Nashville's 1974 Permatex 200

Nashville's fairgrounds track opened its 1974 season with a recurring race, a traditional pacesetter, a newcomer, and a couple of surprises.

As had been the case since 1966, a NASCAR national late model sportsman feature highlighted the program. The Permatex 200 was held on April 13, 1974.

About 60 drivers arrived on a spring afternoon to qualify for 33 spots. Promoter Bill Donoho had boasted as many as 90 cars might show. Though the number was well short of the projected high, about half of the cars that did arrive got a head start on traffic.

A cast of locals returned for another season of opportunities including Charlie Binkley, Flookie Buford, Bill Morton, Clyde Peoples, and Darrell Waltrip. A larger than usual contingent of Alabama drivers also arrived to make their presence known in Music City. The roster included two original Alabama Gang drivers - Bobby Allison and Red Farmer - along with Neil Bonnett, Dave Mader III, Jimmy Means, Richard Orton, and Paddlefoot Wales.

Mader raced a DiGard-supported Chevelle for Donnie Allison. Donne frequently ran #88, but Mader's car sported #18. The number difference worked well because local racer Buford used #88. (Mader still races and recently competed at age 64 in Daytona's ARCA 200.)

An open weekend between Cup dates at Darlington and North Wilkesboro allowed Bobby Allison to race as well as a couple of other surprise entrants: Buddy Baker and Dave Marcis.

Baker, winner of the 1973 Nashville 420 Cup race, arranged to race Ellis Cook's Falls City Chevelle. The car was the same one local racer James Ham raced in Daytona's Permatex 300 LMS race a couple of months earlier.

Marcis returned with his 1969 Dodge Charger. He raced the same Mopar at Nashville a year earlier and won two races as well as the pole for the '73 Permatex 200.

Since his arrival at Nashville in the late 1960s - including his two LMS titles in 1970 and 1973, Waltrip raced Chevelles for owners P.B. Crowell and Ellis Cook. He made a big change for 1974, however, by joining forces with R.C. Alexander's Harpeth Ford team.

Hutcherson-Pagan built Alexander's #84 Ford, and many believed it rivaled many Cup cars. Waltrip opined the ride was the best one at Nashville, and the seat was open after Alexander and Buford parted ways in late 1973.

Waltrip booked a full load for 1974 by committing to a majority of Nashville's races as well as about half of NASCAR's Cup schedule. In his first start with Alexander's team, he set a track record and captured the pole for the Permatex 200.

The outside pole was claimed by a true outsider. Virginia short-track legend, Ray Hendrick, made his first trip to Nashville and lined up alongside Waltrip. Bonnett, Buford, and Orton rounded out the top starters.

At the drop of the green, Waltrip served notice he didn't plan to surrender his home track to anyone from Alabama, Virginia, North Carolina, or anywhere else. He got the jump on Hendrick into the first turn, made it stick, and pulled the field for the first half of the race.

As Waltrip dominated lap after lap, the 33-car field behind him developed all sorts of issues. One by one, drivers began falling out of the race. The list of DNFs included Bonnett, Mader, Marcis, and Baker.

Around lap 115, two-time and defending NASCAR national LMS champion Jack Ingram developed engine issues resulting in a caution. Waltrip hit pit road, and he returned to the track behind Hendrick who pitted about 40 laps earlier.

When the race returned to green, Waltrip dropped into the tire tracks of the Virginian's Flying 11. The two raced nose to tail for the next 30 laps or so with Hendrick keeping as close an eye on his mirror as he did his windshield. Wherever Waltrip's 84 moved, Hendrick shifted likewise.

On lap 155, however, things got real. Waltrip decided it was time to make his move. He went to Hendrick's inside as they sailed down the back straightaway. As they headed for turn three, Waltrip eased ahead of Hendrick. Suddenly, however, his Ford swapped ends and slapped the outside wall as Hendrick spun to the inside.

