Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, November 6, 1993 TAG: 9311080134
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PULASKI LENGTH: Medium
New River Valley Racing Connection offers ``match box'' and ``racing champion'' cars, clocks, posters, hats, T-shirts, bubble-gum packs, car banks and just about anything else you can think of connected to NASCAR.
``I've been a collector for years, and I gave up a full-time job to do this,'' said Jim Patton, the shop's manager.
Patton had managed restaurants in Radford and Blacksburg for 16 years.
Even when collecting NASCAR memorabilia was just his hobby, he took it seriously.
``I've gone as far as Pennsylvania to get these match box cars,'' said Patton, who grew up in Grayson County. A trip to Tennessee or North Carolina to buy a NASCAR piece was routine.
People with that kind of enthusiasm have had to travel from the New River Valley to Wytheville or Roanoke to pursue their NASCAR pieces. But ``there was no sense in them driving when we could do it right here,'' he said.
Patton met Fred Paris, owner of Racing Connection, at a traders' market in Salem and found they had similar collecting interests. ``We came up with this idea,'' Patton said.
Then they began looking for a place to put it. Karen Graham, who owns the Somethin' Fishy pet store right next door, told Patton about the Pulaski site.
Once the decision was made, Patton and Paris, who is from Salem, went into action.
``In seven days, we were ready to go. I put this together in one day,'' Patton said of the shelving, tables and other renovations for the shop.
Patton said he believes there are a lot of racing fans in the Pulaski area.
``Back when I was a kid, these toys didn't mean a thing to me,'' he said. Now their prices have multiplied as they have become ``collector's items.''
The store will be open seven days a week, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday
``It's just something that I had to try,'' Patton said.
by CNB