His statistics aren't what a racing fan would consider stellar, and his time in
the cup series was short compared to today's standards.  However, Don Tarr is
perhaps one of the most unique individuals to grace the pavement in NASCAR's
premier series.  Born May 4th, 1929, hailing from the Miami Beach area, he only
competed 48 times over a five year span from 1967 to 1971.  However, out of
these few events came some relatively impressive accomplishments.

Pairing with legendary crew chief and car owner, Ray Fox in 1967, Don set the
speed record for qualifying a Dodge Charger at 187.912 mph at the new Alabama
International Speedway in 1969.  This is what we now know as Talladega!  Ever
wonder when the "in-car" broadcasts began?  Well, at the Firecracker 400 on July
4, 1970, Tarr pioneered this concept on ABC's Wide World of Sports communicating
with commentators Jim McKay and Chris Economaki.  By the way, he finished 6th!  
Also, Don swas the first active driver to serve as a commentator from the pit
area from Nashville Speedway on ABC in 1970.  Though he only compiled nine top
ten finishes in his career at tracks such as Daytona, Charlotte, Michigan,
Darlington, Atlanta, and Talladega, it was what he did off the track that
perhaps made him most diverse to the sport of stock car auto racing.

Long before Dr. Jerry Punch took to the microphone for ESPN, Dr. Don Tarr, MD
was sailing around superspeedways to earn the title of "World's Fastest
Physician".  Now 80 years young, he looks as suave now as he did then, and still
manages to see approximately 100 patients a week in his Mountain City, TN
medical practice near Bristol.  A far cry from his Miami, Florida area
up-bringing, but hardly ironic in his final destination.  There is your short
legends diddy for the week!

Bill Crittenden
November 14, 2009

This is the third part of a three-part article.  The first part was NASCAR Teams
and Sponsorship Money and the second part was Beyond the Hood.

One of the best features of sponsoring a NASCAR race car is that the sponsorship
has the potential to provide a return on investment long after the investment
has been paid for.  In a few cases, even decades after the initial investment. 
What do I mean by this?  In a previous article, Beyond the Hood, I mentioned a
lot of different places, aside from the hood of the car itself, where images of
sponsor logos can be seen away from the track.  While that car, and its hood,
can come back to the track after the offseason sporting new colors and new
brands (or end up in the scrap heap), a lot of the images of that car survive.

Like the walking undead, old NASCAR sponsorships don't have any real life to
them.  The sponsor's former driver is wearing new colors and plugging new
brands, and they won't show up to any more personal appearances or allow their
name to be used in any new promotions.  But they're not buried yet, seen on the
backs and heads of fans wearing last season's swag, popping up in basement car
collections and occasionally making their way into TV broadcasts.

Think about this:  the average fan doesn't just crap can all their stuff when
their favorite driver changes sponsors, they just add more to their collections.
All that die cast, all those posters, all those t-shirts and hats, they usually
stay on display or get worn for years after they're out of date.  My neighbor,
whom I wrote about in NASCAR Teams and Sponsorship Money, didn't just dump all
his Budweiser stuff when Dale Jr. switched teams (and sponsors), he just went
out and bought the pair of new die cast cars (Amp and National Guard) and put
them on display alongside the old Bud cars.

In a sport as conscious of history as NASCAR is, the legends of the past are
getting a lot of TV time in the present.  Whether it's Richard Petty's famous
Petty Blue 43 at Daytona or the ominous black Chevrolet that helped Dale
Earnhardt look the part of "The Intimidator" and inspired the name "The Man in
Black," images of past stars and past races keep putting old cars in front of
the eyes of fans that in some cases weren't even born before the sponsorships
ended.  And when NASCAR broadcasts drag out the old Petty clips or Earnhardt
videos, STP and GM Goodwrench make it back on the air, long after these
companies stopped spending money as primary sponsors for Cup race teams.

These returns on the sponsorship investments aren't guaranteed any more than
they are when a sponsorship is new.  They are, perhaps, even harder to
accomplish, as an attention-getting young star this year might be a forgotten
flameout in five more.  A sponsor's longevity is then dependent upon the
longevity of the driver's popularity and to an extent the achievements made in
the car.  Much like syndicated television, most one- or two-season flops fade
into obscurity, while a select few drivers (and by extension, their sponsors)
stay on television long after their sponsorships, their careers, and even their
lives, have ended.  For every legend there are hundreds of short, forgotten
careers, and by extension forgotten sponsors.

Of course, there are only a realtive handful of true legends to go around in
NASCAR, but for a lucky few sponsors sometimes all it takes is one spectacular
moment to etch an image into the history books of stock car racing and keep a
sponsor's image on television for years.  One of the greatest examples of this
is Ricky Craven and Tide.  Ricky's certainly not a legend on par with Petty or
Earnhardt, but his Darlington win is a classic, and every year when the Cup
series visits the track or when the commentators discuss a really close finish,
we get replays of the last laps of his win, ending with Ricky putting the nose
of his Tide Pontiac across the line just in front of Kurt Busch's Rubbermaid
Ford.  Rubbermaid and Tide haven't been primary sponsors on Cup cars in years
yet we see the cars, sponsors and all, at least a few times every year.  I
assume we will continue to do so for the foreseeable future, at least until
another pair of drivers sets a new record for closest finish.

An honorable mention in this category is the 1979 Daytona 500.  Not a February
goes by when I don't see clips the famous fistfight between Donnie Allison and
Cale Yarborough at the end of the race, Yarborough's Busch and Allison's
Hawaiian Tropic logos visible as the cars tangle before heading into the wall. 
Of course, Allison and Yarborough are remembered for other achievements in the
sport, but this clip is a SpeedWeeks staple, and also illustrative of the point
since Yarborough's sponsor wasn't one that had been on the side of his car
through his three championships.

But do these "zombie sponsorships" really move product?  In the absence of
statistics, I offer the following anecdote:  you don't see very many green cars
in NASCAR, especially green cars sporting a particular #3, and so Dale Jr.'s old
Sun Drop car stood out amongst the many die cast cars that I've seen.  So one
day, oh, about ten years or so after the late-model Lumina raced, and shortly
after Action replicated the car in 1:24th scale, I was strolling through
Woodman's grocery in Kenosha and notice a case of the stuff.  A case of soda I'd
have otherwise passed by without a second glance had not only caught my
attention but had me curious to try it, and I bought it.  Over a decade after
Sun Drop likely cut its last check for the sponsorship and people were still
buying die cast cars with painted up with Sun Drop logos, and those cars were
the reason I had not only heard of the brand but then decided to buy a case of
their product.  And now, another half decade after I bought my first case, I
still do buy it when I can find it.

Interestingly, some the sponsorship images stick around even after the company
that sponsored the car is gone!  Anyone remember The Family Channel? 
:Technically still on the air as ABC Family, the old name disappeared eleven
years ago, yet The Family Channel is a name still seen in my basement.  Why? 
Because I like Ted Musgrave, and it was an epically cool paint scheme. 
Telecommunications companies have been especially prone to have their logos
stick around longer than their companies, due to an enormous amount of
investment followed by a period of mergers as new technologies and new services
worked themselves out economically.  Do you remember 10-10-220, which of course
is remembered because they sponsored an Earnhardt?  What about Alltel, Cingular,
and (not that it was a car sponsor) Nextel?

What got me started thinking about sponsorships was the return of the number 3
to top-level NASCAR competition on the side of Austin Dillon's truck.  Alongside
the famous 3 was the name Bad Boy Mowers.  I wondered if this lawnmower
manufacurer realized at the time that for sponsoring a part-time kid that they
would not only get repeated exposure on news websites and on television beyond
what any other truck in the race would receive (including the winner), or that
their truck in NASCAR's third-highest series would be a hotter topic for the
week than most anything happening in the Cup series, or that they would be
permanently along for the ride as that truck is now a small piece of NASCAR
history as an afterword in the story of Dale Earnhardt.

Links to the previous articles as well as a picture at
http://www.carsandracingstuff.com/library/articles/5251.php

Today on NASCAR.com, Joe Menzer has a great article on his take of Sunday's
race.  Now, I don't usually agree with much of what he writes, he really hit
some of the ol' rusty nails on the head, and issues some challenges to NASCAR to
"fix it".  I would go for about the first two-thirds of the prose, but there are
items that I do take issue.

Jimmie wants to bring out the bulldozers and flatten the turns at Talladega. 
What?!  The unfortunate circumstance nowadays is this is something NASCAR will
seriously consider.  However, if "Dega" falls and becomes "Draga", we know
indeed, which track will be next!  That's right, Daytona.  Though I can't think
of a good nickname for what it would become after knocking the turns out here,
the same rules apply.  There is a reason we go to these tracks. (I've been to
Daytona more times than I can count and have been to Talladega twice)  It's the
speed, the inherent element of danger, knowing that one false move could have a
devestating domino effect and a long thought philosophy that not always do the
best cars win at these tracks.  Big Bill knew this as well.  However, this isn't
the first time safety concerns have been front page news here.  Even before the
inaugural event in 1969, there was a driver boycott.  Though France, himself,
demonstrated you could travel the track safely at high speeds, the initial field
was filled with "scab" drivers.

Call me what you want. Personally I'll take the "sick bastard" approach when I
go out on a limb and state that we as fans are absolutely juiced by the styles
of racing that occur at these two tracks.  We are infatuated with cars hovering
around the 195 mph mark, running bumper to bumper, and using simple aerodynamics
to sling-shot around a rival driver.  Our hearts stop and we audibly gasp in
disbelief when the "big one" happens, but again, this is just part of the allure
and superspeedway racing.  We love wrecks, but we obviously hope that no one is
hurt.

Take the turns out and you rob what makes Talladega and Daytona the monster
fan-favorites they have become.  Flatten these venues out, and you have created
nothing more than half-mile longer sleepathons than what California and Michigan
are today.  Racing is dangerous.  It's part of the American adrenaline rush that
attracts us to edge-living events as long as no one gets hurt or dies.  However,
with inherent danger, eventually comes those two items.  It can't be stopped no
matter how hard NASCAR tries to water down what was once great.  Guys and gals
will still be injured or die at local tracks.  Fans will still get nailed with
debris.  Do I wish this on anyone?  Obviously not, especially in my line of
work.  However, follow the current path, and maybe we should just outlaw auto
racing.

To all of those coming to Hallowfest this Saturday, it's at 8:00 PM.  Bring your
favorite Oktoberfest, Pumpkin-style brew, or hard cider to share with the
masses.  Remember, that, and/or a donation to the traffic light entitle you to
the selections we have at the joint.  Costumes optional and you may want to
bring your own chair to sit by the fire as numbers are limited!

I would be hard-pressed to expect any of you locals to pay attention to what our
local toilet paper publishes in their daily swag, but there is a battle raging
in the Springfield News-Sun in the "Speak Up" section.  It wasn't the initial
intent.  I had responded to someone stating simply that people who have tattoos
have low self-esteem.  Simply put, that's all there was to it.  Generalizing all
of us in various professions that we must not give two shits of ourselves if we
have ink done.  According to this John or Jane Doe, I proved their point by
establishing the obvious that not only bikers these days have tattoos.  You can
find work done on physicians, lawyers, police officers, OUR MILITARY PERSONNEL,
nurses, electricians, the list is endless.  I wished this person not receive
medical treatment during a time when this paramedic was "having a bad day" and
by stating this, according to the unisexual Doe, I proved their point.  What?

So, my self-esteem is so low that the tribute tattoos I had done to both of my
father and step father representing their service in Vietnam in the Army and
Navy respectively are in poor taste?  OR, my family coat of arms, which is one
of the oldest in English history that I have slapped on the left calf states
nothing of the pride I have for my heritage, and I'm so depressed I should shoot
myself?  How about you tell my wife that the ink job on my right calf in tribute
to her and how I feel of our marriage is covering up some deep-downward spiral
that I cannot regain control?  Wait, maybe the ones I have obtained on each
shoulder are there to remind me how miserable I am and not of the profession I
chose of being a firefighter and a paramedic and the pride associated with the
job.  While we're at it, my wife has a tattoo in tribute to me as well along
with two colorful artworks indicative of her religion.  What say you to those
who have religioius tattoos? (There are many, a gentleman I work out with has
Jesus on his shoulder and benches 405 pounds like childs' play and is a
corrections officer)  Cannot something be so spiritual to someone that they
cannot brand it to their being in proud display?  Better yet, how about you
chastise the stout soldier attached to the 101st Airborne, the Marine Recon
Officer, Navy Seal, or the Air Force Para-Rescue Trooper who has witnessed
death, blood, chaos, and dispair that their pride displayed in their tattooed
insignias is nothing more than a shadow for their poor self-esteem?  I bet you
get your face handed to you along with a good chunk of your ass!

Tattoos define chapters in lives of those of us who choose to get them.  When
the memories of those pages run together, we have them to look upon to clear up
the cob-webs.  We can reflect, study, smile, or remember the pain we were going
through at said time.  Ink represents who we are, where we have been, and even
perhaps where we are going or where we would like to be.  All of the public
servants I am acquainted have sought tattoos with careful planning,
consideration, and diligance only to show nothing but pride once they are
healed.

Yet we may fool you who probably claims to be a "good christian".  By the way,
christians don't pass judgment, correct?  Shame on you!  We are professionals
who are at the top of our game without choice day in and day out.  We are there
when YOUR shit is hitting the fan, and whether you want to admit it or not, are
sure as hell happy to see us.  To your dismay, most of us, like myself, take
YOUR ignorant sense of judgment into consideration because with people like YOU,
it's not about the job in which we perform and how well we do it.  It may just
be because you see a tattoo that we surly must be substandard in life and what
we do professionally.  So, we ensure our artwork is covered by the uniforms
which we wear to protect OURSELVES from your ignorance.  I will sacrifice myself
in stating that if you met me on a professional basis, you would be COMPLETELY
unaware that I have 11 tattoos.  It's not just me, it's many of my bretheran in
the fire service.  Remember that ANY TIME and ANYWHERE you dial "911", look upon
a soldier returning home, go to your next doctor's appointment, (my father's
physician collects tattoos), need a police officer, or need legal representation
in court.

