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THE COMMERCE (GA) NEWS - MARCH 12, 2008 - PAGE 3B
Stories Part Of Racing's Treasures
There are not a lot of good things
you can say about rain delays at a
racetrack. Sure, we can always
use the rain. But other than that,
rain at a racetrack is pretty much
a miserable thing.
But there is one bright spot.
Usually when there’s a rain delay
at a race track, you end up with a
group of people getting together
to share racing stories.
With all the characters that have
passed through the American
stock car racing scene over the
years, the stories are absolute
treasures.
Here’s a few of my favorites
that I’ve had shared with me over
the years. Now remember, these
came to me second, third and
fourth hand. I don’t claim every
one of them to be true. I say only
they came to me from some very
reliable sources.
For example, did you know that
Richard Petty’s first flagged win
was actually in Atlanta, at the leg
endary Lakewood Speedway? On
June 14, 1959, Richard Petty was
flagged the winner of the 150-lap
race. But as Richard climbed out
of his 1957 Oldsmobile to cel
ebrate, word came from officials
that there was a protest lodged.
There was a recheck of the lap
count, and, sure enough, Richard
was credited with one lap too
many. The win was taken from
Richard and handed to the man
who had lodged the protest-n -
his father, Lee Petty. Lee later
claimed he did it because he was
driving a 1959-year model car,
and NASCAR gave a bonus to
any driver who won in a new car.
Therefore, Lee getting the win got
the entire Petty Enterprises team
more money.
Down
The
Stretch
BY BRANDON REED
I’m sure that was a fun ride
home to Level Cross for the Petty
family.
Speaking of Lee Petty, it was
well known that when it came
down to the money lap, the one
place you didn’t want to be was
between Lee and the checkered
flag.
One driver who learned this the
hard way, according to legend,
was Curtis Turner. Turner, the
legendary throttle-stomper from
Virginia, was racing against Petty
one afternoon when the two got
together. Petty was left with a
pretty badly damaged racecar,
while Turner was able to turn in a
respectable finish.
Afterwards, as the story goes,
Turner was sitting on the tailgate
of a pickup in the pits, washing
the dirt and calcium chloride out
his hair. Up walks Petty with a
rolled up newspaper in his hand.
As he approached Turner, Petty
called out Curtis’ name. When
Turner looked up, Petty hauled off
and nailed him with that newspa
per. The blow sent Turner reeling,
due to the flat tire tool Petty had
rolled up in the paper.
Another great source of stories
at the racetrack is the late Tiny
Lund. One of my favorites has
nothing to do with being in a
racecar.
Tom Higgins, the great North
Carolina motorsports writer, told
the story of going fishing with
Lund and Buddy Baker at Lund’s
fishing camp. As the trio rowed
out on the lake, Lund told the
story of recent alligator sightings
along the lake.
Baker took the story hook, line
and sinker (you’ll pardon the pun).
As the trio fished, Baker com
mented about how hot it was.
Lund suggested that Baker strip
down to his skivvies and take a
swim. Baker did just that, much to
the surprise of Higgins. Higgins
turned to comment to Lund, only
to find himself alone in the boat.
Baker surfaced, and was bob
bing happily on the water’s sur
face when, according to Higgins,
a look of terror crossed his face,
and he disappeared under the
water. He re-appeared briefly
moments later, screaming for a
rope, a boat paddle, or anything
else he could get.
What had happened was Lund
had dived off the boat the same
time that Baker did, swam under
the boat, came up under Baker,
and grabbed him in, shall we say,
a delicate spot.
Baker thought it was a rogue
alligator, until Lund popped up
behind him, laughing like mad.
Higgins said later, he asked
Baker why he didn’t just swim in
the other direction.
Baker reportedly told Higgins
“Tom, when you think an alliga
tor’s got you by that part, you go
where the alligator goes.’’
•Brandon Reed is a reporter
for MainStreet Newspapers, Inc.
Contact him at brandon@main-
streetnews.com.
f
k
t L -
East Jackson senior Marley Pullian signed pal Pat Stueck, back row, Megan Elliott, Rick
this week to play softball with Emmanuel Sanders of Emmanuel College, and EJCHS
College. Pictured are, front row, left to right, head softball coach Jason Rainey.
EJCHS Atheltic Director Johnny Tucker, Marley Photo by Brandon Reed
Pullian, Tina Brock (mother), EJCHS princi-
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