By Bill Foley
Walking the pits hours before the first race of the night a pick up truck pulls up behind the #39 Paylor Motorsports Late Model of Tim McCreadie.
One of the first things that is noticeable is that in the bed is a side panel of the Finch’s Logging Modified that Tim drove in years past in the Northeast.
A woman hops out from behind the wheel she takes out a big “94” Modified framed poster of years gone by and calls Tim over.
She starts pulling out food containers from the trucks’ bed. She says, “These are strawberries and here is a big salad.”
She then asks him how many dinners he needs for his crew?
She pulls out a stack of containers, Tim loads them in his arms and carries them to the toter.
Obviously, this is a bit different.
Dirt Track Digest approaches her and inquires as to what is going on.
She says her name is Michelle, and “Tim and I hung out when we were little kids.. We grew up together. My uncle is Alan Johnson and he was with his dad (Bob). I’m bringing them strawberries, salad and spaghetti and meatballs with homemade sauce.”
Michelle turns out to be Michelle Fink, wife of Eric (who maintains the tracks at Volusia, Charlotte, Brewerton and Fulton among others).
Tim said, “We’ve been at the race track together since we were little” and it was obvious that he appreciated the effort.
However, then there was that side panel of the Finch’s car and a framed photo of his old 94.
McCreadie had more than a few memories about when he was out there by himself in the “94” and then got a chance to driver for someone who had a competitive car.
Tim said, “I had won in races my own car, but that was the first time I drove stuff like that and could run consistently. I won five or six races.”
However, those memories will linger as the duo continued to talk and reflect on those times when they were kids just running around the pits to today when he is the two time Lucas Oil Late Model Champion and Michelle serves those in need of health care.
So it was a time for good food and good conversation, but Michelle couldn’t stay long.
Saying, “I have to move on as I’ve got food for Larry Wight’s team and then I have to go over to Max McLaughlin’s as that is where Jake Petrowicz is now.”
It’s moments like this that show what the “racing family” is and should be.
Michelle Fink provided a trio of race teams with some home cooking when many (except Larry’s) were nearly 1,000 miles away from home.
Certainly it was appreciated.
And it’s something that you definitely can’t see from the grandstands.
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