The Scene Vault Podcast
Rick Houston
Updated about 21 hours agoAt The Scene Vault Podcast, we're all about NASCAR history, all the time. Our interview guests shed new light on their lives and careers each and every week, and hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid draw on their long careers in and around the sport to provide expert analysis and commentary. New episodes drop every Wednesday at 6 a.m. Eastern.
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Episodes (436)
EPISODE 161 -- SCOTTIE MAXWELL
NOTE: This episode contains vivid descriptions of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City. It may be too intense for some listeners. Once upon a time, Scottie Maxwell served as a weekend warrior for Hendrick Motorsports driver Ken Schrader. It was a far cry from his career as a New York City fireman. In the most emotionally charged interview we've ever done, Scottie remembers in vivid detail the events of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Also, Las Vegas Motor Speedway President and General Manager Chris Powell joins hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid to discuss their new partnership. Visit www.lvms.com for all your ticketing needs! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
EPISODE 160 -- KEVIN LEPAGE PART 3
Kevin Lepage is remembered for having sponsorship from the Vermont Teddy Bear Company ... and also an incident that took place during a 2008 Nationwide Series event at Talladega. This week, Kevin gives his side of the story in what was … by far … the most controversial moment of his career. Nearly everyone blamed the mishap on Kevin, while he has always claimed innocence. Hear what Kevin has to say … and then decide for yourself what to think. In our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid dig into the May 1, 2008 issue of NASCAR Scene. Kyle Busch and Tony Stewart win at Talladega, and Kevin Lepage is in the hot seat after that crazy mishap. There were also rumors going around that Tony was looking to go into team ownership, and that Danica Patrick might be considering a move to NASCAR. Finally … there’s a story on A.J. Allmendinger struggling to get up to speed in NASCAR. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
EPISODE 159 -- KEVIN LEPAGE PART 2
In the second installment of our conversation, Kevin Lepage talks about winning the first Busch Series race of his career and a stint with Roush Racing that started out with a lot of promise, but wound up pretty rocky. In our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid dissect the November 7, 1996 issue of Winston Cup Scene, which featured a package of stories on the championship battle between Hendrick Motorsports teammates Terry Labonte and Jeff Gordon … and how much … or how little … their crew chiefs Gary DeHart and Ray Evernham worked together. Kevin Lepage won the standalone Busch Series race at Homestead, with the championship going to Randy LaJoie. And … finally … Rick had a column in this issue that ticked off an autograph seeker or two. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
EPISODE 158 -- KEVIN LEPAGE PART 1
In the first of a three-part interview, Kevin Lepage talks about how he first got started in the sport, moving from his native Vermont to go Busch Series racing, sponsorship from the Vermont Teddy Bear Company – and we’ll later remember some of the OTHER unusual sponsors the sport has had over the years. Finally, Kevin tells the story of a very rocky relationship he faced when he first moved South. Then, in our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid thumb through the August 19, 1982 issue of Grand National Scene. Steve had a column in this issue in which he picked out the members of his own race team and a feature story on D.K. Ulrich prompts Rick to tell the story of a good racing friend, former driver Al Loquasto and Schaeffer beer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
EPISODE 157 -- SHAWNA ROBINSON PART 3
In one of the most emotional episodes we've ever produced, Shawna Robinson and hosts Steve Waid and Rick Houston discuss the impact cancer has had on their lives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
EPISODE 156 -- SHAWNA ROBINSON PART 2
This week, we share the second of what will be three installments of our interview with Shawna Robinson. In this episode, Shawna talks about the 1994 weekend in Atlanta in which she experienced the highest of highs in becoming the first woman to win a Busch Series pole position and the lowest of lows on the very first lap of the race. She also also talks about how motherhood impacted her career, her decision to start racing again and the ups and downs that she experienced after that. In our second segment, we go back to the March 17, 1994 issue of Winston Cup Scene, which featured coverage of Winston Cup rookie Jeff Burton's strong at Atlanta, before giving way to eventual winner Ernie Irvan; Shawna's pole win and a controversial first-lap incident with Mike Wallace and Joe Nemechek. Finally, Bobby Labonte experiences a scary landing of his plane on his way home from the Atlanta race weekend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
EPISODE 155 -- SHAWNA ROBINSON PART 1
