10/27/2024
Postman 68
BLOG: Of George Kent, Jimmy Spencer, and My Dad
Each week I get an email from asphalt modified historian Phil Smith documenting the history of modified racing, looking back each week.
In his latest I read:
“Forty-five years ago in 1979, Shangri-La closed out their season with George Kent, driving the Cal Smalles No.41 taking the win. Richie Evans finished second and was followed by Jerry Cook and Doug Hewitt.”
That is quite a top four, I remember that day at Shangri-La for a couple of reasons.
The race was on November 3, 1979, at the half-mile oval in Owego, N.Y. Dale Campfield was the promoter of the track’ he was an old school promoter who dubbed it the “Final Race of the 1970s”.
I was 15 years old and going to races is what my dad and I did together, and we did it a lot. With our dirt track season ended who were we to miss the “final race of the 1970s”?
When you went to the races with my old man, there were two “givens” beyond just a general wonderful time at the track. First, you always chatted with and met new people. Second, you had to have a box of popcorn.
On that latter my dad had a unique gauge of financial health. He simply wanted enough money at the end of the week to go to the racetrack, and to be able to buy a box of popcorn when he got there.
To the former, my dad never met a stranger. And that is what I remember about the day 45 years ago. We sat in the stands and were gabbing with folks around us. I remember one couple who went racing everywhere and they had a bunch of stories to tell.
At that race we got to see for the first time a young racer from Berwick, Pa – kid’s name was Jimmy Spencer. He was fast; he was aggressive; and he was very entertaining.
We were sitting in the stands chatting with those around us when my dad made a proclamation that had us all laughing in the aisles.
He said, “if that Spencer kid ever settles down a bit, he could be in Winston Cup.”
Oh, we all get a good chuckle out of that. Spencer barely cracked the field in the consi, he was the original “hit everything but the pace car” guy, and my father said he was going to make it to NASCAR’s top tier.
We all figured the old man whiffed bad on that one.
Upon further review, Jimmy Spencer made 478 NASCAR Cup Series starts over 18 years. He won twice, had three pole positions, scored 28 top fives, and earned over $20 million.
Back to the Phil Smith piece, what I did not recall was the winner, George Kent. Kent was driving for Cal Smales, who was in the school bus business like my father. My dad and Smales “talked shop” many times over the years.
It is fun to have this little trip down memory lane; thinking about George Kent, about Jimmy Spencer and about my old man…the man who always had time to take me to the racetrack.
-Postman
Submitted By: Steve Post
