The Scene Vault Podcast

We're back! In our first episode of the new year, Phil Parsons remembers the influence of his older brother Benny on his life and career, his earliest days in NASCAR's old Baby Grand division and meetings with Humpy Wheeler and Johnny Hayes that changed the course of his career. Finally, Phil discusses his vicious crash at Talladega, in just the second Winston Cup event of his career. In our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid thumb through the May 5, 1983 issue of Grand National Scene, which featured coverage of Richard Petty's 197th career win at Talladega, Benny Parsons' runnerup effort and his kid brother's infamous accident. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our final episode of the year features the best of the best of a year filled with incredible stories from NASCAR history, as selected by host Rick Houston. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this very busy holiday season, take a moment to relive The Scene Vault Podcast's greatest moments of 2020. From the silliest of stories like Kyle Petty's race pool to the seriousness of hitting rock bottom for Brett Bodine and Cliff Champion, we've made it our mission to bring you the very best NASCAR history content possible. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the second and final installment of our interview, Will Cronkrite discusses the night he and an eager young driver named Dale Earnhardt first worked together ... with a 3 1/2-year-old Dale Earnhardt Jr. watching nearby. Cronkrite also remembers his time with Mark Martin, a way-too-narrow car at Talladega and the tumultuous time he spent on the epic NASCAR film Stroker Ace. In our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid thumb through the June 1, 1978 issue of Grand National Scene, which featured coverage of Darrell Waltrip's thrilling win in the World 600 at Charlotte, a confrontation between Lennie Pond and Herb Nab and a feature story on Blackie Wangerin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Longtime NASCAR car owner, crew chief and car builder Will Cronkrite shares the story of a friendship forged by the shared experience of the most devastating circumstances imaginable. In our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid dig into the July 16, 1987 issue of Grand National Scene, which featured a midseason review, stories on Dick Hutcherson's passion for show horses, brothers Gary and Walter Smith and sports-car-driver-turned-NASCAR-racer Rick Knoop. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this very special episode, we sit down with NASCAR pioneer Paul Goldsmith for an inside look at his incredible career. Now 95 years young, Mr. Goldsmith had a diverse resume that saw him race everything from thoroughbred horses to motorcycles to stock cars and Indy cars. NASCAR historian Buz McKim joins hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid to break down Mr. Goldsmith's career and then dive into the May 8, 1980 issue of Grand National Scene, which featured a thrillingly close finish between Buddy Baker and Dale Earnhardt. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the second and final installment of our interview, Cliff Champion remembers his time with DiGard Racing, Alan Kulwicki, decisions he would've changed and a tragic accident involving his charter boat. In our second segment, we go back to the December 9, 1993 Winston Cup Scene, which featured coverage of the Winston Cup banquet celebrating Dale Earnhardt's sixth championship, the fabulous Flock family, teams helping each other out and Rusty Wallace's impromptu stint as an NYC cabbie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cliff Champion may not be a household name to many fans of the sport, but he's led an astounding life in the world of NASCAR. In the first of what will be a two-part interview with Cliff, he talks about getting into the sport with his cousin, Bill Champion, and struggling to gain a foothold in the sport with Ricky Rudd, James Hylton and Richard Childress before finally making it to victory lane with Buddy Baker in the 1980 Daytona 500. In our second segment, we go all the way back to the June 16, 1983 issue of Grand National Scene, which featured coverage of Bobby Allison's dominant win at Pocono, an incredible column by Steve Waid about Richard Childress' shenanigans and Ricky Rudd's youth and a feature on drivers Skip Manning, Sam Sommers and Bruce Hill. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the conclusion of our two-part conversation, Tommy Houston remembers everything from his heartbreaking loss in the 1989 Busch Series championship battle to his and his family's friendship with Rob Moroso and his own decision to retire from driving. Andy Houston, Tommy's youngest son, and longtime crew member Jamie Reynolds joins hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid for a trip down memory lane, winding throughout the latter stages of Tommy Houston's career. In our second segment, we take a long look at the April 23, 1992 issue of Winston Cup Scene, which featured coverage of the first test under the lights at Charlotte Motor Speedway and the emotional final win of Tommy Houston's iconic Busch Series career. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's wall-to-wall Houstons on The Scene Vault Podcast Presented by Q Ware this week. Tommy Houston sits down with host Rick Houston (no relation ... we think) to discuss the early years of his career in the Busch Series. Tommy remembers a legendary 1983 scrap at IRP with Tommy Ellis, his own limited attempts at the Winston Cup level and "innovations" designed to get around the rules. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this very special episode, longtime NASCAR crew chief and mechanic Cliff Champion tells his story of hitting rock bottom, attempting suicide not once, not twice, but three times before finding redemption. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the third and final installment of our interview, Paul Andrews remembers the transition from Alan Kulwicki to Geoff Bodine; working with Jeremy Mayfield and "teammate" Rusty Wallace; and a very bad week in which he was released from his job at Petty Enterprises and just days later suffering a fall that left him with multiple injuries. We then dig deep into the May 26, 1994 issue of Winston Cup Scene, which featured coverage of Bodine's win in The Winston Select all-star race; John Andretti's planned Indy 500-Coca-Cola 600 double; Jimmy Spencer's controversial driving style; competitors being charged to park in the infield at Charlotte; and a million-dollar challenge from Felix Sabates to Rusty Wallace. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this extraordinarily emotional episode, Paul Andrews remembers his incredible 1992 championship season with Alan Kulwicki ... and the loss of his driver, team owner and friend just a few months later. In our second segment, we do a deep dive into the November 26, 1992 issue of Winston Cup Scene, which featured coverage of the iconic 1992 Hooters 500. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the first of a three-part interview, veteran crew chief Paul Andrews takes listeners back to the very beginning of his racing career with Rusty Wallace. He recalls the time he got out of the sport to sell real estate, only to be drawn back in by a job offer from the one and only Alan Kulwicki. Together, Kulwicki and Andrews would experience the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. This week, Andrews remembers Kulwicki's first Winston Cup win at Phoenix and his decision to turn down a ride with team owner Junior Johnson. In our second segment, we turn to the November 10, 1988 issue of Grand National Scene, which features coverage of Kulwicki's Phoenix win, which came after engine woes doomed the efforts of the dominant Ricky Rudd. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this very powerful conclusion to our conversation, Brett Bodine remembers his brother Geoff's infamous crash in the inaugural truck race at Daytona; Dale Earnhardt's severe reaction to Brett's use of the HANS Device; a career-ending crash at Michigan; and ... rock bottom, the point at which Brett was all but homeless. Thankfully, that's not where Brett's story ends. In our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid go back in time to the September 25, 1997 issue of Winston Cup Scene, which features coverage of Mark Martin's fuel-mileage win at Dover, Dale Earnhardt's runnerup effort and dominant Kyle Petty falling short after having to make an extra stop for gas. Steve also tells his best Dick Thompson story and Rick recalls the time he and Brian Vickers had the bejeebers scared out of them at the Pentagon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Once and for all ... Brett Bodine DID win the 1990 spring race at North Wilkesboro, and in this installment of our interview, he lets you know about it in no uncertain terms. He also remembers his friendship with fellow competitor Davey Allison, his highly charged incident with brother Geoff in the inaugural Brickyard 400, his decision to buy out Junior Johnson and a devastating relationship with an all-talk sponsor. In our second segment, co-hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid dig into the November 23, 1995 issue of Winston Cup Scene, which featured coverage of the Junior Johnson-Brett Bodine team transaction, Rick's column on a championship party for Gary Wall, Jeff Gordon's scorer; and features by Rick on Darrell Waltrip, Wanda Lund Early and Doris Roberts; and the Fast Track pit-crew school. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the first of what will be a three-part interview, Brett Bodine discusses his phenomenal 1985 Busch Series rookie season, during which he won three races in just 13 starts. Then, in his first full-time campaign the following year, Bodine finished achingly close to the championship in one of the most bizarre seasons anyone could remember. After that, he moved to the Winston Cup circuit with veteran team owner Bud Moore. In our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid dig into the April 11, 1985 issue of Grand National Scene, which featured coverage of Dale Earnhardt's Bristol win, which came despite the fact he lost power steering just 100 laps into the event. That race also saw short-track carnage galore, while other notable stories concerned Bodine's inaugural Busch Series win at Martinsville, Petty Enterprises truck driver Horst Fisher, Dave Marcis' new shop and memories of Bill Elliott pushing his car across the finish line at Darlington to score a third-place finish. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the second and final installment of our interview, legendary NASCAR independent Jimmy Means remembers his one-race deal with Hendrick Motorsports, the wrecks that finally convinced him to quit driving, working as a crew chief for Bud Moore and finally making it to victory lane with Ed Berrier. In our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid dig into the October 15, 1987 issue of Grand National Scene. The paper featured coverage of Bill Elliott's fall Charlotte win and a rash of accidents, one of which took Means out of contention in the very early going. Ken Schrader discussed the chance meeting that led to his own Hendrick Motorsports ride in one feature story, while other news items outlined Neil Bonnett's job as a union pipe fitter and Junie Donlavey's loss of driver, crew chief and sponsor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the first of our two-part interview, Jimmy Means sits down with hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid to discuss his career as an independent driver and team owner. Before getting down to business, Rick discovers that Jimmy's mom worked at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, the same Army base on which he was born a LONG, LONG time ago. Jimmy then turns his attention to busting Steve's chops a little bit over a long-ago joke. In our second segment, Rick and Steve dig into the April 23, 1987 issue of Grand National Scene. The cover story featured Jimmy and fellow NASCAR independents J.D. McDuffie, James Hylton and Elmo Langley, with additional stories on engine builder Keith Dorton, Herb Nab and NASCAR participants going through media training. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the conclusion to our conversation, former Winston Cup team owner Larry McClure remembers an acrimonious split with Ernie Irvan, two Daytona 500 wins with Sterling Marlin, his team's departure from the sport and an incredibly trying time in his own life. Our Issue of the Week takes a deep look into the September 9, 1993 Winston Cup Scene, which featured coverage of Mark Martin's Southern 500 victory, his fourth win in a row. The issue also covered Irvan's overnight move from Morgan-McClure Motorsports to Robert Yates Racing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the second installment of our interview, former Winston Cup team owner Larry McClure describes his team's short-lived association with driver Phil Parsons, before turning to Ernie Irvan very early in the 1990 season. It was with Irvan that Morgan-McClure Motorsports got its first taste of true success on the race track ... and vice versa. Irvan won his and his team's first race at Bristol in the fall of that same season, and then the Daytona 500 just a few months later. With that competitiveness, however, came no small amount of controversy. After a number of on-track incidents, Irvan stood up at a Talladega drivers' meeting and apologized for his actions. In our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid rummage through the August 1, 1991 issue of Winston Cup Scene, which carried coverage of Dale Earnhardt's win at Talladega, intense disagreements within the Ford camp following the race, Rick Mast's flip and Irvan's apology. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Once upon a time, Morgan-McClure Motorsports was one of NASCAR's most prominent teams. This week, team owner Larry McClure recalls the team's rise from the most humble of beginnings in and around the Abingdon, Virginia area. Incredibly, current NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin was one of the team's very first drivers, with some wondering if he was tough enough to manhandle a full-sized NASCAR stock car. A subsequent driver pick came down to another future NASCAR Hall of Famer, Davey Allison, and Rick Wilson. It was only after Wilson and sponsor Kodak came on board that Morgan-McClure finally began its upward trajectory. In our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid discuss the July 7, 1988 issue of Grand National Scene, which coverage of Wilson's nail-biting second-place finish to Bill Elliott. The issue also carried Waid's column on a rash of driver injuries in 1988; a feature on full-time undertaker and part-time driver Eddie Bierschwale; and A.J. Foyt's penalty for missing the Daytona driver's meeting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this extraordinary conclusion to our interview, Larry McReynolds describes his tumultuous tenure with Richard Childress Racing and driver Dale Earnhardt. They did win the 1998 Daytona 500 together, but also endured one of the driest spells of Earnhardt's career. Ultimately, McReynolds would be moved over to helm Mike Skinner's RCR efforts before moving on to the Fox broadcast booth. In our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid dig into the June 11, 1998 issue of Winston Cup Scene, which featured coverage of the McReynolds-Kevin Hamlin-Earnhardt-Mike Skinner crew chief swap, as well as that year's spring event at Richmond. Jeff Gordon was angry with Rusty Wallace, while Dale Jarrett was peeved with not only race winner Terry Labonte, but also NASCAR for throwing a late-race red flag that allowed the race to end under green. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this powerfully emotional episode, Larry McReynolds remembers the devastating loss of his best friend, Davey Allison, and the life-threatening injuries sustained by Ernie Irvan the very next year. Hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid then remember the late, great Maurice Petty. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this installment of our second interview with Larry McReynolds, he talks about his run with Robert Yates Racing and the late, great Davey Allison. The discussion covered everything from McReynolds' decision to make the move from Kenny Bernstein’s team to Robert Yates Racing … to his decision NOT to make the move … then his final decision TO pack up and Bernstein for Yates. It was a move that paid immediate dividends. Allison won five races after Larry Mac came on board in 1991 … and then came an absolutely tumultuous 1992 Winston Cup season. Hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid then break down the April 11, 1991 issue of Winston Cup Scene, which featured coverage of that year's Darlington spring race ... McReynolds' first race as Allison's crew chief. Ricky Rudd inherited the victory after problems in the pits foiled a dominant run by Michael Waltrip. The issue also carried a poignant column about Neil Bonnett's struggles with not being able to race. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the conclusion of our conversation, Ricky Craven comes back from what many would consider the wilderness years of his career to win at both Martinsville and Darlington. In the episode's second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid dig into the March 20, 2003 issue of Winston Cup Scene, which featured coverage of Craven's thrilling win over Kurt Busch at Darlington, an equally-as-thrilling conclusion to the track's Busch Series event between Todd Bodine and Jamie McMurray and a large package of stories concerning NASCAR's reaction to the invasion of Iraq. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike Helton's career began at an AM radio station in his hometown of Bristol, Virginia. Twenty years later, he was the president of NASCAR. Helton describes that incredible journey for our very special 100th episode. In our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid chat with listeners Hallie Imrie, Joe Ruch, Jeff Marcosky, Jay Coker, Edwin Turner and Matt Miles about how the podcast reached the 100-episode milestone. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this incredible installment of our interview, Ricky Craven remembers the aftermath of two accidents -- the first at Talladega in 1996 and the second at Texas in 1997. And while Talladega was the more spectacular of the two mishaps, Craven's crash at Texas altered his career trajectory in a major way and left him doubting himself and his abilities for the first time in his career. In our second segment, co-hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid dissect the May 2, 1996 issue of Winston Cup Scene, which covered that fateful Talladega event. Along with Craven's incident, Bill Elliott suffered a broken leg in a separate accident. Sterling Marlin won, continuing his restrictor-plate mastery. The issue also contained features on longtime crew chief Bob Johnson and up-and-coming driver Buckshot Jones. Finally, several in the racing community escaped injury the morning of the race when a jet blew the windows out of the airport gate at which they'd just arrived. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Ricky Craven talks about his Busch North days, when he rolled like a tank through the 1991 season. He built on that success by moving South and running the Busch Series in 1992 through 1994, We discussed his friendship with Jeff Gordon and their shared sponsorship from DuPont, the exhaustion of running his own team and finally, his move to Winston Cup with team owner Larry Hedrick. Hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid then take a peek at the July 11, 1991 issue of Grand National Scene, which carried coverage of Ricky's Oxford 250 victory, Bill Elliott's Pepsi 400 win at Daytona and the announcement of Dale Jarrett's decision to move to the newly formed Joe Gibbs Racing for the 1992 Winston Cup season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the third and final installment of our interview, DiGard Racing team owner Bill Gardner discusses the team's controversial win in the 1985 Firecracker 400 at Daytona with driver Greg Sacks, the end of the team's run in the sport and, ultimately, its place in NASCAR history. Hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid also take a quick look at the new inductees into the NASCAR Hall of Fame before digging into the April 9, 1987 issue of Grand National Scene, which features coverage of Dale Earnhardt's dominant win at North Wilkesboro, Tim Richmond's comeback press conference and Darlington test, a Joe Dan Bailey feature and news on Jake Elder, an injury that nearly derailed Terry Labonte's start streak and controversial team owner Eric Freedlander. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the second installment of our interview with DiGard Racing owner Bill Gardner, we discuss the crushing disappointment of losing out on the 1979 Winston Cup championship; the on-again, off-again relationship with Buddy Parrott; Darrell Waltrip's departure from the team; the 1982 "Bumper-gate" controversy; Bobby Allison's 1983 Winston Cup championship; and a sugar residue that was discovered in Allison's fuel cell at Riverside in that year's season finale. Hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid also take a long look into the November 19, 1981 issue of Grand National Scene. The week's paper featured coverage of Neil Bonnett's win at Atlanta in front of Ford officials; Ford's return to the sport; Harry Melling buying Bill Elliott's family owned operation; and features on Dale Earnhardt's move from Richard Childress Racing to Bud Moore Engineering and James "Tweetie" Hylton Jr. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

DiGard Racing was one of the most successful ... and controversial ... NASCAR teams of the 1970s and 80s, and team owner Bill Gardner addressed it all in his interview with The Scene Vault Podcast hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid. In this week's installment, Gardner remembers how it all began over a game of pinochle, his parting of the ways with Donnie Allison and the beginnings of what would turn out to be a tumultuous relationship with Darrell Waltrip. In our second segment, Rick and Steve dig into the May 26, 1977 issue of Grand National Scene, which featured an epic column by publisher Robb Griggs, outlining, among other things, a controversy at Nashville that left the race track without an ambulance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the third and final installment of our interview, Darrell Waltrip talks about everything from his rough start with the Dream Team at Hendrick Motorsports, his 1989 Daytona 500 win and The 1989 The Winston controversy with Rusty Wallace to his really bad broken leg at Daytona the following year, when he was also planning his OWN team, his 1991 flip at Daytona and, eventually, the end of his driving career. In our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid dig into the crammed-pack February 23, 1989 issue of Grand National Scene. That week's issue featured coverage of Waltrip's iconic win in the Daytona 500, Rick Mast's storybook finish, a post-race confrontation involving Davey Allison and Geoff Bodine and scary accidents involving Neil Bonnett, Mark Martin and Dale Earnhardt. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a very expensive buyout of his contract with DiGard Racing, Darrell Waltrip joined the famed Junior Johnson & Association for the 1981 Winston Cup season. Because of his often-heated rivalry with Cale Yarborough, the team's former driver, Waltrip wasn't accepted with open arms at first. Winning, however, has a way of warming up even the coolest of relationships ... and Waltrip did plenty of winning at Junior Johnson & Associates. Still, it wasn't enough to keep him from being booed after a crash in the 1982 World 600 at Charlotte ... and an infamous "meet me in the Big K parking lot" interview with writer Larry Woody. After winning three Winston Cup championships with Johnson, Waltrip received an offer to go drive for then-upstart team owner Rick Hendrick. In our second segment, Rick Houston and Steve Waid are joined by Jaret Lundberg of The Iceberg NASCAR YouTube channel for a look back at the December 17, 1981 issue of Grand National Scene, which featured coverage of NASCAR's first trip to New York City for the Winston Cup banquet. Highlighting the issue is a glowing commentary, praising Waltrip for his superb representation of the sport. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Darrell Waltrip was one of the centerpieces of the NASCAR universe for nearly 20 years. In the first of our three-part Zoom interview, DW discusses everything from the early days of his career through the crushing disappointment of losing out on the 1979 Winston Cup championship ... and a good many things in between. In our second segment, we go back in time to the July 21, 1977 Grand National Scene, which featured coverage of DW's crazy victory at Nashville and a scathing column by publisher and founder Robb Griggs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week's episode of The Scene Vault Podcast, Lake Speed wins at Darlington Raceway in 1988. He subs for Davey Allison at Robert Yates Racing, then goes full time with Bud Moore and Melling Racing … and gets punched by Michael Waltrip at Michigan. His reaction to that is one of the funniest lines we’ve heard here on The Scene Vault Podcast. Finally, Lake remembers the injuries that led to the end of his Winston Cup career. Also, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid take a look at the March 31, 1988 issue of Grand National Scene, which featured coverage of Lake's Darlington win, Herculean efforts by Alan Kulwicki and Brett Bodine to get to the finish line and J.D. McDuffie's return to the race track. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lake Speed gets his start at the Winston Cup level, where he finds mentors in Darel Dieringer and Shelton "Runt" Pittman. He has a life-changing experience en route to a third-place finish at Talladega in 1983, then makes the decision to move to a team owned by Butch Mock and Bob Rahilly for 1985. Lake ends up with a second-place showing in the 1985 Daytona 500, one of the most emotional experiences of his long and storied career in NASCAR. After parting ways with Rahmoc early the following season, Lake feels led to start his own team. In the second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid check out the February 21, 1985 issue of Grand National Scene, featuring coverage of Bill Elliott's dominant Daytona 500 victory, Lake's memorable runnerup finish, Bobby Wawak and a new tire rule. Rick and Steve also remember their very first trips to Daytona. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lake Speed grew up in Jackson, Mississippi, the son of a popular businessman and one-term mayor of the city. Introduced to Go-Karts at a young age, Lake took his first steps in a lifetime of racing, a career that first saw him chase the dream of a World Karting Association world championship. Once he reached that impossible goal, Lake began seeking out a new challenge. He found it in NASCAR, but not before facing one of the most bizarre finishes in motorsports history at the end of the 1980 ARCA race at Daytona. In our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid dissect the June 1, 1989 issue of Winston Cup Scene, which featured coverage of Darrell Waltrip's revenge win at Charlotte. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After his tenure with Roush Racing came to a disappointing end, Steve Hmiel's next stop was Dale Earnhardt Incorporated, where he experienced Earnhardt's at time rough-and-gruff leadership style first-hand. Sadly, he was also a part of the DEI family at the time of the 2001 Daytona 500, a moment in time that changed the course of NASCAR history. Steve also discusses the heart-breaking injury sustained by his son Shane, and his reaction to it. In our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid dissect the upcoming vote for the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Roush Fenway Racing eventually became one of NASCAR's most influential teams, but the going wasn't always smooth in the earliest days of the organization. In this episode, Steve Hmiel remembers the tug-of-war that sometimes took part between Michigan and North Carolina, the team's controversial penalty at Richmond early in the 1990 season and the disappointment of losing that year's Winston Cup championship. Hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid then dive into the October 26, 1989 issue of Winston Cup Scene, which featured coverage of the first Winston Cup win for both driver Mark Martin and Roush Racing. NOTE: Due to the coronavirus quarantine, this commentary for this episode was recorded remotely. There are some rough spots in the quality of the recording, but steps have been taken to correct this in future episodes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Steve Hmiel started work for Petty Enterprises the day after a controversial race at Dover in which Richard Petty made up six laps ... with the help of Buddy Arrington ... before capturing the victory. It's been a wild ride ever since for Hmiel, who in this episode describes his early days with the team, a move to Hagan Racing, the 1984 Winston Cup championship and silencing the skeptics by taking a show car to victory lane at Rockingham. In our second segment, the March 6, 1986 issue of Grand National Scene covers Labonte's Rockingham victory, as well as HUGE reaction to the late-race run-in between Dale Earnhardt and Darrell Waltrip the week before at Richmond. Finally, there's news of Robert Yates' departure from DiGard Racing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the third and final installment of our interview, Jeff Burton remembers parting ways with Roush Racing and joining Richard Childress Racing, his return to victory lane and an eventual move to the broadcast booth. Hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid also crack open the September 4, 1997 issue of Winston Cup Scene, which covered Jeff Gordon's iconic Winston Million win. That victory, however, came after a hard-fought, late-race battle with Burton. The race also featured a post-race conspiracy theory. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff Burton talks a contract conundrum with Bill and Mickey Stavola, his move to Roush Racing, the glory years with that operation and his controversial role in the intense safety debates of the years 2000 and 2001. In the second segment of this packed episode, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid dig into the September 21, 2000 issue of Winston Cup Scene, which features coverage of those safety issues and Burton's flag-to-flag win at New Hampshire. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Long before he ever stepped foot in a television broadcast booth, Jeff Burton was just another up-and-coming hotshoe hoping to make his mark in big-time automobile racing. In this week's installment of our conversation with Jeff, he takes us back to his humble beginnings in the sport … and a time in his career where he had worked himself very near the precipice of utter exhaustion. In our second segment, hosts Steve Waid and Rick Houston leaf through the June 17, 1993 issue of Winston Cup Scene, which features coverage of Kyle Petty's win at Pocono … Ken Schrader's pole and second-place finish … and Jeff Burton's Busch Series victory over brother Ward at Myrtle Beach. Kyle, Kenny and Jeff … incredibly enough … have been our last three interview guests here on The Scene Vault Podcast! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There's really only one word that can full describe Ken Schrader and his career -- and that's racer. A competitor who has driven one kind of race car or another for a full 50 years now, Schrader began his Winston Cup career with Elmo Langley and Junie Donlavey. After that, he moved to Hendrick Motorsports, where his career took off in earnest. In this in-depth interview, Schrader remembers the highs ... and lows ... of a career spent behind the wheel. In our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid dive into the August 4, 1988 issue of Grand National Scene, which featured coverage of Schrader's very first Winston Cup victory at Talladega. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the last of our three-part interview, Kyle Petty discusses his 1991 broken leg, the memorable last-lap of the 1992 The Winston all-star race, parting ways with Sabco Racing and a late-night conversation with Dale Earnhardt. Hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid then pick through the August 21, 1994 issue of Winston Cup Scene, which features coverage of Geoff Bodine's dominant win at Pocono and a story written by Rick and photographed by his longtime friend and former NASCAR crewman Jamie Reynolds. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After Ryan Newman’s vicious crash in Monday's Daytona 500, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid just didn't feel right about releasing an episode in which they'd be laughing and cutting up ... as usual. Although they’d already recorded once this week, they got back together to discuss Newman, safety and their memories of some really bad weekends. Afterward came the very best news of all ... Newman had been released from the hospital, a walking and talking miracle if ever there was one! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Clocking in at a little more than an hour and a half, this week's episode of The Scene Vault Podcast Presented by Q Ware is our second-longest ever. Why so long? Because between Kyle Petty AND Tony "Rambo" Liberati, we certainly had a lot to discuss. Kyle remembers the struggles of keeping up with the times at Petty Enterprises, driving for the Wood Brothers, being incredibly upset with a caution at Richmond … before finding out it had actually given him the first win of his career … and meeting team owner Felix Sabates for the first time. Then, host Rick Houston and Rambo break down the August 6, 1987 issue of Grand National Scene, which features a cover story on testing limits and a Photo Bio of a certain up-and-coming crew member. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kyle Petty is a lot of things to a lot of people, and in the first of our three-part interview, he's an exceptional interview as always. Petty talks about growing up in NASCAR, having never known a time when the sport wasn't a part of his life. Heir apparent to the sport's most famous family, it was his mother Lynda, not father Richard, who was the most competive. Finally, he discusses the expectations of being Richard Petty's son. In our segment, former Cale Yarborough Motorsports crew member joins host Rick Houston to remember the late John Andretti. New this week ... head over to our YouTube channel for the video edition of our interview with Kyle! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMekJ7X3IIHe_x72OuOKNFg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Larry McReynolds is back this week to discuss his tumultuous relationship with team owner Kenny Bernstein; his first win as a Winston Cup crew chief with Ricky Rudd; and huge controversies at North Wilkesboro involving Rudd, Dale Earnhardt, Brett Bodine and Darrell Waltrip. In our second segment, we go back to the April 26, 1990 issue of Winston Cup Scene, which covered the epic snafus that led to Bodine's first and only Winston Cup victory. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices