How have I not seen this before? What an awesome tribute! This is just the kind of thing you'll never see on today's NASCAR broadcasts, and that's a damn shame.
Guys like JD are the men who built the sport of NASCAR. The unsung heroes who did it all on their own on a shoestring budget and always made it to the next race week in and week out. The everyday working class drivers that everyday working class people can relate to and pull for on Sundays. Guys like JD were the little engines that could. God bless all the old time independent drivers and their sacrifices and contributions to this great sport. May JD forever rest in peace. A real class act and gentleman. They sure don't make em like JD anymore.
You can’t help but respect a man like that he knows his equipment can’t hang with the rest and he knows if he stuck to racing on the dirt he’d probably have no problem being a local track champion but he won’t settle for that he can’t stand but to try to run with big dogs it’s a shame how racing is now about money who’s got enough cash to throw into their engine programs and who can afford wind tunnel testing
Cool segment. I have an admiration for the independents in racing; the guys who can stretch a small budget far enough to compete with teams funded 5 or 6 times greater. And they don't give up until they have nothing left to give.
And he made over 600 starts at the time of his death despite having inferior equipment, funds, AND sponsor money AND also not even qualifying for over half the races that he entered. It's too bad that NASCAR has become such big business that independent drivers like JD, Jimmy "Smut" Means, Dave Marcis, and DK Ulrich are as extinct as the dinosaurs and the Dodo Bird.
@Randy Dubin, according to Mike Joy, who was working the pits, while the song in the segment was written by Marty Robbins, it was actually sung by T.G. Sheppard, who was sponsoring the car Joe Ruttman was driving that day. Just after this piece, Joy interviews Sheppard at the moment the video ends.
@Randy Dubin, I forgot to mention this, but you mentioned Jimmy Means in a previous comment on his video. This piece actually aired just after CBS showed part of a taped interview CBS did with Means, who was to finish 14th in this race, eight laps behind. The irony was that the independent teams got more focus than usual because so many of the big teams at the time had fallen out of the race. And by the way, while this piece was being shown, Harry Gant, in one of those heavily sponsored cars, joined so many like others that dropped out. But yet, independent teams such as Means' team and those of Bobby Wawak, Buddy Arrington, the Sims Brothers (who finished 12th with Mike Alexander), Elmo Langley, Henley Gray, and Roger Hamby were all among those that finished the race, and James Hylton's car, with Lennie Pond driving, didn't fall out until near the end of the race. Add to that the fact that Dave Marcis and Sterling Marlin, who was driving Earl Sadler's #95 car, were both in the top ten when they dropped out, Arnie Sacks finished sixth with Greg driving, and the Stavola Brothers also finished in the top ten in this race as an independent before getting big-time sponsorship for 1986. And of course, the biggest underdog story of that day was Lake Speed finishing second in a car that wasn't even sponsored until just before the race. That all adds up to a banner day for the underdogs at Daytona in 1985.
If JD had raced at a competetive team in his prime we would likely not being saying "King" Richard Petty but "King" JD McDuffie. JD was seriously gifted but never had the money or car under him to fully realise his talent. Gone far too soon.
One of my favourite drivers next to Kirk Shelmerdine. I miss drivers like them. Absolute legends on and off the race track. Engineering wizards these guys were. Shame they didn't have the money.
J.D. mentioned that it got to the point where he was running on borrowed money. The “borrowed money” factor is an all too common thing these days for the weekend racers who are racing just as a hobby. Quite a few of the racers that I have seen race have filed for bankruptcy at one time or another. These racers kept spending money they didn’t have just to support their racing operations.
I've been listening to the audio version of Brock Beard's book "JD. The Life & Death Of A Racing Legend". What an amazing story and an amazing man JD was. It's one of those books that once you start listening you don't wanna stop. Excellent read.....(or in this case hearing). Also where can I find this particular version of "20th Century Drifter"? The version I am finding everywhere on YT is different than this one. Marty Robins must have recorded it twice. Does anyone know where I can find the same version that is in this video?
The song was originally recorded by Marty Robbins but re-recorded by TG Sheppard I'm guessing for this segment. Having seen this and heard the Robbins version, I can say this one is far superior to the Robbins version and I wish I could locate the song itself to download but I can't find it connected to TG Sheppard's albums.
In case anybody is wondering, the song in the segment is "Race Car Driver"(? I think that's the name of that song) by the late, great Marty Robbins, who was a independent NASCAR driver himself.
He also had quite a few factors against him and he lost his life doing it... He even said himself he'd rather finish at least in the top 10 with the greats than to lead any other race. Chill out sim racer.
How have I not seen this before? What an awesome tribute! This is just the kind of thing you'll never see on today's NASCAR broadcasts, and that's a damn shame.
What a good driver, his voice was so sweet clean did a nice job on that. RIP J.D. 1938-1991
he was a good man and he was a heckuva driver that made the most out of his equiptment that he had.
Jerry Was a Racecar Driver, he drove so goddamn fast. Never did win any checkered flags, but he never did come in last.
Guys like JD are the men who built the sport of NASCAR. The unsung heroes who did it all on their own on a shoestring budget and always made it to the next race week in and week out. The everyday working class drivers that everyday working class people can relate to and pull for on Sundays. Guys like JD were the little engines that could. God bless all the old time independent drivers and their sacrifices and contributions to this great sport. May JD forever rest in peace. A real class act and gentleman. They sure don't make em like JD anymore.
