Shriners Expo & North Carolina Drag Racing Hall of Fame Kicks Our Season Off

David Campbell and the Thunderwolf was in attendance at this year's Shriners Expo.

My favorite time of year?

No, not tax day.

No, not my Birthday...

Yes it has to be the annual Shriners Drag Racing Expo at Greensboro, NC

First it kicks off the new DRAG RACING season. Love IT!

Second.. We all come together at our annual convention of Drag Racing.

I saw more people today than the pope at Christmas mass.

Got to sale plenty of MJ Printed shirts and make this week’s house mortgage payment. Thanks to all that purchased the goods. Thanks to good friend Mickey Walters for being top salesman of the weekend. 5 big ones. I bet that’s more Bob Harris sold himself….lol Roundtree is a different story. He probably sold a bunch. Also, gave away a few shirts to Big John at the Rock. Steve Earwood don’t know it I got a new ROCK Battery in return….YEAH Right.  Found Chrome Bumpers Don Nelson a XXXXL , said Tommy Paschal needed to paint the bumpers on his Hot Rod Falcon Silver…yeah ok.. Gave plenty of  kid’s shirts away, because they are our future. EJ Womack and his buddy was our top sale of the day. Shout out to Raven Rock Racing for winning the 2010 Outlaw Door Car Champion at Piedmont Dragway. Thanks to Jim’s great staff that he brings. Got greeted by Bubba T. on Friday ( and I wasn’t late) see Jay’s lovely wife Dorothy and was helped to the North Carolina Drag Racing Hall of Fame Shirts and Posters in, so Grandma Turner and the helpers could get they folded and ready for the great folks that turned out this weekend. Seen Mike Boyles “Good All Charlie Brown” ‘ 57 Chevy Wagon went I came in the upper hall. Glad to see the 2010 VOTED by the Fans Most Favorite and Popular Driver and Car at last year’s Stick Shift Championships at Mooresville Dragway. He and Larry Leazer the 2010 Champion will share the 2011 event shirt for the May 28^th Opening Quick 8 Mad Dawg event.

 Thanks to Sandy Collins of Farmington Dragway and Tony Brown of Mooresville Dragway and PTRA for helping out. They were great to work with and good neighbors too. Got a free dinner and Lone Star Friday night as me, Mickey, Tony and his four wheeling friend was entertained by Darrin” Big MoDee” McClaughtery. They had forgotten to turn our order in and we got a free one on the house. Thanks to Lone Star on

High Point Rd.

Greensboro, NC

you get the one littlehand up and you have good entertainment too…ask Big Mo....lol. Also, I had the pleasure to attend Tony’s PTRA Banquet and had a great time at that event.

Tony is also the new general manager at Mooresville Dragway and I think he’ll do a super job there. Remember he was at the new Union County Dragway in South Carolina and was offer the managing job at Mooresville by the Leazer Family. Former Roxboro track manager Allen Carpenter of Crossnore, NC has taking the general mangers job at the Union track. Look for good things there also.

 Thanks to Lynn Sparks, Jim’s sister for the hook up. Gerald “to the Gas pumps” Ayers needed a pass in to help Sandy at the Farmington booth. Gerald was filling in for Don Plemmons, who hasn’t’ felt good since Christmas. We wish him well. Don was also awarded a 2010 NC Hall of Fame award for OutStanding Service to the sport of Drag racing in North Carolina. Don currently owns Farmington Dragway, but was along time drag racer.  The other event I love is my new passion “preserving North Carolina Drag Racing History”. The North Carolina Drag Racing Hall of Fame was started some five years ago by Jim and his late wife Dora Turner. Thank You! Jim doesn’t like credit…but I inducted him into the Jerry Joyce and Norman Drouillard, Sr Farmington Dragway Wall of Fame this pass year. So I presented him his award today, as he joined Arvil Thomas, Jack McClamrock, James Renegar and Tommy Plott as 2010 Inductees. The Hall of Fame presentation was started out by Rockingham Dragway’s Steve Earwood with our year in review and a good one on the “Hillbilly” Roy Hill, a 2008 NCDRHOF member. Bob Harris then introduced 2010 NCDRHOF inductee Gene Fulton. Bob told of his dealings with the premier engine builder and person Gene Fulton. That was a good story Big Daddy…he should have listen to Roundtree and it would have cost him $400.00….lol. He then turned the mike over to the former IHRA Modified World Championship Drag Racer Fulton for a few word. Gene is a 2010 inductee into the North Carolina Drag racing Hall of Fame, but couldn’t make last year due to the weather.

O yeah Danny Dunn of WRP will have to sing the national anthem at the Rock this year, as he violated  Jim’s cell phone rule.

Yours truly got to introduce my favorite ’55 driver Charles Carpenter. Telling about the first time I got to see him run at of the Farm’s old Pro Drag Series races. Carpenter started back in the days running ET racing then of course help form what is today’s modern day Pro Modified.  “Mr. Shoebox” Charles Carpenter stepped to the mike next and gave a heart felt speech telling about the loss of his wife and mother. The whole drag racing community felt that as he bravely told us. This goes back to Gene Fulton talking about the group of friends he wanted to be around, and the drag racing group is the BEST.

 It was announced that Ronnie Hood would be inducted into the North Carolina Drag Racing Hall of Fame next year due a funeral he had to attend. Jim Turner the founder of the North Carolina Drag Racing Hall of Fame introduced popular Southern Style Pro Stock and North Carolina drag racer Sam Carroll of Durham, NC. Like Jim said, Sam was best known for winning one of the biggest bracket races of it’s time at Darlington, SC $10k back in the late ‘70’s.

Steve Earwood then introduced Brenda Taylor to the hundred plus on hand for the annual presentation. Brenda speaking for her late husband the “Professor” Steve Taylor of Raleigh, NC, who passed away back in 2007. Steve in his thirty plus years won over 1000 drag races and drove everything from a Volkswagen to a Ford Mustang, but was mostly remembered racing a Chevrolet Cavalier. The out spoken Taylor even won twice and runner-up at the Rock’s Super Chevy back several years ago.

 A special photography was presented in memory of Jeff Byrd by Greg Burrows to his son Christian Byrd. Byrd was one of the key players back in the day that help shape modern day drag racing. Without the support of the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company there wouldn’t have been what we have today. He’s leadership along with the rest of the Winston crew helped a struggling Farmington Dragway back in 1978 at our first Winston IHRA National Title Series Race. I could go on to talk about the media exposure that Jeff help get Norman and my dad get  to make that the biggest race for Winston NTS events that year.

 He was truly a great man and will be dearly missed to all.  To cap off the ceremonies was a special Drag Racing Appreciation award going to Don Plemmons, the long time drag racer that now owns Farmington Dragway. Also I, presented Jim Turner his plaque for being inducted into the Jerry & Norman LEGENDS Wall of Fame at Farmington Dragway. Jim is the one back in 1976 that contacted my dad about renting Farmington Dragway. I credit him with getting me into drag racing promoting. Thanks to everyone that could attend this year’s North Carolina Drag Racing Hall of Fame Ceremonies.

I could write for days about the Expo last week as it really does kick off the new racing season every year. See you at the races now!