Forthe second year, Jerm's Joint has managed to get our name on the Dale Jr's
car that he will be racing in Talladega on November 1st.  Go to Ampenergy.com,
click on promos, click on Ride With Dale, type in firejerm@... and it will
take you to where we are located.  On the hood, in the upper left of the AMP
emblem.  Cody is on the center of the hood, too!  Woohoo!

Don't forget to pencil us in for Hallowfest October 31st, 8:00 PM.  Costumes are
optional, bring your favorite pumpkin ale, Oktoberfest-style brew, hard cider,
or home brew!  Hope to see you there!

No, I GUARANTEE you the title to this article is NOT a typo.  In fact, it's a
term my wife has come up with when watching NASCAR on television because she
never makes it more than the first few laps before she's  down for the count. 
Lately, for that matter, I find it a struggle to keep my eyes open as well.  I
should probably warn the readers that I'm in my "mad as hell" mood.  Why?  Well,
I am certainly glad you asked!

As if NASCAR hasn't already watered down, sterilized, and stagnated itself to
the point where I'd rather go to an opera than watch a race, they are t-bagging
themselves once again in regards to the restrictor plate tracks.  Brief mention
of this was made during the California fiasco, and that was about it.  I haven't
been able to find this on NASCAR.com, but I must admit, I didn't look very hard,
but I guess being on ESPN was verification enough for me.  In their infinite
wisdom, the governing body has decided to put even SMALLER restrictor plates on
the cars for Daytona and Talladega beginning with next season's opener in 2010,
further robbing the engines of 12-15 more horsepower.  To most, that might seem
as substantial peeing in the ocean, or perhaps into the wind, but it's still
going to keep the cars in packs.  Granted, with the new car, the drafting isn't
as consistantly tight as it was under the older model, but taking away even more
power isn't going to prevent cars from wrecking, flying into the fence, and
turning upside-down.  (Which is one of the reasons NASCAR states is making this
move)  Build the fence higher at Talladega?  Absolutely!  No one wants to be
concussed by flying debris. However, the reason WE love racing, and DRIVERS
bleed speed is because it has that American element of danger!  Keep robbing the
big tracks of their m-p-h's, and they might as well bring back the Chevette and
race them!  (Okay, that was a hyperbole, but you get my drift!)

Few may know, but when Kurt Busch first tested the new car at Daytona, he ran
just a shade over 195 miles per hour BY HIMSELF!  When the model was implemented
for the superspeedways, did we see qualifying times come close to that?  Hell
no!  NASCAR R & D was quick to quash an exciting speed like that.  Am I saying
we should start taking stabs at Bill Elliot's qualifying record at Talladega? 
Probably not.  Yet soon, all a fan will have to do is purchase a Richard Petty
Rookie Experience ride-along to experience speeds faster than the cars in
competition.  Is there something wrong with that picture?  You betchya!

I have already purchased my tickets for the 2010 Daytona 500.  Normally, I get
pretty pumped up about going.  They also have races at Volusia County Speedway
that same week.  Hmmm...

Well, I think that despite an inability to close the deal lately we can now see
how right those of us who said "dump Eury" were!

--- In jerms_joint@yahoogroups.com, "Chris" <nascarrulz01@...> wrote:
>
> I will say this. Ditch the crew chief and MAYBE we will see changes.

Going through old messages, and found this post.  I had lost a bunch of rolls of
my wedding photos when a bag was stolen on our honeymoon.   Yeah, there's no way
to replace that, and that sucks.  You can't get lost pictures back.

I know it's an old message, so I hope you've gone digital by now!  Man, I used
to hate taking what I thought was a good shot only to get crap back from the
developer.  Which was my fault, not theirs, but I couldn't see it before it got
developed because I didn't have that convenient little preview screen that my
digital camera has now.

I know a memory card or a hard drive can still dump your pics as easily as bad
film could, so I take care of my memory cards like I used to take care of film
(except for the lead) and my stuff gets backed up as soon as I get home.

--- In jerms_joint@yahoogroups.com, "Jeremy" <firejerm@...> wrote:
>
>   My initial letter to them is at the bottom of this message, I had
> to email them back and tell them in fact, I DID NOT fly or use a lead-
> lined bag to carry the camera in...on that, I have yet to hear from
> them!
>
>
>
> Date: Tue, 12 Jul 2005 17:08:21 -0400
> To: "Jeremy T. Sellers" <firejerm@...>
> Subject: Re: Cameras, One-Time-Use (KMM887550V2421L0KM)
> From: "Kodak US" <HomeConsumerUS@...>  Add to Address
> Book
>
>
> Greetings Jeremy,
>
> We have received your e-mail about the poor results you received from
> your Kodak film, and we appreciate the opportunity to comment.
>
> We're sorry to learn of your disappointment.  Without examining your
> materials it's difficult to comment specifically on what might have
> caused this problem.  However, based on your description and your
> statement that a trip (we assume by air) was involved, the most
> likely
> possibility is that your film has been damaged by the x-ray scanning
> devices used at the airport.
>
> In the past, films rated at ISO 400 or slower could be sent through
> an
> airport security x-ray scanner with little chance of incurring
> damage.
> However, new equipment has been introduced into airports worldwide.
> This new equipment exposes film in checked luggage to more intense
> x-rays and has been known to fog even very slow speed films.
> Therefore,
> we now recommend that you avoid (if at all possible) exposing your
> film
> to airport x-ray security devices.  We suggest taking your film in a
> clear plastic bag in your carry-on luggage and requesting hand
> inspection.  Even if that request is refused, placing the undeveloped
> film on the conveyor belt at the passenger walk-through station is
> less
> risky than placing it in your checked bags because those scanners are
> less intense.  (However, keep in mind that, depending on the way the
> machine is set and the number of times your film goes through
> security,
> it can also be damaged in your carry-on bag.)  If you know that your
> route will take you through airports that will not hand-inspect your
> film (such as those in England), or if you are traveling through
> several
> airports, we suggest that you consider carrying slow speed films only.
>
> In case such a suggestion is offered, Kodak does not recommend the
> use
> of lead-lined bags for film storage while traveling.  If such a bag
> is
> placed in your luggage (either carry-on or checked), it may trigger a
> more intense scan of the bag until the lead lining is penetrated and
> the
> contents are visible.  Of course, that will almost certainly cause
> damage to the film inside.
>
> Please take a look at the sample images on our Web site at the
> following
> URL:
>
> http://www.kodak.com/global/en/service/tib/tib5201.shtml
>
> Bear in mind that these sample pictures are not all-inclusive; x-ray
> damage can produce a wide range of effects.  However, if these
> samples
> look similar to your pictures, x-ray damage is a safe assumption.
>
> Regrettably, this is not the type of damage that can be corrected.
> However, we would like your experiences with our products to be
> positive, and we're happy to send complimentary Kodak film.  While we
> realize this will not replace your special pictures, we hope it will
> help in some small measure.
>
> We are glad to be of service and are here for you if you need us in
> the
> future. Please reply to us "with history" if this e-mail did not
> resolve
> your issue.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Peggy R.
> Kodak Information and Technical Support
> </ANSWER>
>
>
>
> Original Message Follows:
> -------------------------
>
> Question:  To Whom It May Concern,
>
> My family has used Kodak products ever since I
> can remember.  It goes without saying, now at 34
> years of age, I've come to depend on your
> products, especially digital and disposable
> cameras to take great vacation pictures.  That
> is, up until today.  I purchased one of the
> Kodak HQ High Versatility disposables with the
> 800 Speed Film.  Your packaging promises better
> pictures outdoors, especially of objects in
> motion.  However, my trip to the Pepsi 400 in
> Daytona Beach, Florida may be the last time I
> use any of your products.  NONE of the pictures
> I took outdoors in the bright sunlight turned
> out.  I had taken pictures of celebreties I will
> never again in this lifetime be able to re-
> obtain.  Ironically, the pictures I took back
> home, indoors, under poor lighting conditions
> turned out just fine, but don't a light to my
> vacation pictures from Florida.  I'm
> heartbroken, as is my friends and family.  I
> depended on your product, and it failed me.  Wal-
> Mart showed me the index photo, and they were as
> baffled as I was.  The camera was not exposed to
> any extreme elements, dropped, etc.  You have a
> severely disappointed customer here who demands
> some sort of explanation as to why this may have
> happened.
>
> Disgruntled,
>
> Jeremy T. Sellers
> firefighter/paramedic
> Springfield, OH
>