You can’t help but respect a man like that he knows his equipment can’t hang with the rest and he knows if he stuck to racing on the dirt he’d probably have no problem being a local track champion but he won’t settle for that he can’t stand but to try to run with big dogs it’s a shame how racing is now about money who’s got enough cash to throw into their engine programs and who can afford wind tunnel testing
Cool segment. I have an admiration for the independents in racing; the guys who can stretch a small budget far enough to compete with teams funded 5 or 6 times greater. And they don't give up until they have nothing left to give.
pretty cool. Looks like he had a good woman in his corner too Mrs. JD McDuffie
I remember watching the race at Watkins Glen that took his life. Just made me sick, so sad.
And he made over 600 starts at the time of his death despite having inferior equipment, funds, AND sponsor money AND also not even qualifying for over half the races that he entered. It's too bad that NASCAR has become such big business that independent drivers like JD, Jimmy "Smut" Means, Dave Marcis, and DK Ulrich are as extinct as the dinosaurs and the Dodo Bird.
i was his neighbor when he first started on dirt.
@Randy Dubin, according to Mike Joy, who was working the pits, while the song in the segment was written by Marty Robbins, it was actually sung by T.G. Sheppard, who was sponsoring the car Joe Ruttman was driving that day. Just after this piece, Joy interviews Sheppard at the moment the video ends.
@Randy Dubin, I forgot to mention this, but you mentioned Jimmy Means in a previous comment on his video. This piece actually aired just after CBS showed part of a taped interview CBS did with Means, who was to finish 14th in this race, eight laps behind. The irony was that the independent teams got more focus than usual because so many of the big teams at the time had fallen out of the race.
And by the way, while this piece was being shown, Harry Gant, in one of those heavily sponsored cars, joined so many like others that dropped out. But yet, independent teams such as Means' team and those of Bobby Wawak, Buddy Arrington, the Sims Brothers (who finished 12th with Mike Alexander), Elmo Langley, Henley Gray, and Roger Hamby were all among those that finished the race, and James Hylton's car, with Lennie Pond driving, didn't fall out until near the end of the race. Add to that the fact that Dave Marcis and Sterling Marlin, who was driving Earl Sadler's #95 car, were both in the top ten when they dropped out, Arnie Sacks finished sixth with Greg driving, and the Stavola Brothers also finished in the top ten in this race as an independent before getting big-time sponsorship for 1986. And of course, the biggest underdog story of that day was Lake Speed finishing second in a car that wasn't even sponsored until just before the race. That all adds up to a banner day for the underdogs at Daytona in 1985.
I'm watching this remembering J.D. today on this date he passed away
If JD had raced at a competetive team in his prime we would likely not being saying "King" Richard Petty but "King" JD McDuffie. JD was seriously gifted but never had the money or car under him to fully realise his talent. Gone far too soon.
RIP
Race In Peace....
One of my favourite drivers next to Kirk Shelmerdine. I miss drivers like them. Absolute legends on and off the race track. Engineering wizards these guys were. Shame they didn't have the money.
Great clip. I miss the privateers.
J.D. mentioned that it got to the point where he was running on borrowed money. The “borrowed money” factor is an all too common thing these days for the weekend racers who are racing just as a hobby. Quite a few of the racers that I have seen race have filed for bankruptcy at one time or another. These racers kept spending money they didn’t have just to support their racing operations.
He kept a positive attutide. Believing that his hard work would pay off someday. Much respect from a fellow North Carolinian from Wilson NC .
Marcus Barnes respect from Rocky Mount Nc
J.D McDuffie should be in the Nascar Hall Of Fame
Poor guy! That's all I can say.
always keep J.D. in your memory. never forget him
R.I.P J.D 😔
His spirit was as great as Dale Earnhardt,his money was his downfall.We love J.D. McDuffie
If he ran NASCAR on a budget imagine what he could have done in a lower series like asa
The name of the song is Twentieth Century Drifter. But you is right about the singer, it's indeed Marty.
I've been listening to the audio version of Brock Beard's book "JD. The Life & Death Of A Racing Legend". What an amazing story and an amazing man JD was. It's one of those books that once you start listening you don't wanna stop. Excellent read.....(or in this case hearing).
Also where can I find this particular version of "20th Century Drifter"? The version I am finding everywhere on YT is different than this one. Marty Robins must have recorded it twice. Does anyone know where I can find the same version that is in this video?
The song was originally recorded by Marty Robbins but re-recorded by TG Sheppard I'm guessing for this segment. Having seen this and heard the Robbins version, I can say this one is far superior to the Robbins version and I wish I could locate the song itself to download but I can't find it connected to TG Sheppard's albums.
Jd is from my hometown of Broadway/Sanford, NC
In case anybody is wondering, the song in the segment is "Race Car Driver"(? I think that's the name of that song) by the late, great Marty Robbins, who was a independent NASCAR driver himself.
Rip
true
He always had plenty of dough for those stogies though~
They don't make wives like that anymore.
this dude ran 653 races and never finished on the lead lap, geez
He also had quite a few factors against him and he lost his life doing it... He even said himself he'd rather finish at least in the top 10 with the greats than to lead any other race. Chill out sim racer.
In those days to get in cup you had to have an income that’s equivalent to today’s six figure income so don’t feel to bad for him
That's kind of the thing...he didn't exactly have to money to be doing this...