Hendrick gathered his car, uttered a few choice words on his radio, and soldiered on to rejoin the race. Waltrip's night, however, was done. Whatever words he opted to use were apparently said on the track as he stood near his junked car waiting for Hendrick's return.

After the restart, one of the Alabama Gang found himself on the point. No, not Red Farmer. Red was in recovery mode after looping his car to avoid a spinning Freddy Fryar. No, it wasn't Bobby Allison either. The Alabama leader was the virtual unknown Richard Orton. He pulled the field into turn one followed by Allison.

Hendrick was in third, still in the thick of the action. He turned his focus from mirror driving Waltrip to rapping the bumper of Allison. The extra doinks to the rear of Allison's car didn't go over very well with its occupant. Allison brake-checked Hendrick a bit - or maybe he didn't. Whether he did or not depends on whether you believe Allison's story vs. Hendrick! Regardless of who did what to whom (or didn't), Hendrick made the pass on Allison - albeit with a bent fender.

As Hendrickgate 2.0 unfolded, Orton separated himself a bit. He led the rest of the way, kept Hendrick at bay, and parlayed his top five starting spot to the biggest win of his career.

Source: Alabama Auto Racing Pioneers

Orton returned to Nashville throughout 1974 to compete in several additional features; however, he didn't win any of them. He did not race at the Fairgrounds in subsequent seasons, and his single win remains one of the greater upsets in track history.

A couple of days after the race, Waltrip remained upset about his incident with Hendrick. About six weeks later, however, he extracted some bit of redemption by winning over Hendrick in the 1974 Falls City 200. The race was Hendrick's second and final visit to the Fairgrounds.

Twelve years later in a similar scenario at Richmond, one has to wonder if Waltrip flashed back to April 1974 while battling another hard-nosed, short track racer.

Source: The Tennessean

Fans witnessed Orton's first and only Nashville win, Hendrick's first appearance, and Waltrip's first start in R.C Alexander's Ford. They also saw another driver begin his driving career. Alexander's son, Mike, made his racing debut in the 50-lap limited sportsman race before the 200.

Mike had an ignominious first outing. He tangled with track veteran George Bennett ending his night early. He took the DNF hard in the moment, but he quickly put the experience behind him and focused on the next opportunity.

Source: Nashville Banner / Courtesy of Mike Alexander

One of the lessons learned was to fix what you broke. He repaired his #83 Ford and returned to race another day. Several days actually. As the next few years unfolded, he won a handful of limited sportsman races, nearly 50 LMS and Grand American races, and the track's 1978 LMS title. His Nashville record teed him up for greater success in NASCAR's regional late model series and several opportunities in Cup.

Visit Russ Thompson's page for many more photos from the 1974 Permatex 200.

Finishing Order:

1. Richard Orton
2. Ray Hendrick
3. Bobby Allison
4. Red Farmer
5. Jimmy Hensley
6. Phil Stillings
7. Paddlefoot Wales
8. Freddy Fryar
9. Jimmy Means
10. Wayne Andrews
11. Bob Burcham
12. Steve Spencer
13. L D. Ottinger
14. Jerry Sisco
15. Charlie Binkley
16. Flookie Buford
17. Brad Teague
18. Darrell Waltrip
19. Bill Morton
20. Dave Marcis
21. Jack Inqram
22. Buddy Baker
23. Wayne Carden
24. Dave Mader
25. Rod Stillings 
26. Gene Payne
27. Ray Putnam
28. A.C. York
29. Neil Bonnett
30. Billy Hammond
31. John Utsman
32. Gary Myers
33. Clyde Peoples

TMC

Nashville's 1973 Permatex 200

After a three-year experiment as a high-banked, lightning fast, half-mile, the banking of Nashville's Fairground Speedways was cut to 18-degrees where it remains today.

As had become the tradition since 1966, the new season season opened with a big late model sportsman race. The Permatex 200 on April 21, 1973, became the first late model event on the new configuration.

