‘We’re Still Out There’

BRISTOL, Tenn. – For 25 years, the yellow Morgan-McClure Motorsports Chevrolet was an integral part of the NASCAR scene.

The home-built joyride began in 1983 with Mark Martin and continued for 702 races before the independent team ran out of funding.

To the delight of motorsports fans throughout Southwest Virginia, the No. 4 MMM Chevrolet returned to the track for the first time since 2007 Saturday at Bristol Motor Speedway, and team co-owner Tim Morgan is hopeful that the Sharpie 500 can spark a revival.

“I’m talking to one particular company that says they’re going to get into racing next year, and hopefully this race will serve as notice that we’re still out here,” Morgan said.

Except for a sponsor, Morgan said the MMM team has all the essentials to resume action on a regular basis.

“We’ve got the cars and engines,” Morgan said. “In fact, we’ve got six of the COTs [Car of Tomorrow], and I think we’ve got 18-20 race-ready engines. We’ve got everything it takes except the money.”

Several former members of the MMM team are now working other jobs, but there were some familiar faces in the No. 4 pits Saturday.

The old gang included Steve Gray, Robert Larkins, Robbie Holt and Todd Cooper.

Gray has experienced as car chief for the team, while Larkins was the crew chief for team’s last win in the 1998 at Martinsville Speedway with the late Bobby Hamilton. The regular pit crew for the No. 24 Hefty Ford driven by Eric McClure assisted MMM driver Scott Wimmer Saturday.

Abingdon-based Alpha Natural Resources, the third-largest coal producer in the United States, sponsored the No. 4 car at BMS.

Morgan, a native of coal-rich Wise County, said the said the association with Alpha was a natural. Morgan’s father worked as a welder on a strip mine operation, while the father of co-owner Larry McClure also worked in the coal mines.

“We all have backgrounds in coal,” Morgan said.

Fittingly, the No. 4 MMM Chevrolet featured a black paint scheme on Saturday.

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