Latest news with #DavidPearson
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Richard Petty finally won Firecracker 400 at Daytona 50 summers ago
When the NASCAR haulers rolled into Daytona Beach in the summer of 1975, Richard Petty's future Hall of Fame plaque was already largely engraved. He'd won five of what would become seven Cup Series championships. He'd also won five of his eventual seven Daytona 500s. He'd even already won 171 races, almost exactly twice the amount of David Pearson, who ranked second on the list then and second after both men finished racing. But Petty had never won Daytona's 'other race,' the Firecracker 400, forerunner to this Saturday evening's Coke Zero Sugar 400. In 14 previous tries, he'd come close. Agonizingly so, as recently as the previous year, when Pearson either out-foxed him or pulled a dirty trick (depending on your angle) to win a third straight Firecracker 400 — he'd end up winning five overall. Petty, meanwhile, had finished second at the 400 each of the previous four years, first to Bobby Isaac in 1971 and then three straight times to his 1970s nemesis, the Silver Fox. Ever since Daytona International Speedway opened in 1959 and soon thereafter debuted the annual Fourth of July race, Petty had always spent his July 2 birthday at the World Center of Racing. He'd get his cake, but never left town with a trophy as the ultimate gift. That drought ended in 1975, two days after his 38th birthday. In the end there wasn't a ton of dramatics, though the King of stock-car racing had to methodically overcome going a lap down in the early going. Richard Petty on starting 13th: 'I'm gonna try that' Petty had started 39 races at Daytona by the summer of 1975, including 500s, 400s and Thursday qualifiers that set the lineup for the Daytona 500 in February. He'd started just about everywhere in the 39 lineups. On July 4, 1975, for the first time ever at Daytona, he started 13th. It was hardly a bad omen, as he suggested in a pre-race interview on ABC. 'I've started from every position but 13th, so I'm gonna try that and see if I can win with that,' he told former F1 world champ Jackie Stewart, longtime ABC commentator and that year's wingman for play-by-play legend Keith Jackson. Buddy Baker, the large and popular racer who loved the bigger, faster speedways, dominated early and often in Bud Moore's No. 15 Ford. He led the first 19 laps and, at day's end, had led 118 of the 160. A.J. Foyt, the IndyCar god making one of his occasional NASCAR starts, led some laps and remained in the mix much of the day, along with Pearson and Donnie Allison, who'd won the pole position at nearly 187 mph. Lumberjacks co-starred with Richard Petty in 1975 Two things happened in the first half of the race — one significant to the competition at hand, the other a quaint artifact from past televised coverage of NASCAR racing. First, Petty, running 12th at the time, pulled his colorful No. 43 Dodge into the pits about 10 laps ahead of the normal pit cycle. ABC's pit reporter, Chris Economaki, suggested he was having handling problems and wanted four new tires sooner than later. About that time, ABC broke away from its Saturday afternoon broadcast, but that didn't necessarily mean viewers would miss anything. The race was part of ABC's Wide World of Sports program on Saturday afternoon, July 5, though it had been run the previous morning. Therefore, as Baker and Allison were battling for the lead, ABC went to a previously taped closeup of Keith Jackson telling viewers the program was breaking away for other sporting fare — as Wide World of Sports routinely did. This time, it was taking viewers to the World Lumberjack Championships in Hayward, Wisconsin. 'I've been there, I really enjoyed it,' Jackson told viewers in his familiar style. 'So let's have a look at what the lumberjacks can do in the north woods of Wisconsin.' To give some sense that the race coverage was live, ABC fast-forwarded a bit before coverage returned to Daytona, where the leaders had made their scheduled pit stops, allowing Petty back on the lead lap, where he began picking his way toward the front. David Pearson's Firecracker 400 streak goes up in smoke Pearson, in his often-dominant Wood Brothers Mercury, led three times for 20 total laps, but just after he took the lead for the third time, smoke poured from the back of the No. 21, the result of a broken oil line. His three-year hold on the Firecracker 400 was over. 