The Scene Vault Podcast

In this week’s installment of the roundtable discussion with Phil Thomas, Donnie Wingo and Harold Stott from Bud Moore Engineering, we talk about everything from Dale Earnhardt’s tenure with Bud Moore to Geoff Bodine’s consecutive wins for the team at Martinsville and North Wilkesboro in the fall of 1992 ... and then Phil, Donnie and Harold tell a story or two on each other. Hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid then pick through the October 24, 1991 issue of Winston Cup Scene, which featured coverage of Davey Allison’s win at Rockingham, Kyle Petty's run at ANOTHER win from the pole at that track, Bud Moore Engineering’s triumph in that weekend’s pit-crew race and an old timer's event attended by several past legends of the sport.

We sat down with former Bud Moore Engineering crew members Phil Thomas, Donnie Wingo and Harold Stott for an inside look at what it was like to work for one of NASCAR's most legendary operations. This week, they talk about how they wound up working for Bud and how they STAYED with the team through the years. For these three, at least, it seemed to be more than just a business arrangement. They were family. Also, the April 23, 1981 issue of Grand National Scene was Steve Waid's first as executive editor. Featured inside are a package of stories on Bud Moore’s crew and a photo spread on a charity basketball game involving several people in the racing community. Dale Earnhardt is shown wearing a pair of "jorts," while Steve is pictured in a nearly indescribable outfit.

Robert Callicutt was living the dream as a race fan. He was working for Richard Petty and travelling to all the races, but in early 1989 at Atlanta, he experienced the nightmare of being engulfed in flames while gassing Richard’s car. Robert was severely injured and spent the next 33 days in the Humana Burn Center in Augusta, Georgia. This is his incredible story. Hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid also remember legendary independent driver Dick May, and also dig into the March 23, 1989 issue of Grand National Scene, which featured coverage of the Atlanta event in which Robert Callicutt was injured. The race was won by Darrell Waltrip, after he beat Dale Earnhardt off pit road during a late-race pit stop. Or DID Darrell reach the stripe before Dale? And Dick Trickle finished THIRD!

This week in the second and final installment of our interview with Bill “The Hat Man” Brodrick, he takes a little trip down memory lane about NASCAR's first trip to Australia for the first NASCAR exhibition race. He also talks about the legendary Unocal 76 Racestoppers program and his unceremonious release after nearly 29 years with the company. In our second segment, we leaf through the October 6, 1983 issue of Grand National Scene, which featured coverage of that fall’s North Wilkesboro event won by Darrell Waltrip with the help of new-fangled ... and not much liked ... power steering. There were also some hot rumors about Junior Johnson … Budweiser … Darrell Waltrip … Coor’s … Richard Childress … Piedmont Airlines … Terry Labonte … Billy Hagan … Dale Earnhardt … Rick Hendrick(s?!?) … Wrangler ... and Petty Enterprises.

Bill “The Hat Man” Brodrick is one of the most recognizable figures in the history of NASCAR from his years of overseeing victory lane celebrations. As a result, he’s also been one of our most requested guests here on the podcast … and after a little bit of back and forth on getting him up to speed on Zoom … we GOT him! In this segment of our interview, Bill talks about how he first got involved in racing, how he came to be in charge of victory lane and some of his more memorable victory lane celebrations. The October 13, 1977 issue of Grand National Scene featured coverage of that fall's Charlotte and North Wilkesboro events … AND Bill Brodrick on the outside cover!

NOTE: Language in the interview portion of this episode is NSFW.

This week, we finish out the EPIC interview with Jimmy Spencer … and right off the bat, we dive into the rounds that he had with Kurt Busch. He then goes BACK in time to a run-in that he had with Hickory hometown heroes Dale Jarrett, DJ’s daddy Ned AND NASCAR. We conclude the interview talking about his sister Chrissy, and the impact her passing had on his life. Hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid then tackle the March 28, 2002 issue of Winston Cup Scene, which featured coverage of a tumultuous weekend at Bristol. There was Jimmy Spencer and Kurt Busch … Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Robby Gordon … and then in the Busch Series race the day before … Jimmy Spencer and Jack Sprague … Kevin Harvick and Greg Biffle … Ken Alexander and basically everybody else in the field.

NOTE: Language in the interview portion of this episode is NSFW.

We talk about a little bit of everything in the second installment of our interview with Jimmy Spencer, from what winning at Myrtle Beach meant to Dick Moroso, to getting back up to speed at the Cup level with Travis Carter, Bobby Allison and Junior Johnson. Jimmy won his first couple of Cup races with Junior, but not without a little bit of controversy. Jimmy also talks about Hut Stricklin, not-so-great runs with Travis Carter (again) and Chip Ganassi and the verbal barrages he unleashed at both Dale Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 2001. In our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid dig through the July 7, 1994 issue of Winston Cup Scene, which featured coverage of Jimmy’s first career Winston Cup victory at Daytona, and that GREAT late-race battle with Ernie Irvan. After the race, Ernie sounded like he was maybe, sorta, kinda wondering what was going on with Jimmy’s car. There’s also a feature story on some of the strange things that can sometimes happen during cautions.

NOTE: Language in the interview portion of this episode is NSFW.

You've asked for Jimmy Spencer, and now you've got him ... raw and unfiltered.

In our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid leaf through the June 29, 1989 issue of Winston Cup Scene. The issue features coverage of Bill Elliott's slump-busting win at Michigan, as well as a highly volatile night of Busch Series racing at Louisville Motor Speedway in Kentucky.

Be sure and visit www.lvms.com for all your Las Vegas Motor Speedway ticketing needs!

NOTE: This episode contains vivid descriptions of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City. It may be too intense for some listeners.

Once upon a time, Scottie Maxwell served as a weekend warrior for Hendrick Motorsports driver Ken Schrader. It was a far cry from his career as a New York City fireman. In the most emotionally charged interview we've ever done, Scottie remembers in vivid detail the events of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Also, Las Vegas Motor Speedway President and General Manager Chris Powell joins hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid to discuss their new partnership. Visit www.lvms.com for all your ticketing needs!

Kevin Lepage is remembered for having sponsorship from the Vermont Teddy Bear Company ... and also an incident that took place during a 2008 Nationwide Series event at Talladega. This week, Kevin gives his side of the story in what was … by far … the most controversial moment of his career. Nearly everyone blamed the mishap on Kevin, while he has always claimed innocence. Hear what Kevin has to say … and then decide for yourself what to think. In our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid dig into the May 1, 2008 issue of NASCAR Scene. Kyle Busch and Tony Stewart win at Talladega, and Kevin Lepage is in the hot seat after that crazy mishap. There were also rumors going around that Tony was looking to go into team ownership, and that Danica Patrick might be considering a move to NASCAR. Finally … there’s a story on A.J. Allmendinger struggling to get up to speed in NASCAR.