In the 1990s, we were on the Winston Cup Media Tour in Charlotte, and I was talking to Rick Mast. I brought up the Talladega race in which Harry Gant was leading and Rick was right behind him.
Harry was running out of fuel, so Mast got up on his bumper and pushed/drafted the 33 car to the finish line. They probably had to tow Harry's Oldsmobile to Victory Lane.
Rick had never admitted that he had pushed Harry, and he wouldn't admit it to me. We weren't on the same team, so why would I help him?
I ticked off a list. One, Rick drove for Richard Jackson, and Harry drove for Leo Jackson, Richard's brother. Both cars were Oldsmobiles, and both teams were sponsored by U.S. Tobacco.
At that point, even Rick could see the parallels between the two teams. But he wouldn't admit anything.
After a bit, Steve Wade of Winston Cup Scene came by, and I immediately recognized a parallel between Mast, Wade and me. I was born in Hot Springs, Va.; Rick was from Rockbridge Baths, Va., and Steve was from Roanoke, Va. If Ricky Rudd came over -- he was in the room -- we'd be all-Virginia, all-the-time.
Harry, by the way, is from Taylorsville, N.C.
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