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Former NASCAR Driver Feels Betrayed
Topic Started: Jul 29 2005, 11:08 AM (180 Views)
Dewy9
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Posted on Mon, Jul. 25, 2005

Former NASCAR driver feels betrayed

By JEMELE HILL

The Orlando Sentinel

BRADENTON, Fla. - Sitting in his tattered, tan recliner, in a faded white T-shirt and worn jeans with holes at the knee and back pocket, 73-year-old Jack "Wynn" Lawrence uses his valuable breath to suck tobacco from his Camel cigarette and breathe out bitterness.

"If they just gave me $200 a month," Lawrence says, releasing a puff of smoke, "that will make all the difference in my life."

That life is in a Bradenton trailer he bought for $1,000 eight years ago. Every day Lawrence sits in his recliner, his 7-year-old Labrador and guide dog, Shad, at his feet, watching a 13-inch television that's been punched by time.

He watches all kinds of television programs -- cop shows, game shows, and news programs. The one thing he refuses to watch is NASCAR. Never NASCAR.

"I just get so damned mad," Lawrence said, his lips trembling, fist clenched in the air like he desperately wants to hit something.

For 15 years, Lawrence gave everything to NASCAR. A few times, parts of his own life. He blew out the retina in his right eye at a race in Richmond in 1953. Later, he was classified legally blind after glaucoma settled in. Drove one race with broken wrists. Ran another in Martinsville without any brakes.

But back then, they considered themselves part of a special fraternity, so nothing seemed dangerous -- transporting moonshine throughout the South or hijacking chicken manure trucks, which in those days were like oil wells on wheels.

Whatever it took to drive in the Grand National division, the equivalent of today's Nextel Cup.

So it's understandable why Lawrence now feels his trade with NASCAR was not a fair one, why he's so infuriated with the group.

NASCAR let him down, as well as other former Grand National drivers who fell on hard times after making similar sacrifices. Somehow, they've become invisible, and it hurts.

Of the major sports, NASCAR is the only one that doesn't offer a pension plan -- not for drivers, crew chiefs or crew members. Nobody. Major League Baseball, the NBA, NHL, NFL and even professional tennis and the PGA Tour -- truly individual sports -- all have pension funds.

NASCAR is too macho for a pension fund. It's a sport built on the concept that every driver takes care of his own hide, even though they race for teams.

Driver Kyle Petty told the Sentinel in February, "If I'm not smart enough to keep up with my own money, then I ought to be broke. I'm sorry. It's not a welfare state."

But what about services rendered? What about the drivers who were there when NASCAR's top prize for a race was $800? What about the drivers who chewed uppers like Skittles during races because they drove consecutive 200-mile races in different cities? What about the ones who drove without fire suits and window nets and had families who suffered because of it?

"They don't know what it's like to be lifted out of a race car and your tennis shoes have melted," Lawrence said.

NASCAR hasn't vetoed the idea of a pension fund, but they are doing some major thumb twiddling.

"The drivers today feel about pension plans probably what I do about social security -- that I have to do something on my own," said Jim Hunter, NASCAR's vice president of corporate communications. "But we are sensitive to the people who helped build the sport."

Lawrence doesn't feel that sensitivity. Not when he's living on a monthly veterans' check of $1,432.

Not when he takes a cocktail of 14 different medications, the result of three heart attacks.

Not when three oxygen tanks, jumper cables for his weakened lungs, sit inches from his recliner, right next to the television he won't use to watch a sport he often sacrificed his life for.

Not when his body has been implanted with three stents, tiny metal coils that force an artery open and restore blood flow. Not when his arms are lined with bruises because he takes blood thinners and bruises easily. Lawrence needs a triple bypass, but won't let doctors operate because he doesn't want to be "cut open."

Bitterness keeps him going, fueling him like the 1964 Mercury Marauder he once drove. Bring up the name Bill France, the founder of NASCAR who died in 1992, and his ailing heart pumps furiously.

"He was just so tight-fisted with the money," Lawrence said.

You might think Lawrence is just some old, bitter coot who has gotten a few too many hits from his oxygen tanks. You might think he's just looking for an easy handout.

But it's bitterness with reason, and yes, NASCAR does owe him. He was in 15 wrecks during his career -- and that's just the bad ones. Some of his friends died on the track or suffered some gruesome injuries. One hit a wall with such force his intestines spilled out.

Lawrence didn't even receive credit for all his NASCAR races because he drove in other leagues that competed against NASCAR. Buz McKim, a NASCAR historian, said the records show Lawrence participated in 24 races, which certainly don't span a 15-year career.

He nicknamed NASCAR, the National Association for Stealing Cash from Auto Racers. And wouldn't you if more money was spent on the whiskey for the reporters who covered the races than the purses for the drivers?

In the bottom drawer of an old, wooden desk -- also next to his recliner -- Lawrence keeps articles about NASCAR's riches. He's put yellow highlighter over the league's profit margin.

He doesn't even know how to turn on a computer, but he talked a local company into creating a Web site for him, www.hearseinthepits.com, which is Lawrence's way of making sure NASCAR never forgets what he and others did for them. Love can so quickly turn to hate and unrequited love is even worse.

Lawrence said he last reached out to NASCAR in 1986, when he tried to assemble some former drivers to push NASCAR for financial support. He said he was indirectly told to quiet his complaints.

"I was threatened," he said.

