The Charlotte News from Charlotte, North Carolina • 9

I Automobiles Restore Wrecke CREATIVITY IS MECHANIC WILL CRONKITE'S SECURITY- BOB illYERS Bruton Smith's Return r' we talk about racing not about the past" Will said What Will did was turn his back on $700000 the amount his dad received when he sold the business two years ago "I have no regrets at missing out on a fortune" Will said If dS THE CHARLOTTE May 26 1973-9A Bruton Smith the former Charlotte promoter and founder of Charlotte Motor Speedway and his pretty wife Bonnie are in town for tomorrow's World 600 Smith has more than a social and sporting interest In the race and the speedway It has cir ul a through the grapevine but is not generally known that he is now one of the largest stockholders in the highly successul corporation Just how many shares he has accumulated In re cent months Smith will not divulge but reliable sources indicate that he controls in excess of half a million of the 18 million-plus shares in circulation 4 HAPPINESS for working resembles a For GT he started from the drawing board "I MAKE enough money to live My wife my Corvette and the car I am building are my life "I want to be a crew chief of a winning car I won't worry if I don't make it When I get up A 1: As a top stockholder it is true Smith's presence here carries more significanee than just showing off his six-week-old son to his mother who still resides here and to see if a Ford can win the 600 and a $10000 cash bonus he has posted for that brand of car There are those aware of Smith's prolific stock acquisitions of late who believe he intends to regain control of the speedway corporation he helped form 14 years ago fell into what was deemed irreparable financial ruining miraculously recovered as a ward of the courts and was restored to health by a new regime under president Richard Howard "There's one matter that I'd like to clear up before it gets out of hand I can assure Richard Howard the board of directors and everybody else concerned that I have no intentions of getting hack into the business of operation Charlotte Motor Speedway" Smith said emphatically in his suite on the Downtowner East's llth floor which he and his large party have taken over just for the weekend "I am nothing more than a stockholder in the speedway and Howard runs it He does a hell of a fine Job running it I have made every effort to assure him that I have no intentions of engaging in a power struggle or making any attempt to jeopardize his position If he's ill at ease I'd vote for his having a contract I'm not even a member of the board although I've been invited to be" Smith added By BOB MYERS News Staff Writes Will Cronkite will be one of many re wm en strung out through the pits of Charlotte Motor Speedway during tomorrow's World 600 stock car spectacle Yet Will Cronkite is one of a few Cronkite is a mechanic chassis man blue-collar laborer what ev er the appropriate term for race car builder John Green They serve driver Joe Frasson's Dodge which does not win big races which encounters far more adversity than fortune A strong finish is the extent of Cronkite's reward for labors night and day in Green's Spartanburg SC shops and race tracks fa and near for more than eight months now A wreck is another call to duty to restore the machine There is no glamour little glory and no high salary associated with Cronkite's job but no matter how many thousands jam the speedway tomorrow no one will be happier than he Will Cronkite has found lasting happiness doing things mechanical He is an artist in his own right His hands and tools are his brush auto parts and sheetmetal his canvas CREATIVITY not money is his security All Will Cronkite 30 with long modish hair wire rimmed spectacles a keen college-trained mind wants out of life is to be a crew chief on a winning race car That desire that goal seems so small compared with what Will Conkite has given Wrecked automobiles have been torn apart and restored his life WAITING FOR THE Nio q110ot Th -1) ig 4 4 ti i I rir': Track Has Sentimental Value SEVEN MONTHS after the tragic accident Will remarried He and his second wife Pat both went to work for Ray Niche Is Engineering a major race shop in Highland Ind "I became disgruntled I was promised when I took the job I would get to go to some races but I didn't "So I quit and came South and went to work for DeWitt and Benny Parsons' operation in Ellerbe I saw my first Southern stock car race the Daytona 500 15 months ago" Will said Cronkite's stay with Parsons was brief not