Charlie In NASCAR

Mincey sits behind the wheel, talking to 1970 Daytona 500 winner Pete Hamilton. Hamilton built the Vega Charlie was sitting in.

NASCAR’s Grand National division (now known as Sprint Cup) beckoned a couple of times during the mid-fifties, also.  The thrill of the modifieds kept Charlie from becoming a factory racer.  He somewhat regrets it today, but notes that racers from that era are not any better off than he his today.

Charlie’s only super speedway experience was four laps he made at Daytona in 1960.  They had a 1957 Chevy that they were going to run in the Modified-Sportsman 250, but technical inspection kept them working all week before time trials.  Without a single lap of practice, Charlie timed in as second alternate.  In their haste to get the car on the track, the carburetor was not set properly, and the car was running on about six or seven cylinders.

This black Camaro, sponsored by Paul's Auto Parts of Soddy Daisy, Tennessee, was Charlie's last weekly ride.

The last ride of his over three-decade career was with Paul’s Auto Parts of Chattanooga, who gave Charlie the best Camaro he could ever want to drive.  The problem was Charlie.

He would sit at home and watch television until the last possible moment to drive the 15 or 20 minutes to Dixie Speedway.  Sometimes he would miss warm-ups, and once he arrived in time to run the feature only.  He had lost his interest in driving, so he called Paul and told him to find another driver.

A friend called some two years later in 1983 to offer a ride in a brand new car.  Luther Carter had known and raced against Charlie for years.  The offer was genuine so Charlie strapped into the seat one more time.  The car had rack and pinion steering – something new to Charlie.  He drove his heart out but could do no better than second place.  Plus he was as tired as an overworked ditch digger.  He felt that being so out of shape, he would quit for good.