If you thought last week’s segment was good, just wait until you hear what Ritchie, Mark and Timmy Petty have to say in this week’s episode.

They discuss the powerful bond that existed between Richard and Maurice, and the work they put into building Petty Enterprises into the dynasty it eventually became.

Then ... the 1983 fall race weekend at Charlotte was one of the most controversial moments in the 75-year history of NASCAR. Maurice Petty was directly involved … and very much impacted … by what took place.

In a very real sense, it was his own sons’ careers in the sport that helped Maurice begin to heal. Finally, Richie Petty takes us through the infamous 1993 accident in Talladega during which Jimmy Horton flipped completely over his car and over the wall, out of the ballpark.

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We’re getting 2023 started off with a bang, with the first of what will be THREE installments with Ritchie, Mark and Timmy … Maurice Petty’s sons.

They’ll take us through what it was like to grow up as part of one of NASCAR’s most famous families and the standards they were expected to live up to. Let’s put it this way … you did NOT mess with Lee Petty’s putting green. At all. Period. End of discussion.

Hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid then dig through the October 4, 1979 issue of Grand National Scene.

Rain washes out the race at North Wilkesboro, but not Dale Earnhardt’s track record qualifying effort. We’ve got features on Richard Petty’s 800th NASCAR start and crew chief Bob Johnson, as well as a letter to the editor from a rival crew chief FURIOUS with Darrell Waltrip and a Gene Granger dreaming about the perfect cast for a NASCAR movie.Just wait until you hear who Gene picked to play Steve!

NOTE: This show is not associated in any way with American City Business Journals, owner of the Scene brand.Interested in The Scene Vault Podcast T-shirts?

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In this week’s final installment with Brendan Gaughan, he gives his side of the story in the infamous Jim-Smith-can-kiss-my-ass incident, which cost him a $10,000 fine AND the 2003 Craftsman Truck Series championship.

After that, Brendan breaks down his lone full-time Cup season with Doug Bobble and Roger Penske, his up-and-down return to the truck series, finding success again with team owner Richard Childress and … finally … how Ryan Newman’s wreck and COVID helped convince him that it was time to hang up his helmet … at least when it came to NASCAR.

In our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid page through the November 20, 2003 issue of Winston Cup Scene. Matt Kenseth, Brian Vickers and Travis Kvapil are honored as champions of their respective NASCAR divisions at Homestead … with the Busch and Craftsman Truck Series crowns coming down to the wire in HISTORIC season-finale battles.

NOBODY’S happy after the truck race, except for Kvapil, due to one of the most chaotic conclusions to a NASCAR title bout EVER. Brendan Gaughan tells rival team owner Jim Smith to kiss his behind on live television and Smith and his driver Ted Musgrave are furious with NASCAR after the final restart.

Homestead also marks the final race for RJ Reynolds’ title sponsorship of the Winston Cup Series, and Bobby Labonte wins it after Bill Elliott blows a tire on the final lap.

Kyle Busch was all set to make his Cup debut, but his entire car winds up getting confiscated by NASCAR. And … last but not least … Sterling Marlin is cleared of all charges after being sued in connection to an alleged assault during a Caribbean cruise.

NOTE: This show is not associated in any way with American City Business Journals, owner of the Scene brand.

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In the second installment of our interview with Jeff Hammond, Jeff remembers his impression of Darrell Waltrip before DW came to Junior Johnson & Associates as the team's driver ... and Johnson's reaction to Cale Yarborough's decision to leave the team at the end of the 1980 season. In our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid pick through the June 8, 1980 issue of Grand National Scene, which featured coverage of Cale Yarborough leading all 420 laps at Nashville, a commentary by photojournalist David Chobat and a highway accident involving Ed and Faye Negre.

In the first of what will eventually be a SIX-part interview -- in two separate three-episode arcs -- Jeff Hammond gives listeners insight into his very earliest days as a NASCAR fan. So taken with the sport was Hammond, he was determined to find a spot working for a team. After stints with several different teams, Hammond finally landed with Walter Ballard ... and then ... the legendary Junior Johnson & Associates. In our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid go through the August 21, 1980 issue of Grand National Scene, which featured coverage of Cale Yarborough's victory at Michigan. Although Richard Petty was coming off a horrific accident at Pocono the month before, he still managed to finish fifth. Darrell Waltrip was unable to get his DiGard Racing entry into the field, so he took over car owner Joel Halpern's car ... and proceeded to finish fifth. The DiGard Racing-DW relationship was on its last legs, and we dig back into the archives to get the viewpoints of both Waltrip and team owner Bill Gardner. Finally, this issue announces the retirement of Tighe Scott.

In the second and final installment of our interview with Phil Parsons, he recalls winning his first Winston Cup event at Talladega in 1988. Less than two years later, however, Phil was unceremoniously dumped by Morgan-McClure Motorsports just three races into the 1990 season. Phil also discusses rumors that he had substantial problems with his eyesight, and the impact that gossip had on his career. After more than five years of career turmoil, he then experienced a resurgence with a win in the 1994 spring Busch Series race at Charlotte.

We're back! In our first episode of the new year, Phil Parsons remembers the influence of his older brother Benny on his life and career, his earliest days in NASCAR's old Baby Grand division and meetings with Humpy Wheeler and Johnny Hayes that changed the course of his career. Finally, Phil discusses his vicious crash at Talladega, in just the second Winston Cup event of his career. In our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid thumb through the May 5, 1983 issue of Grand National Scene, which featured coverage of Richard Petty's 197th career win at Talladega, Benny Parsons' runnerup effort and his kid brother's infamous accident.

Our final episode of the year features the best of the best of a year filled with incredible stories from NASCAR history, as selected by host Rick Houston.

In this very busy holiday season, take a moment to relive The Scene Vault Podcast's greatest moments of 2020. From the silliest of stories like Kyle Petty's race pool to the seriousness of hitting rock bottom for Brett Bodine and Cliff Champion, we've made it our mission to bring you the very best NASCAR history content possible.

In the second and final installment of our interview, Will Cronkrite discusses the night he and an eager young driver named Dale Earnhardt first worked together ... with a 3 1/2-year-old Dale Earnhardt Jr. watching nearby. Cronkrite also remembers his time with Mark Martin, a way-too-narrow car at Talladega and the tumultuous time he spent on the epic NASCAR film Stroker Ace. In our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid thumb through the June 1, 1978 issue of Grand National Scene, which featured coverage of Darrell Waltrip's thrilling win in the World 600 at Charlotte, a confrontation between Lennie Pond and Herb Nab and a feature story on Blackie Wangerin.

Longtime NASCAR car owner, crew chief and car builder Will Cronkrite shares the story of a friendship forged by the shared experience of the most devastating circumstances imaginable. In our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid dig into the July 16, 1987 issue of Grand National Scene, which featured a midseason review, stories on Dick Hutcherson's passion for show horses, brothers Gary and Walter Smith and sports-car-driver-turned-NASCAR-racer Rick Knoop.

In this very special episode, we sit down with NASCAR pioneer Paul Goldsmith for an inside look at his incredible career. Now 95 years young, Mr. Goldsmith had a diverse resume that saw him race everything from thoroughbred horses to motorcycles to stock cars and Indy cars. NASCAR historian Buz McKim joins hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid to break down Mr. Goldsmith's career and then dive into the May 8, 1980 issue of Grand National Scene, which featured a thrillingly close finish between Buddy Baker and Dale Earnhardt.

In the second and final installment of our interview, Cliff Champion remembers his time with DiGard Racing, Alan Kulwicki, decisions he would've changed and a tragic accident involving his charter boat. In our second segment, we go back to the December 9, 1993 Winston Cup Scene, which featured coverage of the Winston Cup banquet celebrating Dale Earnhardt's sixth championship, the fabulous Flock family, teams helping each other out and Rusty Wallace's impromptu stint as an NYC cabbie.

In the first of what will be two installments with Brendan Gaughan, he talks about life in Las Vegas as a child and a high-school football injury that literally changed the course of his life.

He wound up going to school at Georgetown University, where he played football AND walked on with the Hoya basketball team, which was coached at the time by the legendary John Thompson.

All the while, he raced and looked forward to going IndyCar racing before NASCAR decided to start the Craftsman Truck Series.

In our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid dig into the June 13, 2002 issue of Winston Cup Scene. Dale Jarrett gets the win at Pocono after Robert Yates Racing teammate Ricky Rudd has a tire start leaking air in the last few laps. Jack Sprague wins the Busch Series event at Nashville, while Brendan Gaughan tastes victory in Texas. It’s the first win in those divisions for both drivers.

NASCAR’s keeping an eye out for traction control devices, while Dale Earnhardt Jr reports that he’s all set … possibly for life … at Dale Earnhardt Incorporated.

NOTE: This show is not associated in any way with American City Business Journals, owner of the Scene brand.

Interested in The Scene Vault Podcast T-shirts? Check out thescenevault.com and click on SHOP to see what we have available!

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Cliff Champion may not be a household name to many fans of the sport, but he's led an astounding life in the world of NASCAR. In the first of what will be a two-part interview with Cliff, he talks about getting into the sport with his cousin, Bill Champion, and struggling to gain a foothold in the sport with Ricky Rudd, James Hylton and Richard Childress before finally making it to victory lane with Buddy Baker in the 1980 Daytona 500. In our second segment, we go all the way back to the June 16, 1983 issue of Grand National Scene, which featured coverage of Bobby Allison's dominant win at Pocono, an incredible column by Steve Waid about Richard Childress' shenanigans and Ricky Rudd's youth and a feature on drivers Skip Manning, Sam Sommers and Bruce Hill.

In the conclusion of our two-part conversation, Tommy Houston remembers everything from his heartbreaking loss in the 1989 Busch Series championship battle to his and his family's friendship with Rob Moroso and his own decision to retire from driving. Andy Houston, Tommy's youngest son, and longtime crew member Jamie Reynolds joins hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid for a trip down memory lane, winding throughout the latter stages of Tommy Houston's career. In our second segment, we take a long look at the April 23, 1992 issue of Winston Cup Scene, which featured coverage of the first test under the lights at Charlotte Motor Speedway and the emotional final win of Tommy Houston's iconic Busch Series career.

It's wall-to-wall Houstons on The Scene Vault Podcast Presented by Q Ware this week. Tommy Houston sits down with host Rick Houston (no relation ... we think) to discuss the early years of his career in the Busch Series. Tommy remembers a legendary 1983 scrap at IRP with Tommy Ellis, his own limited attempts at the Winston Cup level and "innovations" designed to get around the rules.

In this very special episode, longtime NASCAR crew chief and mechanic Cliff Champion tells his story of hitting rock bottom, attempting suicide not once, not twice, but three times before finding redemption.

In the third and final installment of our interview, Paul Andrews remembers the transition from Alan Kulwicki to Geoff Bodine; working with Jeremy Mayfield and "teammate" Rusty Wallace; and a very bad week in which he was released from his job at Petty Enterprises and just days later suffering a fall that left him with multiple injuries. We then dig deep into the May 26, 1994 issue of Winston Cup Scene, which featured coverage of Bodine's win in The Winston Select all-star race; John Andretti's planned Indy 500-Coca-Cola 600 double; Jimmy Spencer's controversial driving style; competitors being charged to park in the infield at Charlotte; and a million-dollar challenge from Felix Sabates to Rusty Wallace.

In this extraordinarily emotional episode, Paul Andrews remembers his incredible 1992 championship season with Alan Kulwicki ... and the loss of his driver, team owner and friend just a few months later. In our second segment, we do a deep dive into the November 26, 1992 issue of Winston Cup Scene, which featured coverage of the iconic 1992 Hooters 500.

In the first of a three-part interview, veteran crew chief Paul Andrews takes listeners back to the very beginning of his racing career with Rusty Wallace. He recalls the time he got out of the sport to sell real estate, only to be drawn back in by a job offer from the one and only Alan Kulwicki. Together, Kulwicki and Andrews would experience the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. This week, Andrews remembers Kulwicki's first Winston Cup win at Phoenix and his decision to turn down a ride with team owner Junior Johnson. In our second segment, we turn to the November 10, 1988 issue of Grand National Scene, which features coverage of Kulwicki's Phoenix win, which came after engine woes doomed the efforts of the dominant Ricky Rudd.

