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NASCAR HALL-OF-FAME INDUCTION CEREMONYJanuary 30, 2015Rex WhiteCHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA KERRY THARP: Rex White is our next honoree, 28 wins in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and certainly one of the more colorful drivers in the history of our sport. Rex, congratulations on being named into the 2015 NASCAR Hall of Fame class. How does that feel to be a Hall of Famer? REX WHITE: Great. It feels great. It's just a great honor. I don't really know if I have the correct words to express my joy and everything about it, but it's unbelievable. Great honor. Q. I have a little technical question. You competed from '56 to '64 in the NASCAR series. What was the biggest technical evolution during this time? I think wind tunnel testing, aero stuff, dyno testing didn't even exist at that time. What was the biggest technical evolution at that time on a NASCAR race car? REX WHITE: The biggest problem we had in those days was making the engine last and keeping the engine together for 500 miles, even the shorter races. But we didn't have the knowledge to build engines or the capability or the money to build engines that was bulletproof like they have today. But the engine was the biggest thing that we had to deal with. We had other issues, but the engine was the most. Q. When you look at your career, what was in your own heart your greatest win in NASCAR? REX WHITE: My first win at Lanham Speedway. It was my first win. I did get a checkered flag, and I just happen to have a picture of the car I was driving in a heat race, and the owner of the car, boy, he wanted a picture of it. So I found this the other day. As a matter of fact, I gave it to the Hall of Fame here. They didn't use it tonight, but really, I think back a lot of times lately, that was the biggest win. I also got a trophy that night, beat a lot of good cars. Just a great night. And to add to that, this was on Friday night. On Saturday night I went to Manassas, Virginia, won the heat, semi and the feature. On Sunday, I went to Marlboro, Maryland, and won the feature and the heat race there. To have three races in one weekend, and that's the start of your career, that's a pretty good deal. Also at Lanham was a NASCAR race. At Manassas, Virginia, that was an Outlaw race, a different club. So I didn't want to jeopardize my NASCAR license, so I changed my name to Johnny Neylon so I raced at Manassas, Virginia, and Marlboro, Maryland, under Johnny Neylon. Well, the Evening Star in Washington, D.C., printed an article Neylon Wins Race at Manassas, Virginia. Bill Clagett at was the NASCAR rep in Baltimore, Maryland, so I went to sign in at Lanham the next Friday night, he said, what name are you going to use tonight? Q. Your statistics were very good for a couple of years. You beat out Fireball and Buck Baker in that period of time, but yet you did it on a shoestring budget. Talk about the miracles that you had to work on the racetrack to get the wins that you did on a very limited budget. REX WHITE: Well, you know, I beat some good drivers in my career, but my biggest thing, and Ricky Craven asked me approximately the same question a couple years ago, how did you do it and how did you finish all them races in the top 10 all them years. I had a habit of eating every day, and in order to eat and pay your bills, you've got to take in money, and if you're short in a race car with your funds and doing the work yourself, you don't race until the end of the race when you get the money. That's the checkered flag. To finish first, first you must finish. KERRY THARP: Before we let you know, I'm going to have you get up, and we've got a couple proclamations we want to give you. First of all, the mayor of Taylorsville, North Carolina, and that is mayor George Holleman, he has said that today, Friday, January 30th, 2015, is Rex White Day in the city of Taylorsville, North Carolina, and then also Congressman Richard Hudson from the great state of North Carolina has presented you with a recognition today talking about all of your accomplishments in NASCAR, and he is with the House of Representatives in the State of North Carolina. Congratulations, and we'll get this picture, and certainly congratulations on your induction here tonight. REX WHITE: Thank you. I appreciate it very much. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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