'We don't know what it was. It started throwing oil out,' Pearson told Economaki. 'We felt like we were in real good shape to win the race.' Pearson's exit left the battle to Petty and Baker — the two North Carolinians had been teammates at Petty Enterprises a few years earlier. 'Two old horses out there,' was how Jackson described it. Baker gave up the lead to Petty for the last time on Lap 148, and would follow him the final 13 laps to the checkers. The margin of victory was 2.3 seconds. Nobody handled Daytona like Richard Petty Career win No. 172 was worth $17,185, which wouldn't carry a race team's weekend tire bill these days. After depositing that check, Petty was within about $10,000 of becoming NASCAR's first racer to reach $2 million in career earnings. He'd go on to win two more Firecracker 400s as well as two more Daytona 500s, giving him 10 Daytona wins overall, but he only won one pole position at Daytona over his 35-year career. His cars were most noted for their balance and steady handling — or as Petty and some others called it, han'lin. The '75 Firecracker fit that winning recipe. 'We could run the same speed all day long,' Petty said from Victory Lane. 'Our car wouldn't run fast, but we could run wide-open all the way around the racetrack — 179, 180 was fast enough to win the race.' A year earlier, Petty's fourth straight Firecracker runner-up led to the only time most onlookers saw him outwardly angry at another driver. He and Pearson, for their extended on-track rivalry, got along fine, but not on July 4, 1974. That day, Petty was on Pearson's rear bumper approaching the final lap. As they were about to cross under the white flag, Pearson got completely off the gas, forcing a startled Petty to quickly jerk his car to the right and go around Pearson. Pearson knew it was better to be trailing than leading on the final lap, given the famed slingshot pass that defined that Daytona era. Petty later called it a dangerous move and confronted Pearson about it, but Pearson shrugged it off. In Victory Lane a year later, Economaki asked Petty if he'd been thinking about that previous year's finish, and Petty answered with his familiar smile and style, grammar be damned. 'I was 'til Pearson blowed up; then I didn't worry about it no more.' — Email Ken Willis at This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Richard Petty finally got his Firecracker win at Daytona 50 years ago
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Daytona summer race winners: Full list, from Firecracker 400 to Pepsi to Coke Zero Sugar
Richard Petty remains The King of the Daytona 500. No one has more than his seven wins. But who holds that title for Daytona International Speedway's other annual NASCAR race? David Pearson. The Silver Fox, Petty's most prominent rival, captured five summer race titles, all while it was named the Firecracker 400. His triumphs came in 1961, 1972-74 and 1978. Since then, the event has also used the monikers Pepsi Firecracker 400, Pepsi 400, Coke Zero 400 and now, since 2018, Coke Zero Sugar 400. Tony Stewart and Cale Yarborough follow Pearson with four wins apiece. Last year, Harrison Burton sped to Victory Lane, earning the first win of his Cup Series career. Who will it be this season? The 2025 Coke Zero Sugar 400 is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 23. Before then, let's look back at the previous winners. Daytona summer race winners by year: Firecracker to Pepsi to Coke 2024: Harrison Burton 2023: Chris Buescher 2022: Austin Dillon 2021: Ryan Blaney 2020: William Byron 2019: Justin Haley 2018: Erik Jones 2017: Rickey Stenhouse Jr. 2016: Brad Keselowski 2015: Dale Earnhardt Jr. 2014: Aric Almirola 2013: Jimmie Johnson 2012: Tony Stewart 2011: David Ragan 2010: Kevin Harvick 2009: Tony Stewart 2008: Kyle Busch 2007: Jamie McMurray 2006: Tony Stewart 2005: Tony Stewart 2004: Jeff Gordon 2003: Greg Biffle 2002: Michael Waltrip 2001: Dale Earnhardt Jr. 2000: Jeff Burton 1999: Dale Jarrett 1998: Jeff Gordon 1997: John Andretti 1996: Sterling Marlin 1995: Jeff Gordon 1994: Jimmy Spencer 1993: Dale Earnhardt 1992: Ernie Irvan 1991: Bill Elliott 1990: Dale Earnhardt 1989: Davey Allison 