One of my favorites from back in the day! I remember he won 4 straight in September, and came from a lap down to run second in the next race!
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im a pretty good race car driver, but I’m a real good carpenter!
Some of these old cheating stories are fun to read! Somebody oughta write a book! I remember Ken Schrader got busted at Daytona for oversized holes in the intake. They were getting a small amount of air through that offset the restricted plaste! Too bad NASCAR went woke, because I loved some of these guys! Even Dale Sr, to a point! 7mm
"Preserving the Constitution, fighting off the nibblers and chippers, even nibblers and chippers with good intentions, was once regarded by conservatives as the first duty of the citizen. It still is." � Wesley Pruden
Harry Gant and and the Skoal Bandit were a great combination. I was growing up here in N.C. during the best years of his career. We all loved him. Ol boy was a house framer before he started racing. Like most of the drivers back then, Harry was a very friendly and approachable driver. Heck, he was just a Carolina boy like the rest of us. NASCAR will never be able to replicate what they had years ago. No other sport will either, IMHO.
I always liked Harry, really liked his personality…..he was a man’s man! Those boys from yesteryear wouldn’t be welcome in today’s NASCAR……and today’s NASCAR isn’t welcome in my home! memtb
You should not use a rifle that will kill an animal when everything goes right; you should use one that will do the job when everything goes wrong." -Bob Hagel
“I’d like to be a good rifleman…..but, I prefer to be a good hunter”! memtb 2024
It’s a damn shame, what happened with NASCAR. The old School drivers were part of the community, and the people reflected that friendship right back. But the France family always seemed to be more interested in making money. When they abandoned the tracks that had built the sport from its infancy to give race dates to places like Chicago and LA, it just got a little hard to swallow, and I quit watching. I’m a big believer in loyalty. You dance with the one that brung you! 7mm
"Preserving the Constitution, fighting off the nibblers and chippers, even nibblers and chippers with good intentions, was once regarded by conservatives as the first duty of the citizen. It still is." � Wesley Pruden
It’s a damn shame, what happened with NASCAR. The old School drivers were part of the community, and the people reflected that friendship right back. But the France family always seemed to be more interested in making money. When they abandoned the tracks that had built the sport from its infancy to give race dates to places like Chicago and LA, it just got a little hard to swallow, and I quit watching. I’m a big believer in loyalty. You dance with the one that brung you! 7mm
Absolutely!!!!^^^^^ We went to the last race in North Wilkesboro and never looked back. Prior to that, we attended a couple races a year. We camped at the tracks, spent a pile of money and had a blast. Losing North Wilkesboro really stepped on our toes. That was about the time the sport really started changing for the worse.
It’s a damn shame, what happened with NASCAR. The old School drivers were part of the community, and the people reflected that friendship right back. But the France family always seemed to be more interested in making money. When they abandoned the tracks that had built the sport from its infancy to give race dates to places like Chicago and LA, it just got a little hard to swallow, and I quit watching. I’m a big believer in loyalty. You dance with the one that brung you! 7mm
Absolutely!!!!^^^^^ We went to the last race in North Wilkesboro and never looked back. Prior to that, we attended a couple races a year. We camped at the tracks, spent a pile of money and had a blast. Losing North Wilkesboro really stepped on our toes. That was about the time the sport really started changing for the worse.
That track has been revived but I’m not sure what or how many races will be run. Doubt the big dogs will ever come back.
As an additional tidbit about old school racing between regular folk; Red Farmer had his “garage” on our old country dead end road in Rock Creek, Alabama. He was the driver, head mechanic, public relations, inventory control, head engineer, car hauler, you get the picture. And he was never too busy to take a minute with us kids. Went to school with his daughter Bonnie.
Later on after I was out of high school a friend did body and paint for Bobby Allison in Hueytown. His shop was uptown for the day but nothing at all like the megabuck outfits now. Bobby was plain folk too. Of course Davey could be seen around now and then as well. Then too I remember a friend and I had been fishing and were coming back from the Warrior River. We stopped at Rabbit’a Barbeque in Rock Creek and Holy Cow there was a regular old bass boat in the parking lot with a Mercury 300 on the back. They were NOT available for very many people. Walked inside and Neal Bonnett was eatin’ pig. Said that 300 was a handful. Times gone by.
Colossians 3:17 (New King James Version) "And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."
"MR September"... IIRC his team discovered a trick to intentionally bend the rear end housing to increase negative camber on the right rear tire, thus increasing speed in the corners... Nascar got wise when he came back from a lap down in that 5th race to almost win it with a bent up car after Rusty wrecked him earlier in the race... i remember Benny Parsons saying "Rusty done just wrecked Sante Claus" as the crowd was Booing him... also IIRC, everybody started using the same trick after that race and some bent their housings a little too much which caused the R/R axle to break and then Nascar put the kabosh on it...
