[Pantera]

I think that we all have our hero's and to have talked to some of them would be so neat.

I have lived a hell of a life. I did have the pleasure to get to meet some of the great racers in my past and they are just like you and me. They put their hat on just like we would. The only difference is that they just happened to be in the right place at the right time.

I got to meet and chat with Bobby Unser at a race on the second floor of the old Dallas airport one Feb when I was there to enter a race. He was there to watch his nephew get some seat time in a Sports car before he started his professonal career. Mario was there also with His son.


I was at Alanta Runnoffs when I got to meet Jim Trueman the car owner of Bobby Rahal and the owner of Red Roof Inns. Neat guy and so frendly to everybody. Always laughing. It brought tears to my eyes when Bobby won Indy the day before Jim died of cancer. What a guy...! actually both of them. Really neat to be around.

I was at Alanta one other time when I got to meet Paul Newman and then later got to race with him and after the races drank a little beer with him. What a guy and so skinny it would suprise you. I bet you never knew that he can drive a street car backwards faster than most people can forwards. We were leaving the racetrack that evening and he passes us in our motorhome backwards in a white ford tempo rental car in the grass. he made it out the front gate passing dozens of other tow rigs and did a bootlegg turn on the main road and was off for the airport. I will never forget the crazy look in his eyes as he came by me on the grass. This guy is just like you see him in the movies. He doesn't act that is just natural for him. he has fun with eveything in his life.

I got to get drunk and party with Danny Sullivan (spun and still won Indy) here in Tulsa. Qualifing for the 1982 New years race into the new year was pulling your race suit and nomex off and then putting it on a very shapely blond in a bikini. It was held in a hotel as it was too cold to do it outside.

I have raced with a guy that owned one of the Grand Sport vettes (delmo Johnson's) at 16 and is still a good friend to this day.

I only wish I had took more pic of everything now. There were so many good times and great people to meet. I may not have got to meet Don but I did get to see him race. I do feel that they would be very happy about the way we all are so wrapped up with their cars now days.

Pantera