Insane Private Racing Museum! Former NASCAR Driver Ronnie Thomas Shows Us His Massive Collection!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 12 ก.พ. 2024
- Ronnie Thomas was the NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year in 1978 and has one heck of a collection from the legends of racing over the years!
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Ronnie does not have a racing museum that is open to the public, however the front room in his house packs in more impressive history than some actual museums we have been in! Ronnies father Jabe Thomas was an owner driver in the pioneer days of NASCAR racing with the Wood Brothers, Pettys, and all the early icons in the 50s and 60s! Ronnie took over and started racing in the late 70s up until the mid 1980s when he pivoted to the Late Model Stock series with great success. So much that he received hate mail for winning too much, which he kept for us to see in his collection!
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We knew Ronnie had some neat stuff and one of his old race cars but never anticipated all these unique pieces! We were there all day and didn't even get to it all! Leave a thumbs up to help history grow!
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I love how the car is resting on 4 corner (vintage) scales 😂
I love these videos I know I say this about every third video you put out but I know comments help with the whole algorithm
I was already tired of NASCAR a little bit but a couple years ago when they did that work stuff I just gave up on them completely
That's crazy I have never ever used my right foot for the brake pedal
How do you hold your clutch and your gas to the floor at the same time if you dont use both
Well I think if he needs a couple people that will definitely cherish preserve and keep all this stuff I think he's found the two people to do it just my opinion
Im 81 years old and dont miss a video of yours Mitch I dont follow NASCAR like I used to because its not as much fun with all the big money drivers and owners it was a lot more fun when it was run what you brung Im glad you are keeping the old school stuff alive
Thank you Stuart!
Glad your still with us at 81 hope all is well and I'm only 50 but feel the same
Same here ... I am with you guys all the way !!!
You do a great job Mitchell...keep on doing what you do !!!!
@@MatthewRRader I like this stuff myself don't ever tune in on Sun no more but always watch these guys
"The guys in the front need someone to pass"
This sums up life so well.
Dang that’s heavy
I'm 77. I feel the same way about NASCAR today Ronnie.
77 and haven't watched since the Wallace BLM car. Had watched less and less every year before that.
@@labrd41you're missing out
It’s a shame! I used to not miss a lap but haven’t watched in years!!!!!
The Wood bros cheater carburetor was awesome! Glad that you guys got to take the time to hang out with Ronnie, that was great! Cheers!!
So true!
I’m 22 and love the history of ole racing. I love these videos because they are story’s that would never be heard if it wasn’t for what your doing.
Thanks man we’re glad you’re here
We need more Real ☝️ like Yourself
Into how Bad Ass These OG’s are and were
74 years old here, professional engine builder from '69 -'81.
He reminds me of my uncle Henry. He has everything from his father's garage that was operating in the 30s-40s. I mean like BRAND NEW cases of oil from that time period. Too many thing to list. When I went to see him in 2011 he said "I don't have time to show you everything but It will show you the shop." I said what else is there to which he replied: "There are three more barns of cars and things from dad and his dad." Uncle Henry saw a 1947 Ford Sportsman convertible on a movie poster. He can't remember the movie and the only star he can recall was that beautiful wood-bodied convertible featured on the poster. He never stopped thinking about it until he acquired his own 1947 Ford Sportsman convertible in 1975.
What ensued was a near perfect show quality restoration of this very rare Ford model that took 33 years to complete. In 2008, Henry Miller’s restoration efforts were rewarded when his car achieved 998 out of 1,000 points at the Early Ford V8 Club’s Grand National Meet in Dearborn, Michigan. His car was given the club’s ‘Dearborn’ award for the highest level of restoration. I have a 15 minute movie taken of his garage but in 2011 the phone cameras were not like they are today. I know how Ronnie feels about the things he has kept, it is the memory of the people and the experiences gained. Do not stop doing this work, for this history of racing and the people of that era, their stories need to be told and shown. Take a 60s or 70s car to a person today who has just been had schooling to become a mechanic and open the hood and ask them to fix anything and they would be totally lost.
wow that is dedication!
I'm 45 years old. I never watch Nascar anymore. Haven't watched in many years. What a fantastic video. Possibly your best video yet. What a great guy. What a great collection. What great stories. The illegal Wood Brothers carburetor, the chicken bone story, the story of why they couldn't race the same way the Pettys race and the life lesson of the fans who would gladly race with the equipment they could afford. Tons of great things to talk about in this video. Nascar was a great sport and I love how you are finding these people to talk to before they are gone. Thank you two for what you do.
Love the independents stories
we do too!
Been watching since before your NASCAR Historian work. I’m 33 and can remember as far back as my memory can go loving Nascar. February 18 is a day of mourning for me every year for the last 23 years. These videos of yours takes me back to when I did research for school reports. Anytime I had to write in elementary school, I found a way to manipulate the report into something Nascar. Crazy seeing your videos telling these stories on people and things I’ve written about as a kid. Makes me miss the 90s and 00s. Glad your younger then me, and have the passion you do. There ain’t many of us that exist. Thank you for documenting these amazing people from the sport!
Thanks man! I used to do the same thing with school papers 😂
This has been one of your best videos. So great seeing one of the "small" guys interviewed and the stuff he has collected over the years. I always thought back when watching him run some Cup races that if he only had the money, he would have been more successful. I met him last year at the Lennie Pond/Ronnie Elder Reunion and he was so nice. He also brought the 41 car along. Billy Thurston, Roy Hendrick, Tommy Ellis and others were also there. Lennie Pond was so well liked around here that since his passing, they have a reunion every year for family, friends and fans. I've been to every one so far. These are by invitation only though......Thanks for keeping the memories of that period of racing alive. Just to add, the 28 team of Harry Ranier was actually started with Lennie Pond in the W.I.N. #54 Chevy. They won the Talladega race in 78.
Thanks man!!
I remember seeing Ronnie race at Richmond back in the mid 70's. That's a great looking car.
How wonderful, you guys going up to Christiansburg to do a video with Ol Ronnie. He is definitely one to not be forgotten. Just a super person and quite the character. I lived just down the road in Radford back in the early 90s. And was on a few race teams that ran at the track there. Ronnie was running Late Model Stocks. And just KILLING IT in his no 9 Dodge. Everybody in the New River Valley racing community all knew each other and he was a big part of it. He never acted like he was above any of us because he was, at one time, in Cup. Always the friendliest guy and just fun loving.
Thanks for doing this one. Great video
Im 34. I can’t get enough of the golden era of nascar. Keep the history alive! You guys do amazing work. Keep it up!
I feel exactly the way Ronnie feels about NASCAR 👍,the Glory days are far behind us! You guys are keeping the Glory Days in the present for me as a 51 year old Nascar fan from the late 70's,but yhe 50's-60's era is my favorite, Again,Thank you for documenting history with guy's like Ronnie 👍
51 here as well. I watch two events on the tv now..(about 20 years now) the superbowl and daytona 500. I stopped watching a long time ago. My first memory of nascar on tv live was that guy who died after the car got mangled on a chain link fence...200mph. No car just went around a corner, there was precarious angles and sway and screaming sound keeping you glued to the screen. True characters,real anger, real happiness, really earning all of it. (my hero is smokey yunick, and his gold chevelle car is my favorite car photo of any subject of cars..it is my favorite all time )
If they were to bring back those old cars for one race. Today's race fans would never want to see the "cars" they run now again. And these young drivers that learned to drive a race car on a racing game never had to work on them like these old guys. If they wanted to go racing they had to build the car and work on it themselves. So the old guys had to be drivers and mechanics. Glad you show these old guys so people know how cool it use to be.
That Pontiac is sharp!!! The innovation back then…….😊
I’m 71 years old. Great video with Ronnie. I met Ronnie at Daytona in February 1982.
I’m 47 years old and love your Nascar content. Keep making these types of videos!
Same here!
Im 25 n i love this stuff and racing/rallying/drifting is my life to a T. I dont have the money to do anything, i dont have the knowledge on how to work on cars and my friends are all the same way as me, but that dont stop me from havin motorsport as my life n i wouldnt have it any other way 🤟🏻. Side note i always wondered where Ronnie was and what he was up to cuz id seen a special in a race about him once back from an 80s race at some point, so im glad hes still around doin what hes doin
I'm 18 and I enjoy NASCARs history including my friend group. I know even more people who like the old NASCAR days. We are out there. You're doing the best possible thing to keep this alive.
Im 22 and love learning about the history, love the sport
Ronnie Thomas , a piece of NASCAR history , he’s a dying breed for sure …. Humble !
My favorite piece in his collection is the Ray Hendrick pieces , ol Mr. Modified!
Thanks Mitchell and Logan for another great find !! ❤
Another banger! What gift you two are curating for the world.
I'm 52 yrs old, the '80s were my favorite years of Winston Cup Racing. Harry Gant was my favorite, but like Ronnie was talking about, I always pulled for him, Buddy Arrington, JD McDuffie, Jimmy Means, James Hylton....you just wanted to see them low budget teams have good runs. So wonderful hearing these stories.
Little something personal.... I love TH-cam. DIY. Music. History. Pretty much whatever keeps me interested, learning, and distracted from BS. You sir, are one of my absolute favorite people. Appreciate the both of you and the work you put in. I ALWAYS look forward to your stuff. I'm 53 years old and this stuff you do is priceless. THANK YOU again!!!
The cubic inch device was known in 1970 was called the P and G gauge.
People let's get Mitch and Logan over the 300k mark and beyond! Doesn't cost a thing to subscribe to their channel plus will help them with this history and keeping on! Thanks again for another great video, im an old school subscriber and mis seeing you out there ripping the Escalade, yet I enjoy the hell out of these awesome NASCAR history video's!
Thanks man!!
I'm 24 and have been around vintage racing all my life love it and have been trying to keep it alive at my home track since 2017
Years ago I made a video of a street rod buddy who worked for Junior for years and he has a bunch of stuff as well, his name is Billy Biscoe and he lives in Denton, NC and he has a bunch of health issues at this time. Ask some of those people about Billy, I still have the video of his shop and he is a history lesson as well. His son AJ is or was racing at Ace, but not sure if he still does. Thanks for this, I totally agree with Ronnie, Nascar is trying to forget what brought them here. I am a modified guy who loves history and now in my upper 70`s dislike what Nascar is doing, but its their show! Thanks again!
I’m an old man who is enjoying your work.
As a child I have fond memories of the way the ground shook when they dropped the green flag. When the big block engines were still on track.
20 years old and can’t get enough of this!
I’m 60 and love all your videos. Ronnie was a pleasure to listen to and loved all the memorabilia from the past! Thanks for your work in preserving these great memories.
Ronnie is a great guy! I bought his vintage Nascar hauler in 2022 and he drove it for me to the harbor to ship it over 280 miles just because i also use it now to drive a late model Nascar to the track in Europe these days! Thanks to Ronnie👌🇱🇺🇺🇸
Wow !! That is a great looking truck with some history👍 you drive this truck around in the Netherlands nog?? Where can i find pictures of this truck? Greetings👋
I met him several times. Back in the early 1990s I watched him race Friday nights at Lonesome Pine Raceway in Coeburn, va.
Me to at Lonesome Pine. Great times!
My granddad used to tell me about running around with Jabe Thomas back in the day. Ronnie was the man to beat in New River Valley Speedway when I was high schooler! Great video
Favorite piece was the wrangler stuff, as an Earnhardt fan, I would love to have any Nascar sheet metal, love ur videos, just fyi, I am 52, I'm afraid like he is the glory days maybe long gone for Nascar, cuz they really don't care what we think
I'm 52 and love the history, especially the independents. You guys do an awesome job!
Im 23, seeing the older cars and hearing the drivers talk. I love it, id love to own one of the 80s cars. Love these videos!
I’m 16 and I love the old school nascar racing I don’t watch a lot of new and I stay around cars and garages
Thats some Cool Nascar Heritage......have to wonder where it will end up
Ronnie Thomas has a wonderful museum! I watched him and his Dad many Sundays! Cale Yarborough’s door was my favorite thing I saw plus Richard’s uniform with the superbird patch! Great job Mitchell and Logan!
This was a real trip into history
Istarted going to Daytona in 65 and have always been a Wood Ford product
I have to drive Chevys now because my son is on the Alex Bowman shop and road crew person in Cup
Watching the end of your pod you asked about younger people...my Son is 31 yrs old and eats and sleeps NASCAR,and he races Legend Cars at Charlotte.
Look for my Son at Daytona ALLY, Carl Haag
Thanks man we will!
Cool Dude I Live about 3 hrs Ronnie great to see him get a little recognition if not for these small guys the independent teams may not been the NASCAR we now today Thank you guys again
People like Ronnie are the reason why museums exist. They see value in stuff before it finds itself in a landfill. And not only that, but he's taken the time to tag everything incase something happens to him. ❤🏁
My favorite thing about Ronnie's Museum was RONNIE HIMSELF and his ability to give you unreal detail of what was showing you.
Love this interview. I worked on then drove dirt track cars 74 to 79 then drove my own to 85 NW PA area. I never knew of Ronnie back when,but like I'm seeing in your awesome videos, all of us into racing were so busy we didn't have much time to look up.
Regardless how long we stayed in racing, we have such similar stories.
What made it all work was that we all loved it, so we lived it.
My NASCAR passion fell off with the single lug nut wheels and Roval tracks.