1988: Bill Elliott 1987: Bobby Allison 1986: Tim Richmond 1985: Greg Sacks 1984: Richard Petty 1983: Buddy Baker 1982: Bobby Allison 1981: Cale Yarborough 1980: Bobby Allison 1979: Neil Bonnett 1978: David Pearson 1977: Richard Petty 1976: Cale Yarborough 1975: Richard Petty 1974: David Pearson 1973: David Pearson 1972: David Pearson 1971: Bobby Isaac 1970: Donnie Allison 1969: LeeRoy Yarbrough 1968: Cale Yarborough 1967: Cale Yarborough 1966: Sam McQuagg 1965: A.J. Foyt 1964: A.J. Foyt 1963: Fireball Roberts 1962: Fireball Roberts 1961: David Pearson 1960: Jack Smith 1959: Fireball Roberts Daytona summer race wins leaderboard 5: David Pearson 4: Tony Stewart, Cale Yarborough 3: Bobby Allison, Jeff Gordon, Richard Petty, Fireball Roberts Who is the oldest NASCAR driver to win the Daytona summer race? Bobby Allison. Allison claimed the 1987 Pepsi Firecracker 400 at the age of 49 years, seven months and one day. The following February, he won the Daytona 500 at 50 and remains the oldest victor of that event. Who is the youngest NASCAR driver to win the Daytona summer race? Justin Haley. In 2019, Haley won a rain-shortened Coke Zero Sugar 400 at 20 years, two months and nine days old. He was in the lead when the race was called due to rain after 127 of the scheduled 160 laps. NASCAR teams with most Daytona summer race wins 10: Wood Brothers Racing 7: Hendrick Motorsports 6: RFK Racing 4: Joe Gibbs Racing, Richard Childress Racing 3: Junior Johnson & Associates, Petty Enterprises Car makes with most Daytona summer race wins 22: Ford, Chevrolet 7: Mercury 5: Dodge, Pontiac 3: Buick 2: Toyota (This story was updated to add a video.) This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Daytona summer race: Which NASCAR drivers have won Coke Zero Sugar 400
BBC News
14-07-2025
- BBC News
Abandoned Nottingham e-bikes 'ugly and dangerous' say residents
E-bikes being dumped miles from Nottingham city centre are both ugly and dangerous, according to some affected hire vehicles are operated by US company Lime and in theory should not operate outside a designated area, with a system of fines in place for those who do not follow the bikes have been found in surrounding areas including Gedling, Lady Bay, Arnold and Colwick, with some left on public footpaths and outside include vandalised machines with wires exposed and pedestrians having to step into the road to avoid discarded bikes. Concern has previously been raised that the bikes can be "hacked" allowing them to be used - and then dumped - with no way of tracing Anthony, 26, from Arnold, said: "They're absolutely everywhere, if you're walking and there's one laying there, then you have to go around it onto the road which can be dangerous."I've seen some of the stripped ones, but they make that horrible beeping sound, I don't know how they get away with riding them and then leaving them there."David Pearson, from Colwick, felt the e-bikes did not belong in more residential areas."People just seem to dump them wherever they like around here," the 72-year-old said."Some of them I've seen having been stripped down with wires hanging out."You don't expect to see hired bikes around here for a start, they should be policed properly and left in the right areas, if not then charge them." Mike Adams, a Gedling borough councillor, said the abandoned bikes look untidy and their lithium-ion batteries pose a fire risk."They're just left everywhere we need to find a way of resolving this problem long term, the fining system is ineffective," he said."They have to find a way of immobilising these bikes so once they get out of their area, they stop working. "No ability to pedal, wheels locked and they have to be immovable to solve this problem."Mr Adams said the council was working with Lime to find a long term solution.A Lime spokesperson said: "We have a number of measures in place to effectively manage inconsiderately parked bikes in the Nottingham area. "These include: GPS-based no parking zones and mandatory end trip photos to help review rider parking."We encourage the public to report any incidents of misparked bikes - including time and location - so we can take swift action. "We're continuing to work closely with Nottingham City Council and the relevant authorities to ensure our service remains safe and accessible for everyone."