Shawna Robinson was the first woman to win a NASCAR touring series race when she won a Charlotte/Daytona Dash Series event at Asheville. She was the first woman to win a pole in the Busch Series and she is also the first woman we’ve featured as an interview guest here on the show. And what a story she has. We’re going to do three episodes with Shawna … the first two on her career, and then the third and final show will focus on her battle with breast cancer. In our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid dig into the October 10, 1991 issue of Winston Cup Scene, which featured coverage of the fall Charlotte weekend at Charlotte. Geoff Bodine and Junior Johnson stretched their fuel mileage to the very last vapor and won the Winston Cup event, after Mark Martin had dominated the event. Morgan Shepherd and Dave Marcis were involved in a pretty heated confrontation. There was also an announcement in Level Cross, North Carolina that stirred up a lot of emotions for a lot of people. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
EPISODE 154 -- ROUNDTABLE PART 2
If the first hour of our conversation with Tony "Rambo" Liberati, Chris Hussey, Gere Kennon and Buddy Parrott was eventful, they were only getting warmed up for the second and final episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
EPISODE 153 -- ROUNDTABLE PART 1
In this very special episode, Tony "Rambo" Liberati, Chris Hussey, Gere Kennon and Buddy Parrott sit down for a round-table conversation about their NASCAR careers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
EPISODE 152 -- JEFF HAMMOND PART 3
We wrap up our time with Jeff Hammond with a short 15-minute installment in which Jeff talks about his time with Sabco Racing and Kenny Wallace, going back to work with Darrell Waltrip and then finally his move into the wide, wide world of NASCAR television with Fox. Hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid then dig into the April 9, 1998 Winston Cup Scene, which featured coverage of a quite memorable weekend at Texas Motor Speedway … and NOT for all the right reasons. Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the first race of his Busch Series career that weekend, and there were also feature stories on Tim Flock’s passing, Wendell Scott and the longevity of various racing chassis that teams took to the track. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
EPISODE 151 -- JEFF HAMMOND PART 2
We’ve had some packed interviews before, but this one is CRAZY. This week, Jeff Hammond talks about the 1989 Daytona 500 and how it was basically the fulfillment of his career; Darrell Waltrip’s injury the following year at Daytona; DW’s decision to move to his own team, and his own reluctance to follow; and his beautiful, awesome, absolutely shining relationship with Darrell’s general manager a year or so later. Then in our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid take a peek at the April 25, 1991 Winston Cup Scene. That issue carried coverage of a wild and wooly day at North Wilkesboro. The race was won by Darrell Waltrip, in his first victory since leaving Hendrick Motorsports to form his own team. Everybody was mad at everybody else due to a HUGE number of accidents. Despite all that, teams WERE happy with the new pit road rules that went into effect, ending an early-season onslaught of changes. This issue also carried a feature story on Ray Fox Sr. and his role in winning the 1960 Daytona 500 and news of Ernie Irvan’s dinner at The White House. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
EPISODE 150 -- JEFF HAMMOND PART 1
We celebrate our 150th episode with the return of Jeff Hammond, for the conclusion of our epic conversation. This week, he talks about the influence of Warner Hodgdon on Junior Johnson & Associates and how the addition of a second team for Neil Bonnett wasn’t exactly the most harmonious of situations. Jeff also discusses Junior’s reaction to the infamous 1986 clash between Darrell Waltrip and Dale Earnhardt at Richmond and the breakup between Darrell and Junior. Finally, Jeff takes us through some of the turmoil that caused HIM to leave Junior to rejoin Darrell at Hendrick Motorsports. In our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid tackle the May 17, 1984 issue of Grand National Scene, which featured coverage of one of the most chaotic finishes to any race anywhere … the 1984 Coors 420 at the fairgrounds race track in Nashville. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
EPISODE 149 -- TRAVIS CARTER PART 2 and RICK MAST
In the second and final installment of our conversation, longtime crew chief and team owner Travis Carter talks about the witch doctor that Hal Needham brought in once upon a time, the close battle with Terry Labonte for the 1984 Winston Cup championship, his run in the 1989 Daytona 500 with driver Rick Mast and his years as a team owner. And speaking of Rick Mast, he joins co-hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid to discuss his memories of working with Travis Carter and a myriad of other topics, such as a nitrous oxide test that didn't quite work out, an FBI raid and buying a corn dog from a con artist.Then, in our second segment, we dig into the April 29, 1982 issue of Grand National Scene, which featured coverage of Harry Gant's first career Winston Cup victory at Martinsville and Bobby Allison's dust-ups the week before at North Wilkesboro. Finally, Rick and Steve discuss some disappointing news. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
EPISODE 148 -- TRAVIS CARTER PART 1
This week, we share the first installment of our interview with legendary crew chief and team owner Travis Carter. Travis tells us about his humble beginnings in the sport in his hometown of Ellerbe, N.C., where he first went to work for L.G. DeWitt and Benny Parsons. Travis also describes the day Benny and John A. Utsman tag-teamed their way to victory lane at Bristol and the day in which basically the entire garage tag-teamed to help Travis and Benny repair their car and clinch the 1973 Winston Cup championship at Rockingham. Travis worked for Roger Penske for a couple of years, before moving back South to join Junior Johnson & Associates as a co-crew chief for Cale Yarborough. While there, Travis and the rest of the team won the 1978 title going away. Finally, Travis told us about the three races that really got away and how he wound up joining a team fielded by Hal Needham and Burt Reynolds. Hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid then dig into the November 5, 1981 issue of Grand National Scene, which featured coverage of Darrell Waltrip's win at Rockingham, a track made treacherous that weekend by the application of bear grease. The issue also carried a column about Travis Carter and his laid-back ways, and news features on Tim Flock's participation in a brand-new team that never actually came to be and Bobby Allison's decision to leave Ranier Racing ... with possible replacements by Richard Petty and Mark Martin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
EPISODE 147 -- HUT STRICKLIN PART 3
This week, in the final installment of our interview with Hut Stricklin, Hut talks about practicing the number 28 Robert Yates Racing Ford at Charlotte and the impact that had on Dale Jarrett’s season with that team. He talks about his second-place finish in the 1996 Southern 500 at Darlington, his eventual decision to get out of the sport, what he’s doing now and a life-threatening disease he endured several years ago. In our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid break down the September 5, 1996 issue of Winston Cup Scene, which featured coverage of Jeff Gordon's win in the Southern 500, Hut's second-place finish, Dale Jarrett's attempt to win The Winston Million and rumors that Dale Earnhardt was going to buy North Wilkesboro. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
EPISODE 146 -- HUT STRICKLIN PART 2
In the second installment of our interview with Hut Stricklin, Hut talks about hanging out with team owner Junior Johnson and one of Junior’s best friends, the one and only Millard Ashley. He also tells the incredible story of agreeing to go with Davey Allison to that fateful test at Talladega, but then having to back out when he got a bad case of food poisoning in New Hampshire. Finally, Hut also tells us what he REALLY thinks about Jimmy Spencer. In our second segment, we take a deep dive into the April 21, 1994 issue of Winston Cup Scene, which featured coverage of Terry Labonte's first win with Hendrick Motorsports, and a clash between Ken Schrader and Jimmy Spencer; an awesome column by Deb Williams about drivers-meeting hijinks; and a feature on a teacher who used racing as an incentive in her classroom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
EPISODE 145 -- HUT STRICKLIN PART 1
This week, we have the first of what will be a three-part interview with Hut Stricklin. In this episode, Hut talks about the origins of the nickname; meeting Pam Allison, Donnie’s daughter; and the role that Pam’s cousin, Davey, played in that. He sets the record straight on NOT being an official member of the Alabama Gang; dominating on short tracks, before making the decision to move to Winston Cup; landing with team owner Rod Osterlund; going to drive for Bobby Allison; finishing second to Davey at Michigan in June of 1991, before ultimately leaving Bobby’s team at the end of the 1992 season. In our second segment, we check into the June 27, 1991 issue of Winston Cup Scene, which featured coverage of Davey Allison’s win and Hut Stricklin’s second-place finish at Michigan; a benefit for Wendell Scott; Junior Johnson’s return to the garage after a four-race suspension, which he was NOT happy about; and everybody denying Silly Season rumors that eventually came true. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
EPISODE 144 -- RONNIE THOMAS PART 3
In the third and final installment of our interview, Ronnie Thomas talks about a 1981 run-in with law enforcement in his hometown of Christiansburg, Virginia, as well as his days as a Late Model Stock icon. In the April 9, 1981 issue of Grand National Scene, we find news of Richard Petty's win at North Wilkesboro, Dave Marcis' pole run, the first race of Mark Martin's Winston Cup career ... and the hiring of Steve Waid as executive editor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
EPISODE 143 -- RONNIE THOMAS PART 2
In the second installment of our interview with Ronnie Thomas, he talks about his frustrations boiling over, an incident with D.K. Ulrich, Eddie Gossage getting to drive his race car, the legendary Wendell Scott and the deal making that went on behind the scenes between him and some of the bigger teams in the sport. Rent a ride? How about rent a caution? Hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid then dig into the July 20, 1978 issue of Grand National Scene, which featured coverage of Cale Yarborough's dominant win at Nashville, the best finish of Richard Childress' Winston Cup career and Ronnie Thomas' first top-10 showing. The issue also carries the heart-breaking story of Rick Newsom, and an in-depth interview with Richard Petty, in which The King shared how he REALLY felt about movies and television. Maybe best of all ... the Petty interview reveals a connection between the 1953 movie The Moon is Blue and the iconic television shows M*A*S*H and The Big Bang Theory. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