enough opportunity to be creative "I quit Parsons with $750 in my pocket Pat didn't say a word That's the kind of woman she happy when I'm happy "That led me to Spartanburg and Green John asked me to help him repair Frasson's car for a race at Michigan Speedway after he had wrecked at Talladega last year That was Job for two weeks and a trip home I reasoned "Well Joe wrecked at Michigan and John wanted me to help fix it for the Southern 500 at Darlington You might say Joe kept up a demand for my services I liked the way John seven days a week all hours" Will said Meanwhile Will has purchased a Corvette and is finishing a $10000 street car that David Pearson and and master Mercury builders haven't gained any recent notoriety here Pearson five-hundreths of a second slower than Baker and four-tenths faster than Petty as he claimed the outside pole in trials guns for an unpreced ent ed fifth straight super speedway triumph and sixth win in a row Pearson was In a festive mood yesterday before he de parted for Columbia SC and Induction In the state's Hall of Fame last night a similar honor worded to Petty in North Carolina last week He reduced Baker consideraContinued On Page IIA Ca 1 I''' A're12 1- 1'4 v-44 h41 i iki' 4' '-04 4 We' ofp- '''k- ute -1 4 i 4 5' 0 4 3 :4 'i 41'? 4:0: i' 4 1': 7::: 1 It was shortly before Christmas 1969 that Cronkite's life came apart He had prepared Santa Claus for two-year-old daughter Kelley He had built a new home in Southern Ohio and wife Sandra was ecstatic had a highpaying job as a project designer for a structural fabricating company and a 1200 square foot garage in which he intended to build sprint racing cars One morning Will left for work Sandra eight months pregnant and Kelley wete to drive to their new home to prepar for occupancy that same afternoon Sandra's car ran off the road and wrecked She was killed instantly Kelley died five agonizing days later in a hospital "While Kelley fought for her life I did a lot of involuntary thinking" said Will ''I took a long close look at myself "The tragedy made me realize I was put here for something I decided then I was never going to work for the dollar again It could have been me in the car I knew I was going to start giving not taking I was no longer interested in money as security I wanted to be creative "I don't attend church but I believe I am religious I am BIG ONE are (left Glen the race track I don't do anything special here except I drive the 600 more conservatively than any other race because it's 100 miles longer "I try to stay in the top three and not worry too much about setting the pace" Baker the defending 600 champion and One of only two drivers in tomorrow's 40-car field to win the longest mileage event in big league stock car racing adds his confidence of scoring a fourth victory here has been strengthened this week "I can't think of a time when I have logged fewer practice laps before a big race Every thing Is going super and the car is performing beautifully In preparations We've had to do almost nothing to the car hence no need for long prac lice sessions" he said Petty will be off to his best the 6 0 0 "I don't feel any differently to Will Cronkite it's on car in the morning I know where I am going what I'm going to do "I've found happiness I find that like everyone that I can't get mad at people I don't have any problems Whatever I accomplish good or bad I will have the satisfaction of knowing I did it myself" Will said Halt taken a lot of pride in that fact But North stranded 13 runners last night including leaving the bases loaded in the bot tom of the eighth The clutch hits just weren't to be found explain it" said pitcher Timmy Warlick ing a losing battle with tears as he mounted the dead silent North bus "We were ready as ready as we were for the first game Maybe it caught up with us I just don't know But we couldn't get the hits when we needed them tonight and that just isn't like this team" The Gryphons on the other hand did it when they had to collecting 11 hits to North's five And It was the Gryphons who got the bounce when they needed It and the big defensive play or strikeout to bail them out of disastrous situations The Rebels simply got a taste of their own medicine We gave this one away" said assistant North coach Tim Mayes "I don't think the kids were in as good a frame of mind for this one as they were Thursday "But what really got to us was with one out still left in the game our guys started pulling their jackets on getting ready to leave They gave up That