NASCAR Racing Champions Blog: Jerry Nadeau #15 Buss Fuses Ford

    Greetings race fans, and welcome once more to the NASCAR Racing Champions diecast blog~ With the recent changes to the upcoming NASCAR schedule, we once more are forced to deal with an ever evolving set of changes that quite frankly, none of us are asking for~ That's why it's nice to work on these blog posts.. to escape to a simpler time in the sport.. back to the good ol' days, where I feel more welcome~

    I'm sure younger, more current fans of the sport get tired of hearing the older crowd complain, but I really don't care what they think~ I want my race car drivers to be men, and act like men.. not that I mind a woman being in the sport.. just not Danica, she sucks~ I just miss the personalities the older drivers had~ The current group of drivers is as boring as the newer tracks NASCAR forced upon us~

   But enough of being an old curmudgeon for now, let's dive into this post~ This one is gonna be on Jerry Nadeau, and his time in the #15 Buss Fuses Ford, which he drove during the 1995 BGN season, in what was his rookie campaign~ The car was owned by Greg Pollex, who also owned the #23 Bayer/Harris Teeter Ford that Chad Little won 6 races in during the 1995 season~ Nadeau drove in five events for the team, and attempted another three, but failed to qualify~

                                             Nadeau's first promo card in the BGN series~

Jerry Nadeau #15 Buss Fuses Bussmann Ford Racing Champions 1/64 NASCAR diecast blog 1995 BGN Busch Greg Pollex

    Jerry's first time in the #15 Buss Fuses Ford was actually a DNQ in the "Hardee's 250" @ Richmond, in the third event of the 1995 BGN season~ He was one of seven drives who failed to make the field~ Other notable drivers who failed to make the race were Buckshot Jones, Robbie Reiser, and Shawna Robinson~

    He made his first BGN start in the "Sundrop 400" @ Hickory, where he rolled off 26th in the 30 car field~ Ten drivers failed to make the field, including Andy Houston, Bill Venturini, Tommy Houston, Bobby Hillin Jr., and Patty Moise, who ended up racing anyway when she bought Johnny Chapman's car for the event~ The announcers keep saying it's Chapman in the #70, but it's not.. it's Moise~

    The race was pretty crazy, with a total of 13 cautions for 50 laps~ Chad Little was dominating in the end, and was easily going to win the race, when the lapped car of Kevin Lepage took him out of the race while trying to get a lap back~ It was horrible, and just... I wanted to throw a rock at Lepage~ NASCAR black flagged him, but it wasn't enough for me.. heck, he killed Chad Little.. not really, but gosh.. Lepage always did real dumb stuff that I just couldn't believe~

    After the incident, Johnny Benson held on for the win, followed by Hermie Sadler, Mike McLaughlin (who they called "Magic" at the time~), Jason Keller, and Bobby Dotter~ Pete Silva had a nice 10th place finish in Jack Ingram's ol' #11 car, which was sponsored by Ingles Supermarkets~ Nadeau had a couple minor incidents in the race, but held on till the end (though nine laps down) to finish in 21st~

                                    Nadeau goes for a spin @ Hickory, in his first BGN start~

    Nadeau and the team were back the following week @ Loudon, for the "NE Chevy Dealers 250"~ "Magic" Mike McLaughlin was on the pole in the #34 French's Mustard Chevrolet, and Nadeau qualified in the 15th position~ A total of 15 drivers failed to make the field for the event, including Ricky Craven~

    Jeff Green led two large chunks of the race, but creepy Mike Wallace spun him out, and he never regained the lead, finishing in 14th~ Chad Little went on to lead the final 77 laps of the event, on the way to the checkered flag~ He was followed by Elton Sawyer, "Creepy" Mike Wallace, "Magic" Mike McLaughlin, and Johnny Benson Jr.~

    The "Hero of the Race" award goes to Tom Bolles, who brought the #76 Bolles Chrysler-Plymouth Chevrolet home in 9th place, for his first of two BGN career top 10's~ The "Heartbreak of the Race" award goes to Jimmy Spencer, who blew an engine in the #20 Fina Lube Ford, while leading the race~ Nadeau finished the race seven laps down, in 29th~ This race was also the final BGN start for legendary New England driver, Stub Fadden - who finished in 27th place, after starting 42nd~

                                                   Up in the grill of the Buss Fuses Ford~

    Nadeau was back in the car (following a three race absence) for the "Carolina Pride/Red Dog 250"
    @ Myrtle Beach, where he qualified in 10th - a season high~ Jeff Green won the pole, driving the #3 GM Goodwrench Service Chevrolet~ Five drivers failed to make the field for this race, including Buckshot Jones, again~

    This was a moderately boring race, with Jason Keller and Jeff Green dominating a majority of the event~ In the end, Larry Pearson held on to win what would be his final BGN victory~ He was followed by Keller, Dennis Setzer, Jeff Green, and Bobby Dotter~ Curtis Markham had a decent finish in the #63 Lysol Pontiac, coming to the checkered flag in the 7th position~

Jerry wound up finishing in 19th place, which turned out to be his season high~ He was six laps off the pace of race winner, Larry Pearson~ This race also marked the final BGN start for Darryl Sage, who had made his most recent start 12 years prior to this event~ It's also fair to mention Doug Heveron's strong run in the #35 Cincinnati Milacron Ford~ Heveron was running up front when rear end problems ended his day~ He led a total of 10 laps after starting from the 11th position~

     Nadeau battles the #7 car of Stevie Reeves~

After skipping one event, the team was back for the "Sears Auto Center 250" @ the Milwaukee Mile, where Nadeau qualified 22nd in the 39 car field~ Dennis Setzer won the pole in the #59 Alliance Training Centers Ford, in what would be their final start in the series, and thanks to a low driver turnout, Buckshot Jones finally made a race in the #00 Longhorn Steakhouse Ford~