Remember an Old Timer, might have been Richard Petty, talking about Old vs New drivers. Late 90s I guess.
Said the new drivers just can't ever have what the old guys have. When you are a not wealthy guy, who owns the car, works on the car, flat tows it to the track, and the families money is depending on winning the race, and getting ready for next week... that creates a different kind of driver.
It creates the hunger the old guys displayed driving, it creates the slide in the grass celebration vs the burnout.
The slide leaves you with an undamaged car to race next week. The burnout destroys valuable tires and damages an engine.
Different times Different people. Different sport.
Haven't watched or listened to a handful of races since Dale died.
Parents who say they have good kids..Usually don't!
One of my favorites from back in the day! I remember he won 4 straight in September, and came from a lap down to run second in the next race!
Quote
im a pretty good race car driver, but I’m a real good carpenter!
Some of these old cheating stories are fun to read! Somebody oughta write a book! I remember Ken Schrader got busted at Daytona for oversized holes in the intake. They were getting a small amount of air through that offset the restricted plaste! Too bad NASCAR went woke, because I loved some of these guys! Even Dale Sr, to a point! 7mm
I remember that run. Good times. Harry always seemed like a really down to earth guy. [bleep] Dale Sr. I never liked him. In 1992 I watched him (#3) hide in the backseat of a car and refuse to acknowledge fans while his driver made his way out of the track. Davey Allison was chatting with fans w a cast on his hand after the race. Richard and Kyle were both standing around for a long time making sure everyone who wanted an autograph got one before they left. It was Richard's good bye tour. I remember "Achy Breaky Heart" being played everywhere we went before the race started lol.
It’s a damn shame, what happened with NASCAR. The old School drivers were part of the community, and the people reflected that friendship right back. But the France family always seemed to be more interested in making money. When they abandoned the tracks that had built the sport from its infancy to give race dates to places like Chicago and LA, it just got a little hard to swallow, and I quit watching. I’m a big believer in loyalty. You dance with the one that brung you! 7mm
Absolutely!!!!^^^^^ We went to the last race in North Wilkesboro and never looked back. Prior to that, we attended a couple races a year. We camped at the tracks, spent a pile of money and had a blast. Losing North Wilkesboro really stepped on our toes. That was about the time the sport really started changing for the worse.
We were there as well, beginning of the end IMHO Darlington, Rockingham and threatening to pull one from Martinsville......Screw em
Dale Sr always seemed to have two separate personalities. His public personality was a great guy. One you’d love to have for a neighbor, or a hunting and fishing buddy. He was great at giving scheduled interviews if he could prepare for it. But his race day personality had zero schits to give about anything other than himself and his car. I pretty much gave up on NASCAR after Davey and Allen Kolwiki were killed. I’d still watch once in a while, but like I said, too many things were changing for the worse and too damn fast. But when Dale died, I quit watching for good. Whether you loved him (Chevy Guys) or hated him (Ford And Mopar Guys) he made it fun and interesting to watch. No matter who you rooted for, you kept one eye on the number 3! 7mm
"Preserving the Constitution, fighting off the nibblers and chippers, even nibblers and chippers with good intentions, was once regarded by conservatives as the first duty of the citizen. It still is." � Wesley Pruden
As I read on here the other day, NASCAR started going downhill after Earnhardt's death, and when the influx of the younger generation of drivers came on board, beginning with Jeff Gordon. They worked hard at promoting the young guys, and doing everything to get rid of the old ones. I quit watching when Bill Elliott retired, and really had cut back long before that.
Back in the 1980's time period, some local guys would go to North Georgia to the carpet mills and outlet stores there and buy carpet for a fraction of the cost that it was here. One of them told about stopping in Dalton and going to the Ford dealership that the Elliott family owned. Bill was there and he sat down had a long conversation about racing with the local fellow. Try that today............and see where it gets you.
A good friend of mine made a checkered flag themed checkerboard, 24" square. It was Black & white with some red striping, he filled squares with DE Sr accomplishments in silver.
He took it to Dale Earnhardt Chevy on a whim and was surprised to find Dale there and that he was willing to sign it. He said they chatted for about 20 minutes.
Most of the old school guys were pretty well grounded.
I really loved NASCAR until Dale died. I saw Harry win at Martinsville in a Buick once. NASCAR was at its best when it as a more regional sport and not PC.
We went to North Wilkesboro for the Late Model race last August and had a feel like the old days. I hope NW continues on with grassroots racing. There is still great racing going on you just aren’t going see it on Sundays.
Andy Petree says he chicken’d out on actually using it for the race. Not sure if it was practice only or qualifying. Somewhere. There is a video of an in car with harry sawing on the wheel no gloves and a big ole ring on one finger. It’s some serious coolness going on.
The reason why he won 4 in a row is they cambered the rear axle housing. This allowed them to lean the right rear wheel in at the top gaining contact patch in the corners. Apparently this required lube during the race
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