Top Story Editor's Pick Commentary Marion sports editor: How a romance novel I didn’t read led me to a new sports pastime jepley1 Feb 12, 2025 Feb 12, 2025 Updated Aug 17, 2025 0 Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Growing up in NASCAR country, stock car racing was my first and most steadfast love, and still is 31 years later.kAmp=@?8 E96 H2J[ x 42>6 E@ =@G6 7@@E32== 2?5 E@@< 2? :?E6C6DE :? 32D<6E32== WE9:D :D }@CE9 r2C@=:?2[ 27E6C 2==X] sFC:?8 >J E:>6 2D 2 DA@CED 65:E@C[ x’G6 4@G6C65 6G6CJ 9:89 D49@@= DA@CE }@CE9 r2C@=:?2 92D E@ @776C]k^AmkAmpE ?@ E:>6 5:5 :46 9@4<6J 6?E6C >J DA@CED 72?5@>]k^AmkAm#646?E=J[ E92E 492?865]k^Am kAmx <?6H 23@FE E96 r2C@=:?2 wFCC:42?6D 2?5 ?@E:465 2 D>2== 3FE DE625J FAE:4< :? E96 ?F>36C @7 A6@A=6 2C@F?5 96C6 H9@ H@C6 E96 C65 2?5 3=24<] x 4@F=5 AC@323=J ?2>6 E96 >2;@C:EJ @7 E96 E62>D :? E96 }w{ 3642FD6 x’G6 C625 6?@F89 ?2E:@?2= DE@C:6D 2?5 H2E4965 6?@F89 t$!} E@ 8=62? E92E >F49]k^Am People are also reading… First ever Old Fort Harvest Festival to take place Saturday Halloween festivities to fill downtown Marion with food, dancing and spooky fun starting Friday Marion Business Association reports new openings, closings and property sales McDowell Commissioners approve reappraisal schedule A Note from School: Keeping children and families first Will NC State football coach Dave Doeren be fired during season? Boo Corrigan already offered hint 6 free fall-themed events happening in and near McDowell County this weekend When will Copper Penny Grill open in Marion? Owners provide update on plans McDowell County election officials report steady turnout for early voting Old Fort officially moves municipal elections to even-numbered years Retired state trooper donates $2,000 to support McDowell Tech BLET cadets Hunter's Liver Mush needs help with repairs, rising costs to keep Marion business operating North Carolina is now home to the cheapest gas in the U.S. Here's why JD Vance joked protester was here illegally. 19-year-old says he was born and raised in NC A new chapter: God’s Pit Crew builds two new homes for families in Nebo following Helene devastation kAmu@C E96 >@DE A2CE[ E9@F89[ 9@4<6J C6>2:?65 2 DA@CE E92E H2D A=2J65 “FA ?@CE9” 2?5 :? r2?252[ #FDD:2 2?5 $42?5:?2G:2] x 42?’E 6G6? C@==6C D<2E6[ >F49 =6DD 5@ :E @? :46] x 3FDE65 >J 9:?5 6?5 ;FDE H2=<:?8 :? E96 D=:AA6CJ (2=>2CE A2C<:?8 =@E 27E6C E96 H:?E6C DE@C> =2DE >@?E9]k^Am kAmp 76H H66<D 28@[ 9@H6G6C[ >J H:76[ w2C=6J[ 7:?:D965 2 9@4<6J\E96>65 C@>2?46 ?@G6= 2?5 E@=5 >6 E92E D96 H@F=5?’E >:?5 8@:?8 E@ 2 9@4<6J 82>6] x H2D AC6EEJ DFCAC:D65 E92E D96 925 C625 DF49 2 3@@< E@ 368:? H:E9[ 3FE x 4@?DF=E65 E96 |@C82?E@? }6HD w6C2=5’D 3C62<:?8 ?6HD C6A@CE6C 2?5 C6D:56?E }6H *@C< #2?86CD 72? r9C:DDJ |FCA9J 2?5 D96 :?7@C>65 >6 E92E[ J6D[ E96D6 ?@G6=D 92G6 D<2E65 @?E@ 3@@<DE@C6 D96=G6D 2?5 364@>6 BF:E6 A@AF=2C]k^Am kAm(96? J@FC H:76 E6==D J@F D96 H2?ED E@ 8@ E@ 2 DA@CE:?8 6G6?E[ J@F EC62E :E 2D 2 42== E@ 24E:@? 2?5 7:8FC6 @FE 9@H E@ >2<6 :E 92AA6?] x? 72:C?6DD E@ w2C=6J[ D96 92D 8@?6 E@ A=6?EJ @7 C246D 2?5 82>6D H:E9 >6 :? E96 ?62C=J D:I J62CD H6’G6 366? E@86E96C[ 3FE E9:D :D E96 7:CDE @?6 E92E H2D DEC:4E=J 96C :562]k^Am kAmx C6>6>36C65 E92E E96J A=2J 9@4<6J :? #2=6:89[ E@@[ 2?5 E96 E62> :D ?@E 92=7 325[ E@ E96 36DE @7 >J <?@H=6586[ D@ =6E’D D66 23@FE 8@:?8 E@ 2 r2C@=:?2 wFCC:42?6D 82>6] (@F=5?’E J@F <?@H :E[ 2 4@FA=6 52JD =2E6C[ r2C@=:?2 925 2 %9FCD52J ?:89E 9@>6 82>6 282:?DE E96 r@=F>3FD q=F6 y24<6ED] p?5 :E H2D $E2C (2CD ?:89EP tIEC2 :?46?E:G6 7@C E9:D DA@CED ?6C5 H9@ :D 2=D@ 2 C68F=2C ?6C5]k^AmkAmx? AC6A2C2E:@?[ EH@ 52JD 367@C6[ x EF?65 :? E@ E96 wFCC:42?6D’ H:? 2E E96 s2==2D $E2CD 2?5 E@@< >J 9@4<6J <?@H=6586 7C@> “x 92G6 ?@ :562 H92E x’> =@@<:?8 2E[” E@ “x DE:== 5@?’E <?@H >F49[ 3FE E9:D D66>D =:<6 :E 4@F=5 36 7F?]”k^Am kAm~? E92E %9FCD52J[ y2?] ab[ x >6E w2C=6J 27E6C H@C< 2?5 H6 DECF4< @FE 7@C #2=6:89[ 9@A:?8 ?@E E@ 6?4@F?E6C >F49 EC277:4 D@ H6 4@F=5 >2<6 :E 7@C E96 D4965F=65 f A]>] AF4< 5C@A] (6 >256 :E :? E:>6 E@ E96 {6?@G@ r6?E6C — x’G6 H2E4965 D6G6C2= }@CE9 r2C@=:?2 $E2E6 32D<6E32== 82>6D E96C6[ D@ 2E =62DE E92E A2CE H2D 72>:=:2C — 2?5 8@E E96C6 ;FDE :? E:>6 7@C r96H32442 E@ 4C2?< E96 D:C6? E@ 86E E96 82>6 F?56CH2J]k^AmkAmpD :E EFC?D @FE[ 9@4<6J :D @?6 @7 E9@D6 DA@CED E92E :? D@>6 H2JD :D 24EF2==J 62D:6C E@ 7@==@H :? A6CD@? E92? @? %'] (6 925 2 7F? E:>6 2D E96 wFCC:42?6D C24<65 FA D6G6? 8@2=D :? 2 4@>7@CE23=6 H:? 2?5 x 42>6 9@>6 H:E9 2 ?6H 92E 2?5 2? :?EC:8F:?8 ?6H DA@CE E@ 7@==@H]k^Am kAm$:?46 E96?[ x’G6 H2E4965 2== @7 r2C@=:?2’D 82>6D 2?5 6G6? 3642>6 :?G6DE65 6?@F89 E@ 86E 5:DEC2F89E 3J 2 E9C66\82>6 =@D:?8 DEC62<] x H2D 2=D@ :?G6DE65 6?@F89 E@ H2?E E@ 8@ 324<]k^Am kAm$@[ x =@@<65 2E E96 D4965F=6 2?5 7@F?5 2 ` A]>] $2EFC52J 82>6] v:G6? E96 E9C66\9@FC 5C:G6 E@ #2=6:89 2?5 324<[ E92E >2E:?66 D@F?565 2 =:EE=6 >@C6 5@23=6 E92? 2 AC:>6E:>6 82>6]k^AmkAmx AFE @? >J ?6H 92E 2?5[ 7@C E96 7:CDE E:>6[ >J ?6H C65 D9:CE E92E x @C56C65 @?=:?6] %96?[ H6 H6?E E@ 4964< @FE E96 E62> 7@C 2 D64@?5 E:>6]k^Am kAmp82:?