http://www.slate.com/id/2231001/?GT1=38001

Just in time for the event, I came into five gallons of unpasteurized cider. 
The natural fermentation was so aggressive that I had to abandon the original
idea of killing the natural yeast in lieu of champagne yeast (preserves flavor).
However, upon consultation with my home brew guy from Strange Brew, Brian
Powers, he assures me that WITH the added champagne yeast and a yeast
excellerator coupled with the natural fermentation, this should be a tangy
treat.  Bottling is just over a week and half away, and it will be carbonated by
sampling time!

Also,  the article previously posted appears on Bump-Drafts.com and
CarsandRacingStuff.com.

Cheekishly, I have to admit being relieved when Jim (McCoy) said he was a little
burned out on the '09 season.  I didn't want to be the first to go on record
with it, but my friends, I am hard-broiled, well done, deep-fried, sauteed,
charcoal-type done.  With that, I can honestly look myself in the mirror and say
it's not because my driver didn't make the chase.  I knew THAT wasn't going to
happen about a quarter way through.  Also, it's not because the usual suspects
performed to their usual high standards.  Yet it would be nice to write another
name on my winner's board every once in a while at the pub.  No longer is it
about Toyota winning races.  That is a fact I have come to accept as part of the
game.  What is it that has made my bottom side tired?  I am glad you asked!



Bobby LaBonte is a high-caliber driver.  He won a championship under the old
rules and dominated an entire season.  It was more than consistency to me then. 
More grit was involved.  Racing had to be balls to the walls every time you put
rubber to track.  Now, to watch him struggle is truly heartbreaking.  My fear
now is that Bobby will be caught up in this latest NASCAR trend of old timers
being dropped like greased watermelons in July in lieu of the young studs.  It
is shameful that we consider him an old timer merely in his early 40's while we
watch Mark Martin kick ass and take names at 50.  Someone give Bobby a chance,
in good equipment, and I believe there is still a lot of fire in the furnace.



Ray Evernham has ESP!  How could anyone dispute that the man HAS to be psychic? 
In some strange way, I believe he saw the sinking ship known as Dodge when the
economy first started taking a dump and took on Gillette as a majority partner. 
In turn, Gillette shot out of the cannon making promises that they had to know
they couldn't keep, at least until more research was done on their part.  Petty
comes in, Ray steps out, cashes in, and is enjoying running his dirt track and
even finding his way back to the driver's seat again.  He saw the writing on the
wall, took his money, and ran.  Not to mention the fact he doesn't do a half-bad
job in the broadcast booth either!  Dodge, which use to be absolutely feared in
the NASCAR community, is no more now than a fart in the wind, robbing good
drivers of showing their potential.



I also hope that Richard Childress finds "the stuff" during the off-season. 
Something is amiss there and I don't know if it is in his engineering staff,
resources, or just general shop staff that is missing the boat.   He gets good
stuff, but isn't producing, and the questions that needs to be answered is
"why?".  Harvick is good, Burton is good, Bowyer is okay, but the "wtf" moment
for him is why would he put Casey Mears on the payroll?  Proof that a last name
doesn't make you a good driver and I think Jack Daniels sent the message by
pulling sponsorship.  Now there is a question whether RCR will field four teams
for 2010.  Three or four, I just hope they find their mojo and get back to
producing what fans were use to seeing out of this organization.



In the NASCAR Bible, the "Top 35" rule should be referenced in the index as
"tool of the devil".  Since its implementation, it has been obvious that the
quality of racing has gone down, qualifying is more or less a formality, and
some very good talent has been sent packing.  What happened to racing your way
into a race?  Makes sense to me and it might self-alleviate the awful "start and
park" situation we have going on at every event.  Don't get me wrong, I use to
root for Joe Nemechek.  He was always the underdog, yet always found a way to
produce a descent performance.  Dave Blaney?  Come on, he's from Ohio, so suck
or not, I have a special place in my heart for him.  Tony Raines I have never
figured out, though.  What is his deal and how is he still around?  In the end,
how do any of these guys attract sponsorship potential when they only run 20
laps?  These guys need to have a sit down with the powers and instructed in not
so nice terms that you either show up and attempt a whole race or don't bother
showing up next week.  When they park it because of the "transmission" or
"brakes", let the inspectors take a look at their cars to verify instead of
letting it be an excuse to poop out.  No one likes a quitter.



In the end, I beg of NASCAR to shorten the season.  We are now getting too much
of a good thing and it is more like being force-fed chopped liver in the
morning.  Could I change the channel?  Sure!  Yet it's like that bad auto
accident you pass on the interstate....you know you shouldn't look, but can't
help it.  (Trust me, I know all about this)  I also, am a fan, and suffer with
the rest of you.  I'm talking about hacking the schedule, just knock five or six
off...breathe a little bit.  If they still wanted championship weekend in
November at Homestead, issue more off-weekends in between, just don't use up too
much water before the well runs dry.



Concur if you wish, disagree by your own right.  Racing has been about as
eventful as watching paint dry, or grass grow.  In my heart, I believe NASCAR
has realized this and will find ways to tweak the car, make it right, make it
fun again, and dirty up racing just a smidge to get us back in the groove...and
the seats.  After all, in the end, WE are what make racing go around.

HALLOWFEST! Announcing our annual Halloween party at Jerm's Joint with a twist
this year...combining it with Oktoberfest...costumes will be optional this year,
but you have to bring you favorite Pumpkin Ale, German Import, or favorite
Oktoberfest-style beer (this can be from a major brewer, microbrewer, craft
brewer, or even home brewed!  Basic snacks will be provided.  So come enjoy
brew, bonfire, and buddies!

The Date: October 31st after Trick Or Treat, around 8:00 PM. 4831 Curtis Dr here
in Northridge!!! Please let me know if I can count on you coming!

Last updated on Tuesday, September 15, 2009 2:34:57 PM









Jerm and NASCAR lady legend Vicki Wood









Living Legends of Auto Racing. Here's you'll find the memberships of Dick Fleck,
Marvin Panch, Ray Fox, Russ Truelove, and many others!



Welcome to one of the most unique mixes of people and faces you will ever find
at any other bar. This site has been established to let all the members know
when racing events, parties, and finished brews, wines, and ciders are featured
at the actual bar. Even though Dale Jr. has moved to Hend(p)rick, we have
decided to still be a fan of his, and still hate the other bastards on his team.

We regularly brew our own beer, ferment wines and ciders for our friends to
enjoy and have had a lot of success. So come on in, enjoy the atmosphere which
is rich in the legends of NASCAR, especially Dale Sr. and Jr. Pop open a home
brew have, a glass of home made wine or cider. Feel free to relish in the huge
amount of beer and liquor we have in stock. Both imported and domestic. The
complete list can be viewed in column just to the right.  Angel and I own the
bar and occasionally tend, however Michael is head of bartending and
maintenance, but is now dabbling in brewing! We encourage all to drink
responsibly and to not be offended if we feel you've had enough. It's all about
getting home safe folks!

We welcome new members, so if you've ended up here at the site, someone likes
what we do and is passing on the good word. If the red light is on, that means
we're open and just come on in and down the stairs. Anything you could possibly
need to know about beer, spirits, brewing, NASCAR, bar events, etc. can be found
by navigating through the links on the Jerm's Joint Yahoo! Group page (see
bottom of this page to join), or talk to our self-proclaimed "experts".

Jerm's Joint owes a lot of its beer selection influence to O'Malley's & The
Rendezvous in St. Augustine, FL courtesy of Big Dave. Come on in, have a drink,
enjoy the company and conversation.  We look forward to seeing you!

Jerm and Angel




Chase Wonders?



I can't believe I'm going to say this without throwing up in my mouth just a
little, but Kyle Busch raced smart Saturday night.  He knew what he had to do to
get in the chase, but came up just a tad short.  He was smart and calculated,
but indeed a case of too much, too late.  We all have to admit that over the
last few weeks, Kyle has changed his attitude for the better, and even his style
of racing somewhat.  He has become more tolerant of the press, answers questions
like he's got a brain between his shoulders, and smiles a hell of a lot more
than he use to.  Dare I say even has attempted to develop a sense of humor? 
Either way, he put the charm on a little too late.  Kyle still needs to work on
his radio communications with his crew.  I still say if I was his chief and he
talked to me the way I've heard some audio playbacks, we'd be goin' behind the
wood shed after the race.  Baby steps, right?  It isn't going to happen over
night, and now that he has nothing to lose, maybe the punk in him will reappear
during the last ten races.

If you are a Dale Jr. fan, you are all still trying to figure out how he can run
in the top ten most of the evening to finish, what has become his consistant,
21st place.  Granted, switching back and forth between the OSU game (another
disappointment) and the race, I might have missed some published handling
issues, but I just can't figure Jr. and his guys out this year.  They seem to
always screw up a good car towards the end of the run.  I would tell you to
start looking forward to next season, but I don't know what it is we have to
look forward TO.

New  Hampshire...hmmm, this one definitely gets one of my notorious "WTF" awards
to NASCAR for making this venue the premier event for the Chase for the Cup.  
Just over a mile, and as flat as a school girl's chest, NHMS reminds me of a
Martinsville on steroids.  You have little paper clips, then you have big ones! 
It's easy to see why they hold races here to only 300 laps.  I only want to nap
in front of the television so long, ya know?

Mark Martin.  What can you say about Mr. Class?  Proving that the ol' timers can
still get it done, and not have to race dirty (though at times, it would be nice
to see...)  Can you imagine a better "feelgood" story than to have Mark win the
cup?  Once nearly retired, only to become a champion?  Sounds like something a
Lifetime Movie would be written.  Good luck to him the next ten races!

Peronsally, I will watch what of the chase that I can, but I'm gearing  up for
Daytona.  Another season, another let down.  Many of us are wondering if NASCAR
is getting the message and is going to work on improving the quality of racing
we deserve to see.  Another tanked season such as '09 and there may not be
anything to salvage after this!  Still, we can keep our fingers crossed until
February!

To those who participated in the 9/11 toast at Jerm's Joint...it was an early
night, but thanks goes out to Cindy, Marvin, Angie, Richard, Stacey, her sister,
and Michael via phone!

How about Atlanta?  What the hell happened to Jr at the end?  You can run top
five for the second half of the race only to end up 17th.  I can speak for
myself in saying that Dale Jr. fans are getting frustrated and it's time we are
given answers as to whose head is up whose rear end.  Personally, I'm looking
forward to next season.  This one is a wash.  The racing was boring, the cars
were boring, even the drivers were boring.  The top 35 rule is a pharse, and
what's up with Dave Blaney and Joe Nemechek starting a race, only to run about
20 laps and making some cry baby excuse to park their rides?  You think I'm the
only one to take notice?  Try listening to Rusty Wallace or pick up the latest
issue of Racing Milestones and you will get an appreciation for what I'm
speaking.  Television viewing is down so that takes the blame away from the
economy for lack of fanship, viewership, whatever.  Fans are bored.  Maybe
"bored" isn't the correct word, PISSED should be thrown in there, perhaps.

We shell out money left and right for tickets and merchandise to be entertained.
NASCAR has failed us in this department.  My wife refers to the sport at
"NAPCAR" when it is on the tube, because she usually falls asleep somewhere
after the first ten laps.  I have found myself victim of the same.  Nodding off,
only to find that I haven't missed much.  Did I see that right Sunday?  At one
time only eight cars on the lead lap?  THIS is quality racing?  Gimme a break! 
Seemingly, all we can do is take it on the chin, watch it or don't, participate
or walk away, buy stuff, or spend our money somewhere else, NASCAR doesn't seem
to care much.  One would think that sooner or later they would HAVE to.  How
many more fans is it going to take turning away from what was once great to make
them realize a massive overhaul is mandatory?

I'm good at ranting, and every once in a while, I can write a good article, too!
This week, I have taken it upon myself to be the voice of many a fan.  Some will
disagree.  God Bless America!  That's what it is all about.  I will admit that
the Atlanta race was much better than those events of recent, but to me it still
wasn't what I had come to know as a race at AMS.  Someone sitting at a huge desk
at NASCAR sporting their three-piece suit needs to bump some  heads together and
get creative, hell, innovative, pretty damn quick, or we will all be gone!

Have not heard from anyone regarding traditional Jerm's Joint 9/11 toast...have
no problem doing it myself, but there are a lot of brothers, sisters, and
Americans here.

As most of you know, any year that I am off on September 11th, I host a tribute
toast to our brothers and sisters who made the ultimate sacrifice on September
11th, 2001.  This year's toast will take place at 7:00 PM under the Flag of
Heroes at Jerm's Joint.  A light in the Joint will be left on all night to
illuminate the flag, also tradition.  Please let me know if you are going to be
able to attend.  This is open to ALL Jerm's Joint crew.

Stay tuned, we are trying to throw something together folks!

