I dug test holes there to get the information needed for my employer's engineering dept. to create what became the winning bid to do the dirt work. I was lucky enough to still be there finish grading topsoil when the top NASCAR and Indy cars were doing test drives on the new asphalt. I used to stay after work and watch them from the press box all by myself. No one was supposed to see them. I still have a picture of one of the biggest names in NASCAR that was there for the groundbreaking ceremony. He is sitting on a D10 and he knew how to run it. I won't say who it is , but many of you know.
Looks like your picture has gotten around already......
Funny, that guy rear ended me and my father on a deer hunt in Texas about 30 years ago. We were driving one of the ranch’s trucks and we were coming from the small airport we had flown into. He, who shall not be named, lol, was driving a beat to crap 8 seater Chevy station wagon and we were going down the road leading to his ranch and evidently we weren’t going fast enough and he banged into the back of our Chevy S10 3 or 4 times and he was drinking a beer and laughing his ass off. When we got to the ranch, my father was pissed until he found out who it was. We had a great week and shot some nice bucks and some hogs.
I didn't know that . Sadly I was watching the race on TV when his car hit the wall and he was killed. I was a big fan of him and Dale Jr.
That's really cool. My father and I were at the Talladega race where he was in that big wreck where he was hit upside down, we both thought sure he didn't make it.
He was the innovator of side drafting. He evaded The Grim Reaper many times. I liked to see him give the finger to other drivers in a race when he didn't like what they did.
I thought a lot of people thought he was kind of hot headed and not too social. The really sad part is if he wasn't so strongly opposed to the Hans device he'd still be alive. I think he was the biggest stand out against it. It's one of those things where you wish it was made mandatory sooner. The Hans Device was a great innovation for motorsports and has saved many lives.
Who are the other people with the hat and on the ground? What machine were driving to do the topsoil?
My employer used his own helicopter to fly Dale to the track site. The news photographers were the ones up close when he first got on the D10. Ironically we had been moving dirt for 2 weeks before the "ground breaking ceremony" was held. We had to stop and wait until the PR stuff was over because they didn't want the news media to hear the noise we made. I ran a brand new D8N at the race track until the finish work started, then I a got new D6M. The electric steering controls on the early 6M's were an absolute nightmare to keep adjusted to avoid violent engagement and disengagement. They could not be feathered like the differential steering in a D8N. I was lucky enough to get on quite few new dozers in the 30 odd years I worked for TJL. I lost count at the 12 or 13th one. Half of them were various models of D6 LGP's. It is amazing how fast and easy they are on finish work. I never had one with a laser controlled blade although they had some with it. That job was the first time I worked with 631E's. I think they bought 12 or 13 of them.
You must have been one of the most senior employee's and a very good operator that didn't need a laser controlled blade. Would have been neat to watch you work. I've heard the D6N was quite a bit better than the D6M. The county had a new one when they improved the road to my property in 2005. It was new but they also used about a 1968 D8 with a cable scraper. Then they brought about a 1970 627 scraper to speed things up. They had two D8's with cable scrapers all machines were bought new and well maintained. Finning only offered $10K trade for each D8 and scraper so they kept them. The one they used on my road had almost new undercarriage but the pony motor only worked on one speed. It was direct drive and never had a blade. It would sure roll the coal when the clutch was let out. They used the D6 to push but had to be careful because it had a 6 way blade.
And the Cup Series will make a return to the track in ‘26 after a several years hiatus.
It will be interesting to see what the attendance will be. When the first race was held there, NASCAR gave my employer a lot of free tickets to give to everyone that worked on the track. My seat was awesome, fourth row above the track, right next to turn 4 before the straightaway. I will never forget the sound when the pedals went to the floor ! I wish I could go again and get a smoked turkey leg
Part of the thrill of motorsports is the sound of the engines accelerating. I don't think you'd get nearly as many spectators/fans if they went to electric vehicles. That doesn't mean they shouldn't try to lower some sound levels though. I know with dirt bikes there are still some morons who figure louder bikes makes them faster. The problem is the riders aren't very fast, they just make a lot of unnecessary noise.
cool story @Tinkerer I got on the then brand new 8N when it had the little slide lever for the 3 speeds, before they put it on the knob on the end of the stick. It was 1991, and 10 years later that same dozer came around with 10K hours on it as a rental.
When I first read this I thought you were talking about a Ford 8N tractor. I think I wasn't quite awake yet.