The Scene Vault Podcast - Pete Wright on Terry Labonte, Dale Inman and the Witch Doctor Incident

We’re back with the second installment of our interview with longtime NASCAR crew member and crew chief Pete Wright, and this week, Pete talks about attending his first Grand National race at Martinsville and the impact drivers like Fred Lorenzen and Buddy Arrington had on his career.
Pete got his start at the Winston Cup level with team owner Jack Beebe, before winning a championship with Terry Labonte. Pete recalls his rather testy reaction to a witch doctor who showed up in the garage to put a hex on the Hagan Racing entry.
And … finally … Pete tells us all about getting hooked up with Junior Johnson and the respect he had for the first-year NASCAR Hall of Famer.
NOTE: This show is not associated in any way with American City Business Journals, owner of the Scene brand.
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[@johncarter1137]

I love these stories. You know you are enjoying a presentation when 41 minutes seem like 15. Thank you.

[@terrygarvin1980]

Pete is a great story teller!! So interesting, and such a vivid memory! I really miss nascar...

[@robbycline6145]

I met Pete at the pit crew go cart races outside of North Wilkesboro Speedway when he was with #14 Terry Labonte! I had my Terry gear on and from then on we were friends! He hooked me up with team swag, decals from the various teams he worked for. He even helped me on a college project by doing Various interviews!! Pete is a down to earth guy!

[@roadkingryder6685]

Great Story. Love the stories about Jr and company. Went to my first race in 1959 at Martinsville. It was dirt and they were racing convertibles. I was 5. It was loud and dusty as all get out. The noise did it for me and I was hooked. Stayed hooked till 2010. RIP Nascar.

[@randyyoung1260]

Great interview!! I met Pete around 1970 !! He is 3 or 4 years older than me !! I remember him playing football in HS. He was a pretty good player!! But he played center and stayed hurt all the time so that's how football was left behind !! In the mid 70s he dated a friend of mine!! Got to hang out with him and got to be a friend of mine !! Also he started going to dirt track races with us. My uncle R.L. Young drove dirt modified and sportsman and Pete would tag along when he could!! We had plenty of interesting adventures during those years. Pete right there with us. I haven't seen him since the late 70s, but I remember thos3 times to this day!! He's a great guy and to this day I consider him a good friend !! I'm proud of him and the fact he was from Franklin County. This is a great way for people to see how genuine person.

[@jefferyrobertson7520]

Thanks For Uploading Rick And Steve

[@davidnowell7818]

I met Pete back in 1990 when he was with the MB2 team with Ernie Ervin. I was working with Junie Donleavy's (#90) team. We were in Charlotte running the Harris Teeter car with Buddy Baker. So we all went over to Ernie's house for a party. Jake (Suite Case) Elder broke Ernie's slot machine. Ending out back at the picnic tables talking to Pete. What a down-home type of guy.

[@dnnbrgr7864]

Great story. It’d be better if MB2 hadn’t started racing until 1997.

[@mountainmandale1587]

There's a lot of Worley's up here in extreme southwest Virginia. I know a bunch of people who are just like him. Straight up person. No B.S!

[@chrishankins905]

What a cool guy

[@aaronrosser14]

Enjoyed this whole video but two things really stood out. First, the way he seemed to get emotional just at the mere mention of Dale Inman. It reminded me of Lake Speed talking about Runt Pittman in y'alls interview with him. When somebody reacts that way talking about somebody who is still living, that's quite the endorsement for that person (not that I've ever heard a bad thing about Dale Inman anyway). The second was right at the end and just the pride as he says, "It was just the fact that...I was going to work for Junior Johnson." You can really tell how much it meant and still means for him to work for the man that particularly at that time was THE titan of NASCAR racing. Really loving this interview, I've heard the name Pete Wright of course but to finally get to know about the man has been a treat, albeit a bittersweet one.

[@michaelanderson2742]

Sure enjoys y'all stories but I loved all talking about Mike Porter from Princeton West Virginia a lot of my family knew him very well that's where my parents were from and I was at that race at Martinsville that he won first Martinsville race

[@stevenbuis4490]

Partied with Herb Nab in Daytona one night in 70 or 71. He won!

[@topangachronic9463]

We used to go by Porter's shop in Princeton

[@billiverson9014]

The history of stock car racing burns brighter each time you all put the coal to it. Keep on shoveling.....