Wilkesboro Press Conference Was A History Book Brought To Life

Bobby Allison leaned forward and looked to his left. I couldn’t hear his voice but I could tell by his lips and the expression on his face that he was trying to communicate “what?”

Judy sat on a row of chairs about six seats away from her husband. She mouthed something back to Bobby that I could not hear either. However the legendary driver received the message and he began to start a motion.

He removed his heavy, warm, Winston Cup Series embroidered  jacket and passed it down the row of people sitting between the two of them. Judy took the jacket and draped it over herself as if a blanket. She now had a feeling of comfort on her face. Bobby now had a look of satisfaction on his that a loving husband would have.

Judy was cold.

 I witnessed this exchange among the Allison family members from about a fifteen-foot distance. They sat along the back row of roughly twenty-five local officials, racing personalities, and area businessmen involved with the announcement of North Wilkesboro Speedway’s reopening. I felt as if I was privy to a peak into the Allison family’s private life. Opportunities like this do not come along that often. Did I mention that the jacket passed through the hands of Junior Johnson and Donnie Allison as well?

The North Carolina Speedway has sat dormant for thirteen   years while it slowly fell into disrepair. Jeff Gordon won the final race there in September of 1996, a 400-lap Winston Cup Series event. The racing world knew, heading into that weekend, that we were witnessing the final curtain call in the mountain region. When racing would return, if at all, was anyone’s guess.

Fast forward to November of 2009 and the infield of the five-eighths mile paved oval where a large crowd has gathered for an announcement many have waited to hear. Racing would return.

In a sense of irony, the day’s weather was about as far from race worthy as anyone could imagine. Steady, heavy rain fell and the temperature hovered in the forties. The original plan was to have the media and public gather in the main grandstand and hold their press conference. An original and creative idea that Mother Nature was obviously not a fan of.

But not to be knocked out on their very first try, Speedway  Associates moved the program to the infield garage area. The roof provided a nice cover from the storm, but the open sides forced us in attendance to toughen up with the chilly air and wind.

Speedway Associates have leased the track and will reopen it in 2010. Alton McBride Jr. and Sr., John Burwell, Bosco Lowe, and David Ehret make up the team that is raising the Phoenix from the ashes. The Pro Cup Series, American Speed Association, and Pro All Star Series have plans to see action at the Wilkes County track next season.

Over the dormant years, a web site has been totally dedicated to resurrecting the track and keeping the public aware of its history and current state. Steven Wilson, and George and Robert Marsden of www.savethespeedway.net were recognized during the gathering for their efforts to someday see racing there again.

This speedway is a big deal to the racing and local communities. A sense of camaraderie was evident as I sat next to a friendly woman who was very excited to see this announcement take place. How excited? Local resident Linda Joines had never been to a race at North Wilkesboro but admitted she enjoyed lawn mower racing. She was in attendance on a rainy and soaking Wednesday afternoon because she knew how important this gathering was to the community. Her community.

The Allisons were not deterred by the bad weather and neither were the racing world’s legends that believed in the new group. And the NASCAR legends that showed up to support the project could fill several storybooks.

Terri Parsons, Benny’s widow, spoke during the ceremony and gave the reopening words of confidence. She stated she would not align her family name with anything she didn’t believe in. According to McBride Jr., Parsons is not part of the group on paper but brings “a whole lot more” to their efforts, including her obvious belief in the team.

Junior Johnson also admitted that he would not have shown up on this day if he did not believe in the track’s return.

To close the indoor portion of the program, a group got up to the podium to speak a ceremonial “restart your engines” command in celebration of the day. A photo opportunity formed that would have been tough to put a price on.

The Allison brothers and Johnson were joined by Ned Jarrett, famed engine builder Waddell Wilson, and a man who stood up from the seat immediately on the other side of me, Dean Combs, a five-time champion of NASCAR’s Dash Series. I have been well aware of Combs reputation for many years. Sheepishly I did not recognize him while we sat together and admitted that as I introduced myself to him afterwards. 

After a socializing, mingling, and interview time frame the day held one final thrill. On everyone’s way out McBride invited the crowd to drive a lap around the speedway and exit through the backstretch gate.

I drove out of the garage and onto pit road. My windshield wipers were still needed as I eased up onto the turn two banking. The banking is significant to civilians but still considered a flat track by racing standards. As I drove down the backstretch I imagined how many of the NASCAR greats, including a few I just rubbed elbows with, have had this exact view.

Wheeling into turn three I took note of the pit entrance and how hard it must be to navigate it under green flag conditions. As I turned into the corner I wondered what a fast line and braking point must be. And how the top professionals earn their money by figuring this out within moments.

Off of turn four I looked to my right, through the catch fencing, into the thousands of empty steel seats along the main straight. This rapid-fire imagination moment filled all the seats with cheering race fans and removed the rain from my vision.

The flagman’s stand whizzed by my windshield’s upper corner and vanished in my rearview mirror. To my left I enjoyed the view of the garage area on the inside of turns one and two where all the excitement was talked about only a short time earlier. Out of turn two I relaxed the throttle and carefully turned right through the exit gate along the backstretch.

I just drove once what has been navigated by the sport’s pioneers thousands of times. My afternoon felt like the privilege that it was. The legends of racing can’t get enough recognition or respect. They forged this sport and laid the foundation for what we enjoy now.

Their trailblazing was not done for riches, fame, or glory. It was done out pure love of racing. Nothing more, nothing less. And not even lousy weather was going to stop these legends from joining together for the sake of this legendary oval.

Although Judy Allison probably wished it was a little warmer.

PHOTO CREDITS- Photos by Patrick Reynolds.