[onearmsteve]

thanks.

was it a racing incident that took his life?

apologies for the questions. i'm just curious. i'm not trying to rehash what i'm sure was a painful time. i will understand if it's a personal thing and don't want to share.

[Racer Duck]

Originally Posted by onearmsteve

if i may ask, who is your brother?

There's a thread over in NASCAR Trivia about him .. you'll probably have to do a search to locate it since it's been a while since it was updated.

Originally Posted by simple simon

RD's brother is Clarence Lovell

He also finished 4th in USAC's Stock Car race in the Texas Twin 100's at Texas World Speedway in '73, but I've never found the race results on-line.

Originally Posted by onearmsteve

thanks.

was it a racing incident that took his life?

apologies for the questions. i'm just curious. i'm not trying to rehash what i'm sure was a painful time. i will understand if it's a personal thing and don't want to share.

No problem on the sharing. It took quite a few years to get past it, but we all made it.

He died on his way home from seeing some friends the Thursday evening after the Talladega race. It was a 1-car accident in San Antonio .. no one saw it (that ever came forward), though one vehicle came on the scene within a minute. He was going to propose to his long-time girlfriend the following Saturday.

I had some friends with "connections" on both sides of the law dig into the accident .. they found nothing. Speculation is there was a transient crossing the Interstate (it was a common place for that as there was a railroad bridge there) and he swerved to miss him/them and hit a bridge column, shearing the steering box off the frame and sending the steering shaft into his chest (he was driving a '73 Chevy pickup - the steering box was mounted outside the frame, a design Chevy changed not long afterwards.)

The next morning there was a full color picture of him laying on the pavement in a pool of blood on the front page of the newspaper. I don't think that paper ever recovered from the backlash...

His was the largest funeral in San Antonio's history at that time .. funeral procession over 2 miles long. Ironically, his car owner, who owned a string of funeral homes, flower shops and an ambulance service in San Antonio, was also a licensed mortician .. he wouldn't let anybody "work" on Clarence but himself and covered the entire cost of the funeral. Our families have remained close since.

The following NASCAR race at Texas World Speedway, Benny Parsons had the family as his guests at the race. (Benny's crew did double duty at Talladega pitting both Benny and Clarence.)

He was well loved in the area, almost a legend - San Antonio Speedway was built after his death and dedicated in his honor.

[BringBackWilkesboro]

Originally Posted by Racer Duck

There's a thread over in NASCAR Trivia about him .. you'll probably have to do a search to locate it since it's been a while since it was updated.


He also finished 4th in USAC's Stock Car race in the Texas Twin 100's at Texas World Speedway in '73, but I've never found the race results on-line.



No problem on the sharing. It took quite a few years to get past it, but we all made it.

He died on his way home from seeing some friends the Thursday evening after the Talladega race. It was a 1-car accident in San Antonio .. no one saw it (that ever came forward), though one vehicle came on the scene within a minute. He was going to propose to his long-time girlfriend the following Saturday.

I had some friends with "connections" on both sides of the law dig into the accident .. they found nothing. Speculation is there was a transient crossing the Interstate (it was a common place for that as there was a railroad bridge there) and he swerved to miss him/them and hit a bridge column, shearing the steering box off the frame and sending the steering shaft into his chest (he was driving a '73 Chevy pickup - the steering box was mounted outside the frame, a design Chevy changed not long afterwards.)

The next morning there was a full color picture of him laying on the pavement in a pool of blood on the front page of the newspaper. I don't think that paper ever recovered from the backlash...

His was the largest funeral in San Antonio's history at that time .. funeral procession over 2 miles long. Ironically, his car owner, who owned a string of funeral homes, flower shops and an ambulance service in San Antonio, was also a licensed mortician .. he wouldn't let anybody "work" on Clarence but himself and covered the entire cost of the funeral. Our families have remained close since.

The following NASCAR race at Texas World Speedway, Benny Parsons had the family as his guests at the race. (Benny's crew did double duty at Talladega pitting both Benny and Clarence.)

He was well loved in the area, almost a legend - San Antonio Speedway was built after his death and dedicated in his honor.

You know Duck, I was watching the '85 Valleydale 500 today and I heard a brief little tid bit about Clarence. Eddie Bierschwale had spun, and Benny Parsons got to talking about his father Don Bierschwale had been an owner for a while, and how he partnered with a fellow texan, Clarence Lovell for his only top 5 as an owner at Talledega, and then went into how he had been killed . I just found it kind of interesting the story of your brother brought up out of the blue.

[Racer Duck]

Originally Posted by BringBackWilkesboro

You know Duck, I was watching the '85 Valleydale 500 today and I heard a brief little tid bit about Clarence. Eddie Bierschwale had spun, and Benny Parsons got to talking about his father Don Bierschwale had been an owner for a while, and how he partnered with a fellow texan, Clarence Lovell for his only top 5 as an owner at Talledega, and then went into how he had been killed . I just found it kind of interesting the story of your brother brought up out of the blue.

