FLASH BACK - Atomic Motor Speedway - Lenoir City, TN - October 29, 1978 ----- NDRA LM

[Raceready]

Let me go back a few years, 1956, I worked at a full service station 12 hours on Saturday and Sunday for $10.00. the gas was 17c and fixing a flat was 50c. That $10 gave me spending money for the week.

You was working about the time was born. Now a days you have to have about $ 10.00 or more for just for 1 good meal ! !

[Highside Hustler25]

Did you guys get the bonus for every quart of oil you sold? Oh the memories. Back in the day that seemed to be everybody's first job.

[over4T]

Probably am, though being in my 9th decade on this planet and 8th decade in a race car makes me have to admit I'm getting up there. Get flattered on the occasion (rare) when some clerk wants I.D. for a senior discount. The boy does most of the racing now but I still get in the car a couple of times every season.

In my only outing last season finished 3rd in the main in a pretty stout field from 11th starting. Could have got 2nd on the last lap but would have to have moved a younger guy I mentor to do it and he'd never finished that well in his life. I can still get a car around but don't have the desperate need to win that was the younger me and more enjoy helping the next generation get into and enjoy the sport and, more importantly, stay in it. Hope I can stay involved till I lose interest or racing goes electric or driverless.

[chupp n bloomer fan]

Had a couple of the full- service pump jockey jobs as a high school kid. Like the old Chuck Berry song "check the tires, check the oil, wash the windshield, dollar gas." Gas was right around $.20 (twenty cents) a gallon. Also we rebuilt starters and generators (pre alternators for the younger 4mers) and fixed flats, all for the magnificent wage of a buck an hour.

Quit one station after 2 days as the owner didn't even have a tire machine and expected you to break down split rim truck wheels with a sledge hammer and pry bar and that was brutal for a skinny kid.

Always wondered what the connection was southern racer Randle Chupp had to get a Conneaut diner for a long-time sponsor on his LM.

Somehow the McLaughlins that owned Biscottis restaurant got hooked up with Randle. They owned the car. Joel Watson, a good UMP modified guy was one of the crew guys.

Man I loved watching Randle at Raceway 7.

[chupp n bloomer fan]

Think HH25 is talking about the old Atomic Speedway that was down near Chilicothe if I remember correctly. Scary bullring up on a hill.

If he could hear the cars at Raceway 7 he must have lived nearer to Conneaut than Ashtabula. I grew up in 'Bula before I moved west in 1960 and Raceway 7 didn't exist then. Had the little dump track at Geneva on the Lake where I first raced and the fairgrounds dirt at Jefferson and that was about it in the area. I don't think Sharon was built yet though I did get there years later .

Sharon has been there since I think 1929. Was my home track. Funny now Atomic is.

Raceway 7 was also my other home track. Guy who used to own it, Ron Nielsen, did do much to improve it. Though it used to have serious character with the way the backstretch was. I dunno if the McDonald’s don’t have the cash, or just don’t wanna dump it into the track.

Atomic is still that, just with way more walls now.

Didn’t know Geneva had a track.

[d-glenn]

Somehow the McLaughlins that owned Biscottis restaurant got hooked up with Randle. They owned the car. Joel Watson, a good UMP modified guy was one of the crew guys.

Man I loved watching Randle at Raceway 7.

Is D. McLaughlins still living? I had one of his Biscottis caps, when the MH burned the cap went with it.

[GA-DIRT]

Been gone a few years

[Raceready]

Did you guys get the bonus for every quart of oil you sold? Oh the memories. Back in the day that seemed to be everybody's first job.

You had to keep watch back then because some old boys would wipe the dip stick, and then stick it back in only part way and show you that it was down a quart ! !

[over4T]

Another trick with the oil was some stations had the oil in an aftermarket container with a flexible spout. Container held a quart or so and the attendant would dribble a little into the customer's engine and end up selling the same quart over and over to 3 or 4 folks. Never saw it at the joints I worked at but friends that worked for the creeps said it was encouraged. At something around 14 cents for a quart of Pennzoil 30wt. it added up.

[Buford.Justice]

You had to keep watch back then because some old boys would wipe the dip stick, and then stick it back in only part way and show you that it was down a quart ! !

Now that's a dirty trick!!

[Raceready]

Now that's a dirty trick!!

I wouldn't want a 2 bit piker like that checking my earl !

[obamaracing#1]

(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) that’s a heck of a field most HOFers

[chupp n bloomer fan]

Is D. McLaughlins still living? I had one of his Biscottis caps, when the MH burned the cap went with it.

I remember back in the day they’d get a stock themselves, back when stocks were stocks. And it’d be thee prettiest stock car out there. And didn’t go near as fast as it looked if I remember right.

Was a cool few years seeing Randle up my way consistently. Heck, he doesn’t even race now. Wish he’d get one more go at it. But I’d say with the divorce and all that crap, probably not. Just a consultant and set up guy now.

[3 wide]

Back in the 70s about 8 of the guys on this list would be at Boyd's Chattanooga on Friday night an Rome GA on Sunday night both places would be standing room only this was on a regular race night.