*Quick Summary: The author discusses his emotions surrounding the CARS Tour race in Hickory, NC as a guest of Mini Tyrrell and family.*
I wrote a post about Mini Tyrrell and his team at Timmy Tyrrell Racing doing a throwback tribute to Ricky Hendrick in July. Developing at the time of that writing was a reunion of Ricky’s 1998 Late Model team to go to Hickory and watch the CARS Tour Throwback 276 courtesy of the Tyrrells. What happened next was an all-time favorite moment of my life.
I rode with long-time friend and fellow team member Danny Pledger to Hickory. On the way, we caught up a bit as it had been a few weeks since we’d seen each other, but we found ourselves retelling old late model racing stories. By the time we got there, we were ready to make some new stories. We met several of our former team members at the credential sign-in, and walked in together as a group. Before we crossed the track, I took a moment to turn around and watch that special group of people in my life smiling, talking, and knowing we were on our way to the race track together again, over 20 years since the last time we’d done it. It started the emotional day on the right tone. As we began walking towards the Mini Tyrrell #7 Quaker State Chevrolet, just seeing those colors at a race track again gave me goosebumps. I pointed out the back end of the car to my fellow team members and I could already see some tears welling in their eyes. When we got to the car, the guys immediately started checking out the mechanical aspects of the Tyrrell’s car to see what had changed in the years since we’d worked on one of them. While our car was painted, and their car was wrapped with a decal, the exterior look was nearly identical to the car we campaigned, even with a different body style. It’s clear they had a very impressive eye for detail. We met the crew and the driver, and I began to feel at home at the track again.
We took a tour of the track, and met some old friends as well as some former rivals along the way. Then, we were directed back to the hospitality area they had set up for us. I cannot overstate how incredibly kind, thoughtful, and generous the Tyrrell family and team was to us. They had gift bags prepared for each of us, a large spread of food and drinks, and literally anything we needed. It was hot, so they made sure we had fans. Fans they might’ve even needed to cool themselves or the race car down were directed to us. It was all so comfortable and over-the-top from a hospitality standpoint. First class treatment all the way. It was clear they’d designed this weekend to be about us, which is incredible when you think what they had in front of them as far as the race and the CARS Tour Championship is concerned.
It came time to qualify, and we watched as the team pushed the car out to get in line. Then something odd happened; something that just doesn’t happen – The crew left the car. It was time to push the car ahead in line again, and almost none of Mini’s crew were there. So, having pushed a race car more miles than most people get to drive one, Ricky’s old crew pitched in and we started pushing. At some point in this, I looked at us, together again, pushing a car that looked identical to Ricky’s, and realized it was truly a special moment. I started looking around for Mini’s crew, and spotted a few of them seemingly hiding from us. It was as if they wanted us to push that car to build a connection with it, and it sure worked. They knew the nostalgic moment it would be for all of us, and they gave us that moment as a gift. Amazing! Mini qualified 4th with an incredible effort, and it seemed the day/night was going to be a good one.
After qualifying, the CARS Tour and the track held a Fan Fest. A great opportunity for fans young and old to come see and have their photos taken with the cars and drivers of the series prior to the race. Things like that were always a favorite of ours, and this was no exception. There were even a few fans who found out we were there, and began to ask for our signatures on some of the old Ricky Hendrick Quaker State Late Model hero cards I’d supplied to give away. In particular, Frank Edwards, Ricky’s former Crew Chief, was a bit of a crowd draw. Some of the fans recognized him, and the Tyrrells even gave him a chair to sit so he could talk with the fans and sign autographs. A really neat thing to see Frank treated like the racing rock star he is! It was truly touching to see the time Mini, his family, and his crew took with the fans. That’s what racing is all about! Good stuff!
My emotions built throughout the day to the point I was mentally exhausted by around this time. This experience brought up all 24 years of my shared experiences with Ricky – our childhood, the years at the race track with him, the plane crash, everything. I escaped a bit to be by myself, as I did several times through the day. Sometimes healing is hard, and the loss of Ricky in 2004 really has been a lasting thing in my life. Being a part of this throwback helped me to heal a bit, but with that healing came some really raw emotions. I apologized at times to Mini’s family and crew for being a bit off during the day, and even crying at some points. They understood though, and were wonderful through everything.