Hunter never heard of Lawrence, but believes he could probably get financial help from a NASCAR charity fund that is supported by some of the wives of Nextel Cup drivers. Other than that, he's not sure what they can do.

"I'm living on borrowed time," Lawrence said.

Before that time is up, Lawrence wants NASCAR to make amends. Even if it's just a simple thank you.

http://www.thatsracin.com/mld/thatsracin/12217200.htm


I think you all know what I'm going to say about this, so I don't think I need to even waste my time.

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Dewy9
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Ahhh, I can't hold it in any longer. I'm sorry, but I don't feel sorry for someone who is hooked up to an O2 tank, smokes, and wants money at the same time.

And another thing, he didn't build the sport. It says he was in 24 races or something like that, but it was only 3 or so Grand National races.
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HomeDepotRacing20TS
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I've never heard that story about the intestines. Thats horrible.

But I agree about the smoking and oxygen. I'll never understand why people do that for the life of me.
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Chance2
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haha...the article says he was in 15 wrecks in his career, and that's only counting the bad ones. and he was in 24 races.

so if that author says he was in 15 bad wrecks in 24 races (and that's not only counting the small wrecks), he must've been a real shitty driver
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HomeDepotRacing20TS
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Chance2
Jul 29 2005, 12:42 PM
haha...the article says he was in 15 wrecks in his career, and that's only counting the bad ones. and he was in 24 races.

so if that author says he was in 15 bad wrecks in 24 races (and that's not only counting the small wrecks), he must've been a real shitty driver

I agree LOL.

I do think that if someone suffers longtime health problems or whatever as a result of a racing incident, they should recieve some sort of pension. That's speaking in general, not just about this situation.
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Dewy9
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HomeDepotRacing20TS
Jul 29 2005, 12:32 PM
I've never heard that story about the intestines. Thats horrible.

Yeah, I haven't heard that one before either.

Also, it says he refuses to have a triple bypass cause he doesn't want to be cut open. Fine. If Nascar were to give him money, he wouldn't be helping his health situation by doing that, so it isn't gonna do him much good.
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Dewy9
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And another thing, like someone said at Speed, look at all these old actors and singers, they had their 15 minutes, now they have a real job. I'm watching Bands Reunited right now, and all these old band members of a former big time band, have real office type jobs these days. Even Chris Knight (Peter Brady/ Surreal Life/ the one in Joe's pit in California) of the Brady Bunch works on computers these days.
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COOLJOE54
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lol...i read this in the paper least week
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NT2005Champion
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um sorry to correct you guys but
Quote:
 
For 15 years, Lawrence gave everything to NASCAR

but it said cause he drove for a series that competed against nascar he was only credited for driving in 24 races. just thought I would point that out but I still agree with you guys :up:
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Orangesmoke20
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if nascar was ignoreing somebody like petty or the allisons i could see being a little upset but who the hell is this jabroni i mean is buckshot jones gonna feel the same way in 40 years lol
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HomeDepotRacing20TS
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:lol: ....I like Buckshot. :aaron:
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Dewy9
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NT2005Champion
Jul 30 2005, 03:03 AM
um sorry to correct you guys but
Quote:
 
For 15 years, Lawrence gave everything to NASCAR

but it said cause he drove for a series that competed against nascar he was only credited for driving in 24 races. just thought I would point that out but I still agree with you guys :up:

Looks to me like if he was in a competitor series, he didn't give his "all" to Nascar.
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NT2005Champion
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DewCrew914
Jul 30 2005, 10:35 AM
NT2005Champion
Jul 30 2005, 03:03 AM
um sorry to correct you guys but
Quote:
 
For 15 years, Lawrence gave everything to NASCAR

but it said cause he drove for a series that competed against nascar he was only credited for driving in 24 races. just thought I would point that out but I still agree with you guys :up:

Looks to me like if he was in a competitor series, he didn't give his "all" to Nascar.

greatest point ever.

why didnt I think of that :aaron:
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Dewy9
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Because you're not Dewy.

That's quite possibly the second greatest point ever, only behind the first.
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NT2005Champion
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DewCrew914
Jul 30 2005, 09:02 PM
Because you're not Dewy.

That's quite possibly the second greatest point ever, only behind the first.

Its getting deep in here :rolleyes:
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HomeDepotRacing20TS
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NT2005Champion
Jul 31 2005, 03:41 PM
DewCrew914
Jul 30 2005, 09:02 PM
Because you're not Dewy.

That's quite possibly the second greatest point ever, only behind the first.

Its getting deep in here :rolleyes:

Be careful before you step in it.
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Dewy9
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You're all already in it.
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HomeDepotRacing20TS
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DewCrew914
Jul 31 2005, 08:26 PM
You're all already in it.

Exactly. Thats why I was warning him. :aaron:
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Dewy9
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That's like telling someone in prison that he's also in prison...
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HomeDepotRacing20TS
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DewCrew914
Jul 31 2005, 08:36 PM
That's like telling someone in prison that he's also in prison...

No, he hadn't stepped in it when I said it.
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Dewy9
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He has now.
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HomeDepotRacing20TS
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Exactly. But he hadn't when I said it so it was just for me to say it even though he appearantly didn't hear me.
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Dewy9
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:blah: :lol:
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HomeDepotRacing20TS
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DewCrew914
Jul 31 2005, 08:44 PM
:blah: :lol:

:hit:
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Dewy9
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I think your tombstone will be off by a few days if you keep beating yourself in the head like that.
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