Former Nascar Driver Charged in Moonshine....

[muggle not]

FORMER NASCAR DRIVER CHARGED
http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/spo...221605/222055/

Former NASCAR driver Dean Combs charged in moonshine bust

Published: March 4, 2009

NORTH WILKESBORO N.C. -- Dean Combs -- who drove NASCAR races for a Richmond-based owner and with a Richmond-based sponsor -- has been charged in a North Carolina moonshine bust.

On Friday, Combs, 57, was charged with operating a still that authorities had blown up the night before.

Combs was a five-time champion of NASCAR's compact-car touring series in the 1970s and '80s and his 60 wins remain the series' all-time high. He won the 1980 and '81 titles driving a Datsun owned by Irv Sanderson, then a Richmond [/b]:void(0)]car (http://javascript:void(0)]cars (http://javascriptequipment (http://javascript[b) to manufacture non-tax-paid liquor.

It had been about a year-and-a-half since the last time authorities found a still in Wilkes County, Tally said. Officials often make purchases of non-tax-paid liquor, he said, "but to actually find a still, they're few and far between." Authorities acted on a tip.

"He had just finished running that morning," Tally said. "When he was draining the water out of it so we could move it, the steam was rolling off it."

Coincidentally, when a production company recently needed film footage to tell the story of NASCAR legend Junior Johnson running from revenuers back in the day, former champion driver Dean Combs got behind the wheel of a 1940 :void(0)]Ford (http://javascript[b) and made a bootleg turn -- a sliding, high-speed 180-degree turn -- for the camera crew.

In addition to his driving, Combs had been a crew chief for a NASCAR team once owned by Johnson.

Combs owns a defunct go-cart track near the Wilkesboro track, and he said that the still was in one of the buildings there. When Tally and other agents came to his door Thursday afternoon, he took them to the still, he said. "The ALE man -- he was very nice and very helpful," Combs said.

The still was made of stainless steel. The boiler alone weighed about 1,000 pounds. Agents were trying to figure out how to get it out to destroy it.

"He [Dean] got his tractor, he pulled it up there for us," Tally said. "That's how accommodating he was. You couldn't ask for a nicer fellow."

Combs said that authorities were complimentary of the quality of his moonshine.

"They even bragged on it, said they'd never seen spring water that clear," he said. "I said, 'You need to put a label on it and stick it in the store.'"

Combs said that his interest in moonshine reflects part of Wilkes County's heritage.

"It's something I was always interested in," he said. "I wanted to see if I could make something drinkable. I guess I gave someone a quart I shouldn't have."

[colinspooky]

.........and so, the circle was complete..............

[Jonesi]

Should have said it was to power the go-karts. ;-)

[Haulin'AssAndTurnin Left]

Are you not aloud to brew your own over there?.

[colinspooky]

Are you not aloud to brew your own over there?.

Weird isn't it - and Boots sell kits to make your own. And we can have sex with 16-year-olds. And drink at 18. Weird. :cool:

[RaceFanStan]

Are you not aloud to brew your own over there?.
We are permitted to make our own wine & beer.
I think if whiskey could be made on a small scale for personal consuption only it might be permitted ...
the distribution of whiskey without the mandatory collected taxes are where the rub is. :s

[slorydn1]

Every state has its own laws on this. Here in NC you can make very small amounts for "medicnal" purposes but you may not distribute it to anyone else, not even for free.

It sounds from the article that the ALE people jacked him up on GS 18B-111:


§ 18B‑111. Nontaxpaid alcoholic beverages. No person may possess, transport, or sell nontaxpaid alcoholic beverages except as authorized by the ABC law. (1981 (Reg. Sess., 1982), c. 1262, s. 4.)

[Glen 320]

Has anyone tasted moonshine? is it any good,and do you drink it out of those jam jar shaped glasses!

[slorydn1]

Has anyone tasted moonshine? is it any good,and do you drink it out of those jam jar shaped glasses!

Yes. And Yes. Those aren't jar shaped glasses, those are mason jars, the same ones that people make and store pickles in.

