The Scene Vault Podcast

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EPISODE 185 -- JOHNNY BENSON PART 2 Mar 09, 2022

Show notes

Snow in Las Vegas? Carrot Top? Oh, yeah. We've got it all in this week's episode!
In the second installment of our interview with Johnny Benson, Johnny talks about his earliest days on the Winston Cup circuit with Bahari Racing, his rather difficult turn with Roush Racing, what might have been in the 2000 Daytona 500, his Mr. Nice Guy image, winning at Rockingham and parting ways with MB2 Motorsports.
In our second segment, Johnny Benson wins the first Winston Cup race of his career at Rockingham despite that Mr. Nice Guy tag, and Jamie McMurray inherits a second straight Busch Series victory.
NOTE: This podcast is not associated in any way with American City Business Journals, owners of the Scene brand.

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EPISODE 184 -- JOHNNY BENSON PART 1 Mar 02, 2022

Show notes

In the first of what will be three installments of our interview with Johnny Benson, he talks about the influence his father had on his life and career, rising up through the ranks despite the fact he was happy where he was at, his inauspicious Busch Series debut, beating Harry Gant for his first win in that division, his consistency winning out over Chad Little’s flashes of brilliance in the 1995 Busch Series title fight and agreeing to move to Winston Cup with Bahari Racing.
Hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid then pick through the September 22, 1994 issue of Winston Cup Scene. Rusty Wallace wins in a crazy Winston Cup finish at Dover, while Young Gun Johnny Benson holds off Grizzled Ol’ Veteran Harry Gant for the first victory of his Busch Series career.
The cover date on this issue came just two days after a VERY important date in NASCAR history.

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EPISODE 183 -- MIKE ALEXANDER Feb 23, 2022

Show notes

Middle Tennessee racing legend Mike Alexander takes us through the early years of his career, as well as a couple of attempts at establishing himself as a Winston Cup competitor. When those didn’t work out, Mike decided to take himself and his talents to the Busch Series, where he felt he had a better shot at running competitively with a team HE owned.
Mike ran well at the level, got himself a couple of wins … and very nearly another, until a protest by his buddy Larry Pearson took it away. Mike WAS noticed, and wound up replacing the injured Bobby Allison midway through the 1988 Winston Cup season. He did well in the car … his career was on the rise … but then saw his own career derailed by a head injury he sustained that offseason during the Snowball Derby.
Hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid then thumb through the December 1, 1988 issue of Grand National Scene. Rusty Wallace won that year’s season finale at Atlanta, but lost out on the Winston Cup championship to Bill Elliott. Both had their gameplans in place before the race … each one played out pretty much as they expected … and in the end, winning the race still wasn’t enough for Rusty.
Mike Alexander recorded the best finish of his Winston Cup career, and was looking forward to the following season. Two NASCAR Hall of Famers made the last starts of their Winston Cup careers in this event. There’s a feature on Mildred Elliott, the matriarch of that racing family, and the wives of Bill, Ernie and Dan. Finally … Richard Petty loses his 1967 championship ring … and it gets returned to him.

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EPISODE 182 -- JOHN DODSON PART 3 Feb 16, 2022

Show notes

NOTE: Some parts of this episode may be too intense for some listeners.
We’re sharing the third and final installment of our interview with John Dodson this week, and the conversation swings from hysterically funny to devastatingly emotional.
John talks about the brawl between Rusty Wallace’s Blue Max Racing team and Darrell Waltrip’s Hendrick Motorsports crew that followed the 1989 edition of The Winston all-star race and his work at the NASCAR Technical Institute in Mooresville.
But then … John discusses the 1990 pit-road accident that claimed the life of Mike Rich and the night his niece and nephew, Trey and Tia … Barry’s son and daughter … lost their lives. The impact that loss had on Barry was immeasurable.

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EPISODE 181 -- JOHN DODSON PART 2 Feb 09, 2022

Show notes

In the second installment of our interview with John Dodson, he remembers the controversy surrounding three key employees of Junior Johnson & Associates making the move to M.C. Anderson’s team. Once there, team members were reportedly subject to being followed by detectives, in order to keep them on the straight and narrow.
John also lets us in on another mass exodus, this time from Ranier to Blue Max Racing. Then, we have Tim Richmond stories and insider info on the trickery and financial smoke-and-mirror show Blue Max used win the 1989 Winston Cup championship.
Our second segment features a deep dive into the September 15, 1988 issue of Grand National Scene, which featured coverage of Davey Allison winning the first race on Richmond’s newly reconfigured racing surface. The Tire Wars between Goodyear and Hoosier were raging hot and heavy, which played into Davey’s favor and cost Rusty Wallace the 1988 Winston Cup championship.
There are features on Hoosier Tire’s Marge Merrill, the daughter of company founder Bob Newton, and Melling Racing tire specialist Mike Thomas. Finally, Dale Earnhardt shoots doves AND a photograph in this issue.