This race was another snooze fest, and I hate to say that - because the 1995 BGN season was amazing~ It just so happens that Nadeau entered some of the more boring races, as you'll see later~ Jeff Green led for most of the race, but in the end it was Dale "King of Boring" Jarrett who came out victorious in the #32 Mac Tools Ford~

Jarrett was followed to the checkers by Larry Pearson, Jeff Green, Dennis Setzer, and "Magic" Mike McLaughlin~ Nadeau came home in 20th place, three laps down to the winner~ Curtis Markham again had a 7th place finish in the #63 Lysol Pontiac~

Nadeau goes around the #74 Lipton car of Johnny Benson~

    Nadeau's final race in the car came in the "Kroger 200" @ IRP~ He qualified 30th for the event, while Elton Sawyer won the pole position, driving the #38 Ford Motor Credit Ford~ Everyone that showed up made the field, so Buckshot Jones made the race again, and crashed on lap 7, and 17 year old Kevin Ray made his first and only BGN start, rolling off from the 35th position, and finishing in 21st~

    Elton Sawyer led the first 51 laps before Johnny Benson passed him, who then led for 98 laps until he was caught up in an eight car pileup~ He still finished the race, but was one lap down - in 13th place~ Jason Keller then led the final 51 laps of the event on the way to the first BGN victory of his career~ I'd like to bring up Doug Heveron again in the #35 car, because he just had a rough 1995 season all the way around~ He qualified in 6th, but was taken out the same crash that Benson was involved in~

    Elton Sawyer wound up finishing second after starting from the pole, followed by "Magic" Mike McLaughlin, Tracy Leslie, and Tommy Houston~ This would be the final top 5 of Houston's decorated career~ Speaking of Tommys, Tommy Ellis made a rare appearance in this race, driving the #50 Healthsource Ford - he finished in 17th after starting 31st~ Jerry Nadeau never improved from his poor qualifying effort, finishing in 31st after suffering suspension issues midway through the event~

   Later in the season, he attempted to qualify the car in the "AC-Delco 200" @ Rockingham, and the "Jiffy Lube Miami 300" @ Homestead, but failed to make the field for either event~ The team shuttered the #15 following the 1995 season, and just ran Chad Little's #23 for the 1996 campaign, in which he went winless~ Nadeau would run 3 more BGN events during his career, but never picked up a top 10, never won a pole, and never led a lap in his entire BGN career~

                                                     Jerry Nadeau #15 Buss Fuses Ford~

Click pics to enlarge~

     I've noticed that with certain Racing Champions cars, (mostly the darker colored ones) that they look much better out of the package - this car is a perfect example of that~ In the package, it looks kind of bland - but when you take it out... Man!~ It just sparkles and shines all over the dang place~ This car was also available in a set, where you got the car for free if you bought a pack of Buss fuses~ This type of set is worth quite more than the standard Racing Champions packaged car, and doesn't come with the card, nor the stand~

Speaking of the card, I just really do not like this card one bit... not one small, little bit!~ It looks as if Jerry is getting his photo taken for the "Employee of the Month" award at Advance Auto, and I just despise Advance Auto!~ I'm on team O'Reilly!~ I like the fact that the secondary sponsor is boldly visible on multiple places on the car, just like the real one~ Racing Champions did such a good job on the car, minus the dumb looking 1995 tires, so why did they give him such a horrid looking card?~

    I'm giving this one a B- on the Racing Champions quality scale, just because I despise that card so much~ The car itself is easily an A+ in my opinion~ I'm sad Nadeau's career ended the way it did, but I'll save that for a different Nadeau post that I'll do in the future when I get a chance~ For now, let's take a look at the bonus car for this post~

          **BONUS CAR** Tommy Sigmon #21 Tar Baby's Pancake House Buick~

Tommy Sigmon #21 Tar Baby's Pancake House Buick Myrtle Beach Yount's Construction NASCAR Racing Champions 1/64 NASCAR diecast 1993 BGN Busch

**BONUS PHOTO** The actual car from the 1993 BGN series~

    The fact that NASCAR picked on poor ol' Carl Long for wanting to be sponsored by Veedverks, and banning him from doing so, yet they allowed a sponsor called "Tar Baby's" race in numerous BGN races during the 1993, and 1994 seasons just really burns me up~ Don't get me wrong.. I'm a satirical person, so I can see the humor of naming your restaurant "Tar Baby's", and I think it's kind of funny seeing it on an actual BGN car and all... but why pick on poor ol' Carl Long over a fake week vapor sponsor?~ It seems petty, and absurd, and I don't like it one little small crumb!~

    As you can see by the pictures, I tried to get the car as close as I could to what the original one looked like~ I messed up on the black in the back a little bit, but I'm satisfied with what I did with it~ I used Clifford Allison's #12 Sports Image Buick for this one, and I think it looks pretty awesome myself~ I'd guess that at least a few of you are thinking that "Tar Baby's Pancake House" couldn't possibly be open in today's PC world, but you'd be wrong~ It's still operating in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and people love it to death~

I'd give this car an A- on the Racing Champions quality scale~ I mean heck.. it looks pretty cool, and though I messed up the angle of the black on the back, it's still a nice looking car, even if it does say Tar Baby's on it~ :P

    Thank you all for checking out this edition of the NASCAR Racing Champions blog!~ Please share this post with your social media friends, and don't forget to click the "Follow" button at the top right hand side of the page here~ Below are some videos featuring Nadeau throughout his career~ Enjoy them, and until next time... drink more Ovaltine!~ :)

                                        Interview with Jerry Nadeau 3 years after the wreck~