Friday, September 10, 2010

Dad gets an award!

Last Saturday nite at Old Dominion Speedway in Manassas, Virginia, my father, Bert Robbins, received a plaque declaring him a Stock Car Racing Legend. 

Old Dominion's website tells the story: Over the years, the Old Dominion Speedway has provided the area with exciting NASCAR Racing Series action, Saturday night style. This is where the local driver can come out, try his hand at driving a powerful stock car, and maybe, just maybe, move forward into racing as not only a hobby, but as a way to make a living.

Many drivers who have competed on the 3/8 mile oval have went on to make it big in the top rank Winston Cup Circuit. Drivers like Darrell Waltrip, David Pearson, Bobby Allison, Morgan Shephard, the Burton brothers, and of course the "King" Richard Petty. By the way, 2 of Petty's official 200 wins are at the Old Dominion Speedway. Other Winston Cup drivers who have visited victory lane include Ned Jarrett (a 500 lap event), Junior Johnson, and the late Elmo Langley.
 
Dad is now 79 years old and doesn't race anymore.  He did race at Old Dominion speedway, however, with many of the drivers mentioned above.  I get a kick out of this one race result from the October 1964 Nascar Newsletter.  Dad came in 5th behind Ned Jarrett, David Pearson, and Richard Petty.
 
Here's a photo of one of his first race cars and his last.
 
Okay, so what has this got to do with cloth and creativity.   Nothing!   I did make him a single bed quilt once with these pictures in it, but forgot to take a photo of it before I wrapped it for Christmas.  I guess that just makes me a proud daughter!

4 comments:

  1. I scored him many times @ ODS, not sure if that was one of the nights but glad our old buddy Elmo was in the top 10 that night too.
    - Glenda (Maykrantz)Roberts

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  2. Yeah 'Uncle' Bert! Glenda, George and my father, Walter Maykrantz met Bert in kindergarten and a few years later, they built the first race cars together in our Nanny's garage. Many wonderful childhood memories have been made with this clan. I think Glenda's idea of giving me the plaque for my birthday one year that reads "You might be a redneck if you ever put a race car on a prayer list" came from this era.
    ~ Kellie Maykrantz Bergen

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  3. Congratulations to your Father. Sounds as if he's had some really good times behind the wheel.

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  4. How very cool. Congratulations to your dad!

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