I’m 25 and love anything vintage NASCAR since going to races as a kid 🏁 Keep it up Stapleton! Awesome collection Ronnie
Another great video Michell and Logan. The difference between the big museums and these driver collection is, the driver collections are personalities . They have personal stories, many of them private times between drivers.
The reason the chrome rims may have cracked was the process wasn't complete. When they chrome steel they have to heat treat it after . If they don't the process makes the steel brittle
Wonderful!!!!!Wonderful video with Ronnie I am 63 watched him and his dad race at Martinsville many times I have a big collection of old racing stuff from the great years the young kids really missed out on great racing😊😊😊😊😊
Ronnie is just awesome, glad you did this video. He is a walking talking time machine.
I'm 44, the best NASCAR was the 80's, 90's and early 2000's. My dad watched every NASCAR race and I watched it with him. I'm only just getting into racing building a street stock.. Love all the videos. Can't wait to see your car come together.
29 and can't get enough of this stuff. Don't have the knowledge, time, or money to do any of this myself so I live through videos like this and the stories shared.
Thanks man we’re glad you’re here for it!
Mitchell and Logan I would have loved to have heard about that number 15 go-kart you guys need to race him with Logan's go-kart.
Thank you so much for this interview. I followed his Dad and Ronnie all of their career. I bought gas at his service station and Jabe gave me advice on my 68 Torono. Great people, greatest time in racing, and great time for your videos. Cheers from Virginia.
Great video Mitch. Love Ronnie Thomas. Logan just gets prettier & prettier as the days go by. She's gorgeous & is definitely a keeper
Her name is actually Logan.
@@MrMan_47 I knew that. I don't know why I typed Morgan. Thanks for the correction.
Ive always wondered what happened to Ronnie. He just kinda walked away at a fairly young age (probably sponsor issues) and wasnt ever really mentioned afterwards. And theres not a ton about him on the interwebs either.
Mitchell I’m 64 and really enjoyed this one! It keeps getting better and better ! You two keep up the good work!
Thank you! Will do!
69 years old . Another excellent video you two did together !!! I am real impressed with how much Mitch knows about the 80/90 years . I think you impressed Ronnie .
I remember listening to Ronnie and Jabe in Daytona hotel room in 1978 take about racing
Been waiting and man yall come out with a boomer awesome looking forward to watchin this one
Boomers boomin!
Wow! I might have been on Daytona pit wall back in either 1985 or 1986. When he tried to qualify for one of those years Firecracker 400. I took a picture of the inside of one of the cars on pit road, it was a white and red car. I was concentrating mostly on Michael Waltrip and getting Darrell Waltrip's autograph. (Michael's car was behind the other car).
So I don't remember if I took a pic of the whole car, but Ronnie for some reason looks familiar. It's been a long time though since then and when I have looked at those pictures. Now I have to try and find those pictures.
This is one of my favorite videos you have put out. Most of us older racing fans know about the Wood Bros , Harry Gant etc stories (not all) but hard-core old school guys like Ronnie and his dad, their stories to me are so interesting. Mid pack runners without big money or factory support are really the backbone of racing. You and your wife do amazing work on letting these men tell their stories. I can't thank you enough for all the work you both put in, the respect you have for the history of racing is truly heartwarming. Thank you thank you thank you!!!!! Chris from NY..
Great looking car, but the car hauler is SWEET 🏁😎🏁
How can you not like Ronnie and Jabe Thomas. Great hard working independents from the best days of NASCAR.. Another awesome video Mr Stapleton !!
73 years old. I remember when the smartest crew won!
Why doesn't nascar talk about these guys more there history is so cool!
I am 76 years old and was watching racing at the old Myrtle Beach speedway in the early 1950's. Somewhere around 2000 I pretty much I gave up watching NASCAR events. NASCAR does not give a crap about the old timers.
or the people that helped make NASCAR. It is all about the money, most old timers such as myself no longer keep up with NASCAR today. For the people that may not know it NASCAR has taken down over 1/3 of the seats around the tracks with the exception being Bristol. Back a few years back someone had to die for you to get a Bristol ticket, and now they are lucky to fill 1/2 of the grand stands for a cup race. At Daytona they took down 89,000 seats on the first shot. At Charlotte they took down all of the new seats from going into 3 all the way out of turn 4 and the back straight seating. I was doing the car show at Charlotte and Daytona and watched it happen. That is how bad they have made it and are still losing spectators I do. not see all of the sold out seating they keek talking about. That is IMHO.
They are ashamed of the past that’s why.