If you ever have the opportunity to taste 'shine, 'specialy the good stuff, make sure you have a serious chaser on hand. I prefer good old fashioned WATER !

[wbcobrar]

All poor old Dean Combs needed was a 426 hemi charger to jump the bridge and he'd of gotten away with it !!!

[muggle not]

Yes. And Yes. Those aren't jar shaped glasses, those are mason jars, the same ones that people make and store pickles in.

If you ever have the opportunity to taste 'shine, 'specialy the good stuff, make sure you have a serious chaser on hand. I prefer good old fashioned WATER !
Good shine, as you say, is good. But be careful you don't get hold of any bad stuff.

An acquaintence of mine has a friend that had a quart of Comb's shine and said it was pretty good. You can bet that Junior Johnson has some of it.

[Mark in Oshawa]

Is Shine good? After about 2 good swallows...you would believe anything tastes good!!!

Making the stuff for personal use is one thing, but when you have a 1000 gallon still, you are trying to distribute. Bootlegging made NASCAR though, so it is kind of fun to read about a guy still keeping up the connection....

[muggle not]

Is Shine good? After about 2 good swallows...you would believe anything tastes good!!!

Making the stuff for personal use is one thing, but when you have a 1000 gallon still, you are trying to distribute. Bootlegging made NASCAR though, so it is kind of fun to read about a guy still keeping up the connection....
Shoot, when you have as many friends as Combs and Junior Johnson you need a 1000 gallon still.

[Alexamateo]

Shoot, when you have as many friends as Combs and Junior Johnson you need a 1000 gallon still.

The question is, do you need a 1000 gallon still because you've got so many friends, or do you have so many friends because you've got a 1000 gallon still?

:D ;) :D

[muggle not]

The question is, do you need a 1000 gallon still because you've got so many friends, or do you have so many friends because you've got a 1000 gallon still?

:D ;) :D
Either way it is fun and good drinkin' . :D

[colinspooky]

so, this all boils down to the good ole boys not paying tax on their home made booze?

That's a little sad. Not like the ole days at all. :rolleyes:



/laughed at the jumping-the-bridge-to-get-away line........ :eek:

[Haulin'AssAndTurnin Left]

Junoir Johnson has got his own brand of Moonshine these days hasnt he?. Read somewhere that Bristol Motor Speedway will also have its own brand coming out.

[muggle not]

Junoir Johnson has got his own brand of Moonshine these days hasnt he?. Read somewhere that Bristol Motor Speedway will also have its own brand coming out.
Junior Johnson is making the Moonshine for Bristol. Junior's "Legal" Distillery is only about 15 to 20 miles from where I live

Bristol Motor Speedway has partnered with Piedmont Distillers, Inc. and its Junior Johnson’s Midnight Moon moonshine brand to introduce a new signature drink named, “Thunder Valley...

http://www.piedmontdistillers.com/index02.php

[RaceFanStan]

The next time I am by the liquor store I will have to buy a bottle of midnight moon. http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g202/gr8link/thum/a1u.gif

[call_me_andrew]

1,000 gallon still just for cold medicine. That's a new one.

[Mark in Oshawa]

Shoot, when you have as many friends as Combs and Junior Johnson you need a 1000 gallon still.

When you brew good shine, apparently everyone is your friend if you are selling it Tax free. Good to see some Southern Traditions have lived on....

[RaceFanStan]

from the piedmontdistillers site :
"Midnight Moon is made from American corn, 80 proof and triple-distilled
to deliver an ultra-smooth, clean tasting spirit ..."
================================================== ======
Double-run is the norm, triple-run should produce a superb smooth taste, I must taste it ! :D
I love sour mash corn whiskey, George Dickel No.8 is my drink of choice. :D

[Jag_Warrior]

The fun begins at 100 (proof) - at 190, all the world is a happy place. So if it won't burn blue, don't waste your money.

Other than the legality, the main thing to worry about is making sure that it's not been run through a car radiator or something like that - unless you want to be led around by a dog for the rest of your life. But with that stainless steel boiler, it sounds like Combs was all about quality.

