Bowman Gray Q&A: Justin Mincey

Ladies and Gentlemen I had the opportunity to talk to someone who honestly has one of the most interesting and unique traits I had the pleasure of talking to Justin Mincey. He’s known for his incredible knowledge of stats and Bowman Gray history. He is also an official for the SMART TOUR. 

Q:  How did you become a fan of racing? What was it that got your attention?

A: I’ve been a fan of racing since I was knee high to a grasshopper. The story goes that my birth mom was pregnant with me and went to the 1992 Season Opener at Bowman Gray. Also my dad raced many years at Caraway Speedway and lastly I’ve been told by my family where some of them worked with the Hav-A-Tampa Dirt Late Model Tour back in the 90’s I went to some of the races at Atomic, Fayetteville, Carolina and Cherokee, but I was way too young to remember that.

Q: Being a fan of racing, what is your favorite series of racing? 

A: I’m weird, I love all sort of racing and series from the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, to the TQ Midgets in the Northeast and the Super Late Models, but my favorite series all-time is the SMART Modified Tour. 

Q: As a kid who was your favorite driver?

A: That’s tough. I would say Johnny Burke, Charlie Curry, Randy Moore, Skip Arp, Freddy Smith and most importantly my dad.

Q: Of all the tracks you have visited, which would you say you enjoyed going to the most? What was it about the track that you enjoyed? 

A: From the tracks I remember going to I would say Bowman Gray Stadium because of the history surrounding the place and the old white field house with the Winston Scoreboard were so cool. Also another one is 411 Motor Speedway because the tight confines of the race track, being raised up on a farm the Silos that says 411 on them are cool. If you sit at the top of the grandstands you can see the drag strip behind the dirt track. There may have or may not have been some betting on drag cars from the circle track to win a couple extra bucks.

Q: What is one of the most memorable moments you had as a kid watching races?

A: I’m unorthodox here, I got three special memories that I’ll carry with me forever. The best one is watching my dad win a enduro at Caraway against over 110 drivers. My second most memorable moment is kinda fuzzy because I was so young, but being at my uncle Butch Curtis’ race shop where he had Skip Arp as a driver of the GRT House Car and Freddy Smith came over to talk to Skip about where he was racing at that following weekend because the series already postponed their races. Third, having the opportunity to help reopen North Wilkesboro Speedway. Being there in June 2022 on a hot day for a tire test for the open wheel modifieds and walking the track with my brother Kris Honeycutt was so mind-blogging. The track had sat dormant for 26 years, it was cleaned up and we took it to the next level way before nascar got involved. 2022 was there rebirth and return of North Wilkesboro.

Q: Over the years, you have picked up an interest and pretty cool hobby. You have done research and gathered all kinds of stats including historical facts about Bowman Gray as well as other tracks. How did this come about? Most importantly how long did this take to get most of everything together in your database?

A: Yes I have picked up that hobby, it’s a pretty interesting hobby that’s not a hobby anymore. It all started with my 14th birthday we always had a pool party on the Saturday before or after my birthday. During the day we had the party and went to the Stadium that night. My mom asked me “son what do you want for your birthday?” I didn’t know what to ask for, so we went to Bowman Gray that night and I collected the programs already, but we got there later than usual so I forgot to get one, I went over to the program sales area and I seen all of the programs from that year and I asked how much for all of them and I ran back to my mom and told her what I wanted and we went back over there and bought like 8 programs and I was so excited about them. That’s where it originated from thanks to my mom almost 17 years ago.

Q: I know I asked about your favorite tracks, but let’s talk about your hometown track Bowman Gray Stadium. What is it about the “Madhouse” that stands out most to you? 

A: Most people will say the crashes, fights, flipping the bird (which I did towards some drivers back then) but for me what I like about it is not “the Madhouse” because Madhouse was coined later on. I love the drivers, the atmosphere around the place and most importantly the history because where can you go and see where Wendell Scott first raced in the state of North Carolina or see Ned Jarrett race an old modified back in 1954. Also you get to walk on the same grounds as Ralph Earnhardt did back in 1959 and you can literally stand where Richard Childress kickstarted his love for racing. The greatest boxer ever Joe Louis fought there, you can’t find any other track in the nation like it.

Q: Recently I did an article on Johnny Burke, you shared a great story about JB. Do you have any other stories about Johnny or any other drivers that you had the opportunity of meeting or talking to growing up?

A: Yes I loved typing the story about Johnny, it made me emotional because Johnny was a great man that loved kids, especially his two kids Tyler and Taylor. I think I have another story, my brother worked with former Stadium Stock driver Maynard Peters, after every race we would go in the pits to see Maynard and his old teammate Chris Lawing. I got to meet Charlie, Randy, Johnny, Stan Welborn, Bit Little, Greg Butcher when he ran the old Karmann Ghia. I remember going crazy over 3 Volkswagen Bugs running over there in the same night with Charlie, Roger Ender and Jeff Davis running the old Herbie the Love Bug 53 Volkswagen.

Q: The past two years fans have become accustomed to hearing your name brought up on FloRacing, as you have become Matthew Dillner’s right hand man giving him the stats and facts about the Madhouse. How special is it to work with Dillner?

A: It’s still pretty surreal to tell the truth, I’ve always been obscure and hiding in the background, now I’m at the forefront of it all. I’m very humbled and grateful for Matthew to choose me and take me under his wing to learn so much from him, it’s been amazing. I get drivers talking to me every week that I’ve never spoke knowing who I am because of my stats and Matthew calling my name out. 

Q: Of all the stats and historical facts you have been found, what is the one that stands out the most?

A: The one stat or fact that stands out to me is actually two different ones, the progression of the qualifying times from 1950 to now. I owe a lot of credit to James Stewart for helping me along the way, if it wasn’t for James helping me locate a lot of programs I wouldn’t be where I am today. The second stat that stands out to me is what you can hear about every week it’s the Family Wins List. When I first started the family list I think I had like 16 families that’s won over there, but thanks to the drivers and crews it’s expanded to now 52 families that have won over there and some of them are third generation now.

Q: You are one of the officials for the SMART Tour, what is it like being around guys like Burt Myers, Tim Brown, Matt Hirschman, as well as names like Ryan Newman and Cup Hall of Famer Bobby Labonte? Do you ever get starstruck seeing these guys? 

A: Before I answer that question I gotta say thank you to Chris Williams and Jeff Bunton for bringing me in initially as a journalist in 2021, but now I’m a Jack of all trades when it comes to the tour. It’s pretty cool, I’ve known most of the Tour drivers for many years, but getting to know them more personally and the crew members too is great. I’m not gonna lie, I did get starstruck seeing Ryan at North Wilkesboro last year, but he’s a awesome guy that loves to race. The very first time I got to meet Bobby was 2021 at Carteret after he dominated the race I walked up and asked him questions for the post race write up and he gave the realist answers ever and not sugarcoated. Now Bobby and I have developed a pretty fun friendship since then, he gives me hell every chance he can, but it’s in a playful manner.

Q: I know over the years since you’ve been with the SMART and then with the history of stats you don’t really pick favorites to win, Do you ever catch yourself pulling for someone to win more than the other guy? 

A: Nope. Simply not I don’t pull for drivers like the top dogs or underdogs. When I’m on the tour it’s all business, I’m impartial. Same with the Bowman Gray stats, I can’t show favoritism or be partial, I love everyone, so I just sit back and watch and take in the history of it all.

Q: How proud are you of the success that Chris Williams and Jeff Bunton have been able to achieve with the SMART Tour? 

A: I’m very proud with the direction the tour has went since the beginning of the rebirth in 2020, Chris Williams is the spark southern modified racing needed. Chris’ knack for racing and business blends very well because he was part of Dale Earnhardt’s team for many years and he understands what it takes for the tour to succeed. Jeff Bunton has grown so much being under the Tutelage of Chris and learning so much from Chris. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for the tour. 

Q: Could we ever see the SMART Tour run a race at Bowman Gray?

A: Never say never. I mean we helped reopen North Wilkesboro, we’re going to Little Rock, we’re returning to Orange County and Lonesome Pine this season. So you never know what the future holds, stay tuned. 

Q: Last question, Something I like to ask guys “If you could see any legendary driver race (BGS or NASCAR) who would it be?”

A: Once again I’m going outside the box here with two important names that changed racing forever, Lloyd Seay is my first choice, not too many people know who Lloyd Seay is. Seay is the greatest NASCAR Driver to never make to NASCAR because he was murderedby his cousin. Seay alongside teammate Roy Hall, car owner Raymond Parks and chief mechanic Red Vogt were the original Hendrick Motorsports back in the 1940’s. Seay would’ve been the original bad boy of NASCAR, Junior Johnson was a choir boy compared to Lloyd Seay. 

My second choice is a driver I just recently learned about thanks to Matthew Dillner and Keith Majka. That’s “Bronco Bill” Bill Schindler. Schindler was a legend in midget racing in the 1930’s with his car owner Mike Caruso. Schindler ran the old board tracks that a lot of drivers were scared to run, it took balls of steel the size of Texas to run the board tracks. Bill was a master of that, he lost his arm at Nutley Velodrome and was a even better driver after losing his arm. Schindler dabbled in some NASCAR racing in the latter part of his career, he ran a Fabulous Hudson Hornet and ran really well.

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