Bob Latford - A Friend To Racing
Written by John Davison · August 2, 2003
Bob Latford, one of the pioneers of NASCAR, was laid to rest last Wednesday.
In case you never met or heard of him, Latford was there for the beach races, selling programs and lemonade with his brothers. He served in Korea then came back to continue his lifelong love affair with the sport, serving as publicist for NASCAR, Darlington, Charlotte, Atlanta, Budweiser, Shell and numerous others. He was there in the press box and sometimes driving the pace car all through the 50s and 60s when the sport was in its infancy and childhood. He developed the current point system, replacing one that nobody understood. He was the sport’s historian, most recently writing the ARCA 50th anniversary book but also author of numerous other books on the sport…
In press boxes and media centers around the circuit, Latford’s voice rang out, reminding journalists of the history of an event or driver and sometimes reminding us to be quiet, that there was work to be done. Through all of this, he never lost sight of his love for his family. You could see it in the twinkle in his eyes when he mentioned his children and grandchildren.
Ken Squier spoke at the services, Jack Flowers spoke, and nearly broke down a few times. Bob’s daughter spoke. All of them, and those of us present, laughed, cried, and were universally grateful to have had Bob in our lives.
Writer Jack Flowers reminded Bob Myers of the one time that the three of them made a trip together. Bob was basically a chain smoker, usually Winstons, but he couldn’t stand Myers’ cigars. The two pioneer journalists had a good laugh about that. There was the story told by Flowers that Bob would drive while Flowers slept. His snoring kept Bob awake so Latford could drive.
Bob’s love of the sport and its history, his deep knowledge of that history and traditions made him a unique and irreplaceable asset to every press box and media center he entered. We used to jokingly ask him “who won the East Podunk Grand Prix of 1958?” Of course, there wasn’t one, but he’d extemporize a very convincing story.
Bob loved the people in the sport too.
One weekend at Charlotte a couple of years ago, Latford walked over to this writer’s seat and introduced me to Rex White, winner of many early races in NASCAR. We spent a very pleasant 45 minutes, chatting with the gentlemen. One of the big thrills of my “racing” career was that afternoon, being able to spend some quality time with two of the finest gentlemen I’ve met.
Latford could tell stories on everyone in racing, but especially on himself. He once told me of driving the pace car for a Grand National (as it was) race up in New York. During a caution period, to the best of my recollection, either the track was blocked at one turn or the air was so dusty that Bob lost track of his location. He drove straight off the end of a straightaway (in the days of no outside guardrails) and led the field through a graveyard adjacent to the track. Bob’s purpose in telling this story was just entertainment. Likely as much his own as ours. He loved telling stories of the history of the sport. It was this history, the tales of the events, tracks, people and companies, that he most enjoyed. If you’ve seen the books he wrote over the last few years, you’ve seen the product of his prodigious memory.
Yes, there are myriad stories we can, and will, tell about Bob Latford. Most of them involve racing in some form or other. Many of them he told on himself. The best one of all is the one his daughter told: that he and Leslie, his wife, took the “until death us do part” vow at their wedding seriously.
It’s interesting to note that nobody from NASCAR, not from Daytona, not from the Concord area, not from the New York offices showed up for any of the announced services for Bob. One of the men most insiders acknowledge as one of the very few who made NASCAR the success it is received no recognition from the PR steamroller in Daytona.
You would think that at least one NASCAR representative could have shown up for the wake Tuesday evening or the services Wednesday afternoon. But sadly, no. The man who helped so many of us become NASCAR insiders, at least in our access to information, was effectively ignored by the 650-lb gorilla from Daytona. Oh, there may have been private, personal visits or notes, but the fact remains that they did not make a public appearance.
I could quote some heavy hitters’ comments on that no-show, but then I’d get blackballed and never be allowed to buy a ticket, much less occupy a seat in a media center or press box again. Suffice it to say that some of the comments were to the effect that, in spite of the long past of the sport, the powers that be would prefer if nothing preceding the arrival of RJR and Winston to the sport were ever acknowledged. Other comments were somewhat more, err, “pointed.”
Farewell, Bob Latford. The sport still needs you.
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