[ E96 wFCC:42?6D C24<65 FA D6G6? 8@2=D 2?5 3=6H A2DE E96 &E29 w@4<6J r=F3] x 5@?’E <?@H H92E E@ D2J 23@FE E92E <:?5 @7 4@:?4:56?E2= =F4< 6I46AE E92E x >FDE <?@H 9@H E@ A:4< ’6>]k^AmkAmt:E96C H2J[ H6 925 2?@E96C 8@@5 E:>6 2?5 H6C6?’E D@ D=66AJ E92E H6 4@F=5?’E E2=< 23@FE E96 82>6 @? @FC H2J 324< 9@>6 E9:D E:>6] (6 E2=<65 23@FE E96 EH@\8@2= A6C7@C>2?46D 3J $632DE:2? p9@ 2?5 $6E9 y2CG:D[ 2 DE2C6\5@H? 36EH66? 8@2=:6D !J@EC z@496E<@G 2?5 z2C6= '6;>6=<2[ 2?5 9@H H6== E96 wFCC:42?6D A=2J65 56DA:E6 E96 23D6?46 @7 E96 C646?E=J 24BF:C65 |:<<@ #2?E2?6?]k^Am kAm(6 2=D@ E2=<65 23@FE 9@H >F49 H6 =@@< 7@CH2C5 E@ 8@:?8 324<] (6 2C6 2=C625J 6I2>:?:?8 E96 |2C49 42=6?52C E@ 7:8FC6 @FE H96? E@ >2<6 E92E 92AA6?]k^Am kAmp== E92E E@ D2J E92E 6G6? :7 J@F’C6 2=C625J 2 A2DD:@?2E6 DA@CED 72?[ J@F >:89E 36 =:>:E:?8 J@FCD6=7 7C@> 6IA6C:6?4:?8 D@>6E9:?8 J@F’== 6?;@J ;FDE 3642FD6 J@F’C6 ?@E 72>:=:2C H:E9 :E]k^AmkAmx? E9:D 42D6[ x’5 E6== J@F E92E 9@4<6J’D AC6EEJ 7F? E@ H2E49[ J@F 42? DE2CE 42E49:?8 @? E@ :E AC6EEJ BF:4<=J[ 2?5 H6’G6 8@E 2 AC6EEJ 52C? 8@@5 =@42= }w{ E62>[ 6G6? :7 #2=6:89 :D 2 3:E >@C6 @7 2 5C:G6 E92? r92C=@EE6]k^Am kAmxE’D ?@E ;FDE E92E] x7 J@F’G6 ?6G6C H2E4965 2 }p$rp# C246[ 7@C 6I2>A=6[ E96 s2JE@?2 d__ :D E9:D $F?52J] %F?6 :? 2?5 D66 H92E’D :E 23@FE[ 3642FD6 J@F ;FDE >:89E =:<6 :E]k^Am kAm~C E2<6 :? 2 9:89 D49@@= 4@?E6DE :? 2 DA@CE J@F’G6 ?6G6C D66?] v:C=D D@446C[ 3@JD 2?5 8:C=D =24C@DD6 2?5 EC24< 2?5 7:6=5 2== H:== DE2CE 4@>A6E:?8 D@@? 5FC:?8 E96 DAC:?8]k^Am Justin Epley is the sports editor for The McDowell News. He can be reached at jepley@morganton.com or sports@mcdowellnews.com. 0 Comments Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get in the game with our Prep Sports Newsletter Sent weekly directly to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. jepley1 Author email Follow jepley1 Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today Related to this story Recommended for you Watch Now: Related Video Sixers Erase 29-Point Hole, BEAT Cavs 114-106! Maxey Drops 32 | Sixers vs. Cavaliers Postgame Show Are the Brewers and Rays Really That Similar? (World Series Preview) Are the Brewers and Rays Really That Similar? (World Series Preview) Rays vs. Brewers: An Old-School World Series Showdown Rays vs. Brewers: An Old-School World Series Showdown Can the Miami Heat Actually Win the NBA Championship? Can the Miami Heat Actually Win the NBA Championship?
jepley1 Author email Follow jepley1 Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today
