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     When Dick Nephew and Bill Wimble tiued for the 1961 NASCAR National Sportsman championship, several factors were in place: 1.) racing excellence in rural Northern New York state was represented by both men; 2.) the two men were entirely different from one another; and neither was particularly pleased with the way the whole tie thing came about.
     I had the pleasure of talking to Wimble, for the first time in my life, in the summer of 2005 - at Airborne Speedway. Nice man. But, I knew Dick Nephew somewhat better, having written articles on him, and having visited with him at his home, on the Canadian border in Cannon Corners, New York.
    Dick Nephew [probably Neveu at some point back in the family history], was a broad - shouldered, profoundly powerful man who was capable of not only manhandling those ill-handling coupes in his day, but also of coming back in his 50's and winning modified races again - in an Olson Eagle.
    When I think of Dick and that house in the far northern reaches of New York, I think of my son, Seth - about 9 at that time. Seth went with me for one of Nephew interviews, and he never got over the fawn Dick had preserved in formelgahyde in a pickle jar. Dick had come upon the baby deer after it and the mother had been killed - and he felt the compulsion to preserve the little creature.

Nephew Family Collection One of Dick's earliest cars	Nephew Family Collection Same early ride	Nephew Family Collection Dick works on a newly-built version of one of his 6 7/8's
Nephew Family Collection Early 6 7/8 car, probably with mechanic George Palmetier of Chazy, NY	Nephew Family Collection The Palmetier car, after apparently close action	Pascal Magnum Site Photo A portrait, around the 6 and 7/8 era
Pascal Magnum Site Photo A 6 and 7/8 era win- at a Quebec track [maybe Riverside]	Nephew Family Collection Probably the first #6 This one was a Ford	Nephew Family Collection Probably the first #6 which was a Chevy. I think this a pre- championship car

Nephew's quest for NASCAR points in the early 1960's brought him to race all over the East, including some of the Daytona Permatex races. The championship year, he would often race in two entirely different regions of the East Coast on the same weekend. Dick recalled how exhausting it was and what a strain this was on his business and for his family.

John Grady Photo Dick became acquainted with Allie Swears, of Glens Fall, NY when he ran the familiar Swears 51 at Fonda	Nephew Family Collection Nephew at Daytona with Swears' 1955 Chevy sportsman around 1961	Photo source unknown Nephew in the Swears Sportsman
Nephew Family Photo Allie Swears, of Glens Fall, NY walks by Dick in the Daytona pits	Nephew Family Collection Nephew at Daytona with Swears' 1955 Chevy the next year	Photo source unknown The Swears crew studies a problem with the sportsman

After I respond to Gary Nephew's invitation to visit and talk about his Dad, I will have more thoughts to add to this little bio.

Mike Watts Photo Dick shared this Studebaker mod with Rod Ritchie, thus the strange number	Nephew Family Photo Some people will race anything, anywhere. This is a 1960's Airborne winter race.	Cavalcade of Racing Photo Dick, in the '60's
Nephew Family Photo Beginning the championship year	Nephew Family Photo Towing the 1961 car with the family car	Nephew Family Photo A bump on the road to the title
Photo Source Unknown Dick in the most familiar picture - as the co-Champion	John Grady Photo At either Malta or Catamount, around mid 1960's.	ACT Archives Courtesy of Cho Lee A NASCAR win at Thunder Road, around 1965
Nephew Family Photo This photo was labeled as 1965, but it doesn't look like the one he was usually photographed with that year	John Grady Photo Dick went to this Falcon-bodied mod, owned out of Massena, New York	Gerard FavreauPhoto Dick poses at Champion Speedway, a short-lived track near Bedford, QU
Gerard Favreau Photo Nephew, in the mod feature lineup at Champion Speedway	Pascal Magnum Site The family poses in the pits at Champion Speedway	Richard Delisle Photo Dick at Riverside Speedway, near Montreal

Dick's attempt at running with the Northern NASCAR late model sportsman ranks was probably among his more frustrating times in racing. He had a big, heavy Dodge and it never really got untracked. He didn't stay with it very long. Of all the old Airborne hands, only the low-dollar team of Danny Bridges had much luck. Nephew, Branham, Griffith, and others had little success.

Bill Ladabouche Photo The Mason Dodge Charger, towing into Catamount in 1972	Devils Bowl Program Photo A pose with the Charger	Photo Source Unknown Dick doesn't look all that thrilled to be driving this big LMS, but it was the show in town.
Russ Bergh Photo from Bill Fifield Oh, to be back in these days again !	Pascal "Magnum" Site Photo Dick, and sons at Riverside, with Mr. Robert Foley, Sr.