If you thought last week’s segment was good, just wait until you hear what Ritchie, Mark and Timmy Petty have to say in this week’s episode. They discuss the powerful bond that existed between Richard and Maurice, and the work they put into building Petty Enterprises into the dynasty it eventually became. Then ... the 1983 fall race weekend at Charlotte was one of the most controversial moments in the 75-year history of NASCAR. Maurice Petty was directly involved … and very much impacted … by wh...
Jan 11, 2023•1 hr 35 min
We’re getting 2023 started off with a bang, with the first of what will be THREE installments with Ritchie, Mark and Timmy … Maurice Petty’s sons. They’ll take us through what it was like to grow up as part of one of NASCAR’s most famous families and the standards they were expected to live up to. Let’s put it this way … you did NOT mess with Lee Petty’s putting green. At all. Period. End of discussion. Hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid then dig through the October 4, 1979 issue of Grand Nationa...
Jan 04, 2023•1 hr 31 min
This week, we’ve got the conclusion to our EPIC conversation with John Dodson, Pete Wright and David Ifft … and they kept telling stories with a full head of steam, just like last week. They remember their welcome-to-NASCAR and most embarrassing moments, life on the road away from family, MORE stretching-the-rulebook stories and SO much more. NOTE: This show is not associated in any way with American City Business Journals, owner of the Scene brand. Interested in The Scene Vault Podcast T-shirts...
Dec 14, 2022•1 hr 33 min
David Ifft, John Dodson and Pete Wright ... this was an all-star cast of some of the best storytellers we’ve had so far on the show. You ever hear the old saying where people wonder what it would be like to be a fly on the wall of the garage? Well … that’s what this was. They were just three longtime friends and co-workers sitting around a table reminiscing and telling stories. What kinds of stories did they share this week? We’ve got stories about Delma Cowart, MORE nitrous oxide stories about ...
Dec 07, 2022•1 hr 38 min
In the third and final installment of our interview, Robert Pressley takes us through the see-saw world of the Winston Cup division. A conversation with Bobby Hamilton led him to the truck series, a decision that eventually landed him in victory lane at Daytona following the 2002 season opener. Still more career uncertainty brought about his decision to step away from the seat and enjoy retirement. Now … his life is all about hot dogs, politics and his family. Hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid t...
Nov 30, 2022•1 hr 23 min
In the second of our three installments with Robert Pressley, he and Michael Waltrip get together to trigger one of the most infamous crashes in NASCAR history and an IMPRESSIVE stare-down minutes later. Robert then pulls off a last-lap pass of Harry Gant to win at Darlington, after an impromptu rain-delay tutorial from the one and only David Pearson the day before. Finally, Robert takes us through the palace intrigue that EVENTUALLY led to him REPLACING Harry Gant in Leo Jackson’s Skoal-sponsor...
Nov 23, 2022•1 hr 10 min
Just one quick note before we begin ... pace car? Did somebody say PACE CAR?!? In the first of what will be three blockbuster installments, Robert Pressley talks about the role moonshine played on racing in and around his hometown of Asheville, North Carolina. The son of local stock-car legend Bob Pressley, Robert also remembers his father’s many on- and off-track confrontations and the impact they had on his own driving career. Robert then takes us through a chance meeting with future NBA super...
Nov 16, 2022•1 hr 27 min
In the third and final installment of our interview with Larry Pollard, he talks about the up-and-down world of being a NASCAR Busch Series race-car driver. He WINS … but finds himself in and out of a couple of rides. And THAT was before he became one of a very few people in the sport to survive a devastating basal skull fracture, an injury he sustained while filling in for his injured then-father-in-law, Harry Gant. He takes us through the painful and frustrating journey to becoming Larry Polla...
Nov 09, 2022•1 hr 6 min
In the second installment of our interview with Larry Pollard, he talks about the pushback he received from some of his Petty Enterprises teammates after being named co-crew chief, the trick gas can used to win at Talladega and the part he played in Richard Petty’s infamous win at Charlotte in the fall of 1983. Larry, a veteran driver back home in Canada, then makes a deal to go from turning wrenches to turning wheels in the Busch Series. Hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid then study the June 2, ...
Nov 02, 2022•1 hr 13 min
Larry Pollard might not have the most recognizable name we’ve ever had on the show, but he is a master storyteller after nearly forty years in the NASCAR trenches. Larry moved from his home in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada to go to work for Richard Childress Racing in its first year with halfway decent sponsorship from Piedmont Airlines and with driver Ricky Rudd behind the wheel. After just a year or so at RCR, Larry went to work at Petty Enterprises in 1983 … and before the season even st...
Oct 26, 2022•1 hr 14 min
In this week’s final installment with Brendan Gaughan, he gives his side of the story in the infamous Jim-Smith-can-kiss-my-ass incident, which cost him a $10,000 fine AND the 2003 Craftsman Truck Series championship. After that, Brendan breaks down his lone full-time Cup season with Doug Bobble and Roger Penske, his up-and-down return to the truck series, finding success again with team owner Richard Childress and … finally … how Ryan Newman’s wreck and COVID helped convince him that it was tim...
Oct 19, 2022•1 hr 28 min
In the first of what will be two installments with Brendan Gaughan, he talks about life in Las Vegas as a child and a high-school football injury that literally changed the course of his life. He wound up going to school at Georgetown University, where he played football AND walked on with the Hoya basketball team, which was coached at the time by the legendary John Thompson. All the while, he raced and looked forward to going IndyCar racing before NASCAR decided to start the Craftsman Truck Ser...
Oct 12, 2022•1 hr 7 min
In our conversation with NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin, Mark talks about his memories of the construction of his beloved JR51 chassis, preparations for the first Winston Cup race at Las Vegas and his laser-focused intensity that … in all honesty … took away from his enjoyment of winning races. He also remembers Ford’s dominance that day and the reaction of both General Motors AND NASCAR, as well as some of the rocky moments from early in his racing career. Hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid th...
Oct 05, 2022•1 hr 11 min
In the third and final installment of our interview with D.K. Ulrich, he remembers the revolving door of drivers who once piloted his race cars, the young Davey Allison’s impact on his decision to step away from the cockpit himself, the infamous screwdriver incident at Riverside and the burned backside he AND Ernie Irvan sustained on a sweltering day at Martinsville. Hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid then page through the May 29, 1986 issue of Grand National Scene. Dale Earnhardt very patiently ...
Sep 28, 2022•1 hr 10 min
We might as well call this installment of our interview with D.K. Ulrich "Cheating in NASCAR" simply because of all the tricks of the trade that he laid out for us. We’ve got everything from the infamous nitrous oxide incident from the 1978 Southern 500 at Darlington to trick tires, trap doors and soaked tires. D.K. also remembers his friend and driver, Tim Richmond and the part he played in David Ifft’s little excursion into Juarez, Mexico. Hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid then pick through th...
Sep 21, 2022•1 hr 15 min
This week in the first installment of our fantastic conversation with DK Ulrich, DK talks about how AJ Foyt influenced him to not only be known by his initials, but also to pursue a career in racing. He then remembers a chance offer for a 1957 Chevy that altered the course of his life and his earliest days as one of NASCAR’s independents. And make no mistake about it … those independents were NOT just stroking around the race track to collect an easy paycheck. There was NOTHING easy about … and ...
Sep 14, 2022•1 hr 12 min
This week's episode gets off to a rousing start with discussion of Erik Jones' win in the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, driving the number 43 Petty GMS Racing entry. In the third and final installment of our EPIC interview with Pete Wright, Pete talks about the friction that existed between Junior Johnson’s teams, the controversial suspension of Junior and crew chief Tim Brewer going into the 1991 edition of The Winston all-star race and how he and teammate Mike Hill felt like they were le...
Sep 07, 2022•1 hr 24 min
We’re back with the second installment of our interview with longtime NASCAR crew member and crew chief Pete Wright, and this week, Pete talks about attending his first Grand National race at Martinsville and the impact drivers like Fred Lorenzen and Buddy Arrington had on his career. Pete got his start at the Winston Cup level with team owner Jack Beebe, before winning a championship with Terry Labonte. Pete recalls his rather testy reaction to a witch doctor who showed up in the garage to put ...
Aug 31, 2022•1 hr 18 min
Enjoy a sneak preview of the next installment of our interview with Pete Wright, in which he remembers getting hired and then working with NASCAR Hall of Famer Junior Johnson. Also, longtime independent team owner and driver D.K. Ulrich gives us the inside story of the nitrous oxide system that was discovered in his car following a savage crash in the 1978 Southern 500. NOTE: This show is not associated in any way with American City Business Journals, owner of the Scene brand. Please consider su...
Aug 24, 2022•18 min
NOTE: This episode may be too emotionally intense for some listeners. Pete Wright worked in NASCAR as a crew member and crew chief for years, and with drivers ranging from Terry Labonte and Darrell Waltrip to Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman. We've got those stories, and they're remarkable. But on August 20, 2017, Pete experienced every parent's very worst night ... the loss of his child, a son named Adam, who'd followed in his father's footsteps in NASCAR. Pete shares memories of his son, but also...
