The Scene Vault Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

This week, Joe Dan Bailey tries his hand at driving, but it doesn’t exactly work out the way he probably hoped. Still … he makes a name for himself as a top-notch crew member and finds himself in the midst of one of the most iconic   We then take a deep look into the July 5, 1990 issue of Winston Cup Scene.   Rob Moroso and Jack Pennington go after the 1990 Winston Cup rookie of the year title in a battle that was very much a case of David and Goliath.   Bobby Hillin doesn’t exactly come out and say it, but he’s on the way out at Stavola Brothers Racing. Reaction to the newly-released Days of Thunder is all the rage in this issue. Co-host Steve Waid makes the case for a comprehensive racing hall of fame … and host Rick Houston then makes the case for Steve to be a NASCAR Hall of Fame voter.   Joe Dan Bailey is featured in Scene’s photo bio, the very same week as the birth of his BABY brother is announced. And … finally … do we EVER have a whopper of a Rick Mast Report!   NOTE: This show is not associated in any way with American City Business Journals, owner of the Scene brand.   Be sure to check out the latest and greatest stories from the world of NASCAR at dailydownforce.com! Interested in The Scene Vault Podcast T-shirts? Check out thescenevault.com and click on SHOP to see what we have available! Please consider supporting this show via: patreon.com/thescenevaultpodcast paypal.me/thescenevaultpodcast venmo.com/thescenevaultpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We start off this week with our reaction to the BIG news that the 2025 Busch Clash will be run at the Madhouse, Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.   Then, in the first of what will be three installments, Joe Dan Bailey joins the show to remember his dad … the legendary NASCAR independent driver and successful Houston, Texas businessman H.B. Bailey.    We then dig into the June 11, 1987 issue of Grand National Scene.   Davey Allison’s stunning first half of his rookie season is featured on the cover and we’ve got some audio to go along with the story.   Writer Saroyan Humphrey columnizes about H.B. Bailey. Alex Beam is a NASCAR collector extraordinaire … and we’ve got audio on that one, too. Ernie Elliott burns his toe on a hickory nut … and, no … we DON’T have audio for that.   And fans have their say on Dale Earnhardt and Bill Elliott’s scrape during the 1987 edition of The Winston all-star race in the letters to the editor section.   NOTE: This show is not associated in any way with American City Business Journals, owner of the Scene brand.   Be sure to check out the latest and greatest stories from the world of NASCAR at dailydownforce.com! Interested in The Scene Vault Podcast T-shirts? Check out thescenevault.com and click on SHOP to see what we have available! Please consider supporting this show via: patreon.com/thescenevaultpodcast paypal.me/thescenevaultpodcast venmo.com/thescenevaultpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ricky Rudd doesn’t talk about an infamous run-in with Jeff Gordon at Charlotte in this week’s installment of our interview, but WE do. Ricky wins the Brickyard 400, which brings up host Rick Houston's favorite story about him.   Ricky also puts on one of the most memorable exhibitions of bravery … if not outright stubbornness … in winning at Martinsville. We conclude by talking about the difficult decision to shut down the team he and wife Linda built from the ground up … and the avenues he took in continuing to feed his competitive drive.   We then dig into the October 1, 1998 issue of Winston Cup Scene.   Ricky Rudd SURVIVES to win on a brutally hot day in Martinsville. Several other competitors were impacted by the heat, so just imagine how THEY felt after the race. Despite the miserable conditions, Rich Bickle has a career day at the Winston Cup level.   Tom Higgins writes about Dale Sr catching Dale Jr smoking … although Dale Jr himself doesn’t exactly remember the incident. We have stories on Jim Mattei … and clips … from Ryan Pemberton, Matt Kenseth and Danny Culler.   Then … it’s on to the disappearance of Scooby-Doo from the Melling Racing transporter … a case that has not been solved to this day.   NOTE: This show is not associated in any way with American City Business Journals, owner of the Scene brand.   