Episode 289 -- The History and Sale of Bowman Gray Stadium with Gray Garrison

We don’t typically cover weekly short-track racing to any great extent … except when it comes to folks getting started out there. But with Gray Garrison’s LONG family history with Big Bill, Billy, Jim AND Annie France, it’s one of those interviews that we couldn’t NOT do, especially considering the recent announcement of NASCAR acquiring the racing lease at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. This WASN’T one of those business associations where NASCAR sanctioned races at Bowman Gray for a LONG time. The France family LIVED with Gray’s maternal grandparents, Alvin and Heloise Hawkins, and Alvin sat just one other person removed from Bill France Sr. in the famous NASCAR organizational meeting at the Streamline Hotel on December 14, 1947. Gray’s grandmother changed Jim France’s diapers, so, yes, last year was NASCAR 75 … and Gray’s family was there from the VERY beginning. We then tackle the August 6, 1987 edition of Grand National Scene. NASCAR puts a strict limit on testing during the offseason and competitors from one end of the garage to the other celebrate. There are features on caterer Jane Hogan; another on the reaction of Cale Yarborough Motorsports to the loss of one of their own; and the luck … or lack thereof … of Blue Max Racing and driver Rusty Wallace. We have a photo bio on some guy named Tony Liberati, a column by the ticked-off Joe Whitlock ... and … finally … a press release in which Tim Richmond talks about looking forward to the upcoming Southern 500. 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