You know, I always thought a play-off system in sports was suppose to make for
excitement, a true, "down to the finish, last man standing" type of ending. 
Points-wise, I'm not taking that away from the conclusion of this cup season,
but to try and smile and say that these races will take place on "wondermous"
tracks is a bold-face lie.  Don't get me wrong, throw in Talladega, Lowe's,
maybe Martinsville?  Anyway...whose brainstorm was it to start the chase in New
Hampshire?  Line them up for the firing squad.  Sure, it has been good for some
feelgood wins among the cup ranks, but let's face it, you can fall asleep  on
lap one and not miss much.  Oh better yet, let's take away Darlington's Labor
Day event and replace it with California!  Now, there's proof they are still
shroomin' on the west coast.  The spring race in Fontana looked like a ghost
town with 43 cars, and even Kevin Harvick went public by saying something needs
to be done there to get people back in the seats.  The short?  We as fans KNOW
that quality racing does not occur on a flat, two-mile track.  Add Dover, The
Monster Mile, just to make it sound more exciting than it really is.  I have
been to this track for a cup event.  The most exhillerating event of the day was
me getting a sun burn in the bleachers.  Yes, it is a fast facility, but
competitive enough for a play-off arena?  I think not.  Even the hype they
dumped into Homestead after its reconfiguration did not pan out the way NASCAR
intended.  Is racing better?  Sure.  Is it the quality it should be for the
season's final event?  Definitely not!   I have been to Miami, too, in case you
were wondering.  I will say it is the cleanest of the cup tracks I have
attended.  Fans are well behaved and access isn't bad.  However, I am still
trying to figure out why they removed Atlanta, the fastest mile and a half, and
put it pre-chase.  Did someone in NASCAR have a frontal lobotomy?  (Personally,
I'd rather have a bottle in front of me...old psychiatric joke, but anyway...)

Of course I didn't cover all of the chase tracks.  What's the point?  I believe
by now that you get the gist.  NASCAR is turning a blind eye to many issues, and
is losing fans in droves.  Several, what I would consider "die hard" fans, have
told me this season that watching racing, or reading up on racing news hasn't
mattered much.  I am still a fan.  For some reason, I still believe.  Maybe I
should give Santa Claus a call?  However, it's hard to deny that there is a
problem when big names are stepping forward with their criticisms.  I mean HUGE
names such as Dale Earnhardt Jr, Rusty Wallace, Darrell Waltrip, and Dick
Berggren just to name the ones that come to mind immediately.  The fact that the
new car has hurt racing cannot be denied.  Laugh at me if you wish. Leave me
hateful responses if it makes you feel better.  I truly don't care.  As anyone
else, however, I do not believe in sacrificing safety, but the sport has gone
from one extreme to the other.  NASCAR racing at the cup level has become
sterile, and next season, we will have to worry about the same issue in the
Nationwide Series.  How much longer does NASCAR believe it can fool its most
important asset, the fans? Is the bar open yet? I need a drink!

This summer has been insane for me, to say the least.  I subscribe to several
racing periodicals, all of which had time to pile up on my coffee table in our
living room before I had a chance to glance through the pages of the most recent
Speedway Illustrated.  You know its founder as the voice from pit row on Fox
during the first half of the season.  What you may not know will probably
surprise even the most staunch racing fan.  Dr. Dick Berggren wouldn't be what
most consider the typical racer.

From considering himself the "worst student" in high school, he went on to earn
a doctorate in psychology from Tufts University, and eventually became a
professor in this discipline for nine years at Emmanuel College before is racing
and academic careers collided.  Evidentally, parking your truck and trailer with
a mud-covered race car on its bed in the faculty parking lot was frowned upon. 
Mr. Berggren ended his stint as a driver in 1981 after racing super modifieds,
stocks, and sprints.

Now, his founce is unmistakable.  He has worked for every racing-related network
beginning with MRN and adding CBS, TBS, TNN, FOX, and SPEED to his resume.  Dr.
Berggren is also a member of the New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame, The
National Sprint Car Hall of Fame, and received the Bobby Isaac Award for
outstanding contributions to short track racing.  Dick also worked for Stock Car
Racing Magazine for 22 years before he became fed up with the beaurocracy and
founded Speedway Illustrated in 1999 where he was chosen by National Motorsport
Press Association as Writer of the Year.

Now this was all information that we, as fans, were probably all privy to at one
point in time.  What surprised me about his column in this recent issue of
Speedway Illustrated is that after such success with this magazine, is that he
is stepping down as the managing editor in a move that he states was a decision
all his own.  Dr. Dick does not elaborate on whether this will affect his job
with FOX or SPEED, but basically gives the reader a "ride off into the sunset"
type of feel.

In my opinion, Speedway Illustrated is the best racing periodical on the market.
Yes, I am comparing it to NASCAR Illustrated, NASCAR Scene, Circle Track, and
especially Stock Car Racing.  What Dick Berggren did for the journalistic side
of racing is nothing short of genius.  His magazine was well-balanced, and
multi-faceted.  Covering everything from the big boys of NASCAR down to your
local dirt tracks, Speedway Illlustrated has it all.  It is easy to read, and
reaches out for even the casual fan, it is truly sad to see Dr. Dick Berggren
step down.  Hopefully, we will still be hearing his voice come February from pit
row in Daytona!

It has been the general consensus throughout the fanship and media outlets of
NASCAR that this season has been, well, "less than".  I've talked about it, DW
and Rusty Wallace have broke their silence of the sterility of the sport.  Even
our very own Dale Jr. took the bull by the horns and has stated NASCAR needs to
do "something".  Whatever that "something" is, I hope they do it soon, however
in a recent article about Jr's remarks, it appears the governing body once again
is going to turn a blind eye.

With that said, for the second year in a row towards our vacation's end, we stop
in Mooresville, NC.  Now, I don't need to tell you folks what that city means to
the sport of NASCAR.  It's not nicknamed "Race City USA" for nothing, trust me. 
Upon our stop this year, however, I was able to wander around more race shops,
and even stopped at the North Carolina Racing Museum to take a look back.  It
was here where I was reminded how much hard work and headway was made by the
drivers of the true grit era that have landed us on the racing doorstep we perch
on presently.  For a $6.00 donation, you can take a walk back through time to
NASCAR's bootlegging infancy and have an idea what is meant by "stock car".  My
journey here lasted 2 1/2 hours and I know it could have stretched into much
more, but there were race shops to see.  However, it was at the museum that I
purchased a rim off of Dale Jr's #88 Nationwide Series Car driven by Brad
Kesolowski and was given free race-used lugnuts for my purchase.  (All proceeds
go to a child abuse foundation!)

Of course I stopped at Dale Jr's race shop, and it was unfortunate because I was
greeted with the enthusiasm of a tree sloth because the cashier had had a
texting fight with her boyfriend and was taking it out on anyone who walked
through the door.  However, this did not stop me from snapping some great
pictures of the "work in progress" on Dale's Nationwide vehicles and purchasing
a couple 1:64 diecasts before departing for Penske.

Folks, you all know that I am a Jr. fan through and through, but Penske has a
kingdom of a set up and is conveniently located across from the Carolina Beer
Company!  Here, for purchasing half of a front splitter, I was given a free
autographed Kurt Busch picture.  (whoopie, right?  But hey, another one for the
Jerm's Joint Wall of Fame!)  My time here was cut short as NASCAR was on site to
inspect some portion of Penske's program and did not want photographs being
taken of the shop during their presence.  (Rest assured, I still snapped a few!)