Aug 20, 2022•35 min
This week in the third and final installment of our conversation with David Ifft, he tells us HIS side of the story of a long-ago riot before, during and after a Waylon Jennings concert at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Then, it’s on to his infamous stint in a Mexican jail while en route to the 1980 season finale at Ontario … a race he would win with Benny Parsons behind the wheel. After that, David remembers parting ways with … first … Benny … and then team owner M.C. Anderson and driver Cale Yarbor...
Aug 17, 2022•1 hr 12 min
In the second installment of our interview with David Ifft, David tells all when it comes to his salary negotiation with M.C. Anderson, after which he become the first crew chief on record to be paid more than $100,000 a year. He also gives us the scoop on why M.C. started having his employees followed by a private investigator. Phil Parsons … if you’re out there and listening … don’t shoot the messenger, my friend. David also remembers lending a helping hand to Richard Petty and Dale Inman the ...
Aug 10, 2022•1 hr 20 min
The Spongebob Squarepants musical ... Rick coming to Steve's rescue and helping change a flat tire ... it all takes a back seat to the news that Las Vegas Motor Speedway is renewing its title sponsorship of The Scene Vault Podcast for the coming year! In the first of three EPIC installments of our interview with David Ifft, the longtime NASCAR crew chief talks about going from shop to shop to shop in his drive to land a dream gig in the sport, before finally getting hooked up with Bud Moore Engi...
Aug 03, 2022•1 hr 12 min
In the second and final installment of our interview with Jeff Purvis, Jeff talks about the all-out South Boston brawl and subsequent suspension he faced way back when, a Pikes Peak win he does not remember and TWO life-threatening and ultimately career-ending accidents … AND … giraffe money. Hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid then dig into the August 2, 2001 issue of Winston Cup Scene. Bobby Labonte gets around Dale Earnhardt Jr. for the win at Pocono, Jeff Purvis wins at Pikes Peak in a fill-in...
Jul 27, 2022•1 hr 15 min
Jeff Purvis … Never Nervous Purvis. This week in the first of what will be two installments of our interview, Jeff talks about getting into racing on dirt, his transition to asphalt, how he first got together with team owner James Finch and one of the very best cheating in racing stories that you’ll ever hear. In our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid dig into the May 5, 1994 issue of Winston Cup Scene. Dale Earnhardt adds to his legendary win total at Talladega, while Ernie Irvan...
Jul 20, 2022•1 hr 9 min
We start off this week with a quick chat with Jamie Bishop, gasman for NASCAR Truck driver Parker Kligerman, who won Saturday's event at Mid-Ohio. Jamie is a longtime friend and supporter of the show who may ... or may not ... return the victory-lane caps he was given by Parker following Saturday's victory. In the third and final installment of our interview with Todd Bodine, Todd discusses the day that his older Geoff was involved in that just absolutely horrifying accident during the inaugural...
Jul 13, 2022•1 hr 21 min
We’ve got a lot packed into this installment of our interview with Todd Bodine … getting booed because he’s Geoff Bodine’s brother, the infamous run-in between Geoff and Brett during the inaugural Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, his OWN issues in that event and the phantom caution he caused, ANOTHER historic race at Texas Motor Speedway that got away and last, but certainly not least … the Tabasco Fiasco. In our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid leaf through the Aug...
Jul 06, 2022•1 hr 22 min
After taking additional questions from friends (?!?) of the podcast Rick Mast and Rusty Wallace, we dive into the first installment of our interview with Todd Bodine. Long before he was a champion of the Craftsman Truck Series … long before he became a NASCAR analyst and broadcaster … Todd bounced up and down the east coast, trying to make a name for himself in the sport. He got one big break as Felix Sabates’ very first employee in NASCAR … and an even bigger one the following year when Kyle Pe...
Jun 29, 2022•1 hr 39 min
Richard Petty … what else do we really need to say? NASCAR Hall of Fame inaugural inductee. Seven championships … seven Daytona 500 wins … the number 43 … 200 wins. It's a perfect fit for our 200th episode. It would also not be appropriate to celebrate our 200th episode without including our listeners, so we asked everybody to send in their questions for hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid … and we even got a few from PAST INTERVIEW guests Larry McReynolds, Jeff Hammond, Kenny Wallace and Las Vega...
Jun 22, 2022•2 hr 10 min
NOTE: Have a question to ask hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid for next week's milestone 200th episode? Tweet us @thescenevault and use #vault200, or email a voice file to rick@thescenevaultpodcast.com ! In the second and final installment of our interview with Richard Childress Racing legend Will Lind, he discusses all the Daytona 500s that got away from Dale Earnhardt and what it meant to him personally when the NASCAR icon finally won the sport’s biggest race in 1998. Will also tells our list...
Jun 15, 2022•1 hr 28 min
