All Around the Track

From authors Anne Jones and former NASCAR champion Rex White, here are oral histories of more than 50 individuals from stock car and drag racing’s not-so-distant past and present. Rich with original interviews and previously unpublished material, it includes drivers such as David Pearson, Junior Johnson, Bobby Allison, Bob Glidden and Hubert Platt; mechanics and builders; track crew; sportswriters; and owners such as Joe and J.D. Gibbs. Features many photographs and a foreword by Atlanta Motor Speedway President Ed Clark.

Writer Anne B. Jones lives in Jackson, Georgia. Her articles have appeared in numerous newspapers and magazines.

Rex White makes numerous NASCAR–related appearances today and has appeared in recent radio, newspaper, and television interviews, as well as national motorsports magazines. They are also the authors of Gold Thunder: Autobiography of a NASCAR Champion (2005).

Anne B. Jones and Rex White

Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 256
Bibliographic Info: 62 photos, index
Copyright Date: 2007
pISBN: 978-0-7864-2988-2
eISBN: 978-0-7864-8243-6
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments       vii
Foreword by Ed Clark      1
Preface      3
Introduction      7

1. Raymond Parks: Beginning with Liquor Cars      9
2. Chris Economaki: Editor and Publisher Emeritus of National Speed Sport News      14
3. Ed Samples: Early Racing Champion      19
4. Frankie Schneider: The Old Dutch Master      24
5. Julius Timothy “Tim” Flock: Grease Monkey on His Back      29
6. Charlie Bagwell: Good Time Charlie, “The Levi King”      32
7. Gober Sosebee: Georgia’s “Wild Injun”      36
8. TTaylor Warren: Picture This!      39
9. Roby Combs: Pioneer NASCAR Flagman      44
10. Frank Mundy: Hell Driver      47
11. Louis Jerome “Red” Vogt: Pioneer Master Mechanic      51
12. Joe and Juanita Epton: A NASCAR Tradition      55
13. Morris Metcalfe: NASCAR Scorer      59
14. Ray Fox: Master Mechanic and Car Builder      61
15. Rex White: Flat-Out and Belly to the Ground      64
16. Louis and Crawford Clements: Crackerjack Racing Mechanics      69
17. Charles “Slick” Owens: From the “Golden Glove” to the “Golden Lug Wrench”      73
18. Hubert Platt: Dragster Showman of the South      77
19. Robert Glenn “Junior” Johnson: Win, Wreck or Blow      81
20. Bobby and Socrates “Shorty” Johns: Racing’s Premier Father-Son Team      84
21. Phillip “Pee Wee” Jones: King of the Carolina Piedmont      87
22. “Tiger” Tom Pistone: Racing’s Little Giant      89
23. Marvin Panch: West Coast Marvel      92
24. Bettie Panch: Racing’s Family Advocate      98
25. Benny Parsons: Stormtrooper from the North      101
26. Everett “Cotton” Owens: King of the Modifieds      103
27. Johnny Allen: Addicted to Speed      108
28. James Hylton: Standing on Principle Pursuing His Dream      113
29. WC“Junie” Donlavey: Racing’s Angel      120
30. Dewayne “Tiny” Lund: From the Cornfields to Talladega      124
31. Charlie Glotzbach: “Chargin’ Charlie”      128
32. Jim Bray: Determined Canadian      130
33. David Pearson: The Cunning Silver Fox      134
34. Ronnie “Papa” Sanders: Master of Short Tracks      138
35. Morris Stephenson: Pioneer Racing Reporter-Promoter      142
36. Linda Vaughn: Elegant Entrepreneur      146
37. Harry Gant: “MrSeptember”      149
38. Robert Arthur “Bobby” Allison: Leader of the “Alabama Gang”      153
39. Dave Marcis: The Wingtip Wizard      157
40. Bob Glidden: Dragstrip Champion      162
41. Bill Chubbuck: Collector, Wrestler, Racer and Fan      165
42. The RevFrank Stark: “Will You Win the Real Race?”      169
43. Mike Bell: Living and Breathing Racing History      175
44. Mike Sykes: Old Timers’ Racing Club Founder      179
45. Betty Carlan: First Lady of Talladega      184
46. Larry Jendras: Maryland Racing Historian      187
47. Suzanne Wise: Librarian, Stock Car Racing Collection Archives, Appalachian State University      192
48. Gerald Hodges: Fan and Racing Reporter      195
49. Harlow Reynolds: Sports Enthusiast Extraordinaire      199
50. Greg Zyla: Journalist, Publisher, Racer and Broadcaster      202
51. Rick Minter: Sportswriter      206
52. “Captain Herb” Emory: WSB Radio Racing Talk Show Host and Traffic Reporter      211
53. Chris Siebert: Bandolero Bandit      216
54. Joey Logano: Fast Track to Fame      219
55. Joe Gibbs and J.DGibbs: A Racing Legacy      222
56. Chris Dilbeck: Young and Restless      225
57. The Greshams: Racing Is a Family Affair      229
58. Atlanta Motor Speedway President Ed Clark: The Other Side of the Tracks      232

Index      237

• “unique…belongs on the bookshelf of any race fan”—Racing Milestones
• “oral histories from 58 people who influenced the development of the sport…funny memories and poignant accounts of loss and struggle. This book will be popular…will introduce readers to people beyond the Pettys and the Earnhardts”—School Library Journal
• “a good read…it will give newer fans a broader perspective of the sport and long-time fans a greater depth of knowledge”—Appalachian Journal
• “Jones, White, and McFarland have ensured that dozens of classic stories are preserved in print—resulting in a book that both casual readers and sports historians will enjoy”—Oral History Review
• “exceeds the boundaries of most other literature currently available on this topic…valuable…this is an ambitious and important project, and it should be recognized for its contribution to the available body of literature on the history of motor sports in America”—The North Carolina Historical Review
• “a great book”—The Lynchburg Ledger.