In this very powerful conclusion to our conversation, Brett Bodine remembers his brother Geoff's infamous crash in the inaugural truck race at Daytona; Dale Earnhardt's severe reaction to Brett's use of the HANS Device; a career-ending crash at Michigan; and ... rock bottom, the point at which Brett was all but homeless. Thankfully, that's not where Brett's story ends. In our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid go back in time to the September 25, 1997 issue of Winston Cup Scene, which features coverage of Mark Martin's fuel-mileage win at Dover, Dale Earnhardt's runnerup effort and dominant Kyle Petty falling short after having to make an extra stop for gas. Steve also tells his best Dick Thompson story and Rick recalls the time he and Brian Vickers had the bejeebers scared out of them at the Pentagon.

Once and for all ... Brett Bodine DID win the 1990 spring race at North Wilkesboro, and in this installment of our interview, he lets you know about it in no uncertain terms. He also remembers his friendship with fellow competitor Davey Allison, his highly charged incident with brother Geoff in the inaugural Brickyard 400, his decision to buy out Junior Johnson and a devastating relationship with an all-talk sponsor. In our second segment, co-hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid dig into the November 23, 1995 issue of Winston Cup Scene, which featured coverage of the Junior Johnson-Brett Bodine team transaction, Rick's column on a championship party for Gary Wall, Jeff Gordon's scorer; and features by Rick on Darrell Waltrip, Wanda Lund Early and Doris Roberts; and the Fast Track pit-crew school.

In the first of what will be a three-part interview, Brett Bodine discusses his phenomenal 1985 Busch Series rookie season, during which he won three races in just 13 starts. Then, in his first full-time campaign the following year, Bodine finished achingly close to the championship in one of the most bizarre seasons anyone could remember. After that, he moved to the Winston Cup circuit with veteran team owner Bud Moore. In our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid dig into the April 11, 1985 issue of Grand National Scene, which featured coverage of Dale Earnhardt's Bristol win, which came despite the fact he lost power steering just 100 laps into the event. That race also saw short-track carnage galore, while other notable stories concerned Bodine's inaugural Busch Series win at Martinsville, Petty Enterprises truck driver Horst Fisher, Dave Marcis' new shop and memories of Bill Elliott pushing his car across the finish line at Darlington to score a third-place finish.

In our conversation with NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin, Mark talks about his memories of the construction of his beloved JR51 chassis, preparations for the first Winston Cup race at Las Vegas and his laser-focused intensity that … in all honesty … took away from his enjoyment of winning races. He also remembers Ford’s dominance that day and the reaction of both General Motors AND NASCAR, as well as some of the rocky moments from early in his racing career.

Hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid then take a deep dive into the March 5, 1998 issue of Winston Cup Scene. Mark Martin wins the inaugural Winston Cup race at Las Vegas and appears on the cover of this issue with Wayne Newton and … much to his chagrin, apparently ... a couple of Las Vegas showgirls. Fords DOMINATE the race … much to Dale Earnhardt and General Motors’ CHAGRIN.

News items detail an autograph session that nearly got out of hand, Kyle Petty’s motorcycle accident on the way to the race, NASCAR’s banning of burnouts and Kevin Harvick’s first Winston WEST win. There’s also a feature on the THEN-unheralded Matt Kenseth.

NOTE: This podcast is not associated in any way with American City Business Journals, owner of the Scene brand.

Interested in The Scene Vault Podcast T-shirts? Check out www.thescenevault.com and click on SHOP to see what we have available!

Please consider supporting the show via:

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In the second and final installment of our interview, legendary NASCAR independent Jimmy Means remembers his one-race deal with Hendrick Motorsports, the wrecks that finally convinced him to quit driving, working as a crew chief for Bud Moore and finally making it to victory lane with Ed Berrier. In our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid dig into the October 15, 1987 issue of Grand National Scene. The paper featured coverage of Bill Elliott's fall Charlotte win and a rash of accidents, one of which took Means out of contention in the very early going. Ken Schrader discussed the chance meeting that led to his own Hendrick Motorsports ride in one feature story, while other news items outlined Neil Bonnett's job as a union pipe fitter and Junie Donlavey's loss of driver, crew chief and sponsor.

In the first of our two-part interview, Jimmy Means sits down with hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid to discuss his career as an independent driver and team owner. Before getting down to business, Rick discovers that Jimmy's mom worked at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, the same Army base on which he was born a LONG, LONG time ago. Jimmy then turns his attention to busting Steve's chops a little bit over a long-ago joke. In our second segment, Rick and Steve dig into the April 23, 1987 issue of Grand National Scene. The cover story featured Jimmy and fellow NASCAR independents J.D. McDuffie, James Hylton and Elmo Langley, with additional stories on engine builder Keith Dorton, Herb Nab and NASCAR participants going through media training.

In the conclusion to our conversation, former Winston Cup team owner Larry McClure remembers an acrimonious split with Ernie Irvan, two Daytona 500 wins with Sterling Marlin, his team's departure from the sport and an incredibly trying time in his own life. Our Issue of the Week takes a deep look into the September 9, 1993 Winston Cup Scene, which featured coverage of Mark Martin's Southern 500 victory, his fourth win in a row. The issue also covered Irvan's overnight move from Morgan-McClure Motorsports to Robert Yates Racing.

In the second installment of our interview, former Winston Cup team owner Larry McClure describes his team's short-lived association with driver Phil Parsons, before turning to Ernie Irvan very early in the 1990 season. It was with Irvan that Morgan-McClure Motorsports got its first taste of true success on the race track ... and vice versa. Irvan won his and his team's first race at Bristol in the fall of that same season, and then the Daytona 500 just a few months later. With that competitiveness, however, came no small amount of controversy. After a number of on-track incidents, Irvan stood up at a Talladega drivers' meeting and apologized for his actions. In our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid rummage through the August 1, 1991 issue of Winston Cup Scene, which carried coverage of Dale Earnhardt's win at Talladega, intense disagreements within the Ford camp following the race, Rick Mast's flip and Irvan's apology.

Once upon a time, Morgan-McClure Motorsports was one of NASCAR's most prominent teams. This week, team owner Larry McClure recalls the team's rise from the most humble of beginnings in and around the Abingdon, Virginia area. Incredibly, current NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin was one of the team's very first drivers, with some wondering if he was tough enough to manhandle a full-sized NASCAR stock car. A subsequent driver pick came down to another future NASCAR Hall of Famer, Davey Allison, and Rick Wilson. It was only after Wilson and sponsor Kodak came on board that Morgan-McClure finally began its upward trajectory. In our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid discuss the July 7, 1988 issue of Grand National Scene, which coverage of Wilson's nail-biting second-place finish to Bill Elliott. The issue also carried Waid's column on a rash of driver injuries in 1988; a feature on full-time undertaker and part-time driver Eddie Bierschwale; and A.J. Foyt's penalty for missing the Daytona driver's meeting.

In this extraordinary conclusion to our interview, Larry McReynolds describes his tumultuous tenure with Richard Childress Racing and driver Dale Earnhardt. They did win the 1998 Daytona 500 together, but also endured one of the driest spells of Earnhardt's career. Ultimately, McReynolds would be moved over to helm Mike Skinner's RCR efforts before moving on to the Fox broadcast booth. In our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid dig into the June 11, 1998 issue of Winston Cup Scene, which featured coverage of the McReynolds-Kevin Hamlin-Earnhardt-Mike Skinner crew chief swap, as well as that year's spring event at Richmond. Jeff Gordon was angry with Rusty Wallace, while Dale Jarrett was peeved with not only race winner Terry Labonte, but also NASCAR for throwing a late-race red flag that allowed the race to end under green.

In this powerfully emotional episode, Larry McReynolds remembers the devastating loss of his best friend, Davey Allison, and the life-threatening injuries sustained by Ernie Irvan the very next year. Hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid then remember the late, great Maurice Petty.