I had lunch with a fellow Bump-Drafts.com journalist at a racing barbecue right
off of NC 150 called "Lancasters".  Wow, a true race fans fantasy place to grab
some grub.  There were so many racing artifacts here to view, it was like eating
at the museum.  The autographs, the sheet metal, not to mention picking former
Germain Racing mechanic turned journalist, Patrick Reynold's brain for 2 1/2
hours was enlightening to say the least!  This man would be the equal of a CIA
agent in terms of "behind close doors" racing politics!

Then, it was down to Hendrick's shop.  They have a great museum and gift shop,
and now allow visitors into the race shops.  the 5 and 88 are in one building
while the 24 and 48 are next door.  It was here I got to see the crews working
on the Bristol cars.  Not as impressive as a veiw as Penske, it was remarkable
nonetheless.  Floors clean enough to eat from.

After receiving some bad directions, I made it to Stewart-Haas five minutes
after they closed their gift shop (which they re-opened for me) and get some
vicious pictures of his shop and his winning cars since becoming part owner. 
This is a beautiful complex and well worth the visit!

Then, after dinner, it was off to the PIT Training Institute to watch pit crew
wannabes practicing their future trade on the quarter mile track that surrounds
their school.  There were calls for two and four tire stops.  These
demonstrations are free to the public, and truck teams frequently come over to
practice as well.

Perhaps the most emotional walk-through was in Welcome, NC on our way home. 
Here, resides Richard Childress first race shop, turned museum.  Up until 2002,
this facility was used to house all the cars in RCR's stable.  Now, it pays
tribute to Dale Earnhardt's legendary #3 complete with all championship cars,
and those who had momentus victories (highlighted by his Daytona 500 win car, of
course).  I burned up a couple cameras here and could go back and do it again. 
Also, he houses wins from his other cars here, and even not so great moments
like Clint Bowyers car when he finished the 500 on his roof and on fire.  (Dirt
still included!)



Just a brief synopsis of our visit to Mooresville.  Pictures coming soon,
probably on the Yahoo! Group page as well.  Stay tuned for photos, and future
articles on the Carolina Beer Company, and Liberty Brewing in Myrtle Beach!

Tomorrow it is Myrtle Beach where there is rumored to be a NASCAR Cafe...then it
will be off to Mooresville, and if you know ANYTHING about NASCAR, you all know
what is there and there will be lots to photograph and report!!

I once treated a couple who wrecked their car on Interstate 275 in Tampa,
Florida.  With doughnuts on the passenger side of their vehicle, it was only by
the skillful driving of the delivery truck which they hit that eased them off to
the right hand shoulder of the road.  I couldn't figure out why it took this
extremely risky maneuver to stop the automobile.  Why didn't someone in the car
respond?  What were they trying to prove?  It was then I was able to evaluate
the seen only to see both husband and wife, sound asleep, mom holding her
toddler who was crying hysterically.  Falling asleep at the wheel,
unfortunately, isn't that uncommon, and I would have attributed this crash to
such an occasion with the exception that both parties were out of their car,
standing upright without assistance.  You see, mom and dad were methadone
addicts and had been on their way home from a meth clinic which is used to wean
people off of this high addictive pain killer.  Oh, did I mention mom had used
heroin?  As any good paramedic would do, we gave each of them some narcan to
counter-act the narcotic effects of methadone, and proceeded to watch, helpless,
as I'm pretty sure they both chucked up the previous day's breakfast all over
the back of my rig.

Being a motorsports blogger, by now I'm sure some of you are either scratching
your heads, or have your noggins tilted to one side like a confused wiener dog. 
(Mine's name is Johnson by the way, he just turned six in April)  The point is
this: that particular run from nine years ago popped into my head while I was
watching the Brickyard today because it was a hell of a lot more exciting than
the race.  Before, I had many send me hate mail calling me crazy for criticizing
the new car drivers are force fed in today's NASCAR for being big, cumbersome,
and totaly diminishing the exciting energy an event provides.  The exchanges
started slowing when Fox Sports went on record as attributing the new car to the
drop-off in fan viewership at the beginning of this season.  Then, just last
week, Rusty Wallace finally broke his silence (which normally, isn't difficult
for him) and said it's "not what NASCAR needs" right now.  Citing many issues I,
and other more reputable journalists and racers have:  No passing, and whoever
gets the clean air wins. Granted, it has always been extremely difficult to pass
at IMS, but today's event fell into the comedic stereotype of NASCAR watching 43
cars drive around in circles.

Honestly, if you can sit there and say that today's race measured up to Indy
events of the last 16 years, it makes me wonder who you're really trying to
convince?  Lying to yourself is one issue, but to others? C'mon!  Oh, as usualy,
the ESPN broadcast staff attempted in every way to make the race exciting, but
if Juan hadn't had the heavy foot leaving pit road, he would have run away with
the 400 barring any engine troubles.  Really, even if it's your driver leading
the race, do you really want to seem him basically lead every lap?  I know I
don't.  It's not good for racing, and it's not good for the fans.  By the way,
notice how many empty seats their were today?  Amazing!

So, I leave you with these tormented thoughts from an aggravated fan who
desperately wants the return of grit and passion to a sport that deserves it. 
I'm taking a much needed hiatus for a couple weeks, but in closing I'd like to
say this, we need more tracks added to the schedule like ORP!

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Ever the gentleman, Hershel McGriff was good-natured about
finishing 13th in a NASCAR-sanctioned race at age 81.

"My competition was faster," he deadpanned.

Although he certainly would have taken a victory, McGriff seemed nevertheless
pleased with his showing on the road course at Portland International Raceway,
part of the NASCAR Camping World West Series.

"
There were a lot of other cars out there that were a lot slower. He did a great
job. I followed him for a little while and I couldn't get around him.
"
-- JIM INGLEBRIGHTJim Inglebright of Fairfield, Calif., won the race, which
featured a late caution for a green-white-checkered finish. He edged fellow
Californian Greg Pursley, who slipped partially off track on the final turn.

McGriff was the defending champion in Portland winning the only other time the
series -- then known as Winston West -- visited the track in 1986.

The odds were against him before the race started. Although he automatically
qualified as one of 26 drivers in a race that had 28 spots, he had to start at
the back of the pack and one lap down because of changes he made to the car
after the qualifying session. He replaced the carburetor.

"I really didn't have a lot to lose," he said. "I did not want to go out there
and flop around."

He certainly didn't, said Inglebright.

"There were a lot of other cars out there that were a lot slower," the winner
said. "He did a great job."

Inglebright suggested that any concerns about an 81-year-old's reaction time in
a dangerous sport do not necessarily apply to the youthful McGriff.

"I followed him for a little while and I couldn't get around him," Inglebright
said.

McGriff, who last raced in 2002, broke his own record as the oldest driver.

In a career that has spanned more than six decades, he has four Cup Series
victories -- all in the 1954 season -- and 37 wins on the West series. He is a
member of the Motorsports Hall of Fame.

McGriff, who spent most of his adult life in Oregon but now lives in Arizona,
drove in his first race in the family sedan on a dirt track at Portland Speedway
in 1945 at age 17. The next year there, with the track newly paved, he won his
first race.

In 1950, he won the Pan American Road Race in Mexico and met NASCAR founder Bill
France, who invited him to run in the first Southern 500 at Darlington. Through
the years, he competed in 85 races on the Cup Series.


Prize money
$1,850: Hershel McGriff's payday for finishing 13th in Sunday's Camping World
West race at Portland International Raceway. The $1,850 is more money than he
won in 60 of his 85 Cup starts from 1950 to 1993, including three of his four
wins. All of his wins came in 1954, when he finished sixth in the standings.
Three of the wins paid $1,000; the other $2,425.--Sporting News Wire Service

West: News, Results, Schedule
But he eschewed NASCAR's premiere series because he wanted to be closer to his
family and business in Oregon, and focused instead on the West series -- where
he competed in 233 races between 1954 and 2002.

McGriff won the 1986 Winston West championship, was named one of NASCAR's 50
greatest drivers, and was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2006. He
retired from racing twice, first in 1954 and then again in 2002.

He made his last Cup start at Sonoma in 1993 when he was 65, but did not finish.

McGriff, who hadn't raced in seven years, entered three events this summer. He
did not qualify for a June 20 race at Infineon Raceway. He was expected to try
and qualify again for an Aug. 1 race in Tooele, Utah.

David Mayhew of Arascadero, Calif., was the polesitter for Sunday's race. His
shop put the decals on McGriff's No. 04 Park Corporation Chevrolet.

"It's awesome," Mayhew said of McGriff's accomplishment. "The first time I saw
him he was jumping into a seat at the shop and I thought, that guy's not 81
years old," he said.

Pursley, who is from Newhall, Calif., finished in front of Brian Wong of Newport
Beach, Calif., on the 1.98-mile road course.

Look, I appreciate the sentiment here.  As a matter of fact, I have written a
couple articles for other sites regarding how sterile NASCAR has become due to
it's unseen rule book enforced at the governing body's leisure, and the new car.
That's right, I have called out the new COT several times.  It DOES in fact,
make racing much more boring, there is less passing, less competition, etc. 
Fans are tired of the political correctness that NASCAR now enforces on its
drivers like it is some sort of communist regime.  Sure, the economy is
definitely a contributing factor.  I can tell you I purchased four of my Daytona
500 tickets for 2010 for what I normally spend for three.  Did anyone notice NO
tickets were sold for the back stretch for the 400 at Daytona?  The two 400s I
have attended there I sat on the back stretch.  So, totally on the economy?  One
would have to be extremely naive to believe that.

...and let's face it, though tragic at times, (after all a it killed my favorite
driver), as fans, our guilty pleasure at races is wrecking.  Especially when it
comes to drivers we don't particularly like.  We do not want to see injuries,
but nothing gets a crowd into a race more than crunching sheet metal.  Ever been
to a NASCAR event and listen to the crowd's reaction when a certain driver
crashes?  It is unquestionable.  Safety?  Of course due to my profession, I am
all for it, but when you start having caution-free events because 43 box-shaped
turds are running around the track, even more seats will be left to the tumble
weeds.

It's been 60 years since NASCAR's first Strictly Stock race when Glenn
Dunnaway's car crossed the finish line first but was disqualified for non-stock
rear springs.  It was back then in 1949 when Dunnaway's owner Hubert
Westmoreland sued NASCAR for $10,000 and North Carolina Judge John Hayes set the
precedent that has allowed NASCAR to administer its own punishments for
violations under its rules without fear of legal action.  Since then we've
endured decades of bad calls and one of the most ridiculous rules violations in
all of motorsports called "Actions Detrimental to Stock Car Racing," and NASCAR
hasn't been held responsible for any of it aside from the occasional critical
interview comment.

Wednesday's injunction by U.S. District Court Judge Graham Mullen against
NASCAR's suspension of Jeremy Mayfield certainly looks like it could mean the
beginning of the the end of an era that stretches back to the very beginning of
what we now know as stock car racing.  For once, NASCAR has had to answer for
one of its decisions and has been reversed by someone even more powerful than
the management of NASCAR, which has ruled over the sport with an iron fisted
control that even Joseph Stalin would be envious of.  Power to the people! 
Freedom on the Fourth of July!  That's a good thing, right?  In this case,
probably not.

While I certainly disagree with big decisions by NASCAR management as often as I
agree with them, including aspects of it's drug testing policy, a court case
ruled against a NASCAR judgement is a Pandora's Box that we may regret ever
seeing opened.  Justice for the wronged and the fans who have watched the sport
make an embarrassment of itself may cost more than anyone anticipates.  What
might have happened in the past had the precedent of Hayes' decision not been in
place?  Can you imagine a Florida court deciding the outcome of the
controversial 2007 Daytona 500 finish?  How about an owner or driver who feels
they lost a race because of a fake caution thrown for the sake of a more
exciting finish (see the end of the Manipulating the outcome of races section of
Wikipedia's Criticism of NASCAR page)?

What's so wrong with a little justice and accountability for NASCAR?  Nothing,
in principle.  In practice, however, justice in the American court system takes
time, and with just about seven days between one race and the next, not counting
time at the track practicing and qualifying, there isn't much left over for
court dates.  In this instance, although vindicated, Jeremy Mayfield still
missed seven races under suspension.  The two scenarios previously mentioned
involve points, and can you imagine starting the Chase not quite sure who's
really even in it because a court case is still pending involving the 40 or 50
points (or a 100 point penalty) that's the difference between a driver getting
in or missing out?

Of course, there are certainly plenty of ways in which NASCAR could reassert
control over the situation by making life difficult for Jeremy Mayfield and his
team, from shenanigans at tech inspection to pressuring the rest of the garage
to make Mayfield feel unwelcome.  I think that they're doing that already, or do
you really think it was solely the consciences of Jimmie Johnson, Robby Gordon
and Jeff Gordon that led them to file their "form-letter" affadavits against
Mayfield and pressure from NASCAR's management had absolutely nothing to do with
it?  Tommy Baldwin has already referred to Mayfield as "marked," which really
could either mean he's unsponsorable for being associated with methamphetamine
use or he's got a bullseye on his back, courtesy of NASCAR management.  Or both.
The affadavits and any sort of retaliation against Mayfield would prove they
hadn't learned their lesson, because it's just more of the same sort of attitude
that got them in this mess in the first place.

And it was NASCAR's management who got themselves into this mess.  Like many
fans I would love to see NASCAR act more responsibly and be more accountable for
its actions and treat its participants fairly.  And while I didn't really want
to see the day when NASCAR rules are challenged in the courts, I can't blame
Jeremy Mayfield one bit for taking his fight to there.  In fact, it was NASCAR's
mismanagement that created this situation, and it was only a matter of time
before a driver or owner finally had enough of one bad policy or another and
brought their arguments before a judge.  That point was reached when one man was
brought down to the point where he had nothing to lose, and the traditional
threats of further punishment were meaningless to him.

Whether NASCAR prevails and proves that not even a court decision can prevent
them from excercising control over stock car racing's participants or that
control is lost to the courts, July 1, 2009 was an important day in the history
of stock car racing.  Whatever happens next, remember that date, because this is
about more than a struggling veteran driver's career or a haphazard drug policy
just as sure as Hayes' decision sixty years ago had implications far beyond a
mere ten grand and rear springs.

You can also comment on this and chat with the author about it at
http://www.carsandracingstuff.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=56&t=1493