Another great video. Alot of nice stuff and many memories. I remember those old days of NASCAR. My favorite(s) was seeing the Cale stuff. Before Dale Sr., Cale was the driver I was for.
37yr. 3rd generation racer. Love old racing history
Man I love this content on peoples garages, a lot of people still have stuff, you just have to ask. I go to dawsonville moonshine festival every year and end up talking to all sorts of old drivers, neat
Another awesome video, you two. Love the old NASCAR stuff as a lot of people do. Takes us back to the good ol' days. Please, keep up the good work, you to are doing a great thing that will be around for a long time for the younger generation to see. Also love seeing Logan with the dirty face at the end...shows she is working on her car too, keep it up Logan, you will get there. Great job!!!
24 here! Love the history. The golden age of nascar. This new stuff just isn’t it.
This is absolutely fantastic! This is the kind of history that is truly special! Thank you!!!
Ronnie's got way more independent racing stories..a legend himself!!
Just heard of Greg Moore's passing. So glad you got to talk to him. They were true NASCAR pioneers!
Great video!! Ronnie Thomas is a super nice guy and obviously has a great collection/museum in his house. i enjoyed seeing all his items and listen to his descriptions and history behind each item. thanks for sharing. another great video. Larry
Man hearing the name Dick Trickle brings back memories. Dick won 300 late model wins in mainly Wisconsin, and Minnesota in a calender year. I grew up on Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna WI, it was called KK when I was a kid. I got to see Rusty Wallace, Mark Martin, Rich Brickle, Dick Trickle, Lowell Bennett all race before they went to ASA. Later on Matt Kenseth came through here also. Matt gave me my first beer when I was 14. Lowell Bennet lived across the street from me growing up, and I used to spend so much time at his place just in awe of what he was doing.
Thanks for putting this stuff out, it's flipping awesome!!!
I like to here the story on them Motel keys on top of that bath tub Carburetor from that hemi.
Man this is awesome !!!! Keep history alive I’m 52 and my first nascar race was 1976 Daytona 500
Please do a show on Ray Hendrick. I grew up watching him race. We followed him around from racetrack to racetrack. He even invited me to his house and see his trophy room, I was about 10 years old. He always called me "the boy" when he saw my parents and I was not there he would ask "where's the boy". He died when I was deployed to Desert Storm. I knew his son Roy back then too. He kept his car at his mothers house in my neighborhood, the same place Ray kept his in the 60's. Look into the 4H boys from Richmond VA. They were like the Alabama gang.
Ronnie is a local guy we admire . I used to watch him at motor mile.
Another great video guys! Thanks for keeping the history alive! 🏁
Now, THIS is a car guy’s museum! Interesting, one-of-a-kind items….and the stories. Ronnie might be one of the few that could go toe-to-toe with DW for numbers of racing stories….
Im 66 and was going to Talledaga twice a year from 1975 -1980. Guys like Thomas are a rare breed.Their storys need to be told and heard. Thanks for you documenting all. A real treasure.
The glory days are over for sure for nascar !! Last time I watched was 94 or 95 . Don't even know who drives now. THANK YOU Ronnie ..
Good job as usual. Thanks you guys! Very relaxing to here all these old timers.
I'm 58 and that was a hell of a video what a nice guy, Thanks.
cool he got to do it he just had fun and he love it all how cool . thank you for the look .
28 years old here, I love all this history. I also own two Montego GTs, a '72 and a '73, and I'm considering building a '70s NASCAR tribute out of the '72 that I can take road racing
Very great vid as always history at its best. I'm 65 and been watching, listening and going to races since around 72 my cousin ran late model was really successful. Listening to Ronnie brought back memories of back then. Thank you for keeping the true history alive.
Another great visit. Thanks for sharing.
I look forward to your videos. Thanks for taking the time to interview these legends. This is very entertaining!
Outstanding! Thanks for the great show. Love history and the story tellers.
Amazing the love of Nascar history is strong with Ronnie
RONNIE sat my son in the driver seat at BRISTOL when the infield was gravel that was before you gave Nascar official the finger in early 80 thanks RONNIE
Ronnie Thomas Was Named Rookie Of The Year In 1978 Nascar Winston Cup Series From The 70s Thanks For Uploading
Great Great interview Ronnie was really good story teller!! VERY FUN!
Outstanding! The history on display and the stories to with them. I am 59 and can understand and appreciate Ronnie's point of view, I have way too much stuff myself. The photo shown of the Aero Coupe a few times the back window looks huge and way rounded. Not sure what kind of a ride you can get today for $5000 and a bag of pop corn ! Thank you Mitchell and Logan for all that you do.