The following is the continuation of excerpts from the chapter on my Granddaddy, Roby Combs from the book All Around the Track, from authors Anne Jones and former NASCAR champion Rex White.
“Dad flagged the first Charlotte Motor Speedway World 600. And it was amazing to hear him tell about how long it was and how tiresome. The track was one and a half miles long and since it was before they had two-way communication, my Dad had to keep up with what was going on all over the track.”
According to Phil, Charlotte was his Dad’s favorite track because of his relationship with Bruton Smith. “Everybody knows Bruton owns tracks in Atlanta, Charlotte, and Bristol. What most people don’t know is how my father helped get him involved in racing. Dad had been working for NASCAR for a short while when he began partnering with Buck Baker and a couple of other fellows to promote races at the old Charlotte Fairgrounds Speedway. Bruton Smith wanted to lease the track from them. Doc Dorton, a guy from Shelby, North Carolina, owned the track and when Dad and Buck went to see him on Bruton’s behalf, he’d only agree if Dad handled the money..
Dad had such good judgment, he was trusted with everything, and when the track at Charlotte was built, he was superintendent. My Mom has a copy of the original plat and lots of pictures of Burton. Smith left in 1962 to pursue other interest and then returned in the mid-seventies as majority stockholder, regaining control of the track and hiring Humpy Wheeler as general manager, the multi-million dollar facility, now called Lowes Motor Speedway, is a Charlotte landmark and has provided the setting for numerous movies. Days of Thunder, Speedway, and Stoker Ace were all filmed there. Elvis Presley’s Speedway was a highlight; my Mother let me stay out of school to watch. The movie is still played on T.V. and I can see my Dad flagging. Although most of Phil’s memories are happy ones, there are still some that haunt him. Worst is of his father flagging the race the day of the wreck that burned Fireball Roberts. “Dad was a good friend of Fireball’s and he had a premonition before the race that something bad would happen. He was on the flag stand, looking directly at Fireball, Junior Johnson, and Ned Jarrett when they wrecked.” According to Phil it was one of the worst events he his father experienced.
Another terrible wreck occurred at Charlotte.”Jimmy Purdue was testing tires when my Dad heard one blow out and the car crash through a guardrail. My father was the first to get to him and found him dead. The toughest part of racing for him was having friends get killed. He saw those guys every week, got close to them, and then they were gone. I knew it had an impact on him and I think that’s a part of why he got out of it.
Roby Combs flagged during NASCAR formative years. He also drove the pace car at Daytona. Since there weren’t any interstates, he finally got burned out on the traveling and formed a successful real estate company.
Dad could flag right-handed or left-handed and he could write both ways too. Anything he could do with one hand he could do just as well with the other. In 1968, an album was made about NASCAR, called Gentleman Start Your Engines. Ten top drivers were selected to talk on it and my Dad was picked to explain flags. Twenty years after my father died, I ran into a friend who had a copy.”Today Phil turns on that tape and still hears his Dad’s voice. He is very proud that his Dad was a small part in the huge puzzle that, when pieced together, became the most successful racing organization in history.
End of Chapter..
Wow! So many stories to tell. The chapter about Granddaddy in All Around the Track is a great start in detailing his and my grandmother’s years in racing, but there is so much more to tell. If you sometimes wish for a more simple time in life, and racing as well, (I know you are out there) you will definitely find that here.
Until next time!
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