The redesigned track was more than a physical demarcation between Nashville's past and future. Many drivers from Nashville's big late model features of the 1960s and early 1970s such as Freddy Fryar, Bob Burcham, and Red Farmer did not return for the 1973 opener.

The field was comprised largely of local and regional racers such as 1970 track champion Darrell Waltrip, Neil Bonnett, Flookie Buford, James Ham, Clyde Peoples, Charlie Binkley, and Paddlefoot Wales. A few names, however, made the trek from beyond the immediate area.

Jack Ingram returned to Nashville to accumulate valuable national points. Ingram won NASCAR's national LMS title in 1972 and looked to defend it in 1973. Jimmy Hensley and Sam Ard, two drivers who'd become NASCAR LMS and later Busch Series stalwarts, also made the trip. Newport TN's L.D. Ottinger, winner of the 1970 Southern 300, returned as well.

An unexpected entrant perhaps was Winston Cup regular, Dave Marcis. He brought his Dodge Charger sportsman car to Nashville as the Cup circuit took a break between Darlington and Martinsville. He also needed to earn some pocket change to pay Petty Enterprises for repairs to his Cup car damaged at Darlington.

Source: The Tennessean

Marcis' Dodge was no slouch. The car finished fifth in the Permatex 300 LMS race at Daytona with Alabama's Alton Jones behind the wheel.

Source: Alabama Auto Racing Pioneers

One of the notable offseason moves affecting local racers was a change of scenery for Darrell Waltrip, Nashville's 1970 late model sportsman champion. After several years with P.B Crowell's team, Waltrip moved to Ellis Cook's team with Binkley as a teammate. Cook, a local beer distributor, painted Waltrip's #48 Chevelles the red and gold colors of Falls City Beer. Binkley drove a similarly painted #25 car and built the engines.

The original plan was for Waltrip to race for NASCAR's national LMS title while Binkley competed in Nashville's weekly features. Waltrip's first venture with the team was the Permatex 300 LMS race at Daytona. The carefully prepared car suffered engine woes during the race; however, and the team returned to Tennessee with more to learn.

The team's plans were then modified a good bit. Instead of running for the national LMS title, Waltrip planned a dual focus. He saddled up to pursue Rookie of the Year honors in Cup in addition to running for a second track title at Nashville.

As teams arrived for practice and qualifying for Nashville's opener, Waltrip shook down his newly acquired Chevelle. Something broke during a practice run; however, and things went from bad to worse. As Waltrip sailed into turn 1, his car pitched suddenly to the inside. He clipped the inner guardrail, flipped over it, and then rolled four times to the lower infield that served as the garage area.

Source: Nashville Fairgrounds Racing History Group

Though stunned a bit, Waltrip was not seriously injured. The team went to Plan B, sent for a backup car from the shop, and thrashed to get it ready for qualifying. Though it wasn't in ideal shape, Waltrip made a timed lap with minutes to spare to earn the sixth starting spot in the field.

Marcis' Dodge delivered as promised in qualifying, and he won the pole. Local racer James Ham was always quick on the high-banked version of the track, and he adapted to the new configuration as well with a P2 lap. Ottinger and Ard made up the second row.

When the green waved, Marcis' heavy Hemi launched him into the lead and a complete domination of the first third of the race. Ottinger ran behind him during that stretch as Waltrip made his way past Ham and Ard in pursuit of the top two. Just shy of halfway, Waltrip made his way past Ottinger and then under Marcis to take the lead.

A caution flag fell shortly after Waltrip took the lead, and it provided the opportunity to pit for fuel and tires. An extended stop, however, resulted in Waltrip's losing two laps. Ottinger made his stop after Waltrip and returned to action without losing a lap.

Throughout the second half of the race, Waltrip did all he could to make up the lost ground. Ottinger, however, maintained a solid pace and kept the local racer at bay. At the finish, Ottinger swept across the line to captured his second career win at the Fairgrounds.

Source: Nashville Fairgrounds Racing History

Waltrip still managed to finish second with his backup car. Ard, Marcis and Jack Ingram rounded out the top five finishers.

Source: The Tennessean

Finishing order:

1. L.D. Ottinger 
2. Darrell Waltrip 
3. Sam Ard 
4. Dave Marcis 
5. Jack Ingram 
6. Flookie Buford 
7. James Ham 
8. Charlie Greenwell 
9. Walter Wallace 
10. Carl Lane 
11. Clyde Peoples 
12. James Veach 
13. Ronnie Blasingim & Jerry Sisco 
14. Phil Stillings 
15. Robert Wales 
16. James Climer 
17. Wayne Carden 
18. John Brown 
19. Windle Webster 
20. Jim McDowell
21. Neil Bonnett 
22. Dave Sisco 
23. Donnie Roberts 
24. Jimmy Hensley
25. Charlie Binkley 
26. Donnie Anthony 
27. Jack Hooper 
28. Jim Berry 
29. Dwayne Chaffin 
30. Jerry Sisco 
31. Jimmy Kitchens 
32. Dwayne Cravens

TMC

Nashville's 1972 Permatex 200

Beginning in 1966 following the Labor Day 1965 State Fair fire, Nashville's Fairgrounds Speedway opened its late model season with the Flameless 300. The tradition continued until 1971 when the track secured Permatex as the race's title sponsor.

The mix of local racers and drivers from NASCAR's national LMS circuit returned to open a new season on April 22, 1972.

The race turned out to be the final opener on Nashville's high banks. After a three-year run of high speeds and questionable tire wear, track operator Bill Donoho chose to lower the track's banking from 35 degrees to 18 degrees following the season-ending Southern 300. That banking remains at the Fairgrounds to this day.

Previous Flameless 300 winners entering the 1972 edition of the Permatex 200 included two-time winners Freddy Fryar (1966, 1968) and Bob Burcham (1967, 1969) as well as local shoe and 1970 track champion Darrell Waltrip (1970). Other name drivers towing to Nashville included Donnie Allison, Red Farmer, Jack Ingram, and L.D. Ottinger. Local racers other than Waltrip included 1971 LMS track champion Flookie Buford and track record holder James Ham.

Waltrip captured the pole though he fell short of topping Ham's track record. Allison timed fifth in his first Nashville start since winning the pole for the 1963 Southern 300 modified race. Fryar arrived late from Chattanooga - too late in fact. Whatever car he expected to race was either assigned to another driver or had left the property. Either way, Freddy's evening was fried.

When the green flag waved, Waltrip took off from his top starting spot and dominated as he frequently did at the Fairgrounds. Despite numerous cautions and restarts, Waltrip continued pulling the field. With about 40 laps to go, Ol' DW had led every lap and a one-lap cushion over second place Allison.

But history then repeated itself. With no pressure from behind, Waltrip's Chevelle broke a rod ending his race. His dominance of the race and engine failure near the end of it mimicked his day six months earlier during the 1971 Southern 300.

After unlapping himself, Allison took over the lead. He led the remaining laps and won his first Nashville race after a nine-year absence.

Of the thirty-far starters, only fourteen cars remained at the end to see the checkers. Most of the out-of-towners did not have a successful night, and the top 10 was comprised largely of local folks.

1. Donnie Allison
2. Charlie Binkley
3. Flookie Buford
4. Don Anthony
5. Ronnie Blasingim
6. Bill Morton
7. Jack Ingram
8. Tony Bettenhausen, Jr.
9. Clyde Peoples
10. Gene Payne

Source: The Tennessean

TMC

February 24, 1974 - Richmond 500

Richard Petty captured the Daytona 500 on February 17, 1974. The win was his fifth 500 victory and third in four years. As is always the case in racing, however, you have limited time to celebrate. A week after Daytona, the teams hauled to Richmond to battle 500 laps on the Virginia half-mile bullring.

As impressive as King's Daytona record was, his Richmond stats exceeded it. Coming into the winter '74 race, Petty had 11 victories at Richmond - including the previous seven in a row.