Where I grew up, people would kill hogs around Thanksgiving. They'd rotate to a different person's farm every year to hang them and dress them. As a boy, your first step to being seen as a man by the old lions was when they'd let you pop a hog with a .22 between the eyes or behind the ear. If you didn't lose your nerve and start crying, they'd offer you a little swig of white lightning afterward. I guess for this generation of soft & weak, overweight, video game kids, that might be hard to explain as a rite of passage.

Since I'm all "law & order" on most other issues, I guess this will make me a hypocrit. But I hope Combs gets off light.

[RaceFanStan]

I have found that an alcohol content above 90 proof makes for a harsh drink to my taste.
You can call me weak or soft, I don't really care because I know what I like. http://www.motorsportforum.com/forums/images/icons/tongue-anim.gif

For me 80 proof makes for a good drink whether mixed or savored straight-up ...
I like to sip on a small glass of George Dickel No.8 straight-up or sometimes on the rocks ...
it is hard to beat the taste of a good sour mash whiskey IMO. :D
(NOTE : Jack Daniels claims to be the best but it's nasty whang lacks the smoothness of George Dickel IMO.)

Midnight Moon's triple-run process intrigues me, I have to taste it. :D

[muggle not]

I have found that an alcohol content above 90 proof makes for a harsh drink to my taste.
You can call me weak or soft, I don't really care because I know what I like. http://www.motorsportforum.com/forums/images/icons/tongue-anim.gif

For me 80 proof makes for a good drink whether mixed or savored straight-up ...
I like to sip on a small glass of George Dickel No.8 straight-up or sometimes on the rocks ...
it is hard to beat the taste of a good sour mash whiskey IMO. :D
(NOTE : Jack Daniels claims to be the best but it's nasty whang lacks the smoothness of George Dickel IMO.)

Midnight Moon's triple-run process intrigues me, I have to taste it. :D
RFS, those that buy the bigger alcohol content then water it down with 7-up or some other beverage. they don't enjoy the sippin' pleasure of good smooth liquor.

[Jag_Warrior]

I have found that an alcohol content above 90 proof makes for a harsh drink to my taste.
You can call me weak or soft, I don't really care because I know what I like. http://www.motorsportforum.com/forums/images/icons/tongue-anim.gif

For me 80 proof makes for a good drink whether mixed or savored straight-up ...
I like to sip on a small glass of George Dickel No.8 straight-up or sometimes on the rocks ...
it is hard to beat the taste of a good sour mash whiskey IMO. :D
(NOTE : Jack Daniels claims to be the best but it's nasty whang lacks the smoothness of George Dickel IMO.)

Midnight Moon's triple-run process intrigues me, I have to taste it. :D

Nah, not weak or soft... you just didn't start drinking young enough. :D

I might pick up some of that Midnight Moon just to see what it's like. I'm not much of a drinker anymore, but it might be nice to have around.

[Jag_Warrior]

RFS, those that buy the bigger alcohol content then water it down with 7-up or some other beverage. they don't enjoy the sippin' pleasure of good smooth liquor.

Where I grew up, if it came out of a jar and it didn't burn blue, you didn't drink it. Just the rule of thumb (for safety's sake). And please don't let anybody see you mixing 'shine with 7-up (or anything else). If you must, just get a glass of branch or spring water to chase it with. Grain punch is an OK exception for parties. Anything more is like serving white wine with Angus steaks. :D

Everyone's palate is different. But it's a myth that all 170-190 proof corn liquor hits you the same way or is harsh. What you get from Franklin County won't necessarily taste the same as what comes out of Mt. Airy - but it's all good... or so I've heard. Being a good church going boy with high morals, I never got around that sort of sin and vice. :s mokin:

[Mark in Oshawa]

Consider me a fan of not drinking shine. I gave up hard liquor a long time ago. I didn't mind it...but it didn't like me. Give me a cold Lager, or a pint of Guinness and that is my thing...

[slorydn1]

Consider me a fan of not drinking shine. I gave up hard liquor a long time ago. I didn't mind it...but it didn't like me. Give me a cold Lager, or a pint of Guinness and that is my thing...


I'll drink to that :beer: