CRUSA technical director dies at 66
Thomas McReynolds, the no-nonsense technical director for Crate Racin' USA who was a vital cog in the racing organization for 12 years and had a penchant for calling drivers "Hoss" in the inspection line, died Thursday at his Millport, Ala., home at age 66. Crate Racin' USA general manager Adam Stewart said the cause was cancer.
McReynolds, who had more than 40 years experience in motorsports, more than half of that as a technical inspector, joined the organization part time in 2010 and took a full-time role with the 2013 retirement of Tim Sims.
"This one hurt, but he done it his way. No complaining or anything, just took it all in stride. That was Thomas," Stewart wrote on his Facebook page. "If he liked you, he’d fight a grizzly bear for you, and if he didn’t ... you knew it. He wasn’t gonna go out of his way to speak, but he was always listening. He was a great asset to me and our series, and was way more intelligent than his Southern demeanor let on."
Stewart added that McReynolds, who had also served technical roles with Tuscumbia's North Alabama Speedway and two Columbus, Miss., tracks, Columbus Speedway and Magnolia Motor Speedway, was a "strong, fair, intelligent man who was not afraid to stand his ground and make those tough decisions when necessary."
Mississippi racer Spencer Hughes also paid tribute to McReynolds in a Facebook post. "I never will forget the time I rolled up to pre-tech with my brand new body on my street stock," Hughes wrote. "He looked at it and said, ‘Hoss, this thing looks a little to much like a Late Model. How ’bout you turn this thing around and bring it back when it looks like it should.’ And I always enjoyed hearing all of his stories from back in the day. He will definitely be missed."
Charles Thomas McReynolds, a Vernon, Ala., native, was also a former racer and self-employed race car builder. Survivors include his mother, Ruth McReynolds; his wife, Kathy McReynolds; one son, Scott Glasgow; and four grandchildren.
Visitation is 6-8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 18, at Chandler Funeral Home in Vernon; the funeral is 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 19, at the funeral home. Burial will follow at Shiloh Cemetery in Hightogy, Ala. Visit chandlerfh.net for a complete obituary.
