Newspapers / Piedmont Aviation Employee Newsletter / June 1, 1985, edition 1 / Page 4
Part of Piedmont Aviation Employee Newsletter / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
4 Piedmont Harry Butner, a mechanic and painter at INT-GAG. takes his customized race van to most NASCAR Grand Na tional races for the pre-race parade lap. Piedmont colors Fly on race von On most NASCAR Grand Na tional race days, the Piedmont colors fly on more than Terry Labonte and the No. 44 Chevy Monte Carlo. The familiar blue with red and white trim also cir cles the track asphalt in the pre race parade lap on Harry Butner’s customized race van — a Chevro let, of course, with NASCAR44 as its license plate. Butner, a mechanic and painter at INT-GAG, is a self-appointed Piedmont promoter whose in terest in car racing has spilled into the 20 weekends a year that he spends at the Grand National tracks, putting the company’s name and colors before thou sands at America’s top spectator sport. “I enjoy it,” Butner said. “I like to be around the drivers and mechanics.” dirt track It wasn’t too long ago that But ner did more than drive a van at the tracks. In 1982, he raced on dirt tracks in the Carolinas and Virginia, resurrecting an interest in racing that he cultivated in the 1950’s when he raced Hobby Division cars at Bowman Gray Stadium in INT and Midget Divi sion on a local circuit. The drivers he raced against in those early days included such NASCAR greats as Billy Myers and Joe Weatherly. But while they stayed behind the steering wheel, Butner made his career at Piedmont, having joined in November 1950 as a line service man at INT-GAG. So when Pied mont became a NASCAR sponsor in 1982, Butner not only was pleased, he looked for some way to contribute. painted van At that time. Piedmont race fans sometimes drove to the races in Rockingham and Charlotte, NC, in the company’s car pool vans. Butner volunteered to drive and it wasn't long before he thought of a way to help the rac ing program even more. “1 noticed that all the other companies had vans in the parade lap,” he said. "In late 1982, I bought a van, painted it and added Piedmont decals. Then we started having a van in the parade lap.” The van’s colors then were red and white, the colors that Pied mont’s driver, Ricky Rudd, used on his car. When the company be gan sponsoring Terry Labonte in 1984, Butner repainted the van and, in spring 1984, bought a later model Chevrolet van and personally customized it with all the comforts that plush gray and blue velour, padded swivel seats, a stereo tape deck, personal read- ing lights, carpet and other amenities can provide. “It took me three weeks, every night until midnight to put that interior in it,” he said. “I’ve turned down $10,500 for it.” With the help of Danny Culler, aircraft sales representative at INT-GAG, Butner and his sons painted the van with Jet Glo air craft paint in a similar color scheme as the No. 44 Chevrolet and the tractor-trailer that hauls the Piedmont car to the race tracks. With Piedmont decals, the company logo, the number “44” at different places on the van and the Chevrolet emblem, Butner and his van attract the kind of attention that can only pay divi dends to our racing program. Besides the parade lap, when the van is announced over the public address system and Pied mont is acknowledged as the offi cial airline of NASCAR, Butner shuttles Piedmont officials at the racetrack, helps transport team members and equipment, and keeps a good stock of Piedmont promotional items to give to fans. the future Already this year, he has recorded 7,500 miles going to the races and plans to attend every race except those in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Michigan and California. What does Butner get from all the time and expense of his rac ing travel? “Thrills, enjoyment. I feel like I'm part of the race.” And he also said that it’s nice giving Piedmont even more pub licity in the sport that's been his favorite for so long. PI float Comes in 2nd In parade Piedmont won second place, a trophy and $200for its float in the Goody's Pole Day Parade of Lights, an ex travaganza that was part of the World 600 Festival in Charlotte on May 22. Piedmont’s 30foot long float featured the company bird and a black and white checkered flag stand where Terry Labonte waved to the crowd as the parade wound through Charlotte. The float was made by G. Michael's Inc. in Charlotte. LABONTE’S 1985 STATISTICS* Earnings Winston Cup points Union 76 competition $348,650 1,815 1st place (3rd place) (1st place) race start finish winnings reason/laps Busch Clash 11 WON $65,000 running/20 Daytona 500 31 25 18.735 clutch/154 Miller High Life 400 9 6 11.665 running/399 Carolina 500 POLE 3 23,310 running/492 Coca-Cola 500 23 6 16,225 running/327 Valleydale 500 4 3 16,625 running/498 TranSouth 500 3 4 17.105 running/366 Northwestern Bank 400 2 7 10,735 running/399 Sovran Bank 500 15 6 11,900 running/498 Winston 500 3 7 20,100 running/185 Budweiser 500 POLE 16 14,050 engine/437 The Winston POLE 3 60.000 running/70 World 600 18 5 24,000 running/398 Budweiser 400 • through June 8. 1985 2 WON 39,200 running/95 Piedmont and World Airways have been in the forefront in the industry in working to improve services for the han dicapped and in particular, helping to de sign the boarding chairs of the future. The two airlines were hosts recently at a Joint meeting at BWI of the TYansporta- tion Committee of the Architectural and TYansportation Barriers Compliance Board (ATBCB) and the Department of Transportation (DOT). Piedmont provided the major support service for the meeting including aircraft for testing the boarding chairs. Carl Crumley, director-passenger procedures, was in charge of the program. (At left) BWI agents Rayfield Williams and Mark Kennedy carry a passenger up the air stairs in one of Piedmont’s special wheelchair/boarding chair combinations. On the ramp is Agent Randy Markwardt and at the top of the air stairs. Elisabeth Silverman with World Airways and Larry Gillespie with the ATA.
Piedmont Aviation Employee Newsletter
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
June 1, 1985, edition 1
4
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75