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EPISODE 180 -- JOHN DODSON PART 1 Feb 02, 2022

Show notes

You may know John Dodson as the younger brother of longtime NASCAR crew chief Barry Dodson, but he forged an incredible resume in the sport all his own. In the first of what will be three installments of an absolutely extraordinary conversation, John talks about growing up in a racing family with seven rambunctious siblings; breaking into NASCAR while still in high school; a wreck that left his hero Richard Petty battered and bruised; Maurice Petty; RCR BD (Richard Childress Racing Before Dale); flying with Cale Yarborough; and much, much more.
In our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid break down the July 7, 1977 issue of Grand National Scene, which featured coverage of Richard Petty's strong win at Daytona, the firing of Darel Dieringer by DiGard Racing and the sale of Nord Krauskopf's team to Jim Stacy.

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EPISODE 179 -- MARIO ANDRETTI Jan 26, 2022

Show notes

This week, we're honored to be joined by the one ... the only ... the iconic ... Mario Andretti to discuss his life and times in and around the world of NASCAR.

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EPISODE 178 -- KENNY WALLACE PART 3 Jan 19, 2022

Show notes

This week in the third and final installment of our interview, Kenny Wallace talks about the success of 1994, leaving Filmar to drive for Andy Petree, his second-place finish to Dale Earnhardt at Talladega in October 2000, driving for DEI a year later and finally, his dirt racing career.
Hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid then dig into the February 2, 1995 issue of Winston Cup Scene. The cover story on this preseason issue featured none other than Kenny Wallace … and I was faster than an Air Force pilot in a session of Andy Hillenburg’s Fast Track school at Atlanta.
As if to one-up his cake icing story from last week's episode, Rick also regales Steve with his memories of the 1985 Charlie Daniels Volunteer Jam in Nashville.

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EPISODE 177 -- KENNY WALLACE PART 2 Jan 12, 2022

Show notes

In the second installment of our interview with Kenny Wallace, he talks us through his breakthough – and heartbreaking – 1991 Busch Series season. After battling Bobby Labonte for the championship, Kenny endured a devastating crash at New Hampshire late in the season. Then, during the offseason, a deal to move to Winston Cup falls through at the very last second. He lands on his feet and eventually moves to Cup with team owner Felix Sabates, but his rookie season doesn’t exactly pan out as expected. He joins and then enjoys some of his greatest successes with Filmar Racing. Finally, Kenny discusses filling in for the injured Ernie Irvan with Robert Yates Racing.
Hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid then dig into the September 29, 1994 issue of Winston Cup Scene. Rusty Wallace wins after dominating at Martinsville, but doesn’t gain much ground on runnerup Dale Earnhardt in the Winston Cup point standings. Kenny Wallace finishes fourth while subbing for the injured Ernie Irvan, who shocked the world that week by calling into a radio show. There’s also a feature on memorabilia collector Wayne Keith and Hut Stricklin and Travis Carter going their separate ways at the end of the 1994 season.

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EPISODE 176 -- KENNY WALLACE PART 1 Jan 05, 2022

Show notes

In our first episode of 2022, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid discuss Rick's bout with boredom during his COVID quarantine and an incredible Christmas gift given to him by a listener.
Kenny Wallace is ... well ... Kenny Wallace. And that's basically all the summary anybody needs! In our second segment, Rick and Steve thumb through the May 3, 1990 episode of Winston Cup Scene, which featured coverage of Geoff Bodine’s win at Martinsville, his first for Junior Johnson.
The victory came just two days after a devastating loss for Junior and his then-wife, Flossie. Chuck Bown led all 200 laps at Lanier Raceway in Georgia, with our boy Kenny Wallace running a distant second.
There were also reports about boating mishaps that left Bill France Jr. with two broken ankles, and another that scared Michael Waltrip WAY more than his infamous Bristol Busch Series accident just a couple of weeks before.

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