In this installment of our second interview with Larry McReynolds, he talks about his run with Robert Yates Racing and the late, great Davey Allison. The discussion covered everything from McReynolds' decision to make the move from Kenny Bernstein’s team to Robert Yates Racing … to his decision NOT to make the move … then his final decision TO pack up and Bernstein for Yates. It was a move that paid immediate dividends. Allison won five races after Larry Mac came on board in 1991 … and then came an absolutely tumultuous 1992 Winston Cup season. Hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid then break down the April 11, 1991 issue of Winston Cup Scene, which featured coverage of that year's Darlington spring race ... McReynolds' first race as Allison's crew chief. Ricky Rudd inherited the victory after problems in the pits foiled a dominant run by Michael Waltrip. The issue also carried a poignant column about Neil Bonnett's struggles with not being able to race.

In the conclusion of our conversation, Ricky Craven comes back from what many would consider the wilderness years of his career to win at both Martinsville and Darlington. In the episode's second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid dig into the March 20, 2003 issue of Winston Cup Scene, which featured coverage of Craven's thrilling win over Kurt Busch at Darlington, an equally-as-thrilling conclusion to the track's Busch Series event between Todd Bodine and Jamie McMurray and a large package of stories concerning NASCAR's reaction to the invasion of Iraq.

Mike Helton's career began at an AM radio station in his hometown of Bristol, Virginia. Twenty years later, he was the president of NASCAR. Helton describes that incredible journey for our very special 100th episode. In our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid chat with listeners Hallie Imrie, Joe Ruch, Jeff Marcosky, Jay Coker, Edwin Turner and Matt Miles about how the podcast reached the 100-episode milestone.

In the third and final installment of our interview with D.K. Ulrich, he remembers the revolving door of drivers who once piloted his race cars, the young Davey Allison’s impact on his decision to step away from the cockpit himself, the infamous screwdriver incident at Riverside and the burned backside he AND Ernie Irvan sustained on a sweltering day at Martinsville.

Hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid then page through the May 29, 1986 issue of Grand National Scene. Dale Earnhardt very patiently stalks Bill Elliott … THERE’S a sentence you don’t hear very often … before Bill has to pit for fuel in the late going during the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte. That allowed Dale to cruise to a two-second victory, his third of the season.

Richard Petty starts a car in that race owned by D.K. Ulrich, after a crash during practice that left him AND his car pretty used up. J.D. McDuffie’s photo bio describes his tow truck as ULTRA-high mileage and Harry Gant makes an appearance in yet another Hal Needham flick, this one having to do with professional wrestling.

NOTE: This podcast is not associated in any way with American City Business Journals, owner of the Scene brand.

Please consider supporting this show via:

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In this incredible installment of our interview, Ricky Craven remembers the aftermath of two accidents -- the first at Talladega in 1996 and the second at Texas in 1997. And while Talladega was the more spectacular of the two mishaps, Craven's crash at Texas altered his career trajectory in a major way and left him doubting himself and his abilities for the first time in his career. In our second segment, co-hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid dissect the May 2, 1996 issue of Winston Cup Scene, which covered that fateful Talladega event. Along with Craven's incident, Bill Elliott suffered a broken leg in a separate accident. Sterling Marlin won, continuing his restrictor-plate mastery. The issue also contained features on longtime crew chief Bob Johnson and up-and-coming driver Buckshot Jones. Finally, several in the racing community escaped injury the morning of the race when a jet blew the windows out of the airport gate at which they'd just arrived.

This week, Ricky Craven talks about his Busch North days, when he rolled like a tank through the 1991 season. He built on that success by moving South and running the Busch Series in 1992 through 1994, We discussed his friendship with Jeff Gordon and their shared sponsorship from DuPont, the exhaustion of running his own team and finally, his move to Winston Cup with team owner Larry Hedrick. Hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid then take a peek at the July 11, 1991 issue of Grand National Scene, which carried coverage of Ricky's Oxford 250 victory, Bill Elliott's Pepsi 400 win at Daytona and the announcement of Dale Jarrett's decision to move to the newly formed Joe Gibbs Racing for the 1992 Winston Cup season.

