thought THIS was interesting

[falcon325]

There's no trace of that ol' track left, bean.  A few years back, you could still see remnants.  But time marches on.   

[flamehothead]

Well heck I wasn't even born until 1972. Maybe next time give us a little clue like they don't race there anymore or they raced in a certain decade or something like that. Just a thought .

[falcon325]

Well heck I wasn't even born until 1972. Maybe next time give us a little clue like they don't race there anymore or they raced in a certain decade or something like that.

You have much to learn, Grasshopper.   

[Cowboy271]

Butterbean, great to know there's someone on here older than I am   I remember watching open wheel cars at the Fairgrounds track in the late '50's I believe.  Attended a few dirt NASCAR races at Occoneechee in Hillsboro, NC.  That was racing...Curtis Turner, Joe Weatherly, Lee Petty and even Wendell Scott.  Boy that brings back memories.  Oh well NASCAR has "progressed".

[Butterbean]

Butterbean, great to know there's someone on here older than I am   I remember watching open wheel cars at the Fairgrounds track in the late '50's I believe.  Attended a few dirt NASCAR races at Occoneechee in Hillsboro, NC.  That was racing...Curtis Turner, Joe Weatherly, Lee Petty and even Wendell Scott.  Boy that brings back memories.  Oh well NASCAR has "progressed".

Cowboy,  attended a few at Occoneechee myself, the last race being in either 64 or 65 when David Pearson won it in a Cotton Owens #6 Dodge.  Yep, there was some great racing back then but there was some not so good. 

[falcon325]

Butterbean,

How about you and cowboy give us some details about those old races?  What were the differences back then?  Was any particular race memorable?

[Butterbean]

Butterbean,

How about you and cowboy give us some details about those old races?  What were the differences back then?  Was any particular race memorable?

falcon, I don't write too well to say alot.  Back then, usually there were a few top runners and at many races, the winner was on a lap by himself.  The racing facilities didn't offer much for the fans (you roughed it).  Of course the cars were more stock then, but it's a wonder more drivers didn't get killed.  Being able to say I've attended some on those races is ok, but there is better racing today than it's ever been, even with all the faults folks say NASCAR has.
I will tell of an experience I had at a little 1/4 mille track in 1950 or 51  later.

[falcon325]

Thanks, BB.  It is amazing more of those guys didn't get killed.

It's very interesting to hear you say that the racing is better now. 

It seems to me that the best days were back in the late 1980s and early 1990s.  I really liked the fact that the drivers and sponsors seemed to stay together for at least a few years at a time.  There were a few rookies breaking in each year and a couple of old guys retiring, but you could glance at the track and know Rusty and Dale and Harry Gant and Bill Eliiot, etc.  The cars weren't stock anymore, but safety was improving.  Cars still ran at North Wilkesboro and the Rock.  The Busch series still ran Myrtle Beach and even Orange County.  I remember one race at Charlotte/Lowes where Rusty and Dale pulled the ol' switchover move on each other repeatedly for three of four laps.  Incredible.


I look forward to your 1/4 mile-story.