Watkins Glen International plays a role in some of the high points in the saga of driver Tim Richmond.
It also plays a role in perhaps the lowest point.
Richmond’s career in NASCAR was like a meteor crashing into the earth. It had a huge impact, but at the same time, it flamed out quickly.
Richmond came to stock car racing in 1980 after a stint in NTT IndyCar Series competition — where, incidentally, he had gained some notoriety.
But in doing so, he also found ways to smash up cars repeatedly. So much so, the story goes, that his mother Evelyn, who feared he was headed for severe injury or worse, pleaded with him to find a safer motorsports pursuit.
So Richmond came south from his Ashland, Ohio, home and eventually hooked up with independent owner D.K. Ulrich for five races in 1980 and a full schedule the next year.
Then, for the 1982 season, Richmond drove for maverick J.D. Stacy, who owned several teams and sponsored even more.
Richmond raised eyebrows when he won the first two races of his career in the season’s first and last races on the road course at Riverside, Calif.
Once victorious, Richmond fell into the scrutiny of fellow competitors, fans and media. For one thing, he had won races in cars that were given little chance at victory.
However, the team was under the leadership of Dale Inman, the long-time, vastly successful crew chief at Petty Enterprises.
Also, NASCAR had never seen the likes of Richmond.
He was affable, quick-witted and devilishly handsome. It’s not a reach to say Richmond was the ultra-photogenic matinee idol. And he knew it.
For the next three seasons, Richmond drove for former drag racer Raymond Beadle and crew chiefs Tim Brewer and Barry Dodson.
There were only two victories, but it was during his tenure with Beadle that Richmond’s life away from the track became more prominent. The Beadle crew wasn’t known as a docile bunch, and, with his looks and personality, Richmond wasn’t known as the milk-and-cookies, watch TV type.
And suffice it to say their adventures were, sometimes, the talk of the garage area.
But Richmond departed in 1986 to take, as the cliché goes, “the offer he couldn’t refuse.”
He joined team owner Rick Hendrick as the second operation in his stable. He would have irascible, veteran crew chief Harry Hyde as his crew chief.
The match seemed to be perfect. Richmond was known as a lead foot with little knowledge of racing…
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