In the third and final installment of our interview, DiGard Racing team owner Bill Gardner discusses the team's controversial win in the 1985 Firecracker 400 at Daytona with driver Greg Sacks, the end of the team's run in the sport and, ultimately, its place in NASCAR history. Hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid also take a quick look at the new inductees into the NASCAR Hall of Fame before digging into the April 9, 1987 issue of Grand National Scene, which features coverage of Dale Earnhardt's dominant win at North Wilkesboro, Tim Richmond's comeback press conference and Darlington test, a Joe Dan Bailey feature and news on Jake Elder, an injury that nearly derailed Terry Labonte's start streak and controversial team owner Eric Freedlander.

In the second installment of our interview with DiGard Racing owner Bill Gardner, we discuss the crushing disappointment of losing out on the 1979 Winston Cup championship; the on-again, off-again relationship with Buddy Parrott; Darrell Waltrip's departure from the team; the 1982 "Bumper-gate" controversy; Bobby Allison's 1983 Winston Cup championship; and a sugar residue that was discovered in Allison's fuel cell at Riverside in that year's season finale. Hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid also take a long look into the November 19, 1981 issue of Grand National Scene. The week's paper featured coverage of Neil Bonnett's win at Atlanta in front of Ford officials; Ford's return to the sport; Harry Melling buying Bill Elliott's family owned operation; and features on Dale Earnhardt's move from Richard Childress Racing to Bud Moore Engineering and James "Tweetie" Hylton Jr.

DiGard Racing was one of the most successful ... and controversial ... NASCAR teams of the 1970s and 80s, and team owner Bill Gardner addressed it all in his interview with The Scene Vault Podcast hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid. In this week's installment, Gardner remembers how it all began over a game of pinochle, his parting of the ways with Donnie Allison and the beginnings of what would turn out to be a tumultuous relationship with Darrell Waltrip. In our second segment, Rick and Steve dig into the May 26, 1977 issue of Grand National Scene, which featured an epic column by publisher Robb Griggs, outlining, among other things, a controversy at Nashville that left the race track without an ambulance.

In the third and final installment of our interview, Darrell Waltrip talks about everything from his rough start with the Dream Team at Hendrick Motorsports, his 1989 Daytona 500 win and The 1989 The Winston controversy with Rusty Wallace to his really bad broken leg at Daytona the following year, when he was also planning his OWN team, his 1991 flip at Daytona and, eventually, the end of his driving career. In our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid dig into the crammed-pack February 23, 1989 issue of Grand National Scene. That week's issue featured coverage of Waltrip's iconic win in the Daytona 500, Rick Mast's storybook finish, a post-race confrontation involving Davey Allison and Geoff Bodine and scary accidents involving Neil Bonnett, Mark Martin and Dale Earnhardt.

After a very expensive buyout of his contract with DiGard Racing, Darrell Waltrip joined the famed Junior Johnson & Association for the 1981 Winston Cup season. Because of his often-heated rivalry with Cale Yarborough, the team's former driver, Waltrip wasn't accepted with open arms at first. Winning, however, has a way of warming up even the coolest of relationships ... and Waltrip did plenty of winning at Junior Johnson & Associates. Still, it wasn't enough to keep him from being booed after a crash in the 1982 World 600 at Charlotte ... and an infamous "meet me in the Big K parking lot" interview with writer Larry Woody. After winning three Winston Cup championships with Johnson, Waltrip received an offer to go drive for then-upstart team owner Rick Hendrick. In our second segment, Rick Houston and Steve Waid are joined by Jaret Lundberg of The Iceberg NASCAR YouTube channel for a look back at the December 17, 1981 issue of Grand National Scene, which featured coverage of NASCAR's first trip to New York City for the Winston Cup banquet. Highlighting the issue is a glowing commentary, praising Waltrip for his superb representation of the sport.

Darrell Waltrip was one of the centerpieces of the NASCAR universe for nearly 20 years. In the first of our three-part Zoom interview, DW discusses everything from the early days of his career through the crushing disappointment of losing out on the 1979 Winston Cup championship ... and a good many things in between. In our second segment, we go back in time to the July 21, 1977 Grand National Scene, which featured coverage of DW's crazy victory at Nashville and a scathing column by publisher and founder Robb Griggs.

