
Padgett born into
a life of NASCAR
By Loretta Cozart
Angela Patterson Padgett was born into a family whose lives revolved around
NASCAR. Growing up, all she wanted in life was to follow in her family’s footsteps and work in that industry. Due to a series of fortunate events, she achieved that goal.
“My great-granddaddy was Glen “Pat” Patterson and the family lived off Putnam Lake Road, near Oak Grove Road. My dad’s whole side of my family lives out there,” Angela shared, “Pawpaw raced in the ‘60s driving a 1949 Ford Coup. I have a picture of me in his race car.”
“On the other side of the family is my mom’s brother, William Rayfield, who went to work for Henrick Motorsports in 1986 and I visited the shop when I was 13-years old.” Family member, Keith still races dirt track, William is retired but does radio and cousin Keitha handles social networking for Joe Gibbs.
“NASCAR has been a family business of ours, one way or another, since I was born,” Angela said.
Padgett went to college at Appalachian State and earned her degree in Radio and Television. While there, she and a friend produced a radio show called NASCAR Thunder at WASU that was patterned after NASCAR Country. “Bill Dollar was my hero.” Patterson said.
In the summer of 1994, she accepted an internship with Doug Rice, president of Performance Racing Network. “My professor, Dr. Porterfield, said ASU didn’t offer internships in that area. But I convinced him. I told him it was for Fast Talk, so he made up a new category called Broadcasting in the Racing Industry. That’s where I met Benny Parsons.” Her internship required 120 hours and she completed it in just three weeks.
“During my senior year of college, my uncle William called to tell me that Hendrick Motorsports was adding a museum and they needed someone to run it for them. He knew I wanted a job in NASCAR, so he called and told me to get my resume in,” she said. “I knew the museum wouldn’t open for a year, but I really wanted that job.”
After college, Calvin Hastings offered her a part-time job with Performance Racing Network calling races at Lincoln County Speedway. “It was crazy out there. They didn’t have a sound booth, so we sat amongst the people while we called the races.”
Angela didn’t realize that Benny Parsons had once driven for Hendrick Motorsports when a driver was out. He called the shop on her behalf weekly asking Chuck Mack if he had hired Angela yet. “I was so disappointed when I learned they hired in house, but never knew Benny Parsons was working to help me,” Angela said.
“He kept calling and in August 1996, Chuck Mack offered me a job on a Friday to start work on the following Monday. I was also selling tickets at the Charlotte Motor Speedway and had taken a job as a receptionist for the City of Kings Mountain. By then, I was working in the Police Department, she said.
“Bob Hayes was my boss at the Police Department and understood I had a passion for NASCAR, that was all I ever talked about.” In fact, the folks at the city nicknamed her Lug Nut because of her love of the sport. “I spoke with Chief Hayes and he interviewed someone I knew who wanted to become a police officer. My job was filled right away, but I still worked a notice.”
“At the speedway, I knew someone who could help them immediately and they let me move on to the new job,” Angela said.
“September 23, 1996 was the best day of my life, the day I started working at Hendrick Motorsports. I have always been sad that Papaw didn’t live to see me working at Hendrick Motorsports. He would have loved it.”
Daddy was away in the military at the time and when he called I told him, “Oh Daddy, you’re not going to believe it. I got a job at Hendrick Motorsports! He was excited for me even though he was a Dale Earnhardt fan. Daddy liked Earnhardt, because he was like us… he was born on a mill hill.
Angela Padgett worked for Hendrick Motorsports from 1996 to 2012, a time she considers the best years to work in NASCAR. That experience helped her get another job at the City of Kings Mountain. “The experience I gained at Hendrick Motorsports was invaluable. I helped manage events of 10,000 plus people and that was the experience the city was looking for in my current position with Kings Mountain Special Events. It’s funny how one thing just leads to another.”
Angela’s mother, Cathy Rayfield Taylor, worked as Executive Director for the Cleveland County Partnership
for Children and suggested she speak to Scott Neisler regarding doing a show on his network. At the time, I was working at Cleveland County Partnership for Children as a coordinator for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. That contact lead to her continuing NASCAR Thunder on WGNC.
“NASCAR Thunder is not your usual racing show. Yes, we recap the weekly races. However, the biggest part of our show is interviewing folks who worked behind the scenes in NASCAR. Folks like me who worked in Marketing/Public Relations, Accounting, in the Engine and Chassis shops, Museums and Events Departments,” Angela shared. “Everyone who worked in NASCAR has a story. I use my show to honor those that are not in the spotlight. Our show is made up of NASCAR news, stories and music.”
Join Angela Padgett each Monday Night at 6 pm for NASCAR Thunder on AM1450 WGNC and FM101.1. Listen online at www.WGNC.net.
Angela Patterson Padgett was born into a family whose lives revolved around
NASCAR. Growing up, all she wanted in life was to follow in her family’s footsteps and work in that industry. Due to a series of fortunate events, she achieved that goal.
“My great-granddaddy was Glen “Pat” Patterson and the family lived off Putnam Lake Road, near Oak Grove Road. My dad’s whole side of my family lives out there,” Angela shared, “Pawpaw raced in the ‘60s driving a 1949 Ford Coup. I have a picture of me in his race car.”
“On the other side of the family is my mom’s brother, William Rayfield, who went to work for Henrick Motorsports in 1986 and I visited the shop when I was 13-years old.” Family member, Keith still races dirt track, William is retired but does radio and cousin Keitha handles social networking for Joe Gibbs.
“NASCAR has been a family business of ours, one way or another, since I was born,” Angela said.
Padgett went to college at Appalachian State and earned her degree in Radio and Television. While there, she and a friend produced a radio show called NASCAR Thunder at WASU that was patterned after NASCAR Country. “Bill Dollar was my hero.” Patterson said.
In the summer of 1994, she accepted an internship with Doug Rice, president of Performance Racing Network. “My professor, Dr. Porterfield, said ASU didn’t offer internships in that area. But I convinced him. I told him it was for Fast Talk, so he made up a new category called Broadcasting in the Racing Industry. That’s where I met Benny Parsons.” Her internship required 120 hours and she completed it in just three weeks.
“During my senior year of college, my uncle William called to tell me that Hendrick Motorsports was adding a museum and they needed someone to run it for them. He knew I wanted a job in NASCAR, so he called and told me to get my resume in,” she said. “I knew the museum wouldn’t open for a year, but I really wanted that job.”
After college, Calvin Hastings offered her a part-time job with Performance Racing Network calling races at Lincoln County Speedway. “It was crazy out there. They didn’t have a sound booth, so we sat amongst the people while we called the races.”
Angela didn’t realize that Benny Parsons had once driven for Hendrick Motorsports when a driver was out. He called the shop on her behalf weekly asking Chuck Mack if he had hired Angela yet. “I was so disappointed when I learned they hired in house, but never knew Benny Parsons was working to help me,” Angela said.
“He kept calling and in August 1996, Chuck Mack offered me a job on a Friday to start work on the following Monday. I was also selling tickets at the Charlotte Motor Speedway and had taken a job as a receptionist for the City of Kings Mountain. By then, I was working in the Police Department, she said.
“Bob Hayes was my boss at the Police Department and understood I had a passion for NASCAR, that was all I ever talked about.” In fact, the folks at the city nicknamed her Lug Nut because of her love of the sport. “I spoke with Chief Hayes and he interviewed someone I knew who wanted to become a police officer. My job was filled right away, but I still worked a notice.”
“At the speedway, I knew someone who could help them immediately and they let me move on to the new job,” Angela said.
“September 23, 1996 was the best day of my life, the day I started working at Hendrick Motorsports. I have always been sad that Papaw didn’t live to see me working at Hendrick Motorsports. He would have loved it.”
Daddy was away in the military at the time and when he called I told him, “Oh Daddy, you’re not going to believe it. I got a job at Hendrick Motorsports! He was excited for me even though he was a Dale Earnhardt fan. Daddy liked Earnhardt, because he was like us… he was born on a mill hill.
Angela Padgett worked for Hendrick Motorsports from 1996 to 2012, a time she considers the best years to work in NASCAR. That experience helped her get another job at the City of Kings Mountain. “The experience I gained at Hendrick Motorsports was invaluable. I helped manage events of 10,000 plus people and that was the experience the city was looking for in my current position with Kings Mountain Special Events. It’s funny how one thing just leads to another.”
Angela’s mother, Cathy Rayfield Taylor, worked as Executive Director for the Cleveland County Partnership
for Children and suggested she speak to Scott Neisler regarding doing a show on his network. At the time, I was working at Cleveland County Partnership for Children as a coordinator for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. That contact lead to her continuing NASCAR Thunder on WGNC.
“NASCAR Thunder is not your usual racing show. Yes, we recap the weekly races. However, the biggest part of our show is interviewing folks who worked behind the scenes in NASCAR. Folks like me who worked in Marketing/Public Relations, Accounting, in the Engine and Chassis shops, Museums and Events Departments,” Angela shared. “Everyone who worked in NASCAR has a story. I use my show to honor those that are not in the spotlight. Our show is made up of NASCAR news, stories and music.”
Join Angela Padgett each Monday Night at 6 pm for NASCAR Thunder on AM1450 WGNC and FM101.1. Listen online at www.WGNC.net.