News-Record.com

Here's what I saw/heard/learned, in semi-chronological order:

"Nondescript" doesn't do the outside of the place justice.
Southern High Point is dotted with all sorts of small manufacturing plants, which is what BDR really is. The outside of the place is Office Park Brown brick that helps it blend in with everything else. Unless you have good directions, you won't find this place. (This place, btw, is three places: The Cup shop is one side of the street, and the truck and engine shops are across the street.

Playing "Guess the driver" is fun
Just inside the front door is a wall of framed pictures that shows BDR drivers and their cars through the years. The first picture, at the top left, is Mark Martin - I had trouble recognizing him because he has lots of hair in this picture. (Martin was Davis' first driver; they're both from Arkansas.) Right next to Martin is Jeff Gordon in the No. 1. Carolina Ford Dealers Ford Thunderbird. That was Gordon's first Busch car. Also pictured: Ward Burton, Hut Stricklin, Scott Wimmer and Mike Borkowski.

Ward Burton's old car needs a bath
Also in the lobby is the car that Burton drove to a win in the 2002 Daytona 500. This car is filthy - little bits of dirt and rubber all over the hood and the windshield. Other than a flat front left and the crew's signatures on the driver's side door, the car looks like it had just driven out of victory lane.

The shop smells
The BDR shop is wide open - no glass partitions you and the assembly room. There was some sort of odor - it wasn't gas or oil or cleaner or anything I could put a nostril on. Maybe it was some sort of solvent. Anyway, I got used to the smell and didn't remember to ask anyone about it later.

The shop was really quiet
Except for the classic rock station on the radio, there wasn't much noise. Heck, there wasn't much activity at all that I could see except for one of the over-the-wall crews that was working out in the little gym across from the cafeteria where we ate lunch (Yes, I think I will have another cookie, thanks.) Then again, the teams start leaving for Daytona today, which means it's too late now to be thinking about a car's body, engine or chassis. The crews started working on the Daytona cars back in late October, and about the only obvious thing left to do yesterday was put the stickers on the sides behind the front wheels.

Seven BDR cars will make the trip south
Dave Blaney (No. 22) will take two. Michael Waltrip (No. 55) will take three because he's running in the Bud Shootout. Mike Skinner will take two - he'll try to qualify the No. 23 Bad Boy Mowers car.

Michael Waltrip's car no longer has the roof hatch.
And, yeah, it was kind of strange to see the Napa car carrying the No. 55 instead of the No. 15.

Who knew the left front fender was such a big deal?
On the cars BDR is taking to Daytona, the front left fender is flat against the side to reduce wind resistance. On most of the other cars, the left front fender bulges out. (It's really obvious when two cars with different fenders are parked right next to each other.) I can't imagine the skill it takes to make such a part.

A new Cup car will set you back about $200,000
Gray Warren said the engine costs about $60K-$65, the transmission is about $5K, the rear end gear is another $2K, brakes are $10K and the custom-made seat is about $2K.

Even the crew luggage has sponsors.
As the Piedmont Triad Sports Club gaggle toured the shot, a couple of BDR employees were making piles of stuff for the crew. (One of the piles was tagged "Hamlin" - I'm assuming that means Kevin Hamlin, Blaney's crew chief.) In each pile were a brand new rolling suitcase (black) and a pair of jeans (also black). I didn't catch the brand name of either. It all looked new ... and black.

You can see the place, too.Call them at 877-2222 to set up your own tour. Sorry, but I don't think they'll let you drive one of Waltrip's cars around the parking lot.