Mystery Driver #13 Bubba Tanner
A Much overdue addition to the LVC site is that of Bubba Tanner. Bubba earned his nickname in a way you
probably wouldn’t think. Bubba comes
from when he was a toddler, and his siblings couldn’t pronounce “Brother”,
and Bubba fell out of their lips. The
Nickname stuck.
Bubba owned and operated the family business, Center St. Sunoco, which
he acquired from his Dad Donald, which afforded him the knowledge of cars and
finances to start racing at LV in the early 80’s. I’m not a 100% sure, but I think this yellow
#23 is Bubba’s
first car, which spawned some of the fastest street stocks of that decade to
grace the High Banks. Bubba was of
course more than a good racer, he was also pretty crafty on how he “interpreted”
the rules, and more importantly, was a fan favorite with his out going
personality and infectious enthusiasm for racing with his victory lane
antics. Bubba was a promoters dream
for his fan appeal and he loved being in the limelight, often times with his
beautiful wife Maryellen and kids DJ and Ginella by
his side.
Bubba raced well into the 90’s and 00’s, winning almost everywhere he
went, until a major illness sidelined him, unfortunately succumbing to that
illness a few years ago. His memory
will live on, as the annual 23 lap “Bubba Tanner Classic” run in his honor every
year promises to only get bigger and better.
This was by far the most responses we have received to date for this weeks Mystery Driver. I wonder just how many would have correctly guessed the answer this week had we taken off the Center St. Sunoco lettering on the quarter panel, which was a dead giveaway, but we left it on in honor of Bubba Tanner, in light of this weeks 23 lap Bubba Tanner Classic Pro Stock race at Lebanon Valley.
Those who got it right were:
Gary Virgilio
Stephen Forward
Dave Hambro
Arnie Ainsworth
Mike Visconti
Lenny Fields Jr.
Ed Forfa
Additional Comments: