The Scene Vault Podcast -- Meet Legendary NASCAR Independent Driver Buddy Arrington

In this very special episode, Buddy Arrington talks with crew member and fan-club president Bob Laird about how he got into racing, how he came across his famed number 67, racing against the big boys and his loyalty to Dodge and Chrysler.
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[@MrPither999]

In 1983 I met a guy in high school and we started talking racing because of his t-shirt. He said, my dad and I are going to Richmond this weekend, do you want to go. HELL YES! Turns out his dad was Dave Marcis' scorer and my new friend was Buddy Arrington's catch can man. We piled into his dad's pickup and drove from Morganton, NC to Richmond and they somehow snagged me a pass for the pits that gave me access to everything. I had died and gone to heaven. My friend says, come on and meet Buddy. We go into the back of his old Dodge hauler and there's Buddy getting his uniform on to get ready to race. I was scared to death and felt so bad for interrupting this man while he was trying to get ready. He stopped, shook my hand and talked to me like he had known me all his life. He was a true gentleman. BTW, thank you Rodney for inviting me. I haven't seen you since high school but I own you.

[@stevenpressley5956]

A true Mopar Man. He carried the flag along with Sox and Martin, Maurice Petty, Herb McCandless, Garlits,Ray Barton and Bob Reed. For us Mopar fans Buddy and Joey are as good as it gets. These guys are Mopar Legends 👊🇺🇲👍

[@geraldbentley5781]

Buddy was a true southern gentleman always so nice 😊😊😊😊

[@jeffcoomer8680]

Buddy was a racers racer well respected on and off track good man.

[@bobbybelcher6800]

All of us local guys were so proud of Buddy ! He was such an inspiration ! What an amazing talent !

[@michaelatkins9780]

Bad ass sideburns, too. Hard for him to give up mopars and 'burns.

[@paulhootisn848]

I was 18 in 1993 and lucky enough to work on the Dodge TransAm cars and met Joey and Buddy. Great guys.

[@LASTCARonBROCK]

What a great interview - he was just as down-to-earth as his son is today. Love the old footage of those Mopar beasts!

[@wolfpacva]

Buddy was such a nice guy. This is when NASCAR cup racing was good not like today's racing. I wonder how many people know that Bob(Bobby) Laird also tried his hand at racing open wheel modifieds.

[@evdallas123]

I saw him race many times I loved that Chrysler imperial and it had a unique sound as I remember

[@The300mcm]

I grew up as a kid at buddy’s shop he and my dad were close friends I later ended up working for buddy he was a super good guy my dad and buddy taught me a lot, Rip buddy we miss you

[@robertgoulet1961]

My family raced Mopars for years in Connecticut in the late 70s early 80s on Connecticut circle tracks, we were only 1 of 2 teams at the time, also ran some Dodges on the drag strips on the free days back in the 80s.

[@kurtfoulke5130]

The Arringtons became big-time suppliers of Dodge powerplants for the NASCAR Truck and ARCA Racing Series. MOPAR or No Car !

[@rogerriggs6055]

I met Buddy a few years ago at the bowman gray preview, super nice man, i had a picture of a chev nr 29 longwood restaurant, monk tate and bobby allison, wanted to get bobby to sign it, buddy saw the photo and said that he had drove the car to, so buddy and bobby signed it, and yes its framed and on my wall

[@C33Chevy]

Great times working on the black and yellow 29 Longwood doge

[@jefferyrobertson7520]

Buddy Arrington Drove Number 67 Ford Thunderbird From 1985 To 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup Series From The 80s Thanks For Uploading Rick And Steve

[@michaelatkins9780]

Buddy had a 20 year career before 1985, my friend.

[@jefferyrobertson7520]

@@michaelatkins9780 Really

[@michaelatkins9780]

Buddy was a real Mopar man. He drove exclusively Mopars until, they had nothing to run.

[@jefferyrobertson7520]

@@michaelatkins9780 Lifelong Buick And Chevrolet From The 80s And Early 90s NASCAR Winston Cup Series

[@michaelatkins9780]

@jefferyrobertson7520 who? Buddy Arrington retired in 1988. So, I don't really understand your comments, sir.

[@htalbott1899]

One of the best independents, in 1966 I was in the air force my buddy was from Martinsville and said he hung around and helped Buddy, not sure it was true,lost track of him, anyone knows of Tommy Tucker he was funny guy. I often went home with him to visit his parents.

[@MatthewLewisAtlanta]

Great piece! I'd love to hear more on how/why Buddy decided to leave the sport in 1989. He sold his locked in spot in the Daytona 500 to Mickey Gibbs/Tom Winkle and sold his entire team on the spot at Daytona then came back for one final race with Brad Teague later in the year at Martinsville.

[@dakotarider74]

Statistically he was a very consistent mostly just ouside top 10...Say what you want about the independents but they hung with the big boys $ and got to live their dream and to me that's AWESOME!

[@johncarter1137]

Who would you rather look up to, Buddy or these guys around now?

[@darthraiderVt]

Would loved hearing some stories of the association between him and the Pettys.

[@randycaulkins3644]

I had season tickets to Michigan International Speedway in roughly the '80 - '84 time frame. I met some friends from Kalamazoo at the VIP parking area, had seats next to them in front rows in turn #1, and camped in the infield with them Sat night qualifying and maybe a Busch Grand Nationalt or Indy Car race. One husband and wife team sponsored Buddy for the race via money for hotel and meals for Buddy and son. They got their name on his car as Hill Racing Team and helped a bit in the pits or trailer for minor things. At that time he was the last Dodge Mirada racer as he had a Chrysler dealership.

[@murdiesel]

Great video and thank you!

[@briansenecal3071]

Very kool. I heard that the 67 was unlucky cause it added up to 13. THX for the upload/footage.

[@michaelatkins9780]

Boy, someone didn't like my comments, they're GONE! And so am I.

[@alvingriggs6932]

3.30 gear sounds low for Daytona

[@BossPrepping]

need enough gear to get out of the pits and restarts high enough for top speed very delicate balance to achieve

[@grinningg]

In Mopar h o f

[@CVTaxi]

Seems like a great guy, but he had way too much faith in Chrysler.

[@shanehall6567]

Should have been forrd

[@eddie8279]

I bet his arm stayed sore from pattin himself on the back....

[@jamievick2587]

Are you serious you must be watching a different interview. ??.Buddy was very humble??

[@saddletramp6935]

​@@jamievick2587 the writer was just another Mopar hater. And or an Earnhardt family fan.

[@eddie8279]

I, I, I did all he said,braging is not humble. how about joining the real world instead of only seeing what you choose to see?

[@eddie8279]

@@saddletramp6935 spoken like a true small minded person😂you will go far in life🤔