Looking Back

[racedude]

I was trying to remember back exactly how it came down when the World of Outlaws had a bunch of Outstanding Bills - And the ASA National tour had not paid their racers exactly how did Humpy Wheeler get away with repossessing their assets? Because he is who he is? and the assets were parked on Lowe's property so he just decided to repo them? - just curious

[Bobby]

Humpy was owed money because he had a video production company which had produced some commercials for the Outlaws, which were never paid for. As to his right to confiscate the equipment, I don't know if he was able to exert a lien claim, or whether it was a "possession is 9/10's of the law" situation. I did read that the local law enforcement was involved, so apparently it was at least quasi-offical.

[Casey19]

Dude:

I have no idea how he got away with it but I saw it with my own eyes and he did it. When the racers pulled up at Lowes and went to the drivers meeting they were expecting Steve Dale to be there with checks from Kentucky, Manfield, and Madison - Steve Dale did not show at Lowes instead sent Ross Welman his race director. Casey immediately raised his hand at the drivers meeting, Ross called on him and said before he unloads his car to practice he wanted to know where his $17,000.00 check was that ASA owed him on the 3 previous events. Ross Welman made the mistake of replying that Steve was called away on business and would not be attending this event and that the Racers would have to wait until Monday when Steve got back in town to discuss that with him. The drivers started to get up and made it clear that they were not unloading their cars and racing for free - Lowes officials were at the meeting they radioed Humpy and told him the situation - Humpy came down and assured each and everyone of the racers that if they raced he would personally pay the purse. He was trying to get Steve on the phone and wasn't having any luck - he had wired $100,000.00 to the ASA office for the show a week prior. So after the races we were in the pits and Humpy had his Army come in with tractors upon tractors and loaders and 1/2 the Charlotte police force and block the ASA Hauler, tech trailer, radio trailer, T-Shirt Trailer, nothing was leaving. I have no idea what ever happened to the ASA Equipment I do know that it was parked at Lowes for months.

I think that The World of Outlaws owed for their television production which Humpy's daughter owned the production company and sold the footage to SPEED CHANNEL.

Casey will attest to this it was such a sick sick feeling - For some stupid reason I felt sorry for Steve Dale because he TRIED and spent a ton of his personal money doing it, but he was arrogant and started running and hiding. Humpy was the hero, he saved the racers from losing any more money and I truly believe that had he not done what he did noone would have received their checks from the Lowes Race - the racers never got paid for the 3 events nor their points fund. ASA was done that night. And as everyone knows racing is a family, it was like a huge family break up - sad.