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WEDNESDAY, JULY 9, 2008 THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS PAGE 3B Down the Stretch Parks deserves recognition in Hall of Fame B ack in April, 1949 NASCAR Cup champion Red Byron was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame at Talladega, Alabama. As part of the induction, Raymond Parks, owner of Byron’s championship winning racecar, stood side-by-side with 2007 Cup champ Jimmie Johnson, both with their championship trophies. They were joined shortly thereafter by all the past championship win ning car owners and drivers who are members of the International Motorsports Hall of Fame. It was a nice tribute to the history and heritage of stock car racing. It was also very hypocritical. That’s because Raymond Parks, often referred to as “The Godfather of NASCAR" is not currently a member of the International Motorsports Hall of Fame. The question, from anyone who knows what Parks did for the sport, is, without a doubt, “why not?’’ Parks embodies the history of early stock car racing, and, to be blunt, without him, there very well may not have ever been a NASCAR. Parks was born in rural north Georgia. He became involved at an early age in the illegal whisky business that transported liquor out of the hills and into thirsty Atlanta, until he moved to Atlanta to help run the now legendary Hemphill Service Station in Atlanta with his uncle, who also ran a bootlegging business part time. Parks did well in this business, and a few other enterprises. Parks got into racing just before the war, winning his first race as a car owner in 1938 at Atlanta’s leg endary Lakewood Speedway with his cousin, Dawsonville’s Lloyd Seay behind the wheel. As a pilot of Parks’ Fords, immaculately prepared by legend ary mechanic Red Vogt in Atlanta, Seay and his cousin Roy Hall took wins all over the southeast. Parks entered Hall in the March 1940 stock car event on Daytona Beach. Hall’s faster car and quick er team took the win. Hall won again on the beach in March of 1941. Seay was victori ous there in August. World War II interrupted Parks’ racing ventures. He served in brandon reed Auto Racing Europe with the 99th Infantry Division at the Battle of the Bulge. When he returned home in 1946, Parks’ legiti mate vend ing machine business was successful enough to fund his race team. With Vogt again wrenching his Fords, Parks" teams won all five races at Daytona Beach in 1945 and in 1946. Big Bill France, who was pro moting the beach events and trying to get his own racing organization off the ground, was not a fan of the fast Atlanta crowd. He didn’t like the moonshine background they brought to Daytona Beach with them. But there was little he could do to keep them out of vic tory lane. With Atlanta’s Fonty Flock behind the wheel, Parks’ team won the 1947 NCSCC modified cham pionship, France's pre-cursor to NASCAR. Parks’ team won the first NASCAR sanctioned race, a modi fied event at Daytona Beach, in 1948 with Byron behind the wheel. Byron went on to win the 1948 NASCAR championship. Byron, Vogt and Parks would follow this up the next year by winning the first NASCAR Strictly Stock (now Sprint Cup) championship. As France worked to make NASCAR succeed, he often called on Parks for advice. He also called on Parks when money to run the organization became tight. Without that help, it’s doubtful that NASCAR would have made it to where it is today. Parks helped bring stock car rac ing out of its rough and tumble beginnings, where a promoter was more likely to take off with the gate money rather than to pay the purse, to a place of prominence and respect in the motorsports world. The IMHOF thought enough of him to bring him on stage with all the other NASCAR hall of fame championship winners. There's BANKS COUNTY FIRE & EMS 155 Yonah-Homer Rd. Homer, Georgia 30547 706-677-1812 • Fax 706-677-5114 E-mail: beabanks@co.banks.ga.us Sponsoring classes in First Aid and CPR starting July 14 through 16 6 p.m. - 9 .m. * Class limited to 30. American Heart CA ™ , , r Association.W PleaSe contact b - v , ... July 14 by 12:00 noon. Learn ami Lne~ J J Do you or someone you know have Rheumatoid Arthritis? If so, and you are male or female at least 18 years of age and have been diagnosed with RA for at least 1 year, you may qualify for a research study using an investigational medication for RA. If you qualify, you will receive at no cost: Study medication Physical exams Lab Tests Modest compensation for time and travel To find out if you qualify, call CARE today at (770) 534-5154 or visit our website at www.uochs.org. no reason for them not to add his name to their ranks. Several hundred folks turned out at J.B. Day's place in South Carolina a few weeks ago to honor Mr. Parks on his birthday. Now it’s time for IMHOF folks to do the same. They don’t need to mess around and make the same mistake with him that they did with Wendell Scott, and honor him after he’s not around to enjoy that which he deserves. He’s more than earned such an honor. Brandon Reed is a reporter and columnist for Mainstreet Newspapers. E-mail comments about this column to brandon@ mainstreetnews.com. Baseball... continued from page IB BCHS defeated Bainbridge while dropping close contests to Lumpkin (8-7), Bainbridge (6-5) and Flowery Branch (5-3). “A lot of our younger players were able to get some valuable experience in these games,” Lord said. “We had several players on vacation and others at the football lineman chal lenge on June 22. Wesley, Bill, Jeff and Kasey all pitched well in these close, competitive games.” Justin Gibbs continued to swing the bat well in the tournament high lighted by a a homerun against Bainbridge. Kyle Smith also con nected for a homer against Flowery Branch in a game played at Piedmont College. “Their field is huge and you really have to get into one to get it out of there,” Lord said. The Leopards also defeated Rabun Gap in a single game 8-2 on June 25. Porter looked dominant on the pitcher’s mound and the offense was sparked by a homer from Hudgins. BCHS rounded things out with a doubleheader at Johnson (Gainesville) the following day. The Leopards won the opener 11-1 as Hudgins turned in a solid pitching performance. “He led us in wins this spring and he’s had a very solid summer,” Lord said. “We will rely on him heavily in the rotation next year.” Zack Dale came through offen sively with two hits and four RBI. BCHS fell 5-4 in the nightcap. Redmon settled down after the first inning to throw a solid outing for the Leopards. Gibbs delivered a two-homer in the game which was agreed upon beforehand by the coaches as a five- inning contest. Recreation signups conclude Friday The Banks County Parks and Recreation Department will con tinue taking registration for tackle football, flag football, cheerleading and soccer through Friday. Fees for registration will be as follows: •Tackle football, $55 •Cheerleading, $60 for uniform or $30 if you already have one from last year. •flag football and soccer, $40 each. Call 706-677-4407 for more infor mation. Read, then recycle this newspaper r Introducing the newest way to get regional sports coverage online! MainStreetNewsSPORTS.com