![]() ![]() The immense grandstands of the Talladega Superspeedway are about a mile down the road. It’s marked with a big sign - “Talladega Short Track, Dirt Trackin’ Southern Style” - and a right turn will put you on the gravel path to the track, a long line of pickup trucks parked alongside. The Talladega Short Track is located on Speedway Boulevard, not far off I-20’s exit 173 for Eastaboga, Ala., and past two gas stations that sell fireworks, too. A few more seconds pass and he takes off down the hill, a longtime race car driver speeding off in his camo-upholstered huntin’ buggy. “I don’t wait for nobody,” Red shouts over the roar of the next round of cars coming onto the track. Red backs his buggy up and as he’s turning around, I jump on the back. Luke runs three or four laps and then exits the track and heads back to Red’s hauler in the pits. Red’s parked on the backstretch, and each time Luke completes a lap, Red presses the stopwatch so hard his whole hand shakes, like someone is timing him time Luke. He still came anyway, because what’s a little cold weather to a 77-year-old who just got over pneumonia? He’s been here for all 24 Ice Bowls, though five years ago, he couldn’t race because pneumonia hospitalized him for a few days at the end of December. Red’s won at Daytona, and he’s won at the other, much bigger Talladega, and he’s already been inducted into the International Motor Sports Hall of Fame even though he hasn’t been retired for the requisite five years, because he might never retire. But I wanted to see for myself, so I came here to Talladega’s lesser known racetrack, one made of dirt, for its most popular event, the Ice Bowl, which has run every January for the past twenty-four years. I’d heard stories about Red Farmer, the octogenarian race car driver, the oldest member of the legendary “Alabama Gang,” which dominated racing in the 1960s and ’70s. Three of the fingers on his left hand are missing. There are deep creases at the corners of his eyes, and grooves in the skin lining the back of his neck. Years spent driving fast, trying to outrun the clock, have left their marks all over him. Red leans forward in the golf cart - his “huntin’ buggy” - that he drives around the track’s complex, his mouth slightly agape beneath his white goatee. ![]() It smells like gasoline, and each time the cars come around the 1/3-mile dirt oval, it sounds like a plane taking off. Track officials are recording times for the drivers, but Red likes to track the seconds himself. He watches intently as his friend Luke Hoffner takes his race car - “Ol’ Yeller,” Red calls her - on the first round of her Friday “hot laps,” practice runs for Saturday’s qualifiers. He sits just beyond the track’s catch fence, close enough that the skidding cars on the other side leave a coat of red-clay dust on his glasses. His hands are black and oily with grease, and dirt is underneath his fingernails. His name is Red Farmer, and he holds a stopwatch in his chapped palm. Class starts promptly, so be sure to arrive on time.Īt ARTworks Vass, we encourage you to bring your artful heart along with nibbles and sips to make your experience more joyful.In the noon sun of a bitterly cold January day at the Talladega Short Track, an 82-year-old race car driver worries about time.Aprons are not provided. You may bring your own if you wish.Registration allows for 1 person per class. Only those who have registered may participate.Jean will notify you of the approximate date that she expects to have your finished pottery delivered to the gallery, and we'll update you again when it's ready for pickup. The all inclusive price of this class includes supplies, tool usage, kiln firing, glaze selection, and instruction.Īfter allowing for drying time and multiple firings, all finished pieces will be delivered to ARTworks Vass for pickup within 4 weeks of your class date. The sky is the limit as you form, texture, shape, and embellish and the pieces that you make are sure to be treasured for a lifetime. ** Options are available only at the time of registration. ** This project is appropriate for beginners and guests of all ages! Options and Pricing are per person, and they are as follows: ![]() Jean will lead you in clay handling, slab construction, texturing, and design as you create your North Carolina Pottery Pieces similar to those shown in these photos. Jean Skipper will happily host your group of 6 or more as you express yourself while you create your very own Pottery Trinket Dishes that are as unique as you are! Contact us at or 91 with the specifics of your request. Gather a group of friends, and join us for a Private Party at ARTworks Vass! ![]()
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