NASCAR racing and good food go hand-in-hand, maybe it’s a good tailgate party or it could be a favorite restaurant in a race town. And, more and more people with ties to NASCAR are serving up some good meals at restaurants of their own.
Buddy Arrington: Buddy’s Taste of Home, Collinsville, Virginia
Arrington was one of the “independents” on the NASCAR starting 560 races between 1964 and 1988, with 15 finishes inside the top five. Driving his “Mopar” he was a mainstay at racetracks in that era. Now, he’s serving up favorites at Buddy’s Taste of Home in Collinsville, Viriginia; just north of Martinsville.
Offering a menu the entire family will enjoy including flat iron steak, broiled scallops, Alaskan snow crab legs or barbecue pork ribs. Maybe it’s Buddy’s hamburger corner, a pasta dish or it could even be the homemade desserts; you’ll find it at Buddy’s. All entrees are served with salad and baked potato or fries.
Richard Childress: Childress Vineyards, Welcome, North Carolina
In 2005, Richard Childress realized a long-term dream with the opening of Childress Winery. Rave reviews on his wine and tasting room – including Wine Enthusiast magazine naming Childress Winery as one of the top-25 tasting rooms in the country –have come from near and far.
The on-site bistro also has established itself with fine food, great atmosphere at a reasonable price. Favorites include: Richard’s Roast Beef sandwich, Judy’s (Richard’s wife) Herb Roasted Turkey Wrap, daily chef’s specials, salads, appetizers and a kid’s menu.
Stacy Compton: Olivia and Isabella’s, Casual and Fine Dining, Altavista, Virginia
When Compton and his wife Vickie decided to get in the restaurant business, they had plenty of help -- mainly from daughters Olivia, 4, and Isabella, 2. In fact, Olivia told her pre-school classmates “I opened a restaurant”, recently during a school session. And, “Shrimp Olivia” (bacon-wrapped shrimp) is highly recommended by the older namesake.
The restaurant serves steak and seafood, all cooked on a charcoal grill, along with a soup and salad bar, homemade breads and desserts. All the food is fresh and not frozen.
The Comptons enjoy finding local restaurants as they travel with racing and have incorporated many local favorite dishes from across the tour into their menu as well.
Eli Gold: Nino’s Italian Restaurant, Pelham, Alabama
Eli Gold, of MRN Radio and the voice of Alabama football, opened this restaurant in July and has been making return customers ever since, with a side of sports talk. In fact, Gold spends considerable time at the establishment hosting customers and making sure everything is top quality. “People will come in to talk racing or football once,” said Gold, shown here with restaurant partner Walter Caron. “They come back if the food is good and we get them back.”
Nino’s, located just south of Birmingham, features mouth-wateringly good chicken, veal, eggplant parmigiana…New York style pizza are just a few of the many menu offerings. A full menu including appetizers, salads, pasta, calzones, Italian entrees and desserts is available. A kid’s menu is available. And, the restaurant also serves beer and wine. The motto at Nino: “A taste as good at Gold!”
Tony Stewart: Brickhouse Tavern, Davidson, North Carolina
Stewart is a minority owner of this restaurant that annually hosts the “Jail and Bail” fund raiser for the Brienne Davis Scholarship for women at NASCAR Technical Institute.
The Brickhouse Tavern, just north of Charlotte, offers a unique look of nostalgia mixed with a contemporary flair. A large and diverse menu is features, including a menu for children. If it’s dinner with the family, a business meeting in their private room or cocktails with friends in the Tap Room, this place has it.