Kevin Powell's Foothill Ford & Junior Johnson, White Liquor and Dirt Tracks

Jan. 13, 2011 - PRLog -- NASCAR Legend Junior Johnson to Appear at Mount Airy Museum

For many race fans January means a time with little action, but that’s not the case at the Mount Airy Museum of Regional History.  On January 22, the museum will launch its annual racing exhibit “White Liquor and Dirt Tracks: Legacy of Teamwork” with a day of activities and programs including an appearance by NASCAR legend Junior Johnson.  

According to Matt Edwards, the Museum’s Director, “We’re very excited to have someone of Junior’s caliber coming to participate in this event.  He’s not only a pioneer in the sport, but he really embodies the grassroots origins and entrepreneurial spirit of today’s racing industry.”  In addition to racing, Johnson is a co-owner of Piedmont Distillers, the only legal moonshine distillery in North Carolina, and one of only a handful in the United States.

Johnson’s appearance is not the only activity scheduled for the day. Featured programs include a presentations by Emmy winning documentary filmmaker Neal Hutcheson (The Last One) and NASCAR historian Daniel Pierce, along with a “racer’s roundtable” featuring numerous early drivers and officials from the sport and concluding with an oldies and rock-a-billy concert.  

Other notable attendees scheduled to appear at the event include the 1960 Grand National Champion Rex White and RCR’s Chocolate Myers. There will also be moonshine runners, vintage race cars and even one of the cars that was used in the movie “Thunder Road” on display outside the museum to accompany a rare wintertime “cruise-in” in downtown Mount Airy.  

The White Liquor and Dirt Tracks series began in 2009 as a way to celebrate the area’s strong ties to the racing industry.  The inaugural program featured three days of activities along with the exhibit.   According to Edwards, “we’ve tightened up the schedule into a single action packed day for this year’s program; and we think there’s going to be something for everyone to enjoy.”

The exhibit, sponsored in part by Kevin Powell’s Foothill Ford with additional support provided by Piedmont Distillers, AES, BB & T, B & L Custom Jewelers and Surrey Emporium, will be on display through July of 2011 and highlights the “Team” components of the racing industry.

The exhibit features components built in cooperation with Richard Childress Racing, Hendrick Motorsports, Petty Enterprises, Wood Brothers Racing and Michael Waltrip Racing and the NASCAR Hall of Fame Museum as well as some private collectors.  “We’ve been very fortunate that these race shops and collectors have been so willing to partner with us on this exhibit” adds Edwards.  

The event, scheduled to run from 10:00 AM -5:00 PM on January 22, will have a $5 general admission that will include access to all the programs and activities along with the new exhibit. Full program schedule information is available on the museum’s website at www.northcarolinamuseum.org   or by calling 336-786-4478 or visit  for more information.

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Kevin Powell’s Foothill Ford is a small town dealer serving the Foothills of North Carolina, which include Pilot Mountain, Mount Airy, Elkin, King, Dobson, Winston-Salem. Also serving southeast Virginia including Galax, Stuart, Hillsville, Woodlawn.