| 3521 |
Kevin Harvick |
|
| 3242 |
Jeff Gordon |
-279 |
| 3170 |
Kyle Busch |
-351 |
| 3113 |
Carl Edwards |
-408 |
| 3108 |
Denny Hamlin |
-413 |
| 3107 |
Tony Stewart |
-414 |
| 3101 |
Jeff Burton |
-420 |
| 3095 |
Matt Kenseth |
-426 |
| 3077 |
Jimmie Johnson |
-444 |
| 3073 |
Kurt Busch |
-448 |
| 3055 |
Greg Biffle |
-466 |
| 2920 |
Clint Bowyer |
-601 |
| 3830 |
Brad Keselowski |
|
| 3517 |
Carl Edwards |
-313 |
| 3396 |
Kyle Busch |
-434 |
| 3123 |
Justin Allgaier |
-707 |
| 3016 |
Paul Menard |
-814 |
| 2708 |
Todd Bodine |
|
| 2472 |
Aric Almirola |
-236 |
| 2405 |
Johnny Sauter |
-303 |
| 2383 |
Timothy Peters |
-325 |
| 2380 |
Ron Hornaday Jr. |
-328 |
| 55 |
Kevin Conway |
| 15 |
Terry Cook |
|
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Written by Jay W Pennell
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Sunday, 27 January 2008 19:00 |
 By: Jay W. Pennell
Sprint Cup Correspondent
HardcoreRaceFans.com
Last Saturday some of NASCAR’s biggest names braved the winter weather for a good cause. Gordon, Johnson, Stewart and Earnhardt were nowhere to be found, instead legends by the name of Allison, Jarrett, Marcis, Pistone, and Hensley spent the day signing autographs and chatting with fans, while raising money for fellow racer Sam Ard.
The 2nd Annual Legends Helping Legends at the Memory Lane Auto Museum in Mooresville, NC benefited former Busch Series Champion Sam Ard. The 1982 and 1983 Champion currently holds the record for most wins during a single season in the Busch Series – a record Kevin Harvick adamantly chased during his 2006 title hunt. Ard’s stunning career was cut short following a terrible accident at Rockingham in 1984. The crash left Ard with life-threatening injuries and ended his career.
Sam’s story does not end there. Over the past few years Ard has developed Alzheimer’s disease. A crippling disease that leaves the person with little-to-no memory is not only physically and emotionally demanding, but expensive to treat as well. With no pension plan or retirement fund set up by NASCAR, the Ard family has had to struggle with the rising cost of care. Doctors have said Ard’s career-ending crash in ’84 accelerated the effects of the disease, leaving him in his current state.
It was for this reason hundreds of fans and many NASCAR legends braved the snowy weather for a few hours out of their time. Bobby Allison, who also suffered a life-threatening and career-ending crash, was on hand for the event. Allison explained the importance of the event and why he was there.
“Sam Ard was one of the really good competitors, we were friends during our racing careers and I think the world of him,” said Allison. “I am here to try and help him along because of the lack of security that should exist in NASCAR racing today. [NASCAR] should have some sort of deal where the old competitors that helped them get to this point can get a little help when they need it.”
Walking around the museum, talking with the retired drivers, revealed Allison was definitely not alone on this issue. Rex White, the 1960 Grand National (now Sprint Cup) Champion, argued, “NASCAR, as big as they are and the funds they have should have some sort of a fund set up for drivers when they need help, or even set up some type of retirement fund so the guys can participate in their early years and then have something to lean back on.”
Since NASCAR drivers are considered subcontractors, the sanctioning body has no responsibility over them. A call to NASCAR Human Relations revealed little about what employees of NASCAR receive in terms of a pension plan or retirement fund. “Since we are a private company, we are not obligated to answer those questions,” the representative said.
Efforts in the past to organize the drivers have led to conflict and failure. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters made an attempt to organize a drivers union in 1961– led by drivers Curtis Turner and Tim Flock. Shortly after the drivers announced the Federation of Professional Athletes, NASCAR president Bill France Sr. put his foot down, “No known union member can compete in a NASCAR race, and I’ll use a pistol to enforce it.” When they refused to abandon the union, both Turner and Flock were “banned for life” by “Big” Bill France.
One of NASCAR’s biggest critics when it comes to this issue has been the fiery “Tiger” Tom Pistone. “It’s a shame you have to get all the legend drivers out here. They should have all the cup guys out here; they can afford to help a situation like this. It’s not fair that we have to help, but we will do anyway it because we want to help Sam because those other guys wont help.”
When asked whether a pension plan should be set up for NASCAR drivers, “Tiger” Tom adamantly said, “Not for new drivers, they make too much money. It should be to help families of first hundred drivers, which they can do because it’s all tax deductible. I don’t know what is going to happen since Bill [France] Jr. isn’t there anymore. I don’t how Brian [France] feels, but I know Lisa and Billy Jane care, we just have to talk to Brian. It’s all corporate stuff, big money and if you have the money you’ll be recognized.”
Unfortunately for “Tiger” Tom and the rest of the legends out there, they’re complaints are often overlooked and unheard by those in Daytona.
NASCAR now seems to be facing a major dilemma. With so much growth and expansion over the last few years, the sport has taken off in a new direction. Drivers earn much more money, sponsors are more involved than ever and the cost of competing in the sport has driven teams like Morgan –McClure Motorsports out of business.
Those left behind are the ones that helped make the sport what it is today. Those men who went out and raced in stock cars not for the fame or the money, instead for the competition and the glory that came with winning. As those drivers and their families deal with the problems that come with aging, who is there to help them? Not the sanctioning body that they risked their lives to support.
As Rex White pointed out, “There’s no such thing as can’t, and [NASCAR] can definitely do it.”
A fund has been set up to help the Ard\'s. If you want to assist Sam
and his wife Jo, please send your contribution to:
Sam Ard Care Fund
Wachovia Bank
PO Box 1089
Lake City, SC 29560
Account# 1010151706802 ![](\"/images/stories/hcrflogo.jpg\")
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