Don was the owner I was talking about. Eddie took over driving duties after Clarence died. Don sold the funeral homes to a conglomerate many years ago and retired. Eddie finally decided it was time to hang up the driving shoes and started running one of his dad's funeral homes in San Antonio. Eddie did my mother and my youngest brother's funerals.

I have lots of stories I can tell about Clarence's first/only year in NASCAR, but the partnering with BP; the help he got from Leonard Wood and Charlie Glotzbach's crew chief (those were two interesting stories), the friendly first name greetings by Richard Petty (everybody except family called him "Slim") and many other things are but a small indication of the respect he had as a rookie from the big names in the sport. I remember him telling me he had no chance for Rookie of the Year "because some guy named Darrell Waltrip was driving a Junior Johnson car."

[thunderfoot]

Good stuff RD. I like hearing of the behind the scenes stories. They make for greater friendships.

As for TY. Right on with the Mod thing. I have never felt more comfortable than on this forum and I have a BUNCH of great friends here. More than I can count on me fingers and toes!

[Quack Attack]

Great write-up Team Yates. I think most of the forums this day and age have moderators where in the past, this was not the case back in the day. I love the way this forum is set up with tons of categories. It has something for everybody. I wish the server was a little faster but you cannot have everything....right? LOL

Great Post!

[Bette]

Originally Posted by thunderfoot

Good stuff RD. I like hearing of the behind the scenes stories. They make for greater friendships.

As for TY. Right on with the Mod thing. I have never felt more comfortable than on this forum and I have a BUNCH of great friends here. More than I can count on me fingers and toes!

Wow Thunderfoot! I am impressed. Didnt know you could count that far.

(um, are you including me in that bunch of friends thing?)

[Loki309]

Originally Posted by Bette

Wow Thunderfoot! I am impressed. Didnt know you could count that far.

(um, are you including me in that bunch of friends thing?)

Bette if he didn't include you I would clearly have to High Five TF. I clearly have not high fived TF though so I think your safe.

[thunderfoot]

Originally Posted by Bette

Wow Thunderfoot! I am impressed. Didnt know you could count that far.

(um, are you including me in that bunch of friends thing?)

Oh yeah you be included there Bette. This is where I got inventive and used me college edication to count higher. Two toes squared is a different person than a plain two toes. Ya got that? I'm sure this would confuse Penelope Pit Stop but its fun to see final outcome.

[Bette]

Originally Posted by thunderfoot

Oh yeah you be included there Bette. This is where I got inventive and used me college edication to count higher. Two toes squared is a different person than a plain two toes. Ya got that? I'm sure this would confuse Penelope Pit Stop but its fun to see final outcome.

Oh, I am so glad to see that that college education is of use. I get it but what happens if you are missing a toe???????????

[thunderfoot]

Originally Posted by Bette

Oh, I am so glad to see that that college education is of use. I get it but what happens if you are missing a toe???????????

Then you dont get to use it as a power. It's a "plain Jane"

[Team Yates]

Originally Posted by thunderfoot

Good stuff RD. I like hearing of the behind the scenes stories. They make for greater friendships.

As for TY. Right on with the Mod thing. I have never felt more comfortable than on this forum and I have a BUNCH of great friends here. More than I can count on me fingers and toes!

Hey Thunder!!! How's it going?!? So glad to you are able to hang with us again. I got your pm, will be pming back. It's been a long crazy week and weekend. Had a American Legion picnic to attend on Saturday, and then rode shotgun in our chase car behind the Lititz Legion riders benefit run for the V.A. Hospice Hospital. They are a "young" chapter, only 2 years old, but the 4th annual run!! This run was just shy 100 bikes. What a blast!! What an awesome sight riding in the ride behind a 100 bikes raising money for an excellent cause. For all our Military!! Maybe next year, we won't be running chase!!
You got a friend in me!!

[Team Yates]

Originally Posted by Quack Attack

Great write-up Team Yates. I think most of the forums this day and age have moderators where in the past, this was not the case back in the day. I love the way this forum is set up with tons of categories. It has something for everybody. I wish the server was a little faster but you cannot have everything....right? LOL

Great Post!

Thanks for the compliment Quack!!
I know that most forums have moderators, but then you still have all that crap happening, so it's a case of bad moderation? Like Q, when he's the moderator of his drinking?
Yeah, if you are into almost any sport, you can find it here, that is for sure!!

[Quality88]

Originally Posted by Team Yates

Thanks for the compliment Quack!!
I know that most forums have moderators, but then you still have all that crap happening, so it's a case of bad moderation? Like Q, when he's the moderator of his drinking?
Yeah, if you are into almost any sport, you can find it here, that is for sure!!

I live in moderation..... I stay on simmer

[Team Yates]

Originally Posted by Quality88

I live in moderation..... I stay on simmer

Just so long as you're not stewing!!