just isn't like this group They've been coming from behind all year long That kinda hurt a little" Maybe the Rebels felt if they hadn't al-Continued On Page HA Col I ton outfielder doubled home a run prior to May's home run The home runs boost ed May's season total to six a relatively low number for a fellow who annually Is among the National League leaders lies off to the worst start of his major league career "I think I went bad Once for about two weeks when I played for Cincinnati" he said "but never this long The only prob lem is that I'm not putfing the bat on the ball I feel like I'm swinging the same Jerry ReUR3 pitched a five hitter for Houston to record hitt sixth victory in st'Ven decS Mons Moose lost his fourth in seven RON SANTO hit a pair of runscoring doubles and Rieh Reuschel and Rob Locker combined on a fourhilter to lead Chirago over Cincinnati Iteuschel who scored Cho'sgt)'S second run limited the Reds to two hits before he was forced to retire after five In nings because Of blister on his pitching bend Jams Cruz doubled home the winning run and scored anoth er keying a thruerun rally in the eighth that carried St Louis past Atlanta convinced that something guides our lives" Cronkite had already taken st eps toward independence The tragedy simply changed his course more drastically "I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth in Howell Mich and grew up in Middletown Ohio I was the rich kid being groomed to take over the family's lucrative engraving business "I spent three years at the University of Cincinnati studying business administration Having played football and run track in high school I turned down an offer to play professional soccer because I planned to assume control of the business eventually" Cronkite said Then he realized on impulse that wasn't for him "I didn't want to be my father's son Whatever I achieved I wanted It to be on my own Rebellious was the word for me at the time "I quit my father's business and returned to the university to study mechanical engineering because that's what I was interested in a (William Cronkite) was hot It took him about two months to really understand what was going on in my mind Now we're on good terms When we're together to right) Leonard Wood Wood ward this race than any other big one" he said pondering his predicament here "Sometimes I get the feeling I'm going to do well and don't At other times I'm pessimistic and wind up winning There's just no way to tell "I'm pleased we got the car working quicker than we have most of the times here I'm a lousy qualifier and surprised myself and the crew with the third place We've worked until late Saturday trying to set up the car on many occasions here" EVEN the Bev Bill Frazier the NASCAR chaplain has been working with the Petty crew this week "I need all the help I can get no matter where it comes from at Charlotte I just hope the preacher doesn't give up on me" Petty said Apparently David Pearson and the Wood brothers super sensations of the current campaign don't need much help although the 39-year-old driver is a Stars Ready For Tomorrow's World 600 Baker Petty: Have Vs Have Not WHY DID Smith amass the stock? "Really I've never been out of the speedway as a stockholder I guess I retained some 40000 shares when I resigned as an officer after the corporation was placed in bankruptcy I don't really know why I have bought a lot of stock A banker told me I must be buying with my heart instead of my head because it's not that much of a profitable investment "I guess the track holds a lot of sentimental value for me But I repeat I have no plans or the time to get back in the speedway business" Smith said Smith wasn't necessarily broke when he left Char lotte for Rockford Ill his present home in 1967 He always had a knack for making money But what has transpired since that time is difficult for him to fathom He owns eight different corporations Including five auto dealerships among them two Ford and a Dodge has controlling Interest In an Insurance company an Investment company and is a director of a Houston bank lie's in the market for additional auto dealerships "I'm not tooting my horn" he said "but I have been extremely fortunate over the past six years I don't know who has been watching over me but somebody has" What interest then does he have in the "I want to see the speedway grow and prosper beyond the wildest imagination" he said "I'd like to see the seating capacity increased crowds of 150000 and the track and the World 600 promoted on a more