This flashback features the profile of Warner W. Hodgdon, In case you are not familiar with this figure, He was Co owners with Junior Johnson when Neil Bonnett and Darrell Waltrip raced for the team back in 1984, And this profile of Warner proves that you cant get to ahead of yourself or your gonna get burned......

The 1984 season also marked the first time had Junior Johnson fielded a 2 car team in a decade. Warner W. Hodgdon a Cal. industrialist purchased 50% of the Johnson operation in late 1982. By 1984, Hodgdon had brought Neil Bonnett into the Johnson stable.

This story does not begin here, It started back in 1979 when Warner 1st made a splash in NASCAR racing in 1979 when he sponsored the Bud Moore operation with driver Bobby Allison. For nearly 3 years, Warner was content to finance a top team on the Winston cup level. But as time wore on Warner wanted more.

On October 27, 1981, he purchased 50% of the Richmond fairgrounds raceway, and 75% of the Phoenix International Raceway. By December 28th Warner had bought half of North Wilkesboro

His spending ventures did not end there, Both events at the rock carried his name, And on April 1st 1982 he bought half of the Bristol International Raceway and the Thunder Valley Dragway connected to the .533 mile oval. He also got 29% interest of the IHRA.

On November 1st 1982 Warner paid a healthy sum to Johnson for half interest in the team generally regarded as the premier organization in NASCAR stock car racing Warner also reportedly became half owner of the RahMoc operation, for a year to provide Bonnett a ride for 1983 When it became apparent that Phoenix raceway was not going to get a Winston cup date for sometime, Warner sold the track to Dennis Wood on December 20th 1982

Thus, when the 1983 season began, Warner was 50% Nashville International Speedway owner. Bristol, Wilkesboro, and Richmond, he was also sponsor of both Rock races, and finally 50% owner of the Junior Johnson and RahMoc teams, 29% owner of the IHRA and finally 50% of the Bristol dragway.

In mid season of 1983, Gary baker, The other half owner of Bristol and Nashville, Tried to regain control of these 2 speedways by purchasing his 50% ownership, Warner responded with a proposal of a Buy-sell agreement whereby each would agree that a set price would be established and either of the partners could buy the other party out at a agreed price, Baker initiated a buy sell expecting Warner to sell rather than buy, But Warner elected to Buy; Baker had to sell under this agreement. Thus Warner got 100% of the Bristol and the Nashville tracks.

All of these bought property's were leveraged, that is they were bought with a little down and alot down the road. The lot down the road would be the profits made by the tracks themselves, Under such terms,a slight back and the whole scheme would collapse.

The waters Remained calm untill March of 1984. During raceweek at the Rock and the Warner w. Hodgdon 500, news leaked out that the speedway had not received the sponsorship fees from Warner himself, Gary Baker also would file a foreclosure notice against Warner if payments in arrears for Nashville and Bristol were not satisfield by March 19th 1984.

Virtually overnight, Warner made good on all of his debts, The day after Carolina 500 track pres. L. G. Dewitt said "All claims By North Carolina Motor Speedway have been satisfied". Baker also Warners payments were current and that "there will be no foreclosure"

Warner was not present at the Rock. But his wife Sharon was, "sometimes when you get devoted your attention to one major area{racing}," she explained "you get slightly behind in others. it has taken time to get organized on the home front. We want to finish so we can get back here."

But Warners problems were major, The project manager of the city of industries and National Engineering, 2 Hodgdon owned company's, had been involved in a high bid rigged scandal. Warner was never personally accused, but his company was cited in a 33 million dollar lawsuit.

In September 1984 North Carolina Motor Speedway sued Warner for more than 100,000 "for overdue sponsorships and incidental fees" Speedway officials obtained a lien against stock owned by Warner in the Junior Johnson team. The lien would not endanger the operations procedures of the Johnson team. When Warner troubles started to surface Johnson tried to buy Warner out. Warner would not sell.  Johnson foreclosed on Warner on January 11th 1985 and after red eventually got his team back Warner was spending money that he did not have" said Junior Johnson

On January 17th 1985 Warner filed for bankruptcy in the face of 2 lawsuits totaling 53 million dollars. "I had no alternatives nor any options." Said Warner "The impact of 53 million in lawsuits is more I can carry. We lost over 50 million due to a unfaithful employee it has been rough." Warner later admitted that his biggest mistake was not incorporating his National Engineering Company. it was a part ownership whereby he was personally responsible for the damage resulting in the suits

-from the words of Scott

Warner had everything going for him before 5 tracks, 2 races carrying his name, 2 race teams eventually added to the mess that came to him in early 1985, Not much was heard from Warner after this went down, And thus became a stat that came into NASCAR racing and faded out fast, There is another person that had a striking resemblance and he will be the focus on my next flashback. Former car owner JD Stacy, Who had ties with Earnhardt Sr, and his antics proved fatal for his reputation and lead to him being shunned from the sport quickly, Until then,

Scott