EPISODE 142 -- RONNIE THOMAS PART 1
This wasn’t so much a chronological interview, as it was just Ronnie Thomas telling stories. Ronnie discusses his father Jabe's influence on his career, and their early disagreements over just how far and how fast Ronnie could go on the money they had available. Despite a distinct lack of funding, Ronnie won the 1978 Winston Cup Rookie of the Year Award. In our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid dig into the August 17, 1978 issue of Grand National Scene, which featured Steve's cover story on Ronnie Thomas and reports that Lennie Pond was about to be replaced by Darrell Waltrip; Junior Johnson was angry with NASCAR over the finish of the Talladega race AND lawsuits between Harry Hyde and J.D. Stacy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
EPISODE 141 -- MICHAEL McSWAIN PART 3
We’ll share the third and final installment of our interview with Michael McSwain … and if you thought the first two parts were something … you ain’t seen nothing yet. Michael talks about an incident between Ricky Rudd and a Robert Yates Racing employee that left Ricky with a pretty nasty black eye. He talks about his reasons for leaving Robert Yates Racing to go work for Joe Gibbs Racing as crew chief for Bobby Labonte. Finally … Michael rejoined Ricky Rudd at Wood Brothers Racing, where Michael stayed until his decision to get out of the sport in 2007. At the end of the conversation, Michael shared some pretty raw feelings about no longer being in the sport … and the conversation turned very personal. In our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid tackle the April 27, 2000 issue of Winston Cup Scene, which featured a package of stories on several up-and-coming crew chiefs at the time, with Michael McSwain right there on the cover. There's also a feature on Mark Martin’s dominance in the Busch Series, in what was going to be his last year in the division. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
EPISODE 140 -- MICHAEL McSWAIN PART 2
In this week's episode, we share the second installment of our interview with Michael McSwain. He talks about working for Cale Yarborough, joining Ricky Rudd in his last year as a team owner and then going with Ricky to Robert Yates Racing, where the kid from Lattimore, North Carolina won his first Winston Cup race. Just a few months later at Richmond, McSwain was about ready to burn the whole place down for a few minutes. In our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid thumb through the June 21, 2001 issue of Winston Cup Scene, which featured coverage of Ricky and Michael's Pocono win, Kevin Harvick’s double-duty weekend flying back and forth between Pocono and the Busch Series race in Kentucky and the mild-mannered Hank Parker Jr. running into Randy LaJoie after the Kentucky event. Also ... Junior Johnson makes a run at purchasing North Wilkesboro Speedway. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
EPISODE 139 -- MICHAEL McSWAIN PART 1
This week, Michael "Fatback" McSwain talks about the origin of his nickname, padding his resume a little bit when he first got into Winston Cup, the influence of Robert Gee and Harry Hyde on his career, trying to make ends meet with team owner Richard Jackson, an INCREDIBLE third-place finish with Morgan Shepherd at Atlanta and how standing up for himself and his beliefs was one of his greatest strengths … and maybe, one of his greatest weaknesses. Then, in our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid tackle the March 13, 1997 issue of Winston Cup Scene. That paper carried coverage of Dale Jarrett's dominant win at Atlanta, a third-place finish by Morgan Shepherd and McSwain and a horrifying crash involving Steve Grissom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
EPISODE 138 -- HUMPY WHEELER PART 3
We share the third and final installment of our interview with Humpy Wheeler, and this week, he talks about a 1983 confrontation that he had with Tim Richmond. And speaking of confrontations, Humpy absolutely LOVED it when drivers were mad at each other, because it was one more tool in his tool box that he used to help sell tickets. Humpy also talks about a spur-of-the-moment pitch to run The Winston under the lights at Charlotte, NASCAR’s expansion across the country and the impact it had on tracks like North Wilkesboro and Rockingham and … finally … the movie Cars! In our second segment, we go back to the May 25, 1982 issue of Grand National Scene, which featured a MASSIVE feature on Humpy by the legendary Tom Higgins, as well as stories on a very young Rusty Wallace and Mark Martin, former driver Earl Brooks and a “bleep” year for Buddy Baker. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
EPISODE 137 -- HUMPY WHEELER PART 2
In the second installment of our interview, Humpy Wheeler talks jumping school buses, helping drivers up to and including Dale Earnhardt get their starts in the sport, why Earnhardt might not have gotten a ride in today's NASCAR, a Waylon Jennings concert gone wrong and the creation of The Winston all-star race. In our second segment, hosts Rick Houston and Steve Waid thumb through the May 30, 1985 issue of Grand National Scene, which featured coverage of Darrell Waltrip's sweep of Charlotte's The Winston AND the World 600, Bill Elliott's first attempt at winning The Winston Million, volunteer crew member Junior McGee, "Sterlin" Marlin and an associate sponsorship that would eventually become one of the most iconic backers in the history of the sport. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices