[ Post a Response | Bobby's Garage ]
Posted by 14Falcons on 1/13/2007, 5:08 pm by: 14Falcons Jan 13, 2007 | 1:17PM | I moved to Wichita, Kansas and Sterling Marlin moved to Sabco. Bobby Hamilton thought he was moving on up taking Sterling's old ride. Sterling got his first six wins driving the No. 4 Kodak ride for Morgan McClure from 1994 through 1996. Bobby had gotten his first two at Petty Enterprises. But Morgan McClure hadn't won in 1997. And as it turned out, it wasn't Sterling's fault. Bobby wouldn't be able to right the MMM ship either. And eventually things got so bad at MMM that Bobby Jr. was wise to turn down the ride when it was later offered to him. But for one brief shining moment it all came together for Bobby and MMM one afternoon in Martinsville etching a memory of a lifetime on my brain. My three year old daughter came into the basement where I was watching the race. "Go Bobby!" I cheered as he came closer and closer to winning near the end of the race. Sterling Marlin was struggling really bad at Sabco and wasn't in contention. For me, this race became all about Bobby. My daughter asked, "Who's Bobby?" Damn, I am crying again. This is the first sports hero I have lost. I have lost a brother who died tragically at age 17 in a car accident when I was only 18. We were like twins. People couldn't tell us apart. I lost my dad a few years ago. He's the man who taught me how to golf, fish and to watch out if I decided to pull it out of my pants. He knew too. I'm here aren't I? I lost my grandad several years back. He taught me how to be tough, how to work and left me a farm to retire to if I need it one day, and I might. I loved Queen. And I miss Freddie Mercury. They are The Champions. But this is the first sports hero I have lost. And sports have always been number one with me, so forgive my blubbering. "Who's Bobby Daddy?" Damn I can't hold them back. I have to get those depression pills in here quick to stop this. "Who's Bobby Daddy?" "Bobby is Bobby Hamilton sweetie. He's driving that yellow car right there. He's from Tennessee like I am and he is one of my favorite race car drivers. "O.K. Daddy. Go Bobby." she said, and crawled up into my lap on the sofa. Two Bobby Hamilton fans, one a brand new one, sat in a basement in Wichita Kansas glued to the TV screen cheering him on in Martinsville. Bobby Hamilton brought something with him to Morgan McLure racing at the beginning of the 1998 NASCAR season. He brought something that can't be bought with big sponsor funding. He brought to the team his short track talent, plain and simple. Hamilton's talent was proven as he dominated the Goody's Headache Powders 500 at the Martinsville Speedway. He drove smart . . . saved his precious brakes . . . and avoided the many incidents on the .526 mile oval . Hamilton's talent was obvious when the final statistics were posted. He led a total of 378 of the 500 laps. His talent earned him his third Winston Cup victory in 208 career starts. It was the first victory for his Morgan McLure racing team on a track less than a mile in length. The caution filled race resulted in 14 yellow flags totaling 96 laps. If it weren't for the large amount of yellow flags, Hamilton quite possibly could have lapped the entire field. Only the top six cars finished on the lead lap. Hamilton earned $227,025 for his winning drive. This amount included the 76 Racing Challenge money for drivers who win from the pole position. He covered the distance with an average speed of 70.709 mph. "I knew I'd learned how to get around here pretty good,'' Hamilton said. "The main thing was saving the brakes, and when the car corners that good and the motor's running that good, you can really take some time. "Sometimes you just have them days when you know the thing is going to be good and you don't have to worry about it." Ted Musgrave, part of the Jack Roush Racing "superteam" finished second that afternoon with the same patience and talent exhibited by Hamilton. Musgrave was quick, but was no challenge for Hamilton. He finished more that six seconds behind the leader. Dale Jarrett finished third that day. Dale Earnhardt had mastered Martinsville on several occasions. He finished in fourth place and was serious contender for the championship. Earnhardt was shooting for his eighth Winston Cup title. Results with finishing position, (starting position), driver, hometown, car model, laps completed, and money won follow: 1. (1) Bobby Hamilton, Nashville, Tenn., Chevrolet, 500, $227,025 http://www.theautochannel.com/news/date/199807
14Falcons Features
2. (12) Ted Musgrave, Franklin, Wis., Ford, 500, $65,675.
3. (23) Dale Jarrett, Hickory, N.C., Ford, 500, $58,525.
4. (31) Dale Earnhardt, Kannapolis, N.C., Chevrolet, 500, $49,475.
5. (36) Randy LaJoie, South Norwalk, Conn., Chevrolet, 500, $44,325.
6. (2) Rusty Wallace, St. Louis, Ford, 500, $41,525.
7. (13) Jeremy Mayfield, Owensboro, Ky., Ford, 499, $35,425.
8. (3) Jeff Gordon, Pittsboro, Ind., Chevrolet, 499, $47,000.
9. (22) Ernie Irvan, Salinas, Calif., Pontiac 499, $34,600.
10. (6) Ken Schrader, Fenton, Mo., Chevrolet, 499, $41,700.
http://www.theautochannel.com/news/date/19980420/
news011560.html
08/news014315.html
Responses: