The Scene Vault Podcast

This week in the first of what will be three segments, Ben Leslie follows his older brother Tracy up the racing ladder, a path that led them from Michigan to the Busch Series.

Ben ends up begging Roush Racing’s Steve Hmiel and Robin Pemberton for a job and eventually lands a gig with the team in September 1994. Once there, he works with Roush drivers Ted Musgrave, Mark Martin and Johnny Benson.

We then dig into the September 29, 1994 issue of Winston Cup Scene.

Rusty Wallace dominates at Martinsville less than two weeks after one of the most important dates in the history of Winston Cup Scene.

Dale Earnhardt comes back from a couple of early-race spins to finish second, while Kenny Wallace captures the best showing of his Winston Cup career to that point.

Ernie Irvan surprises EVERYBODY by calling in to a legendary Charlotte radio show after surviving a near-fatal crash at Michigan the month before. There are feature stories on NASCAR memorabilia collector Wayne Keith … a news story about Travis Carter, Hut Stricklin and crew chief Pete Wright going their separate ways ... and early nominations for spots on the coveted Copenhagen/Skoal All Pro team.
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We’ve got fresh meat sitting in with us today … Penske Racing's own Jeffrey Baker. I sat down a while back with Jeffrey for the podcast … we haven’t run that interview yet … BUT … when we started talking about the third co-host, asking Jeffrey to be a part of all this was a no brainer.

This week in the second and final installment of our interview, Bobby Hutchens remembers the Dale Earnhardt he knew and Kevin Harvick’s emotional 2001 victory at Atlanta. He talks about leaving Richard Childress Racing, the loss of his wife to breast cancer and his son taking the family racing legacy … literally … around the world.

We then dig into the July 3, 1997 issue of Winston Cup Scene.

This issue includes a Photo Bio on the one and only Jeffrey Baker …

The greatest public-relations jingle in NASCAR history …

A treasure hunt at the shop that once housed Junior Johnson & Associates …

Jimmy Spencer … master Monopoly player …

And the greatest column in the history of motorsports journalism.

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In the first installment of what will be a two-part interview, Bobby Hutchens goes from Bowman Gray Stadium to North Carolina State University and then to Richard Childress Racing, where he helps change the culture on one of the sport’s most successful teams as a mechanical engineer.

Along with guest co-host Tony Liberati, we then dig into the April 22, 1993 issue of Winston Cup Scene.

Rusty Wallace wins at North Wilkesboro after which he does the Polish victory lap for the second race in a row, in memory of Alan Kulwicki.

Sterling Marlin dominates the first half of the event, while Jim Roper pays a visit to the track that weekend. There’s fallout about the announcement that Hooters would be ending its sponsorship of Alan Kulwicki Racing … and hope for the future after it’s announced that NASCAR would be racing at Indy for the first time the following year.

Finally … Ricky Rudd wants a word … or a pound of flesh … from Brett Bodine in the North Wilkesboro garage.

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

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This week in the second and final installment of our interview, Darrell Bryant wins at Darlington, this time with Lake Speed. He gets hung with the nickname the Professor after working with drivers early in their career and he joins the ranks of those who’ve had to personally buy tires because their teams are struggling financially. However, that particular team owner once wrote in his autobiography that he would’ve wanted Darrell Bryant right there next to him in a foxhole.

We then dig into the April 21, 1988 issue of Grand National Scene.

Dale Earnhardt gets black flagged as soon as that year’s spring North Wilkesboro race gets underway, but battles back to lead the most laps before seeing the victory slip away due to a leaky tire.

The win goes to Terry Labonte and hometown hero Junior Johnson, whose then-wife Flossie is featured in this issue. Rusty Wallace salvages a fourth-place finish despite getting banged up during a test, his CAR getting banged up during practice after his car's hood pins are left unfastened and getting a hot foot during the race itself.

Steve Waid’s commentary focuses on a recent incident between Harry Gant and Dave Marcis. Gary McCreadie has a column on team press kits … did we need ‘em or didn’t we? Finally, Dale Earnhardt discusses his feelings for driving on the highway versus the race track and his daughter Kelley gets HER drivers license.
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We’re going to try something a little different to start off the new year. In addition to the greatness that our listeners have come to expect from Rick Houston and Steve Waid each week, we’re going to have a THIRD voice in the mix as a co-host.

And that third voice is going to be a rotation of Tony Liberati, John Dodson, Jeff Hammond and Chris Powell.

This week, former driver and longtime crew chief Darrell Bryant takes us from Bowman Gray Stadium in 1951 to working with Buck Baker, Donnie Allison, Jim Paschal. He was there the night BOBBY Allison won that controversial race at Bowman Gray … and yes … he’s always thought Bobby should’ve received credit for the victory.

Darrell also remembers calling Terry Labonte to the first Winston Cup victory of his career and a garage-area scuffle with Morgan Shepherd.

We then dig into the August 13, 1981 issue of Grand National Scene.

Morgan Shepherd gets the heave-ho from team owner Cliff Stewart after a Talladega scuffle with Darrell Bryant.

Dale Earnhardt joins Richard Childress Racing for a trial run. Purolator leaves the Wood Brothers. And finally, there’s talk of two of the most successful drivers in NASCAR history becoming teammates … for one race, at least.

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