“We’d sleep in the truck and live on what we won. If we didn’t win, we didn’t eat. That’s pressure. But we were young, the racing was great, and man, was it fun.”  Bobby Allison

On the Oldest Division
By Deane Mercier

    December 29, Norwalk CT--- I first met Bobby Allison ten years ago at Pocono Raceway during NASCAR’s yearlong fiftieth anniversary celebration. I was sitting on some tires next to Jimmy Spencer’s hauler. Mr. Excitement had been named one of the 50 greatest Modified drivers of all time at my home track, Stafford Motor Speedway in Connecticut. 

    I was still doing my Motorsports show at the time and I wanted to ask Spencer about the honor. The interview had been scheduled for 9:30 that Sunday morning. At 10:15 I was still waiting for Spencer. And I was growing impatient. 

    It was then that I saw Allison walking through the garage area. What I then witnessed stunned and amazed me. Here was a man who started 718 races, won 59 poles, took the checkered flag 85 times, finished second in the season point standings five times and won the championship in 1982 and as he walked through the garage area that Sunday morning nobody recognized him. Nobody acknowledged him. It was like he was invisible. 

    Crew chiefs, team members and drivers passed him by without so much as a “hello” or handshake. Fans scurried past him not knowing they had just missed the opportunity to meet a champion, get an autograph, or maybe a picture or both. 

    As he walked by Spencer’s hauler I called out, “Mr. Allison”, and I started walking towards him. I extended my hand and introduced my self. “Deane, nice to meet you,” he said as we shook hands. We talked for just a minute or two, he was on his way to the media center to “see some old friends,” but it was enough time for me to thank him for all the good he had done for the sport. 

    Now flash forward to some three months to Connecticut’s Lime Rock Park. The (then) NASCAR Busch North Series was running the finale event of the season and Allison was the Grand Marshall for the event. 

    Again he was walking through the garage area and again he was unnoticed. I walked up to him, re-introduced myself and reminded him that we had met briefly at Pocono earlier that year. 

    We talked about the days he raced in Connecticut and the Northeast. “I’m sure I had some good memories about being up,” he said quietly, “but I just don’t remember much of it.” 

    The calendar moves forward ten years. I’m at the Mohegan Sun Casino for the 2007 NASCAR Whelen Modified Series banquet. 2008 will mark the sixtieth anniversary of NASCAR and the sixtieth year of NASCAR’s oldest division, the Modifieds. 

    To mark the occasion NASCAR brought together 16 of the 18 living Modified champions. Frankie Schneider, the oldest living champion (1952) at 81 was unable to attend as he was stuck in Allentown, PA because of bad weather and Jimmy Spencer was a last minute cancellation due to a sponsor commitment. 

    Mike Stefanik, a seven-time champion (1989-91-97-98-2001-02-06). Jerry Cook the six-time champion (1971-72 and 1974-75-76-77). Tony Hirschman a five-time champion (1995-96-99-2004-05).  Bugs Stevens, who won three straight titles (1967-68-69). Two- time champion Bobby Allison (1965-65). Wayne Anderson, Jack Choquette, Red Farmer, Jeff and Rick Fuller, Ernie Gahan, Jerry Marquis, Mike McLaughlin, Jamie Tomaino, Todd Szegedy and Donny Lia, in all a combined total of 34 championships. 

    Just as the cocktail hour was ending I saw Bobby near the entrance to the banquet room talking with my buddy Charlie Mitchell. I told Bobby it was good to seem him again and asked him if we could spend a few minute together after the banquet. “Sure, we can do that” he answered as he put his hand on my shoulder. 

    The banquet proceeded along the usual lines. NASCAR’s managing director of racing operations, George Silbermann, told the crowd, “NASCAR’s Modified division has a proud heritage and we are excited about paying tribute to our racing roots throughout the course of the 2008 season. Sixty years of Modified champions is a testament to the dedication and efforts of the early pioneers in the sport who paved the way for future champions.” 

    Phil Kurze, vice president for motorsports at Whelen added, “We hold dear and close to our hearts that Modifieds are the oldest series in NASCAR and to be part of that celebration is an honor. The history of the series is something everybody should be made aware of. We are where we are today because of our past, and the celebration reminds us of that.”  Silbermann then announced the Whelen Engineering had extended their contract to be the series title sponsor though 2016. Silbermann then gave the media a poke in the ribs for writing about the impending demise of the Modified series, saying something about the series being strong and how NASCAR is behind the series. I laughed and thought of Shawn Courchesne, my pal from the Hartford Courant, who was not in attendance, and wondered if a shiver might just have gone up and down his spine. 

    Then it was time to introduce all those champions. First was Allison, who was welcomed with a long, thunderous ovation followed by Stevens and Choquette, Cook, Farmer, Gahan, each receiving a warm welcome. Then Anderson, the Fuller brothers and Hirschman and Marquis and McLaughlin and Stefanik and Tomaino and Szegedy and Lia. 

    And we remembered Red Byron, the series first champion in 1948. And we remembered Richie Evans and his nine championships. And Lia was crowned the reigning champion taking home just under $50,000 in point fund money. In total Bob Garbarino and his Mystic Missile team earned $104, 225.00 in 2007. 

    After the dinner I found Allison. Told him how good it was to see him again and how grateful I was for him being on my radio show. I asked him how he liked being back in Connecticut. “I always liked racing up here, the competition was strong,” he said.  Then he added with a laugh “ I know I always had a good time but, you know, I just can’t remember it all.” 

    That’s ok Bobby. We remember. We remember you and all the others that have given us so many memories and what you all gave to our sport.

Deane Mercier worked in radio for 35 years as a DJ and talk show host. He is currently the Host Broadcaster for Stafford Motor Speedway, a Motorsports correspondent for the Hour Newspaper (CT), as well as Editor In Chief for Long Island Motorsports News.  Deane may be contacted at DeaneMercier@aol.com.

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