national level "I've talked with Richard offered some suggestions simply as a stockholder and we see eye-to-eye on what the speedway could be in the future" Sponsor Some Race Cars SMITH SAID he posted the $10000 bonus for a Ford to win the 600 as a promotional gimmick "I had hoped that a Chevrolet dealer or dealers would comeback with a larger bonus If there had been such a response I was going to put another $10000 on a Dodge winning to make it real interesting and the purse larger "But the idea didn't snowball It was planted yet I guess it wasn't cultivated properly Anyway I'd like to pay out the $10000 I think stock car racing needs some more competitive Fords I've already been ap proached by two other speedways about posting a similar bonus for their races" Smith said If he does become involved in the racing business it will be as a car sponsor ''The possibility of sponsor log some race cars is in the talking stages now" Smith said Smith says he regrets the circumstances under which the speedway fell into bankruptcy in the early 60's and appeared doomed left him with a poor image here "The complete true story of what happened to the speedway has never been told publicly and it wouldn't achieve anything to tell it now It is healthy and properous That's what really counts" he said A By MIKE JAMISON News Staff Writer ROCKY MOUNT For a few ex it i minutes last night it looked as if North Mecklenburg's unbelievable Rebels were going to pull off another one of their miracle wins and take the state 4-A high school baseball championship back to Charlotte in two quick games But this time it just wasn't to be The wheels finally ran off The Rocky Mount Gryphons facing a do-or-die situation after losing the opening game Thursday afternoon pulled off some magical acts of their own and escaped with a 6-3 victory in nine innings That outcome left all the chips On the table for the third and final game scheduled for today at Municipal Stadium at 2 pm Two sophomores Terry Tate of North and Doug Hen ly of Rocky Mount were slated to do battle on the mound It was a game that had a lit tie bit of everything in it typical of most of the games during North's 13-game win streak which ended last night There were 13 base on balls eight errors and loads and loads of close questionable calls But there was one thing missing from this script and that one thing ruined the Rebels DURING their march to the state finals they became known for their clutch hitting They never left men on base In clutch situations and they have 411 '4 r- LEE MAY slides' homers the Philadelphia Fhi Illes trounced the San Diego Padres Li: the Los Angeles Dodgers topped the Is kw York Meta 6-4 And the Montreal Expos turned back the San Francisco Giants 5-2 Ilouston's victory ended long dominance by Moose The right-hander had amassed a 7- 0 lifetime record Against them before Fr id ay night Along with the mistakes he made with May Moose also made a mistake with Bob Watson lie threw him a hanging slider too in the sixth and the iloaA: 4 i' 4 41 ''4401 04164- :4 el 1 hmert 4 4s 'a --t cerif)i 1 1 A A May Slams Two Home Runs To Slay A Moose For Astros The Top 36 Qualifiers By BOB MYERS News Staff Writer Buddy Baker and Richard Petty two of the most accomplis hed members of tomorrow's World 600 cast are as quick with words as they are on the speedways But there's one significant question about the World 600 and Charlotte Motor Speedway that baffles Baker the bright star from Charlotte and Petty the sport's reigning king Baker who roars off from the pole in the and Insurance Dodge at 12:30 pm cannot explain why be has won two 600's and three of his six superspeedway career victories at his home track And Petty looking back on 151 Grand National triumphs most by far cannot find an explanation for failing to conquer the 15mile super-track here "If I could analyze why I've won three races at my home town track I certainly would have won a lot more races at other places" said the strapping Baker who last Wednesday won his first pole postion lyre "I'VE BEEN extremely fortunate in being somewhere else when them was trouble on Court fair hair flopping about his neck used a twohanded grip for backhand shots and varied his strokes with the guile of an experienced player "I don't think Richey played very well" he said modestly after his sensational triumph IN fact he didn't give the American much chance Borg led 4-0 in the first it before Richey howed any sign of counter-nttack Even after that Ridley never succeeded In breaking service Today