Written by Monte Dutton Tue, 2019-12-17 06:21
I didn’t know Friday the 13th could be a week, but this one has been unfortunate – I’m positive you don’t want to know the details because I’m certainly in no mood to write them – and I needed something to raise my spirits.
Going to see Ford v. Ferrari wasn’t a bad choice.
What has that to do with NASCAR, you ask? Not much. Holman-Moody participates in the Ford effort to win Le Mans. It’s harder for Carroll Shelby, Ken Miles and unmentioned co-driver Lloyd Ruby to win because the legendary stock-car partnership brings a NASCAR pit crew to pit its Ford GT in Daytona Beach, Fla., a familiar place for such crews. What few NASCAR mentions there are seem a bit condescending, left turns only and all that.
Written by Monte Dutton Fri, 2019-12-06 10:23
Many years have passed. Some of the details have escaped my memory, but some are as vivid as a sunset or a waterfall. Apparently, I was four or five because Glenn “Fireball” Roberts perished after a crash in 1964, when I was six.
I remember that the race was on dirt, a quarter-mile track at the Greenwood Fairgrounds, about 25 miles from where I lived then and now. I don’t remember who won. It was a Modified race, which is to say that the cars looked like full-sized versions of what are called Legends cars now. Roberts’ car was black and gold, emblazoned with No. 22. He drove a similarly decorated Pontiac in 1962 at NASCAR’s premier level, which suggests I was four years old. I can’t find a photo of the Modified. It may have been fielded by a local owner who painted it to mimic the colors. I expect Roberts was there because the promoter made it worth his time.
Written by Monte Dutton Fri, 2019-11-29 06:52
It’s Thanksgiving, and I might order a pizza. Generations have passed, the family has wings and my nephew is having the feast at his house on Saturday evening so that he and Jessica can show off their young’uns at another wing.
This is the second time in my life this has happened. The first was in 2001 when a race in Loudon, N.H., was postponed on account of 9/11 and run on the Friday after Thanksgiving. I couldn’t care less about Black Friday if it was puke green, but the rest of the gypsy troupe and I flew up to brave the elements, which didn’t really require much bravery. The race was run on Friday because, allegedly, NASCAR president Mike Helton had a wedding to attend on Saturday, and he was in a position to make such arrangements work.
In 1985, Elliott made history by winning the first-ever Winston Million: A million-dollar bonus to any driver that could win three out of the four crown jewel races of NASCAR: The Daytona 500 at Daytona, the Winston 500 at Talladega, the World 600 at Charlotte, and the Southern 500 at Darlington. In a year dominated by Elliott, Bill went on to win 11 races (with 4 "season sweeps": Atlanta, Pocono, Michigan, and Darlington) and 11 poles, with three of those 11 wins being in the Daytona 500, the Winston 500, and the Southern 500, earning Bill the "Winston Million Dollar Bonus" and earning him the nickname "Million Dollar Bill"
Richard Petty and David Pearson duel for the win in what is arguably the most exciting Grand National finish in NASCAR history. Bill Flemming, Jackie Stewart, and Chris Economaki commentate ABC's Wide World of Sports coverage.
