LATE MODELS: Fast Service Important For Taco Bell 300 Starter
Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
September 25, 2001MARTINSVILLE, VA. – There’s nothing like a little competition to make the best a little bit better. That was certainly the case with James Crosier Jr. and his crew at the Taco Bell on Franklin Road in Roanoke.
When the “Need For Speed” competition was announced for Taco Bell locations throughout Southwest and Central Virginia, Crosier and his bunch stepped to the fore.
When the dust cleared in the competition a few weeks ago, Crosier and his employees had turned in an average order time of one minute, 24 seconds to win the competition.
And to the victor go the spoils. Crosier will be the honorary starter for the Taco Bell 300 at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday, September 30. His workers will be “Grande Marshals” for the race. The store will be closed for the race on September 30 and all store employees will be at the Taco Bell 300.
“This is an absolutely humongous deal for our people,” said Crosier, an eight-year veteran restaurant manager with Taco Bell. “We’re totally excited about it. This is probably the best promotion we’ve ever had.”
“It was a goal for us to reach and we try to be number one in everything we do.”
The chore facing Crosier, his crew and every Taco Bell staff every day is not an easy one. They must confirm your order, make your change, prepare your drink and each food item fresh to specification, wrap it up, bag it, add the sauce and napkins, double check the order and serve it with a smile. It’s a task all Taco Bell employees normally handle with grace and speed. But for the “Need For Speed” competition, the folks from the Franklin Road Taco Bell stepped it up another notch.
“Typically we do a good job. We picked it up for this, though,” Crosier said of his employees, which include assistant manager Valarie Jordan, shift manager Matt Switzer, shift leader Robbie Comer, Carmen Wimmer, Charles Boteler, Clyde Johnson, Devkiben Patel, Essie Thomason, Kim Smith, Jeffery Bower, Jessica Robinson, Joseph Hylton, Karmie Gibson, Lacey Saucier, Lewie Haddox, Lori Carroll, Melanie Priddy, Sandra Aranegui and Sue Duncan. Qualifying for the Taco Bell 300 begins at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 29 to determine the top 20 starting position. The fastest qualifier will receive $1,000 from Chatlee Boats.
On Sunday, September 30, the Taco Bell 300 kicks off four 25-lap qualifying races with the top five drivers from each race filling out positions 21-40 in the starting field. There will be two provisionals given to complete the 42-car starting lineup for the 200-lap feature race. At lap 100, of the 200-lap feature, the race will be stopped for a 10-minute break and the leader at lap 100 will be presented the $5,000 BB&T Award. Also at the break, several of the top cars will be inverted. The race will continue until the caution is displayed at lap 190 for a single file restart for the final 10 green flag laps.
Tickets for the Taco Bell 300 are $20 each for adults and $5 for children ages 6-12. All seats are unreserved.
The Taco Bell 300 is the first of two weekends of racing at Martinsville Speedway this fall.
The NASCAR Winston Cup Series will run the Old Dominion 500 on Sunday, October 14 at 12:30 p.m. On Saturday, October 13, the NASCAR Featherlite Modified Series will run the Advance Auto Parts 200 beginning at 2:45 p.m. Tickets for the Advance Auto Parts 200 are $30 each and children ages 6-12 get in for $5. All seats are unreserved.
Great reserved seats are available in the towers for $40-$65. Tickets can be ordered by calling the speedway ticket office toll free at 1-877-722-3849 or (540) 956-3151.
Text provided by M. Smith
Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot racing photos and art, visit
The Racing Photo Museum and the
Visions of Speed Art Gallery.