Bench Racing: Patrick Reynolds At Jake Elders Benefit

I may see the world of racing from a newer fans perspective, but if you’ve visited Bump Drafts more than once, you know I love the history of racing. If you didn’t get a chance to catch Reynolds’ post on the old Racearena in Danbury, CT or Jeremy Sellers post on Danbury racer, Russ Truelove, it’s worth a trip to last week’s archives for a good read back in time.

Speaking of history, guys like “Suitcase” Jake Elder are a part of it. Former NASCAR mechanic Patrick Reynolds was at a recent benefit for Elder- which also had numerous NASCAR legends in attendance.

Here’s Reynolds with this week’s report….

“SUITCASE” JAKE ELDER BENEFITS FROM RACING’S LEGENDS

One of NASCAR’s early well known crew chiefs was the beneficiary of a recent fundraiser that saw many racing superstars make an appearance. “Suitcase” Jake Elder resides in an assisted living center and needs help with medical expenses. On March 14, the third annual Legends Helping Legends benefit was held in Mooresville, NC to raise money for Elder.

“Suitcase”, as he was nicknamed because of his propensity to change team jobs, suffers from dementia and is unable to walk. His sister and legal guardian, Helen Moore, said “He suffered a seizure and it affected his (walking) ability.” Elder was able to attend the benefit with a wheelchair.

The event was held at Memory Lane Motorsports and Historical Museum and was the third straight year for the fundraiser. Previous recipients of medical expense help were racing announcer Bill Connell and Nationwide Series champion Sam Ard. Connell has since passed away and Ard lives in South Carolina.

Racing drivers, crew members, and personalities donated their time on this rainy day to sign autographs, and meet with fans if an effort to raise money for Elder’s medical expenses. The museum itself already has a detailed display of racing’s historic cars, uniforms, posters, and memorabilia.

Former drivers on hand included Jimmy Hensley, Ronnie Thomas, Ned Jarrett, Neil “Soapy” Castles, Dave Marcis, Lil’ Bud Moore, D.K. Ulrich, Geoff Bodine, Bobby and Donnie Allison, and “The King” Richard Petty. Among mechanics showing support were Jeff Hammond, Tim Brewer, Travis Carter, Mike Beam, Waddell Wilson, Lou LaRosa, and Billy Nacewicz. Women who were married to big names in racing also helped during the chilly afternoon event as Mitzie Moody, Ralph’s widow, and Lynn Evans, Richie’ wife, attended. I enjoyed meeting Evans and Nacewicz and bragged about how big of a Richie Evans fan I was before he passed in 1985.

To me, Elder was one of the earliest big league crew chiefs that I felt was a celebrity. There were men like Wilson, Parrott, and Hammond who were an earlier version of today’s Bob Osborne and Steve Letarte. However thirty years ago nobody in racing made the kind of money that is reflected in today’s budgets. Even if a man led winning teams with David Pearson and Dale Earnhardt driving, like Elder did.

The fundraiser was held with the help of the local community, but this information superhighway is a far reaching and powerful tool. Anyone who could help please send donations to Helen Moore in care of the “Jake Elder Fund” Memory Lane Museum, 769 River Highway, Mooresville, NC 28117.

For newer fans that might not be familiar with Elder let me put this in today’s context: If forty years in the future Chad Knaus had some unfortunate hardship, like sometimes life can hand to all of us, would you want to help? Elder was a winning crew chief in his time and is still a respected person in this time.

Crew chiefs work for racing teams, not NASCAR. They are responsible for themselves. The sport’s participants understand that fact. But I wish we didn’t have to pass the hat all the time in order to help a former driver or crew member. These people who have given so much of themselves and did their part for the betterment of the sport deserve better. Somewhere, somehow, the system seems broken.

Some interesting tidbits from the event:

Jerry Nadeau visited and had his daughter Natalie and fiancée Amanda along for the day. Chuck Bown who won the 1990 Nationwide Series crown now operates a racing crew school with his brother Jim. It fittingly can be found at “http://www.crewschool.com”

Jim Seay is helping organize the April 25th reunion for the Columbia Speedway in South Carolina. Columbia has a long and storied history in NASCAR and some great vintage photos and information about racing from days gone by can be found on Seay’s site- “http://www.racersreunion.com”

Lloyd Dane, who was a three time NASCAR West Series titlist in the fifties, was very gracious and glad to be there.

“Silent Speedways of the Carolinas” author Perry Allen Wood spoke of the challenges involved in getting the book published.

Buddy Parrott told an amusing story about how all current crew chiefs “walk around with notebooks and computers” while Elder “never wrote anything down.” Several collectors’ race programs are on sale at the Memory Lane Museum. The 1976 World 600 issue had the race purse at $247,000 with a $19,100 winner’s share and $800 for 40th.