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BARRY DEEL,
left, celebrates in victory lane with NASCAR driver
Denny Hamlin, following the team's win at Pocono Raceway
June 23. Deel, a 1983 graduate of Grundy High School, is
a chassis, suspension and brake specialist for Hamlin's
crew and the Joe Gibbs organization.
(Contributed
photo.) |
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by Lloyd Combs
Sports Reporter
How
hot was it in the pits at Martinsville when Barry
Deel worked for Morgan-McClure in 2001?
"It was so hot that the people at Safety-Kleen
behind
our pit stall barbecuing thought my (bare) head was
the grill," Deel told reporter Marty Smith of Turner
Sports Interactive on April 10, 2001. "It was glowing
red like embers!"
The heat on pit road never bothered Deel. It
bothers
him even less now. After years of standing in the fire
to follow his dream, now he’s basking in the cool glow
that comes with living it.
The 1983 Grundy High School graduate works at
the top
of the racing world now, as an employee of Joe Gibbs
Racing. Deel is a chassis, suspension and brake
specialist for Denny Hamlin’s crew.
Hamlin, with two wins this season, four top
five finishes and nine
top tens, is currently seventh in the Nextel Cup
points standings, and is the top rookie in the 2006
season.
Joe Gibbs Racing, meanwhile, has had two Cup
champions, and is one of the most respected teams in
the business, despite the elder Gibbs return to the
NFL. Hamlin drives his number 11 car and, of course,
Tony Stewart drives the 20 car for Gibbs.
"I’ve been in this business 10 years now," Deel
says.
"Everybody works hard to win, but
I’ve worked so hard
and now I feel like I’m finally getting the benefits
of all that hard work."
A former basketball and football player
at GHS, Deel
left southwest Virginia in the early 1990s. A downturn
in the coal business industry convinced him to go ahead and see
how far his dream could take him.
"I was working in the coalfields in early
90’s," Deel
explains. "The coal business wasn’t doing that well. I
was single and I just loved racing. I would (use my)
vacation to go racing. And one day I just thought,
"I’m gonna give it a shot."
For more of the story, see the print
edition of the Mountaineer, on sale at newsstands now.
For more information on how to subscribe to the Mountaineer,
call 276-935-2123 today.
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15th Annual YMCA Benefit Golf
Tourney Set Friday |
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The 15th Annual
YMCA Benefit Golf Tournament has been scheduled for Friday August
11, and will be hosted by Willowbrook Country Club, near the
Breaks.
Anyone wishing to participate in a day of fun,
fellowship and golfing competition are urged to enter the event,
which will feature several outstanding prizes for this year’s
field of competitors.
The format for play will be a two-player
Captain’s Choice, flighted by average team handicaps.
Registration will be from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., followed by a
shotgun start to begin play at 10:30 a.m.
Upon completion of play, a dinner and awards
ceremony will take place with trophies being awarded to the top
three finishers in each of four flights and prizes presented to
special award winners as well.
The first entry is a flight sponsorship for
$1,000 – this entitles two players to compete, plus their
company name prominently displayed on the scoreboard. There is
expected to be four flights.
The second is a hole sponsorship for $500 –
this entitles the sponsor to a sign which will bear their company
name displayed on a randomly selected hole, plus sponsorship of
two persons (one team) in the tournament.
The third is a non-participating sponsorship
for $300 – this entitles two players (one team) to participate
in the tournament.
The final sponsorship is an individual sponsor
for $150 – this will allow one person to participate in the
tournament. Individual participants will be paired with other
individuals to form teams on a random basis. Should two individual
sponsors want to play together, please note this when entering the
tournament.
Also, any businesses or individuals who are
unable to play, may still contribute a donation or sponsorship fee
for the event.
All the proceeds from the tournament will be
used for the continuation and promotion of the YMCA Mission to
Buchanan County. Contributors will be recognized whether or not
they participate in the tournament.
Entry forms are available at the YMCA or anyone
needing further information about the event, should call the YMCA
at 935-8871. |
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