Labonte remembers life of NASCAR supporter Miller

NASCAR driver/owner Bobby Labonte paused during the weekend at Phoenix International Raceway to praise one of his earliest Busch Series benefactors, retired Goodmark Foods president Dick Miller.

Miller, 68, of Raleigh, N.C., died last Thursday in Myrtle Beach, S.C., while on vacation.

"Dick was a huge ambassador for me in the early stages of my Busch career," Labonte said. "I'll always feel blessed to have Dick be a part of my racing program. His support not only helped my career, but a lot of other drivers in the garage."

While Goodmark Foods these days might be best known in the NASCAR garage as the producer of the pink Jesse Jones hot dogs that are a Martinsville Speedway legend, when Miller served as a company executive they were very active in NASCAR with their Slim Jim and Penrose brands.

The company's Penrose Firecracker brand of meat snacks sponsored Labonte's Busch Series team in the 1990 Busch Series. Labonte won the 1991 Busch championship wearing the Firecracker colors.

In 1992 the company switched its sponsorship to its Slim Jim brand and Labonte finished second to Joe Nemechek in the closest championship finish in Busch Series history, three points.

When Labonte moved to the Winston Cup Series in 1993, he maintained his Busch operation, putting crewman David Green into the driver's seat of the No. 44 Slim Jim Chevrolet. Green responded by finishing third in the 1993 championship and won the Busch title in 1994.

After competing with Labonte and Green under the Slim Jim banner in 1995, the company branched into other areas, sponsoring Jason Keller's family owned team in the Busch Series in 1996 and 1997.

Goodmark also participated in other NASCAR programs, sponsoring the Penrose Rookie of the Year program and NASCAR's Southeastern Late Model Touring Division, the Slim Jim All Pro Series.

Besides Bobby Labonte, Green and Keller, other Slim Jim and Penrose drivers of note included Bobby's older brother Terry Labonte, Terry's son Justin Labonte, Todd Bodine and Mike Cope, who drove the company's Busch car in 1998.

"I'm saddened to hear about his loss," Labonte said before competing in Saturday evening's Subway Fresh Fit 500. "My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends."

Miller left his wife, a son and daughter and a brother, as well as a number of in-laws, nieces, nephews and cousins. A memorial service was held at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home in Raleigh on Sunday.