Borg faces Pierre Barthcs of France on center court Vilna is not scheduled to play today Ills next opponent will he Paul Gerken or East Nor svald Conn Evert In French Open Chris On Center By ASSOCIATED PRESS Bob Moose doesn't learn from his mistakes He made the same mistake twice and Lee May hit both of them out of the park "I threw two sliders that didn't slide and that was the ballgame" said Moose after serving up two home runs to May that helped the 1-1011SiOn Astros beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-2 Friday night Mom) threw a walsthigh glider to the Astro slugger In the fifth Inning and May hit It over the center field fence at Three Rivers Stadium to give the Astros a 10 lead Then May teed off on another fat pitch from the Pirate righthander for a two-run homer In the sixth "I knew I could get May out with the slider if I kept it low" said Moose "so I threw It again" Ile was wrong again "I KNEW I MADE a mtg take the instant I let it go" said Moose "So did May You could see his eyes get big" In the other National League games the Chicago Cubs downed the Cincinnati Beds 7 2: the St Louis Cardinals de freed the Atlanta Braves 4-1 START CAR QUALIFYING P05 NO DRIVER AND HOME SPONSORCAR TIME SPEED ROW 1 I 71 Buddy Baker Insurence-Dodge 34166 158051 2 21 David Pearson PurolatorMercury 34216 157820 ROW 2 3 43 Richard Petty 511300dOe 34663 155785 ROW 3 1 11 Cale Yarborounh kerKareChevrolet 34742 155431 5- 78 Charlie Olottbach Lemon Tree Inn-Chevrolet 34 876 155056 6 24 Cecil Gordon Panasomic Chevrolet 35007 154254 ROW 4 7 6 Peter Orono Jecksonvilie Dodoe-DirsDodge 35 075 153955 8 72 Benny Persona 76 Recino Oil-Chevrolet 35256 153165 ROW 5 9 IN Joe Freston Plus HutDortge 35353 157615 10 30 Walter Bellerd Heckimart Fon CerMercury 35765 150981 ROW 6 II Si lenole Pond Master SalesChevrolet 35918 150346 12 2 Dave Marcia AMCMalador 36004 149983 ROW? 13 95 Darrell Welkin KAiert-Mercurtl 34057 154365 14 14 Coo Coo Merlin CunnInomm-KelleyCheyrolet 34998 154294 ROW I 15 15 Bobby Isaac Ste-Power Ford 35077 154I64 16 31 Jim Vandiver Bradford Ent-Dodo 35009 153150 ROW" 17 19 0- SPencer Speocers AntlouesDodoe 35142 153 657 IS 83 Paul Tyler Smithville FarmsWercury 35501 152108 ROW 10 la 5 Charlie Walston Tr6velod015D000 35 514 150 779 20 70 0- McDultie McOuttus RecingChevrolet 15172 150745 ROW 11 21 97 Ivry Smith Bleck LeholMorturV 35 1177 150 774 72 09 Charlie Barrett Dahloneon Motora-Pord 35879 '150505 ROW SO 23 Al NI Sttreh ehtg RAtina Chovrolot 35 907 150 409 74 67 Buddy Arrington her Aloe ConstPlymouth 35 942 ISO 247 ROW IS 75 1 Billy Scott Romper Motor Chovrolot 35477 157 426 76 90 DO Brooks trummor Ind1Ord 35505 IN Pt NOW 14 27 48 James Hyttnn Henderson Mt's-Ford 35 656 151 404 28 96 Richard Childresi Newton Trucking-Chiprole 35706 151735 ROW IS 79 75 Roy Mayo McCreig Motel Dodo 351543 150 657 30 I0 Bill Champion Earl Powell PartsFord 35146 150644 ROW 16 31 55 Tiny UM'S Pritil CarttructiomChevrolet 36 073 149 904 32 05 David Sisco alico RacingChevrolet 36060 149 750 ROW 17 33 4 John Soars Mills Air Conn -Dodo 34174 149 MI 34 64 Elmo Lonoley Lonoley Recing Ford 36113 149117 ROW II 35 3 Aunts Jonyt Nig NuriwvChowrolot 34 741 144 613 so 44 IllichArd ItrftWri Prowls Raring chvrolet 34 253 145 CIO Separation In Top 36 44 2111 Seconds 912I mph Ave wed of field 131302 Mon 3510 346 36004 146963 34 134 34 991 154294 3S 029 1541M 35009 151150 It victories Borg ousted vet eran American Cliff Richey a native of San Angelo Tex 82 6-2 while Vitas eliminated wily Andres Gimeno of Spin the defending chnmpion 62 5-7 ti 8 in the second round The Poised NIiss Evert rested yesterday for her match against 111Ickn Coto of Japan on the center court The experts had predicted upsets as some of the world's moat familia players cam to these slow clay courts atraight from synthetic indoor aurfares In the United Staie a They were right Richey 26 was swept off his fect by young Borg ThefSwedish boy his long- PARIS VI Chris Evert the yearn id sensation from Fort Lauderdale Fla was to nitike her first appearance today on the center court in the $133000 French Open Tennis Championships highlight ing the tournament's "Youth Pa rade" The accent on youth At Ito land Garros Stadium has brought tho usually excitable French crowd to an even higher pitch during the erly days of this pr est lotto Si35000 tournament And it fig tires to get higher DA the drama continues to unfold Morn Nor le yenrold dish sensation and Guillermo Vita A 19yearold Argentine left-bander had the fans creaming yesterday with up.