DARLINGTON, S.C. — If you ask Tim Fedewa, he’ll tell you that walking into Darlington Raceway on Saturday “felt like it was 1995 all over again!”
And for about five minutes before the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series garage area began filling up, it looked that way for the Holt, Michigan native and former NASCAR Busch (now XFINITY) Series driver.
At least by outside appearance, anyways.
Fedewa had a chance to catch up with Brent Seelman — a long-time friend and one of his former pit crew members from his early days in NASCAR’s second-tier division — before he had to head up to the spotters’ stand to man the radio for Kevin Harvick, who he now spots for in both the XFINITY Series and the Cup Series.
Seelman is the son of Diane DeWitt, the former co-owner of D-R Racing, the first team that Fedewa ever drove for in NASCAR national series competition.
Saturday morning at Darlington, Seelman and his wife Chris were sporting throwback t-shirts, pulled out of storage from Fedewa’s team merchandise stash and worn proudly as part of #NASCARThrowback weekend at the historic, 1.366-mile oval.
It was a moment that both caught the champion spotter off-guard and brought a big grin to his face.
“That’s cool … that’s really neat,” Fedewa said. “I’m surprised they dug them out of hiding,” he laughed.
Fedewa told Race Chaser Online in a past interview that he enjoyed his time with the team, and added Saturday that it’s always a pleasure to reminisce about times gone by.
“Those days were some of the most fun in my career,” Fedewa said in 2015. “Driving for Diane and (husband) Ray … we just had a lot of fun. There were good days and bad days; you’ll have those, but we always enjoyed what we did.”
“That’s what sticks out to me, even now, is the memories and the friendships from the team that are still so strong today.”
Fedewa piloted D-R Racing’s No. 55 Ford from 1992 to 1995, picking up seven top-fives, 17 top-10s and a pole in 83 starts.
One of those appearances was Fedewa’s first-career series win, a fuel mileage gamble at Pennsylvania’s Nazareth Speedway in 1995 that paid off after 200 laps.
And it was that energy that still resonated to both sides 22 years later.
“That win … those are the days you never forget,” said Seelman. “It’s special to look back on during a weekend like this, with everything Darlington has done with the throwback program. Just a cool deal for us to be a part of.”
Fedewa’s driver, Kevin Harvick, starts from the pole in Sunday night’s Bojangles’ Southern 500 (6 p.m. ET, NBCSN).
About the Writer
Jacob Seelman is the Managing Editor of Race Chaser Online and creator of the Motorsports Madness radio show, airing at 7 p.m. Eastern every Monday on the Performance Motorsports Network.
Seelman grew up in the sport, watching his grandparents co-own the RaDiUs Motorsports NASCAR Cup Series team in the 1990s.
The 23-year-old is currently studying Broadcast Journalism at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C., and is also serving as the full-time tour announcer for the Must See Racing Sprint Car Series.
Email Jacob at: [email protected]
Follow on Twitter: @Speed77Radio or @JacobSeelman77
Email Race Chaser Online: [email protected]
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