“A Piece of NASCAR History Is Gone” – Fans Mourn Truly Tragic Accident

Throughout NASCAR’s 76-year existence, countless golden teams have come and gone. Bud Moore Engineering, which was created in 1961, was one of these race teams. Legendary Cup drivers such as Dale Earnhardt, David Pearson, and Bobby Allison benefited from this team’s success. Bud Moore, the owner, and his son, Greg Moore, left a lasting mark on motorsport.
However, the squad began to unravel in the 1990s, and it was eventually sold in 1999. Greg Moore and his brother Daryl remained as consultants since they loved racing. Now, devastating news about this renowned team has split the NASCAR community.

A big hole is burned in NASCAR history

Greg Moore died suddenly earlier this year. However, more tragic news awaited BME lovers. On Monday, word of a municipal disaster sounded an alarm throughout the NASCAR world. A old racing garage in Spartanburg, South Carolina, was severely damaged by an overnight fire. And it happened to be the former Bud Moore Engineering building.

William Smart, the City of Spartanburg’s fire marshal, explained the scenario.”Several units arrived and discovered a third of the building engulfed in severe fire and smoke. (Firefighters) confirmed that there were no occupants or people in the structure, that the building was determined to be unsecured, that there was no power or gas to the facility, and that no natural gas was being pumped into the structure. The structure was not in use at the time of the fire; it was empty.

Despite the fact that no one was hurt, this fire has left deep scars in the hearts of race fans. On Reddit, one fan expressed his sympathy to the Moore family on their mounting losses.”It’s a shame that a piece of Nascar history is gone; many great names raced out of that facility. The Moore family has had a difficult year, beginning with Greg’s death and continuing with the prior shop’s fire.

Another fan paid an appropriate homage to the Moore family’s legacy.”Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened” .One fan expressed a desire for Moore’s building sign as a souvenir. “Someone must have it in their basement.”

Bud Moore’s legendary crew won 43 poles and 63 Cup Series races between 1961 and 2000, the majority of which were in Fords. His drivers included Joe Weatherly, Buck and Buddy Baker, Cale Yarborough, Darrell Waltrip, and others.

Mitchell Stapleton, a YouTube NASCAR videographer, was praised for his coverage of the BME garage before its closure.”Truly awful, but I’m delighted the famous story of the race shop was shared with NASCAR Nation on YouTube. All thanks to Stapleton 42 for viewing this great piece of NASCAR history back in March of 2024.

Besides NASCAR fans, a Spartanburg resident and author also shared how invaluable the garage was.

Five to six decades back, the old BME race garage was a lively place as famous drivers visited it. Residents of Spartanburg and South Carolina fondly cherish those memories. So when they saw a pile of rubble and ashes standing in Bud Moore’s old home, it shocked them.

Spartanburg resident and race car author, Perry Allen Wood said: “You can smell it, you can smell the charred ruins, when you used to come here and smell oil and gasoline.”

He also waxed sentimental about the location.”In 1964, I was 12 and used to come here with my father… I’d sit in the race cars and play, and it was better for me than Disney World or whatever. I would pretend to be Billy Wade, one of Bud’s drivers. It was a well-known building for a long time, and in my opinion, a significant piece of Spartanburg and auto racing history in general has been ruined.”

The gathering of fans and citizens to mourn BME’s loss serves as a fitting farewell to the team’s illustrious NASCAR heritage.