Linda at Gatornationals!
Senior Editor Johnny McDonald captured a lifelong friendship with one of America’s racing icons in a two-part series seen right here in
SpeedStyle. I was trying to schedule a follow-up story with Miss Linda to see her in action at the Daytona 500, but we opted not to attend because of the weather forecast (everyone else in our party had to be at work first thing Monday morning).
I was crushed because Linda has been one of my faves since I was a teenager back in . . . well, in the Age of Aquarius. Still, I was going to be covering the Gatornationals in Gainesville, Florida, a few weeks later, so I hoped that I would see her there.
SpeedStyle staff writer Hal Wood finally got to meet Linda in Gainesville at the Gatornationals!
On Friday the 13th (!) of March, I was ensconced in the media room in Gainesville’s tower, getting ready to shoot some Sportsmen photos. I got up for some coffee and . . . there she was! She appeared like the genie out of the bottle. I introduced myself and . . . spent the rest of the day with this remarkable lady.
Linda’s favorite classes are the Pro Stocks: Cars and motorcycles. She spent several hours in the staging area, talking to drivers and owners. Linda is particularly fond of the young women riders in the Motorcycle class. Linda provides advice and counsel to the unique circumstance of women competing at the top level of a traditionally male dominated sport. Her first protégé was Janet Guthrie.
Karen Stoffer is one of Linda’s pupils, and she's mentored many over the years!
Because of Linda’s stature in the motorsports community, she can get the ear or bend the arm of sponsors, and she uses this influence to help drivers obtain and retain sponsorship. She has been doing this for many years. On Friday, she was chatting with driver Jim Yates and Mrs. Yates of the Wiley X Pro Stock team. They only have enough sponsorship for the next race at Houston.
When she was finished chatting, she said “There’s Mr. Lucas. I’m going to talk to him”. And, she did.
When she finished making the rounds, we went back up into the media center for some more conversation. Linda said, “I enjoy helping the drivers with their search for sponsorship. Right now, I’m unemployed. I’ve been bought out five times in my career. But, this is what I do. I will maintain this schedule on my own as long as I can.”
Linda talks with Mrs. Yates, after calling the author over for some inside info.
And, what a schedule! Linda attends hundreds of events every year. Here’s her schedule for last week:
Wednesday: Drive to Gainesville from her north Georgia home. Not in some fancy limo, but riding shotgun in her cousin Mouse’s 2006 GMC four-door work truck.
Thursday: Tour the Garlits Museums for the first time, personally guided by Big Daddy. Attend the annual Drag Racing Hall of Fame inductions that evening.
Friday: Spend the day at the Gatornationals.
Saturday: Drive to Jacksonville with Mouse to attend the banquet for the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance (the East Coast version of Pebble Beach).
Sunday: Fly from Jacksonville back home to Los Angeles with a connection in Las Vegas.
Linda lobbies with the CEO of Lucas Oil, one of motorsports premier sponsors.
Linda has devoted her lifetime to physical fitness, and it shows! She works out when she’s at home, and has a program of isometrics and calisthenics for the many days when she is on the road. She also is very careful about her diet. “I am a diabetic and I have to really watch what I eat”. I told her that she reminded me of Mae West, another statuesque beauty with the ability and influence to manage her own career. “Oh, I love Mae West. I often go to costume parties dressed like her”. And, she launched into a perfect “Why don’t you come up, and see me some time?”
We got on the subject of drivers, and Linda has known them all over the years. She said, “Who is your favorite NASCAR driver?” “Tony Stewart”, I replied. She burst into one of those big Linda smiles and said, “He’s mine, too! We talk every week. He calls me up and says ‘Hey, LV. This is TS.’ He’s a good boy.”
She also spent many years working with Mario Andretti at Ferrari and Alfa Romeo. She told this story about Mario taking her to meet Enzo Ferrari:
Linda's cousin, Mouse.
“I decided to wear a tight Ferrari red dress, slit up the side. When we arrived, he took us through the factory. As we went to each area, it fell silent as the workers stopped to stare. After the tour, we went out into his garden for lunch. On the way out, he said ‘Senora Vaughn, you are welcome to visit here any time. But, please, next time, wear something more discreet. You are affecting production.’”
I asked her how many cars she owns. “At one time, I had 14. Now, I have eight.”
Some of her prized cars are the actual Hurst Oldsmobile convertibles used as pace cars at Indianapolis. Her regular ride is a Cadillac. Her favorite car -- a Ferrari Dino. “I LOVE Ferraris. I drive the Dino around LA all the time. It’s my baby.”
At last, our time came to an end. She really didn’t have time to mingle with the fans, but they found her on the way to the parking lot, and she obliged.
While always on the move, the instantly recognizable Linda still makes time for the fans.
On the way out, she stopped to ask her host for directions to Wal-Mart. “You know, I usually carry four suitcases when I travel. This trip, I only needed one. And, wouldn’t you know, the darn bottom burst right out. So, I need to buy some racers tape or a new suitcase.”
As she climbed into Mouse’s truck, I said, “With your influence and people skills, you should be in the diplomatic corps.” She said, “I am. I did four tours of Vietnam with Don Garlits and Richard Petty. I would like to be known as America’s Ambassador of Motorsports.”
Amen.
To see Johnny McDonald's first installment on Linda in the Features Section, click here: http://speedstylemagazine.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=611&Itemid=31
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