Full Throttle

Scene, Martinsville, a/k/a The Paperclip.

Question: What came first the first dude [of Martinsville], or The First Dude?

Well, The First Dude has been just that since December 2006.

However he may have competition as to who holds the naming rights.

Consider: Jimmie Johnson, after his win today can rightly be called Martinsville’s First Dude, and the moniker can be traced back to the first Chase event held there in 2004 that Johnson won handily. Since then his win total in Paperclip Chase events is three wins and one third place finish. And if you really wanna complete the picture you can add the (non-Chase) spring 2007 win to J.J.’s total.

Jimmie Johnson: Martinsville’s First Dude!

On the other hand, as the image indicates, others have a claim on the name that pre-dates those already noted. (“I’m the Dude. So that’s what you call me. That or His Dudeness… Duder… or El Duderino, if, you know, you’re not into the whole brevity thing” - Jeffrey ‘The Dude’ Lebowski.)

More later as time and interest permits…