Forbes
05-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Wine CEO's Sabbatical Leads To Renewed Passion For Work And Vineyards
The Transformative Vineyards of Joseph Phelps Winery in Napa Valley, CA In 2004, David Pearson achieved one of the top executive positions in the world of wine – CEO of Opus One winery in Napa Valley, California. During his 16 years tenure as CEO, David and his team helped to elevate the already prestigious brand to become one of the top luxury wines in the world, expanding distribution to over 90 countries and increasing the value of the brand from an average of $200 to over $500 per bottle. But then the pandemic occurred, and David Pearson decided it was time to step back and reassess his life. Supported by a loving family, he traveled to France, and what he discovered there helped propel him into a new position as CEO of Joseph Phelps winery in Napa Valley 'For 40 days I wandered around France visiting old friends. I was trying to figure out what I was going to do with the rest of my life. And while there I found the passion of the industry again – the joy and passion of wine,' David told me when I visited him at Joseph Phelps winery recently. During the course of our conversation, we tasted through five Joseph Phelps wines (notes below), and I was struck by the overflowing enthusiasm and passion in his voice as David shared his new vision for propelling Joseph Phelps winery into the next century. David Pearson, CEO of Joseph Phelps Winery in Napa Valley, CA On his sabbatical David visited the Ardèche region in the SE corner of France, where he met a vineyard owner who was farming his vines in a way David had never encountered. 'He was using a method they call permaculture, where they rolled the grass flat between the rows of vines and overtime this created a lasagna of rich organic material and new soil. When you dug it up, it was filled with worms and smelled incredibly rich,' David stated. The method employs the philosophies of regenerative farming, which advocates no or low tilling of the soil. However, David believes it is beyond regenerative and prefers to use the term 'agro-ecology, though he admits he is still seeking the perfect term. He explained that by farming in this fashion to create rich healthy soil (rather than soil that has been sprayed with agri-chemicals), the end results are higher nutrients in crops, including wine grapes. Food experts have discovered that the more nutrients in the food, the better it tastes, which could ultimately translate to more delicious wine grapes. 'Did you know that a teaspoon of healthy soil has more live organisms in it than the number of people on the whole planet?' David asked with excitement. Agro-ecology also integrates other crops in the vineyard, such as fruit trees and vegetables. It is a more holistic approach to farming, that incorporates the concepts of sustainability and regenerative farming, but also supports the relationship between plants, animals and people. For more information on some of these concepts, David recommended several books he has read: One Straw Revolution, What Your Food Ate, Braiding Sweetgrass, and others, as well as the Netflix documentary, Kiss the Ground. After his 40-day sabbatical, David Pearson started consulting with a few other wineries in France, Italy and the U.S. One of those wineries was Joseph Phelps that had just been acquired by luxury giant, LVMH. After a few months serving as interim-CEO, LVMH offered David the position of CEO. 'LVMH understands the concepts of agro-ecology because they have been implementing similar concepts in the vineyards of Cheval Blanc in Bordeaux for more than 10 years,' David explained. 'They are supportive about using these concepts at Joseph Phelps.' Therefore, David and his team are embarking on a 10-year journey to transform the vineyards of Joseph Phelps by replanting different blocks of the vineyard overtime and changing the farming practices. 'We plan to integrate the vineyards with fruit trees and vegetables. There are vineyards in Italy where the vines use 100-year old Maple trees as their trellis!' David said. He believes that overtime these more natural, environmentally-friendly farming methods will not only elevate the quality of the wine, but could eventually save money on labor and materials since they will not be tilling the soil or hedging the vines, as is done with the current farming method. The fact that the founder of the winery, Joseph Phelps, was known for his innovative spirit, and was frequently replanting vineyard blocks to increase wine grape quality, is also a fitting tribute to the new direction. 'We are having so much fun. All of us are moving towards the future and focused on innovation - the legacy that Joseph Phelps has left us all.' 'Joe founded this winery in 1973 and transformed a cattle ranch into a world class vineyard,' David said. 'He was a great visionary and known for his innovation and commitment to quality. In fact he was the first in Napa Valley to create a blended wine with a proprietary name, which he called Insignia – our flagship wine.' When asked how the employees were responding to the new vineyard direction, he responded: 'We are having so much fun. All of us are moving towards the future and focused on innovation - the legacy that Joseph Phelps has left us all.' He admitted that even though the global wine industry is currently facing many challenges, such as decreasing wine consumption, slowing wine tourism and anti-alcoholism, that it is important to remind people of all of the benefits of wine. He referenced Robert Mondavi's 'Defense of Wine,' that occurred during the 1980's when the wine industry was facing similar issues. 'We need to listen to the universe and be more open to new ideas. And remember what Robert Mondavi said: Wine is about slowing down, being with friends, and being present. It brings people together and contributes to a richer life,' he stated. The famous wine quote by Robert Mondavi, California Winemaker and Visionary Joseph Phelps offers a selection of estate wines from their Napa Valley and Sonoma Coast vineyards, ranging from the flagship Insignia cabernet-based blend to chardonnay, pinot noir, syrah, viognier and a new sparkling wine. All wines are available online or in fine wine shops and restaurants. Following are my tasting notes for the five wines I tasted with David: 2018 Ovation Sparkling Wine – a full-bodied and rich sparkler with fresh notes of green apple on the nose followed by complex toasty notes, white peach, lemon meringue, a hint of salty stone, and endless streaming bubbles. Made from Sonoma Coast grapes. Sophisticated and complex. ($135, 94 points) 2023 Joseph Phelps Sauvignon Blanc - Vibrant and fresh, made with Napa Valley grapes, this wine opens with a lovely white floral nose followed by pink grapefruit, Meyer lemon and a hint of minerality on the palate, with a creamy, delectable and long finish. Aged in a larger 'cigar' shaped French oak barrel. Elegant and creamy. ($75, 93 points) 2022 Joseph Phelps Freestone Pinot Noir – a silky and sexy pinot noir with a nose of roses and raspberries, with dried strawberry, spice and a hint of truffle on the palate. Medium-bodied it has silky-smooth tannins, well-integrated toasty oak, and a long seductive finish. The grapes are from their Sonoma Coast Freestone Vineyard which is very close to the Pacific Ocean. Truly lovely, elegant, and quite delicious. ($74, 95 points). 2022 Joseph Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley - rich nose of boysenberry, earth and cassis, which follows through on the pallet, picking up more mixed berries, spice and cocoa. A pleasant purity of ripe fruit, with a long finish, wrapped in 50% French and 50% American oak and aged for 24 months. Composed of 8 different Napa Valley vineyards, this wine is considered the second label to Insignia. ($100, 92 points). 2021 Joseph Phelps Insignia – This wine was listed as one of the top 10 U.S. cabernets in an earlier Forbes article. It is a true classic Napa cab with both power and elegance. This wine entices with blackberry, plum, allspice and vanilla with smooth tannins and a bright acidity. It glides across the palate, mesmerizing with complex notes of oak, tobacco, and warm earth. Aged 24 months in new French oak, and made from a blend of the very best vineyards and barrel lots from that year. Always a crowd-pleaser. ($365, 97 points) Portfolio of Some of the Wines Crafted By Joseph Phelps Vineyards in Napa Valley, CA As we enjoyed sampling the wines, two small dishes arrived that are part of the wine and food pairing series offered to people who visit the tasting room. The first was goat cheese baked in pastry with fresh herbs, which paired very well with the sparkling wine and sauvignon blanc. The second dish was beef croquette cooked with truffles and aioli, and was stunning with the three red wines. The Joseph Phelps tasting room has been completely refurbished inside with comfortable chairs and tables so visitors can view the vast green vineyards and mountains that surround the property. There is also a large outdoor wooden deck with seating nooks. The winery building of dark redwood is the original one designed by Joseph Phelp to blend into nature.
BBC News
25-05-2025
- BBC News
'Nightmare permits pricier than London – and we can still never park'
Locals in a picturesque Cotswold town have called for action over "nightmare" parking – with permits costing double that of London's wealthiest boroughs. Residents of Tetbury's ancient narrow streets, who have no option to park outside their homes, pay more than £600 a year for a parking permit. But, despite paying this sum, they do not have allocated spaces and say they are often unable to find a place to park near their Paul Hodgkinson from Cotswold District Council said opportunities to expand off-street parking in the town were "unfortunately limited". Everyone we spoke to holds a season ticket to park in Tetbury's West Street car park, which costs £640 a year. This compares to £257 a year for vehicles in the highest emission band in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and £321 in Westminster. Susan Pillinger, who lives on a road in Tetbury with five cottages – and no space for cars – described parking as an "absolute nightmare". She said: "It's a constant worry because, if you go out, are you going to find anywhere to park when you come back?" David Pearson told BBC Radio Gloucestershire that he was well aware of the limited parking before moving to the area, but said "we didn't expect a 30% rise in the cost of a permit and also an increase in tourists"."Frankly in London you can get it for a third of the price and they have the same problems [with] narrow streets," he said. Ms Pillinger said she "wouldn't mind paying the money so much if we had an actual designated space".They have all called on the council to ensure that spaces in car parks near their homes are held for residents. 'Not feasible' The council's Mr Hodgkinson said half of the bays in West Street car park were allocated to season ticket holders. However, visitors are still able to use these spaces. The council does provide free parking at the Old Railyard car park in the resident Derek Mills said this was situated about 15 minutes from his home, meaning it was "not feasible" for people with limited mobility. "My wife is disabled, so there is absolutely no way I could park there and expect her to walk back," he added. Mr Hodgkinson said the council "remain committed to ongoing dialogue" with locals and businesses.