Be sure to check out the latest and greatest stories from the world of NASCAR at dailydownforce.com. Interested in The Scene Vault Podcast T-shirts? Check out thescenevault.com and click on SHOP to see what we have available! Please consider supporting this show via: patreon.com/thescenevaultpodcast paypal.me/thescenevaultpodcast venmo.com/thescenevaultpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the second installment of our interview with Larry Pollard, he talks about the pushback he received from some of his Petty Enterprises teammates after being named co-crew chief, the trick gas can used to win at Talladega and the part he played in Richard Petty’s infamous win at Charlotte in the fall of 1983.Larry, a veteran driver back home in Canada, then makes a deal to go from turning wrenches to turning wheels in the Busch Series.Hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid then study the June 2, 1983 issue of Grand National Scene. Bobby Allison and Bill Elliott are battling it out for the lead late in the World 600 when they get caught up in somebody else’s mess and crash. That turns the lead up to Richard Petty, who then gets passed just after the restart by Neil Bonnett. The Allison-Elliott crash is Neil’s SECOND stroke of good fortune on his way to victory lane that day.Bosco Lowe isn’t happy with Winston Cup drivers in the Saturday event, and there’s a feature on LONG-time NASCAR official Ernie Moore.Finally ... Rick and Steve give their take on Ross Chastain's miraculous Haul on the Wall move at Martinsville, and what it might mean to NASCAR history if, in fact, the driver goes on to capture this year's championship.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!Please consider supporting this show via:patreon.com/thescenevaultpodcastpaypal.me/thescenevaultpodcastvenmo.com/thescenevaultpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Larry Pollard might not have the most recognizable name we’ve ever had on the show, but he is a master storyteller after nearly forty years in the NASCAR trenches.Larry moved from his home in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada to go to work for Richard Childress Racing in its first year with halfway decent sponsorship from Piedmont Airlines and with driver Ricky Rudd behind the wheel.After just a year or so at RCR, Larry went to work at Petty Enterprises in 1983 … and before the season even started, was named co-crew chief of the legendary operation.Richard then proceeds to break a nearly two-year winless streak in just the third race with Larry in that role. But if Larry expected to just coast into work at Level Cross the next morning, he had another thing coming!In our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid take a peek at the March 17, 1983 issue of Grand National Scene.Richard Petty holds off a hard-charging … but clean … effort by young Bill Elliott to win a rain-split race at Rockingham. Richard and Cale Yarborough … among others … call for races at Rockingham to be shortened from 500 miles to 500 KILOMETERS.Elmo Langley finds himself unloading his hauler after it catches fire on the way home from The Rock, and while Dale Earnhardt wins the Saturday Budweiser Late Model Sportsman event, both Morgan Shepherd AND Bubba Nissen find HUGE trouble in the race.There are rumors that Darrell Waltrip and Junior Johnson are fussing and feuding, and that DW might even be leaving his championship-winning team to form his own Winston Cup operation. Plus … eighteen-year-old Bobby Labonte is featured.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!Please consider supporting this show via: www.patreon.com/thescenevaultpodcastwww.paypal.me/thescenevaultpodcastwww.venmo.com/thescenevaultpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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.Interested in The Scene Vault Podcast T-shirts? Check out thescenevault.com and click on SHOP to see what we have available!Please consider supporting this show via: www.patreon.com/thescenevaultpodcastwww.paypal.me/thescenevaultpodcastwww.venmo.com/thescenevaultpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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!Please consider supporting this show via: www.patreon.com/thescenevaultpodcastwww.paypal.me/thescenevaultpodcastwww.venmo.com/thescenevaultpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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:www.patreon.com/thescenevaultpodcastwww.paypal.me/thescenevaultpodcastwww.venmo.com/thescenevaultpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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: www.patreon.com/thescenevaultpodcastwww.paypal.me/thescenevaultpodcastwww.venmo.com/thescenevaultpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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.Please consider supporting this show via: www.patreon.com/thescenevaultpodcastwww.paypal.me/thescenevaultpodcastwww.venmo.com/thescenevaultpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices