[Team Yates]

Morgan-McClure returns to the track at Bristol: For Morgan-McClure Motorsports and driver #4-Scott Wimmer, qualifying on Friday for the Sharpie 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway will mean more than just making the race. It could signal a return to racing fulltime in 2010. "We really want to make a good showing in qualifying and in Saturday's race," said Wimmer, who last drove for Richard Childress Racing in the Nationwide Series and had driven for Morgan-McClure in 2006. "That can attract some attention and hopefully get some sponsors involved. I tell you, this is a team that deserves to come back." The team that won three Daytona 500s in the 1990s, notched multiple wins at Talladega Superspeedway, and won at Martinsville in 1998 with the late Bobby Hamilton driving had major scale-backs in sponsorship that forced an abbreviated schedule in 2007 and sidelined the team for the entirety of 2008. Alpha Natural Resources, a leading U.S. coal producer with 74 facilities in five states including Virginia, is financially backing the team's second attempt at racing in 2009. Nationwide Series driver Eric McClure failed to qualify a Morgan-McClure car for the Aaron's 499 at Talladega in April.(Kingsport Times News)
AND Scott Wimmer appeared to be at home Monday morning as he roamed the sprawling headquarters of Morgan-McClure Motorsports. Wimmer joked with old friends, chatted with new associates and examined the fleet of No. 4 MMM Chevrolets. The old band might not be fully intact, but the essential pieces are in place for the reunion of a team that last competed in the 2007 fall Cup event at Martinsville Speedway. Wimmer, 33, will attempt to qualify for Saturday's Sharpie 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway in a car sponsored by Alpha Natural Resources, an Abingdon-based coal producer. "People are always asking when this car is going to get back on the track," Wimmer said. "I'm really thankful to have the opportunity to make that happen." Wimmer drove 23 races for the MMM team during the 2006 season, recording a top finish of 19th in the Food City 500 at BMS. Morgan said he plans to rent the pit crew members of the No. 24 Rensi-Hamilton Hefty Ford driven by Abingdon's Eric McClure. Longtime Morgan-McClure Motorsports employees Steve Gray, Todd Cooper and Robert Larkins will also assist Wimmer. Food Country USA, an Abingdon-based grocery chain with a long history in stock car racing, is serving as an associate sponsor for the MMM team.(Bristol Herald Courier), see a couple inmages of the car on my #4 Team Schemes page.(8-18-2009)

[Quality88]

I would like to see the 4 back on the track... long ways to go for'em though... long ways to go.

[Bob Tanner]

That Larry cheated on his taxes doesn't bother me nearly as much as the fact he attempted to bilk Kodak out of $60,000. Oh well. At least he's doing the time, unlike another team owner who shall go nameless.

I got a laugh out of the quote: "the sprawling headquarters of Morgan-McClure Motorsports." One large-sized garage facility, a small office and a small museum isn't exactly "sprawling," as anyone who has driven up I-81 past the shop will tell you.

[wardfan]

I got a laugh out of the quote: "the sprawling headquarters of Morgan-McClure Motorsports." One large-sized garage facility, a small office and a small museum isn't exactly "sprawling," as anyone who has driven up I-81 past the shop will tell you.[/quote]

Well I like to refer to the balcony of my condo as a veranda

[nascaraddict]

Originally Posted by wardfan

I got a laugh out of the quote: "the sprawling headquarters of Morgan-McClure Motorsports." One large-sized garage facility, a small office and a small museum isn't exactly "sprawling," as anyone who has driven up I-81 past the shop will tell you.

Well I like to refer to the balcony of my condo as a veranda[/quote]



"Sprawling" ain't the discription I'd use either. It's a shotgun shack compared to what Rick and Jack Roush has.

[loco4pablo]

Originally Posted by nascaraddict

Well I like to refer to the balcony of my condo as a veranda

"Sprawling" ain't the discription I'd use either. It's a shotgun shack compared to what Rick and Jack Roush has.[/quote]

I remember back in the early 90's we went to Bristol and my friend was a big Irvan fan so we decided to go by the MM shop. After we got directions we passed it 2 times. Once there, we found 3 people walking around and in the garage were 4 #4 cars on jack stands, about 7 big tool boxes, an old chevy pick up that was being restored and a punching bag hanging from the ceiling.
The people that were working there looked at us like they had never seen anyone stop by the shop before and they weren't too friendly.... We started to hear banjo music in our heads so we split.
I will say this: That team did the most with less more then any other team in recent memory.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by loco4pablo

I will say this: That team did the most with less more then any other team in recent memory.

You said a mouthful there. Of course, at their peak, M-M wasn't considered a small team. In the 80's and 90's they operated on a par with the rest of the power houses.

I, personally think it all started going south when Larry McClure showed no interest in expanding to multiple teams, when the trend was evident. Then after Tony Glover ( a genius at motivating, team building and shop organization, IMO) left to go to Felix Sabates and Runt Pittman (one of the most under rated engine builders in NASCAR, in my opinion. His engine put Ernie Irvan in Dayton'a Victory lane and does anyone here remember Sterling Marlin's car?) retired, there was just no depth. Then Kodak left for Penske and you might as well have stuck a fork in M-M; they were done.