Next up was the race. I wandered down to where the car was staged prior to the race, and quietly went over to do a ritual I always did with Ricky’s car – touching the car above the right headlight in the shape of a small cross. Up to down, left to right. I’m not much for symbolism or superstition, but it was always a silent prayer gesture I made for Ricky’s safety. I wanted to extend that to Mini as well. Having done it, I cried a bit. It was emotional to give that gift I’d reserved for Ricky to another driver after all these years. That was my thing with him, now extended to someone else, but I felt it was the right time. I had to walk away and be alone again.
To start the race, I went to turn 3, at an area I felt would be neat to watch the race, and also where I could be alone for a few laps. It wasn’t far from where I’d just been with the car, so it made sense to head that way when I needed to be by myself. As I took some video and photos from there, I saw when Mini came around, he’d moved up a spot. I thought that was my cue to go hang out between turns 1 and 2, where I’d been for qualifying earlier in the day. I knew I could get photos/videos of the cars driving under the scoreboard from there. As I was walking to my new spot, I’d look up to see where Mini was, and saw him doing very well. I picked up my pace a bit, realizing I might get there to record his number moving into the #1 spot on the scoreboard. Not really expecting it, as that would be too much to ask, but, I got there in time to see him come around as the leader, and then it was time to be alone again. Yeah, it was hard, but really good to see those colors leading a race 23 years after we did it. Just incredible! I walked towards the front stretch to settle in for the remainder of the race as I wiped away the happy tears.
We were invited to watch the race from the top of one of the haulers, and as cool as that would’ve been, my desire was to stay on the ground, mobile, and feel a bit of what it felt like to be in the action years ago. For that reason, I mostly hung around their toolbox and of course, my buddy Frank Edwards, who despite his age, did quite well holding up to the heat of the day. He was seated in a chair the Tyrrells placed for him in front of the toolbox. A place of honor. Danny was close by as well, and I just felt like that was where I needed to be. I wanted to soak in this moment. I didn’t know if I’d ever be in a position to be at the race track with this group of people ever again, and it made me so thankful for all those times I got to do it in the past. Times I shamefully took for granted. I was not about to make the same mistake this night. I wanted to feel everything there was to feel.
As I arrived back just after Mini took the lead, I was told these were the first laps he’d ever led in the series. Dang – Time to go be alone again. To think he was doing so well on this night with this particular paint scheme, and doing things for the first time was a bit overwhelming for me. And then it clicked. I don’t know what happened, but a change in mindset hit me and I was ready for him to win this race! It wasn’t about the raw emotions anymore. Yes, those were good, and I needed to feel them, but now there was a job to be done for the Timmy Tyrrell Racing crew, and I wanted to see them do it. The very real possibility of being in Victory Lane again hit me in the best way possible, and overcame any tears from there on. It was go time! Knowing a win was a bit too much to ask for our trip down memory lane, as a tire started going down and Mini faded back through the leaders a bit, it really didn’t change my feeling. We came to see the car, meet the people, and watch the race. Our day was made a hundred times before the green flag dropped to start the race. It was already a success. They finished 4th, but it felt like a win to me. An incredibly emotional, but supremely wonderful day. Mini Tyrrell earned some new fans that day, but more importantly, we all earned some new family. A day 23 years in the making. I am, and will remain forever thankful.
Some articles:
A race recap from Mini (with a quote from me): https://minityrrell.com/homecoming/
From Short Track Scene: https://www.shorttrackscene.com/late-model-stock-cars/mini-tyrrell-brings-home-strong-fourth-place-finish-in-throwback-276/?fbclid=IwAR3DjDB7qFNp-1FM_cGTH9LWpQYbhqXuJHVK6V2H-KHHIwxScuYCdL8P4zU
From Speed Sport: https://www.speedsport.com/stock-cars/touring-late-models/hickory-notes-another-successful-throwback/
I have collected over 300 photos and videos from this event, but I thought I’d just share a few pictures here:
