Remembering My Mother,
Doris Roberts

On May 5th, 2004 we lost a wonderful teacher, supporter and friend. Doris Roberts had been a huge supporter of the Mountain Moonshine Festival for many years. Former wife of the famed racing legend, Fireball Roberts, Doris participated at the festival every year displaying her memorabilia. Her life was dedicated to keeping Fireball’s flame alive. You would see her every year with her table in the middle of the street with Fireball’s car beside her. She would talk to many visitors about her life with Fireball and the interesting stories of his racing career. Doris Roberts and long-time friend, Frances Flock, was instrumental in getting the Old Timers racing Club started in 1991. Doris also started a Medical Fund within the club to defray medical costs of some of the racers who had laid the foundation for the empire now known as NASCAR. Doris lost her battle with cancer this past May. Many people will surely miss her pretty smile, beautiful blue eyes and great sense of humor. But we will most miss her heart and her compassion for people. This year we would like to dedicate our 1st Annual Legends Live On calendar to the loving memory of Doris Roberts.

This lovely tribute accompanied a photo of Mother in the calendar.

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Racing World Bids Farewell to Legend
By Gail Gurley, Staff Writer
Guilford County NC – Tri-County Chatter

KANNAPOLIS-Over 100 former racers, family and friends gathered on May 11 to bid farewell to a beautiful lady and a long-time legend of racing. Doris Roberts, former wife of the famed Fireball Roberts, died on May 5 after a long and difficult struggle with cancer. The spacious sanctuary of Charity Baptist Church was filled with tears, smiles and memories of a great lady. She devoted her life to reaching out and giving to not only her biological family but to her beloved racing family.

Mike Sykes of Archdale spoke fondly of her generosity and her compassion. She seemed to always know when someone was hurting or had a need and she would seek the help in any way that she could. Mike remembered that, if she saw someone and thought they needed help, she would approach them physically and a few days later, a card or note of concern would arrive in the mail, offering her help and love.

 Doris and Fireball had a decades-long friendship with racing superstar Tim Flock and his wife Frances. When Fireball was injured in the accident on Turn 2 at the then Charlotte Motor Speedway, Tim and Frances were with Doris, offering encouragement and support. When Fireball died, they stood by their longtime friend.

Tim Flock later developed cancer himself and Doris was right with Frances, through the entire illness and subsequent death. The two women remained friends and were more like sisters to each other than mere friends.

Frances was with Doris throughout her long battle with cancer and visited her daily, seeing that her wishes were granted and her instructions carried out. Frances saw to it that all of Doris’ last instructions were met regarding what she wished for her final goodbye.

Frances Flock and Doris Roberts were instrumental in getting the Old Timers Racing Club off the ground in 1991. Doris also started the Medical Fund within the club so as to help defray medical costs of some of the racers who had laid the foundation for the empire now known as NASCAR. Many of these pioneers have suffered great financial burdens and personal losses due to illnesses and an absence of health insurance. Frances and Doris have struggled, along with many others, to see that as much of their pain and financial burden as possible were alleviated.

The death of Doris Roberts may not even have appeared as a blip on the radar of NASCAR racetracks around the country or in any of the huge and comfortable offices of today’s racing teams. The racers of today are unfamiliar with the history and sacrifices of these humble people who loved the sport so much that they entered into it with no sponsors, no money, no prizes, no publicity, and no long-term recognition. Theirs was the most noble of calls and they answered it simply for the love of the sport. They willingly sacrificed everything to participate in their magnificent obsession.

They raced in their own personal cars with no pit crews and no fancy uniforms and no rules of safety. Many times, even if they won, there was no prize money. They were true builders of the dream that makes America such a great nation. They subscribed to the philosophy of helping one another, whether it was win, lose or draw. Theirs was a true brotherhood, surviving wrecks and fights and financial disaster. If one needed a tire and another had it, the tire was given willingly. No questions asked, no “you owe me” attitudes, just “you need it, I have it, no problem.”

 There was a great deal of class sitting in the sanctuary of that church on May 11. Among the former greats were Bobby and Donnie Allison, Fred Harb, Peewee Jones, Billy Biscoe, Mike Sykes, Gary Lewallen (son of racing great Jimmy Lewallen), Frances Flock, Bunny Turner (widow of Curtis Turner), and J.B. Day racecar builder from Easley, South Carolina.

These are aging racers who carry the spirit of the sport in their hearts and souls, forever engraved as an intricate part of the people they are. Their sacrifices and contributions can never be aptly recorded or appreciated. They did as much to shape our nation as any of our esteemed forefathers who built this country on an ideal of freedom.

These early racers built an empire on a dream, imagination, and hope. They did it not to make a name for themselves and certainly not to build an empire. They did it for the most honest and human reasons possible – because they loved to race. It mattered not if it took everything they owned or could earn. They simply wanted to race. And race they did.

Mike Sykes summed up the gentle life of Doris Roberts by reciting Proverbs 31:10 “Who can find a virtuous woman, for her value is worth more than rubies.”

Photos of My Mother

Jack Smith and mother with the 1963 Pontiac at Darlington.

Mom talking with A.J. Foyt at a Darlington Race.

Mom hanging out with racing great Buddy Baker.

Mom with President George H.W. Bush and Darrell Waltrip.

Mom with Jeff Gordon. "Ms. Roberts I will give you my
autograph if I can have yours..."

Mom with Mitzi Moody and David Pearson.

Sharing a laugh with Wanda Lund.

Mom with John Warner, Republican Senator from Virginia.

Mother & me at The Greenville Car Show.

Children's Charity Ball, Charlotte, 1998.

Talking with Raymond Parks during the Moonshine Festival,
Dawsonville, Georgia.

Mothers final resting place.

 

 

 

 

All photographs are property of Fireball Roberts Inc. and are not to be duplicated or used without the permission of Fireball Roberts Inc. or www.fireball22.com.