I apologize in advance for this but through racing with them, good luck, hopeless snooping, and unusual circumstances I’ve met some of the great racers of my day.
Richard Petty, Sterling Moss, A.J.Foyt, Dale Earnhardt, Al Unser, Bobby Rahaal, Roger Rager etc.
I met Richard Petty through Hopeless snooping. I was a salesman for Stewart Sandwiches, the company flew me to their headquarters to drive a freezer truck back to Minneapolis. On the way back I saw Level Cross wasn’t that far out of my way. So naturally I had to see where Richard Petty lived. A stop at a local gas station gave me directions and I parked the freezer truck on the street and went snooping.
I didn’t know what to expect but it wasn’t that imposing. No barbed wire fence with search lites , growling guard dogs, or even armed guards.
Not many windows either darn it. Finally saw a pair and tried to peer in, face against the glass hands on either said of my face, you know the classic snoop position.
“What are you doing” in his Southern drawl. It might have been “ ya’all” too long ago to remember exactly but in any case I jumped back only to stare right at Richard Petty himself.
I stammered about being a fan and just curious. Blathing on about vintage racing, apologizing for bothering him, etc. and after a few minutes he relaxed and invited me to join him in a glass of lemonade on the porch.
I did! I actually sat on Richard Petty’s Porch and had a glass of lemonade. Really nice gentleman, seemed at least as interested in me as I was about him.
I thanked him politely ( and forgot to get his autograph ) and left with a stupid grin and joy in my heart. What a nice person!
The next evening I was going through Indianapolis, it was late and I was tired. Had to drive by the Speedway, and thought what the heck! I’ll pull in that motel right opposite the race track, I’m on an expense account.
Place was pretty crowded but I found a spot to park the truck and walked in. Overnight bag in hand. Walked up to the check out counter and asked if they knew of anyplace that had a room.
Clerk looked me up and down and turned to his left and said, “ Mr. Foyt, will you want your room tonight? “
A.J.Foyt looked me up and down and said, “yeh let him have it.” Turns out his father was dying and he was flying home instead of staying with the team for final qualifying tomorrow.
The next morning I made inquires and was told commercial trucks could enter gate J or whatever. I didn’t know what a ticket would cost but darn if I was going to miss my chance. Well everybody kept waving me in, finally someone pointed and told me where the concession trucks parked and I was in!! No ticket.
Wandered around until qualifying started and then found a seat right past the start finish line that was empty.
Dale Earnhardt I met through being a fly on the wall. Or Elk. Whichever. I was selling scissor lift equipment for the Caterpillar dealer. And down in southeastern Minnesota was a shop that painted and put decals on trailers made nearby ( featherlight) I was busy explaining to the owner why he should use, well you don’t want my sales pitch. When he apologized and explained that Dale Earnhardt was here and needed him.
I begged to stay, He said Dale was very private and hated dealing with fans on “his time” I promised to be a fly on the wall, not say a word etc.
Dale came in glanced my way and the owner explained who I was. I nodded politely in his direction and stepped back into a corner of the office.
Friendly chatter back and forth, turns out they both owned Elk and I guess this guy had sold some to Dale in the past etc.
Dale was complaining how hard it was to keep them penned in. Saying that he had one guy who was working full time replacing railings because the elk were eating them. They both agreed.
That’s when I opened my big mouth. I told them they were using the wrong kind of wood.
They were using Pine which hooved animals consider candy. Not just elk but cows horses deer all like chewing it.
I told them to use wood high in Tannins that they will find very bitter and avoid. Black walnut and white oak both are high in Tannins.
I explained that right now mill run white oak was selling for 40 cents a bd ft and an 10 foot long 2x6 would cost about $4.00 . I warned them they’d need to use stainless steel nails or lag bolts because other wise the tannins would quickly eat through the nails.
Suddenly I was their friend and they took me to lunch at a local VFW. Great conversation not much about racing. But pretty interesting. Talked about farm equipment, Hunting, and family dealing with racing.
