daleepp

I've been producing rc racebodies for 17 years now. If it wasn't for that Whippoorwill track I'm pretty sure that I'd have had a different occupation all those years. Back in 1991 I just happened to pick up a RC Car Action magazine and they showed photos of the track, with all the NASCAR bodied cars lined up around it. I freaked out!

The rest is history. It's been great!

Dale Epp - Protoform Race Bodies
http://www.protoformracebodies.com/

Mr.Horsepower

Dale,

Glad to see you are still at it after all these years. I met you at King, NC somewhere between 1992-1995 (I don't recall exactly) You told me you had just recently moved south from Canada (fuzzy recollection) to do race bodies. You fixed me up with your latest T-bird body when I was running for Snuffy Smith and Hyperdrive. I've run almost nothing but Protoform ever since. Keep up the good work!

I raced at the Whip many times from 1986-1993. I used to take my pop-up camper and stay at the campground. I think my first visit in 1986 I made the K main (not kidding - K) and won it. I ended up with a trophy taller than I was. (Again, not kidding. The tropies that Bob used to give out a big races were ridiculous!) Everybody left happy, for sure. Great promoter.

My weirdest recollection was from a race in 1989 (I think it was the R/C Car Action shootout - Memorial Day Weekend) where they were running qualifiers on a Friday night. Just as dusk arrived, out of nowhere, a swarm of insects (Grasshoppers, Locusts, or something like that) just descended all over the track. It was like they came up out of the ground or something. The cars were running, and then poof, they were just there. You could hear the critters crunching as the cars ran them over at speed. They were making popping noises as they bounced off of lexan bodies. The track got all slimy form the carnage, and then cars started spinning out, and running into the walls. The race was just stopped. They waited about 10-15 minutes, all of the bugs vanished, and then they had to wash the track. Fortunately, it drained in no time flat. Racing resumed under the lights about a half hour later. WEIRD!

Then there was the 1993 Car Action Shootout. I was racing, and supporting some of my customer's motors, with my pregnant wife back in SC. I was sitting third in 1/12th modified after Friday's qualifiers. I got paged to go to the office Saturday morning, during practice. Once there, they told my wife had called, and I needed to call her back. They gave me a number I didn't recognize, and handed me a phone. I dialed, and it turned out to be the number to my wife's hospital room. She was in labor, and I was going to be a DAD! I was so excited, I told the folks there what was happening. I went back, packed up my race trailer as fast as I could. Bob had the announcer make an announcement about my wife's pending delivery. I hooked up and was pulling out of the pits when everyone started clapping, and people were coming up to my truck window to wish me well, and to congratulate me, as I was leaving for home. That was the coolest thing! I didn't finish that race weekend, but I ended up with the cutest 5lb., 4oz. preemie trophy!

-Tony Staples

Budman

iTrader: (22)

That is a cool story!!!! I’ve only been to the Whip once but it was great!!!!! Bob was a great guy and made me feel right at home. It was 92 or 93 and it was the first time I meet Joel Johnson. Bolink and Cam motors sponsored me at the time.
Tate who owned Cam motors had a guy that worked for him and I can’t remember his name. But he and his girlfriend came all the way to Tennessee for me to put dul-exhaust on a Ford mustang. Does anyone know who this could have been? And does anyone have any contact info on Tate McDaniel?

Thanks
Chris Cooper

AMZ

iTrader: (6)

Tate Mcdaniel and CAM Motors, I have'nt heard those names since before most people on this board were born.

rc_Dave

If my memory serves me right, His name was Kevin Hunter.

BTW, The first car I drove around the Whip was a hornet with a graphite chassis. Remember those?

wheels044

Hey Guys,

I ran at 'The Whip' also in the 90s. I was the guy in the power wheelchair, there running every saturday, and also ran a few of the Oval Master races.

I sure do miss running there and racin all the guys.

Mike Koon

Charles Yates

iTrader: (1)

Chris I think that would have been Kevin. Tate is still in Hunterville,NC. I have not talked to him in a few years.

lidebt2

iTrader: (21)

I haven't been to the whip since superbowl 25, can someone give me the address where is was? I'm going to snowbirds and was thinking of stopping by. Thanks.

BudJ63

I raced at the Whip almost every weekend from the late '80s till it closed. Man I miss that place. The land was bought by the "Pioneers", Billy Grahams religous organization. If you look at the picture from MapQuest I have linked, the large buildings are used as dormitories for returning Missionaries. You can still to this day see the outline of the track. I drive past there at least once a week. Narcoosee Rd (Hwy 15) is being 4 laned at this time. And there are indeed Housing areas springing up all along that road.



Bud Johnson

Dang... Won't let me post links...oh well.

JimmyMack12

You won't find anything. It's all condos and apartments now. Not only that, but it's about an 30- to 45-minute drive from West 192 where the Radisson/Snowbirds is; no real easy (quick) way to get there. Hosch's house I believe is still there. Drove past there a coupla weeks back. Nothing left of the fine facility.

lidebt2

iTrader: (21)

Okay, thanks. It was a thought.

GearHd6

iTrader: (10)

I've never been but I can sure remember reading about it in RCCA back in the day. It's actually sad to see the old tracks outline in the grass on the satellite view when you enter the coordinates into Google.

hansen644

iTrader: (2)

HI I use to race at the bolink factory (clay oval track) every friday night in 1984 whne I was 13 years old ,and had a lot of fun winnig against the older guys. I Still have a thrid place A main 6 month point race trophy from bolink, and the car. I then moved to orlando and went to the whip about 2 times and will never forget how nice that track was. I just ran accoss this thread and sad to hear the track is gone.
If anyone here used to race at bolink factory send me a email. I would love to chat about old times. thanks

Thunder3

iTrader: (6)

There used to be a Clay oval track in Orlando out on I-drive back in the day, that's what I thought you were talking about, They either were open on Friday night or Saturday, It's been so long ago, I know I would race there and then at the Whip either that morning or the next day, Memory is not as good as it used to be, LOL!! Yea, I have a DVD of some Whip activities as SOON as I can get it down to Youtube I will post on here when I do, quality is really good..

sdunnmcp

WOW... I use to race there from 1987-1990 every saturday. I was in the Navy in Orlando. I would meet Bill Horne , Randy and Jim Fuller, we would go eat on friday before racing on Saturday. I later went to work at Redline Modifieds for about 1yr. Then it was back to Indiana to get a real job where I am today. Just finished racing 1/12 onroad tonight getting ready for Cleveland...

Hello to everyone that use to race there. Please e-mail me I would like to catch up with anybody from that time....

Steve Dunn
[email protected]