point Flock was laughing so hard that he had tears in his eyes, as he continued the story.

“This is when Mrs. Petty got into it,” he continued. “I couldn’t believe my eyes when she went on that stage and started pummeling Tiny in the head with her purse.”

“She was putting pump-knots on Tiny’s head with that handbag. The reason that it was such a weapon was because Mrs. Petty had a .38 pistol inside it!”

The fight ended quickly after that. Although no one is sure what started the fight, the victory clearly belonged to Mrs. Petty.

Higgins later verified the story with Richard Petty and asked if his mother would be embarrassed if he included her part in the fight.

Petty’s answer says it all.

“Embarrassed? Man, she’s right proud of it.”

After his association with Petty Enterprises ended, Lund continued to work with A.L. Bumgarner but soon ended up fielding his own cars.

At the end of 1963 Lund headed to Daytona, Florida in the hope of finding a new ride. With this decision, Lund put himself in the right place at the right time.

His first career win was in 1963 at NASCAR’s biggest venue where he won the Daytona 500. But the story of how he got to compete in this particular race is almost more impressive than the win.

In 1963, the preliminary race leading up to the Daytona 500 was a sports car event named the Daytona Continental. Marvin Panch, a driver for the Woods Brothers, was testing a Maserati sports car and got together with another car. The crash sent Panch spinning out of control. His car flipped over and burst into flames.

Panch was on fire and trapped inside his car. Lund, who was a spectator at the race, immediately ran over to the burning car and pulled Panch from the wreckage. Panch suffered burns to over two thirds of his body and faced a long recovery.

Lund was awarded the Carnegie Medal of Honor for his heroic actions that day.

It is rumored that while in the hospital recovering from his injuries, Panch asked the man who had saved his life if he would be interested in driving his car for the Daytona 500.

There’s another story that the decision was made by the Woods Brothers. It’s said that they simply asked themselves who was the last person they would want to see in the rear view mirror when leading a race.

Regardless of who made the decision, Lund was handed the opportunity of a lifetime.

Lund teamed up with the Woods Brothers who had already prepared a unique strategy for winning the race. Their plan was to run the entire event on one set of tires and to make one less pit stop than everyone else.

Lund patiently worked his way through the field and took the lead late in the race. The race was winding down when Fred Lorenzen passed Lund for first place but with less than ten laps to go, Lorenzen had to make a last minute pit stop for fuel and handed the lead back to Lund.

A few laps later, Lund was passed by Ned Jarrett but on lap 197, Jarrett had to pit for fuel too. Lund once again took the lead.

It was a nail-biting finish as Lund fought to hang on to first place with Lorenzen and Jarrett closing in fast. The fans were on their feet cheering. Did Lund have enough gas to finish the race?

Running on nothing but fumes, Lund hung on to capture the checkered flag and coasted into the winners circle to claim the victory.

The Daytona 500 win revived Lund’s career but success was fleeting. He continued to work with the Woods Brothers but after Marvin Panch’s return, Lund was out of a job. By 1964, he was back to journeyman status and found work with a revolving door of different car owners.

Lund teamed up with Lyle Stelter at the end of 1964. Although his association with Stelter had more downs than ups, Lund added two more wins to his resume. They parted company after the end of the 1967 season.

After teaming up with Bud Moore, Lund found more success in the newly formed Grand American division. This series was designed to run pony cars like Mustangs and Camaros. Lund won his first Grand American Championship in 1968.

He may not have been one of the most accomplished drivers but Tiny Lund went on to become one of the most loved and memorable drivers in NASCAR. His accomplishments are varied and many. Lund won races in USAC, ARCA, the Pacific Coast Racing Association and the Grand American Series.

He won the Grand American Championship three times in 1968, 1970 and 1971 and the Grand National East Championship in 1973. Lund was also a fan favorite and won the Most Popular Driver title in the Grand National American Series four consecutive years from 1969-1972.

Sadly, Tiny Lund’s life was cut short on August 17, 1975 after an accident on the sixth lap of the Talladega 500. Lund got together with J.D. McDuffie and caused a chain reaction that ended when rookie driver Terry Link was turned, running straight into the driver’s side door of Lund’s car.

Lund was killed instantly.

Link’s car burst into flames and two spectators, along with driver Walter Ballard, pulled the unresponsive Link from his car. The accident was eerily reminiscent of what Lund had done for Marvin Panch in 1963 at Daytona.

NASCAR had lost one of its most endearing stars.

Buck Baker won the race that day but there was no celebration in Victory Lane.

After being told that his close friend had died, Baker fell to his knees, overcome with emotion.

