On a rainy Sunday in the '90s, the race at Darlington Raceway was temporarily delayed. I left the pressbox and hurried across the track in search of car owner Junior Johnson.
I ran from one hauler to another, trying to keep dry, until I got to the No. 11 truck. Driver Bill Elliott was sitting in street clothes on the back of the hauler. He saw me, knew I was a reporter, got up and walked to the front of the trailer.
I turned to a crewman standing there and asked, "Is Junior around?" The crewman, realizing that Elliott walked away to avoid an interview, busted out laughing. He knew that Bill had no reason to leave.
I wasn't interested in talking to him that day.
Did that sort of thing happen often? With various drivers, maybe four or five times in about 10 years.
NOTE: We did finish the race (or at least a winner was named). Don't remember who won. It might have been the year Darrell Waltrip got his 84th (and last) victory when the race was called for rain.
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