Despite the enviable streak, no win ever comes easy. The Petty Enterprises bunch had to set the Daytona trophy to the side and once again face the challenges of the competition.

The race was billed as the Sixth Annual Richmond 500. Though NASCAR's Grand National / Cup cars had raced on various surfaces and configurations at Richmond since 1953, the track adopted its 500-lap format in 1969.

Bobby Allison, King's long-time rival, captured the pole in his self-fielded Coca-Cola Chevrolet. Cale Yarborough, winner of the season-opening race at Riverside, qualified alongside Allison. Petty and 1973 Winston Cup champion Benny Parsons made up the second row, and 1973 Rookie of the Year Lennie Pond timed fifth.

For about the first half of the season, NASCAR trimmed its race lengths by 10 percent in response to the OPEC-related energy crisis. From a branding perspective, the track retained the Richmond 500 race name. The first 50 laps, therefore, were "logged" but without any driver leading them.

When the field took the green, Yarborough got the jump on Allison to lead the first lap ... err, lap 51 officially. Cale found an early rhythm and led 86 of the race's first 87 laps.

Petty and Cale then split roughly the next 50 laps between themselves - with Parsons slipping in to lead a lap or two. The STP Dodge then cemented its routine position out front.

Petty's Dodge had found its groove as the race hit halfway. He led a stint of nearly 120 laps before yielding the lead once more to Allison during a pit stop around lap 300. As the Dale Inman-led crew serviced the car, the gasman got the dump can hung in the car. When the jack fell, Petty roared back onto the track - with the fuel can still attached.

King had to make another stop to remove his stowaway passenger, and his sizable lead over Allison was gone.

Petty spent the better part of the next 100 laps clawing back ground he'd lost because of the pit miscue. He finally surged back in front around lap 400 following a caution for Walter Ballard, but his time back out front was brief.

The caution for Ballard was unique and a bit frightening. Drive train issues forced him to the garage near the race's midpoint. Ballard began repairing his car in an effort to gain a few extra spots and points, and he suffered a heart attack while doing so. The caution flew so the ambulance could exit the track and transport Ballard to the hospital.

Remarkably, Ballard returned to race the following Sunday and all the races over the next two seasons. He reduced his driving schedule in 1976 and increased his role as an owner for others. Dale Earnhardt raced Ballard's #30 Chevelle at Charlotte in his second career Winston Cup start, the 1976 World 600.

Back to the race...

During their final stops, Allison opted for four tires whereas the 43 bunch took a gamble with two. The gamble didn't pay off. Allison resumed the point, and Petty spent the remaining laps trying to catch-up with an ill-handling car. As the checkers fell, Allison won comfortably over King. Yarborough finished third, six laps down to the top two finishers.

Allison fans left Richmond with a Coke and a smile. The Petty crowd likely hated to see one slip away. After a seven-race win streak and a Daytona trophy at home, however, most knew it was just a racing deal.

King put the disappointing P2 behind him. He bounced back the following Sunday with a win in the Carolina 500 at Rockingham. He also returned to his winning ways at Richmond by nabbing the next two events - the September 1974 Capital City 500 and February 1975 Richmond 500.

Source: Newport Daily Press

TMC

The King was Fond of Pond

A recent birthday advanced me to the year of Lennie Pond.

Richard Petty and Lennie Pond struck a friendship somewhere during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Pond traveled from time to time to Level Cross during his late model sportsman years to buy parts from the Petty shop in Level Cross. His visits and success on Virginia shorts tracks caught King's eye. Lennie eventually moved to NASCAR's Winston Cup ranks with encouragement from the Pettys.

Credit: Donald Evans

In 1978, Petty and Pond helped one another in a relief role in multiple races.

In the Southeastern 500 at Bristol, both Petty and Pond were involved in an early race accident along with Darrell Waltrip and Roland Wlodyka. Petty parked his Dodge Magnum, but Ranier Racing patched Pond's #54 Chevy well enough to continue. The car had staying power, but Pond had a tough time remaining in the seat. The King took over and rallied the car to a top 5 running position. Pond later returned to his car and maintained the track position gained by Petty to finish fifth.

Credit: David Allio / RacingPhotoArchives

When the tour returned to Bristol for its inaugural night race, the two drivers reversed roles. Six days earlier at Michigan, Petty debuted his new STP Chevrolet. His first start, however, resulted in a late race wall pounding. The team borrowed a car from Henley Gray for Bristol, and King did his best to race with a battered ribcage. After Pond fell out 100 laps into the race, he took over the 43 in relief. Pond helped the borrowed ride finish fifth - coincidentally just as Petty did in Pond's car in the spring race.

*   *   *   *   * Before joining the Cup ranks full-time, Pond came *this close* to being at the wheel of a Petty car in the 1970 Daytona 500. Kinda. Maybe.

The Petty team was a Plymouth stalwart from 1960 through 1968. The racing community was stunned in late November 1968, however, when Petty Enterprises announced a switch to Ford for 1969. During the one-year run with Ford Motor Company, the team sold a 1968 Plymouth to another Virginian, Don Robertson.

Robertson partnered with another independent driver and fellow commonwealther, Jabe Thomas, to race the 1969 schedule with the Plymouth acquired from the Pettys. The car was painted slate blue and gold, and Thomas started and finished a respectable 14th at Daytona.

Robertson planned to field a second Plymouth in the 1970 Daytona 500, and he originally slotted James Cox to drive it. Cox raced eight times for Robertson in 1969, and Robertson apparently submitted Cox's name on the entry blank for the 500.

While it isn't known which car, if either, was the former Petty Plymouth, the paint on the cars does provide a suggestive clue. Thomas' #25 Plymouth arrived at Daytona painted red and gold.

The second Robertson #23 Plymouth, however, bore the base slate blue that Thomas raced a year earlier. Though the car number, gold accents, and sponsor lettering differed, the blue and gold suggest the second car may have been the Petty Plymouth.

A couple of weeks before Speedweeks, a friend urged Pond to call Thomas about the possibility of racing at Daytona for his second career Grand National start. After discussions with Robertson, all decided Pond would be a good choice to race Robertson's second Plymouth over Cox.

Source: Petersburg Progress Index

*   *   *   *   * NASCAR's 1966 Rookie of the Year, James Hylton, had also been a Mopar man in his three Grand National seasons. In the off-season before 1970, however, he sold his Dodge equipment and bought a used Holman Moody Ford previously raced by David Pearson.

Misfortune struck Hylton when he wrecked his Ford during a practice session on Monday before the Daytona 500. The damage was significant enough that Hylton realized his crew couldn't repair it in time for the race.

Robertson and Thomas knew of Hylton's problem - and that he had more experience than Pond. Unlike Lennie, Hylton was a full-time driver chasing points for the Grand National title.

As a nice gesture, Robertson turned the #23 Plymouth over to Hylton for the 125-mile qualifying race. Hylton finished 11th and earned the car a starting spot in the 500. Robertson then withdrew Cox's name as the official driver, substituted Hylton, and kept Lennie on the sideline. Hylton was obviously grateful for the opportunity to race, but he felt somewhat awkward knowing the ride had been promised to Pond.

When the day was done, Hylton finished 22nd in the 500 with teammate Thomas a few spots back in 25th. Cox's opinion about being removed from the car are unknown, and it's not clear if he even went to Daytona.

Though circumstances resulted in Pond's losing the opportunity to race in his first Daytona 500 in 1970, he soldiered on with his late model sportsman career. He moved to Winston Cup in 1973, ran the majority of the races, and narrowly won NASCAR's Rookie of the Year honor over Darrell Waltrip.

That season, Pond finally got behind the wheel of a Petty car for the first time when he relieved the King during the Southern 500 at Darlington.

TMC

History Springs Back to Level Cross

The King, Richard Petty, is unarguably the most successful individual in NASCAR history. His record in totality is unmatched: 200 wins, seven titles, 127 poles, over 500 top five finishes in nearly 1,200 starts, and a first-year inductee to the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

That success, however, included some tough accidents and injuries as well including:

• 1961 Daytona: Sailing over the wall during his 100-mile qualifying race for the Daytona 500.
• 1970 Darlington: Pounding the turn four wall and then nailing the pit wall during the 1970 Rebel 400.
• 1978 Daytona: Walloping the earthen berm in the 1978 IROC race followed by a savage lick a few days later in the Daytona 500.
• 1988 Daytona: Flipping against the catchfence during the Daytona 500.
• 1991 Sonoma: A head-on hit with the concrete wall and tire barrier during the Banquet Frozen Foods 300. 

Another accident that really took the wind out of the King's cape occurred during Pocono's Coca-Cola 500 on July 27, 1980. 

As Petty sailed into turn two, his right front wheel broke sending  him on a direct trajectory to the wall. After the first lick, the STP Monte Carlo ricocheted into the air for a moment before landing hard. Chuck Bown spun to avoid him, but Darrell Waltrip had nowhere to go and centerpunched the driver's side door.

The King exited the car in obvious pain.Interestingly, rescue crews didn't bother putting a neck brace on him or lay him on a backboard. He simply limped to the ambulance with his head tossed back and agony on his face.

Petty returned one week later to start the Talladega 500. Little clinical information was released beyond his having a sore neck. The truth, however, was King had fractured his neck in the crash. Though it was common in that era - and perhaps for another 25 years or so - for drivers to race hurt, King's willingness and ability to belt into the car with a broken neck was remarkable.

Back to Pocono though. The hit destroyed the right front of the car - and Petty's opportunity to notch his eighth Cup championship. 

Long-time Petty fan and licensed paramedic, Brian Hauck, attended the race that day. He occasionally assisted the medical response team for Pocono's Indy Car races; however, he chose not to do so for Cup races so he could watch as a fan.

Hauck, therefore, had no choice but to watch the track's medical crew work on his favorite driver from a distance and ask around about his condition later.

When he returned to work Monday, he was still uncertain about King's condition - and bent about the casual way the medical staff handled his neck. Meanwhile, a co-worker began holding court with stories about his weekend trip to the Pocono race. Hauck's ears perked up when he heard the co-worker mention having a piece from Petty's car.

As medical crews attended to Petty and safety crews cleaned the track, Hauck's co-worker foolishly (?) sprinted from his infield position onto the track and retreated hastily with the 43's right front coil spring. 

Hauck apparently all but demanded the guy turn over the spring - but got a hell no in return. Some time later, the guy left the company. Hauck fumed he didn't get the spring, and he lost contact with the guy to boot.

In 2018, a mutual friend reconnected the former co-workers. Hauck knew the first question he had to ask - Do you still have that spring? Sure enough, the guy still had it. With the passage of time, he was also willing to part with it for the right reason and to the right person. After nearly 40 years, the coil spring changed hands.

Once Hauck got the spring last October, I received a series of texts and photos from him about it along with a single request: Don't mention this to anyone for now. 

On January 24, 2019 - Hauck's birthday - he celebrated a bit differently. Instead of receiving a gift, he gave one. After driving from his home in Trenton, New Jersey to North Carolina, he presented the spring to an unsuspecting Petty and Dale Inman. 

Both immediately recognized what Hauck had and couldn't believe he was willing to return it to Level Cross. Inman in particular was flabbergasted the spring still existed. He mentioned the team looked for it in the turn area after the race but never found it. He noted that particular spring had been a good one for set-ups in 1979-80 and joked "I was more concerned about finding that spring than I was Richard's neck."

Initially, King thought Hauck may want his umpteenth autograph to tie to the spring. Once he realized the spring was again his, he held onto it during the remainder of their conversation.

As Hauck wrapped up his visit, King placed the spring atop the Monte Carlo on display in the Petty Museum until a more permanent exhibit spot can be arranged for it.

TMC