Achievements:

Awarded the Carnegie Medal of Honor for heroism

Won Most Popular Driver Award–Grand National American Series: 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972

Won Grand American Championship – 1968, 1970, 1971

Won Grand National East Championship – 1973

Inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame – 1994

Named one of NASCAR’s 50 greatest drivers – 1998

A Tiny Lund Grandstand at Daytona International Speedway named in his honor.

The Tiny Lund Memorial Race – Annual race in Lund’s hometown of Harlan, Iowa

“Get Back To The Track Jack”

Angie — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 04:03:15 +0000

Roush Fenway Racing will run a special decal on their cars this weekend at Pocono, It’s their way of saying, “Get Well Soon” to team owner Jack Roush.

Jack Roush is recovering from facial injuries suffered in a plane crash. He remains in serious but stable condition after surgery Tuesday night at Theda Clark Medical Center in Wisconsin.

In a statement issued by Roush Fenway Racing, anyone wishing to make a charitable contribution in the name of Jack Roush can do so at Speedway Children’s Charities at www.speedwaycharities.org.

Updates on Roush’s condition will be posted at www.RoushFenway.com and www.ROUSHperformance.com.

This is the second plane crash that Jack Roush has survived. On April 19, 2002, he was pulled from the water after crashing a small plane into a lake near Troy, Alabama.

Please join the NASCAR community in wishing a speedy recovery to “The Cat in the Hat.”

How “Radioman” Doug Taylor Saved Mark Martin’s Life

Angie — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 23:54:43 +0000

Stock car racing has always been a team sport. Each person in the organization plays a key role in the success of the team. One minor mistake can ruin a driver’s day and the smallest thing can often make the biggest impact.

Just ask Doug Taylor.

After a brief career in the Air Force that taught him electronics, Taylor was looking for a new direction when he heard that 2-way radios were being used in Indy and stock cars. He began to focus on developing a better system for in-car communications.

At first only a few drivers were interested but through word of mouth advertising, more and more seemed to take notice. In 1974 things began to come together when Junior Johnson became his first customer.

You might recognize a few of the legendary names he has worked with in his 25-year long career. They include A.J. Foyt, Benny Parsons, Darrell Waltrip, the Woods Brothers, Paul Newman and many more.

Taylor has lived a diverse life including a short stint as a driver. He’s also had his share of ups and downs. His biggest contribution to the sport was the development of “The Earmold” which is still used in racing today. Unfortunately, he was never able to procure a worthwhile patent on it.

Before Taylor’s innovation the in-car radios only worked during cautions. His new design ushered in a new era where crew chiefs were able to talk to their drivers under green flag conditions.

Talking with Taylor is like talking to a walking encyclopedia of racing. He also has some great stories to tell. This is just one of many.

He began telling me about the Mark Martin he met in the 1970’s as a driver in the American Speed Association where Martin went on to capture four championships.

Taylor likens the young Martin’s driving style to that of Kyle Busch. This was well before Martin evolved into one of the most respected and cleanest drivers in NASCAR today.

But there is one race at Winchester Speedway in Indiana that is one of Taylor’s most vivid memories of Mark Martin.

Martin was competing against driver Mike Eddy for the win.

Eddy, who went on to become a seven-time National ASA champion, was well known for his pedal to the medal driving style. He was feared on the track and was known to many as the “Polar Bear.”

It was on lap 391 of the 1980 Winchester 400 when the trouble began. Martin and Eddy were both going for the win with Eddy in first place and Martin right behind him in second.

Suddenly Martin got under Eddy and they raced side by side until Martin’s car broke loose. His car slid up the track into the side of Eddy who bounced off the wall and back into Martin. The wreck took them both out of the race.

After the race, Taylor walked by Eddy who was talking to several drivers about the race. He saw Taylor, pointed at him, and said, “There’s the guy that saved Martin’s life.”

Everyone turned to look at Taylor who was standing there with his mouth open and no idea of what was coming next.

Eddy continued with the story saying that when he got out of his car, there was only one thing on his mind. He was going to go find Martin and “kill” that kid.

But, as he was getting out of the car, he felt a tug on his helmet and realized that his radio was still attached to his helmet. He remembered how Taylor had always told the drivers that they needed to be careful with their radios and pull the connector apart with their hands, not by jerking on the cord.

Eddy paused for a few seconds to take the time to disconnect his radio properly. That brief moment took his mind off Martin just long enough for him to calm down.

“If it wasn’t for Doug,” Eddy said, there’s no telling what I would have done.”

Taylor chuckles as he tells the story and says he’s happy he could play a small part in helping Mark Martin live to become the icon he is today.

For more information about Doug Taylor, please visit his website at http://www.taylorscommunicationsracing.webs.com/.