In this week's episode of The Scene Vault Podcast, Lake Speed wins at Darlington Raceway in 1988. He subs for Davey Allison at Robert Yates Racing, then goes full time with Bud Moore and Melling Racing … and gets punched by Michael Waltrip at Michigan. His reaction to that is one of the funniest lines we’ve heard here on The Scene Vault Podcast. Finally, Lake remembers the injuries that led to the end of his Winston Cup career. Also, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid take a look at the March 31, 1988 issue of Grand National Scene, which featured coverage of Lake's Darlington win, Herculean efforts by Alan Kulwicki and Brett Bodine to get to the finish line and J.D. McDuffie's return to the race track.

Lake Speed gets his start at the Winston Cup level, where he finds mentors in Darel Dieringer and Shelton "Runt" Pittman. He has a life-changing experience en route to a third-place finish at Talladega in 1983, then makes the decision to move to a team owned by Butch Mock and Bob Rahilly for 1985. Lake ends up with a second-place showing in the 1985 Daytona 500, one of the most emotional experiences of his long and storied career in NASCAR. After parting ways with Rahmoc early the following season, Lake feels led to start his own team. In the second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid check out the February 21, 1985 issue of Grand National Scene, featuring coverage of Bill Elliott's dominant Daytona 500 victory, Lake's memorable runnerup finish, Bobby Wawak and a new tire rule. Rick and Steve also remember their very first trips to Daytona.

We might as well call this installment of our interview with D.K. Ulrich "Cheating in NASCAR" simply because of all the tricks of the trade that he laid out for us. We’ve got everything from the infamous nitrous oxide incident from the 1978 Southern 500 at Darlington to trick tires, trap doors and soaked tires.

D.K. also remembers his friend and driver, Tim Richmond and the part he played in David Ifft’s little excursion into Juarez, Mexico.

Hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid then pick through the July 24, 1980 issue of Grand National Scene. D.K. Ulrich appears on the inside cover of the paper with Tim Richmond, who’d tested a NASCAR entry for the first time at Charlotte the week before. There’s a huge photo spread on drivers in their cowboy hats, and a certain The Scene Vault Podcast co-host ALSO evidently took part in the fashion trend that was ALL the rage way back when.

There are also columns, news stories and features about Herb Nab and Harry Ranier, Judy Parrott … Buddy’s wife ... and the infamous Jim “Two Can” Murray. Finally, there’s a one-page layout of baby photos of one Adam Kyler Petty.

NOTE: This podcast is not associated in any way with American City Business Journals, owner of the Scene brand.

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Lake Speed grew up in Jackson, Mississippi, the son of a popular businessman and one-term mayor of the city. Introduced to Go-Karts at a young age, Lake took his first steps in a lifetime of racing, a career that first saw him chase the dream of a World Karting Association world championship. Once he reached that impossible goal, Lake began seeking out a new challenge. He found it in NASCAR, but not before facing one of the most bizarre finishes in motorsports history at the end of the 1980 ARCA race at Daytona. In our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid dissect the June 1, 1989 issue of Winston Cup Scene, which featured coverage of Darrell Waltrip's revenge win at Charlotte.

After his tenure with Roush Racing came to a disappointing end, Steve Hmiel's next stop was Dale Earnhardt Incorporated, where he experienced Earnhardt's at time rough-and-gruff leadership style first-hand. Sadly, he was also a part of the DEI family at the time of the 2001 Daytona 500, a moment in time that changed the course of NASCAR history. Steve also discusses the heart-breaking injury sustained by his son Shane, and his reaction to it. In our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid dissect the upcoming vote for the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

Roush Fenway Racing eventually became one of NASCAR's most influential teams, but the going wasn't always smooth in the earliest days of the organization. In this episode, Steve Hmiel remembers the tug-of-war that sometimes took part between Michigan and North Carolina, the team's controversial penalty at Richmond early in the 1990 season and the disappointment of losing that year's Winston Cup championship. Hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid then dive into the October 26, 1989 issue of Winston Cup Scene, which featured coverage of the first Winston Cup win for both driver Mark Martin and Roush Racing.

NOTE: Due to the coronavirus quarantine, this commentary for this episode was recorded remotely. There are some rough spots in the quality of the recording, but steps have been taken to correct this in future episodes.