In Memory of
Ronald Gray Sprinkle

Ronald Gray Sprinkle, 65, of Winston-Salem died suddenly Monday, Feb. 20, 2006, at his home. He was born Sept. 1, 1940, in Forsyth County to William Spencer and Lillian Beauchamp Sprinkle. Mr. Sprinkle retired from Roadway Trucking Company and was a member of Center Grove Baptist Church. He was involved with Modified Racing and SMART for several years and was the flagman at Friendship Speedway in Elkin. He loved bowling and golfing. He was preceded in death by his parents; and his twin brother, Donald R. Sprinkle. He is survived by his wife, Linda Hudspeth Sprinkle, of the home; a sister, Dolores James, and husband Don of Winston-Salem; and a nephew, Stephen D. James Sr., and wife Sandy. A graveside service will be conducted at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 22, in Parklawn Memorial Park, with the Rev. Neal Eller officiating. The family will receive friends from 7 to 9 p.m. today, Feb. 21, at Hayworth-Miller Silas Creek Chapel.

FRIENDSHIP MOTOR SPEEDWAY
LOSES A FRIEND

Friendship Motor Speedway's Flagman, Mr. Ronald Gray Sprinkle, passed away on February 20 th .

Ronald was a great friend of the track and racing in general, especially the Modified division. He was a past Official with the SMART Modified tour serving as the tour's Safety Director for several seasons and as the back-up flagman at several events. He became the Pace Car Driver at FMS in our first season as well as taking care of the safety inspections of several of the track's regular divisions. He became our Flagman last season.

I'm sorry to say I didn't take the time to know Ron Sprinkle better but I'll tell you some of the things I saw in him. He was devoted to his wife, Linda. You hardly ever saw one without the other. He was very close to his family. I remember that for many seasons Ron and his brother Donald worked on the race teams of Billy Middleton and Philip Smith and when his brothers health kept him from the track, Ron made the time to take care of him and his mother. They were at the same "care" home and Ron never missed a chance to be there for them. Donald passed away in 2003 and his mother only a week before Ron.

He had many close friends in the sport and when he was doing his job as Safety Director on the tour, he took his responsibility seriously. I know some of the drivers may have thought he was picking on them but he was always looking out for their safety and their best interests. That same dedication carried over to his job as our Flagman. We'll miss him.

We'll start our fourth season at Friendship on April 23 rd . Ron would want it that way. Before we start the races, we will hold a special ceremony dedicating the Flagman' s Tower to the Memory of Ronald Sprinkle. A new coat of paint or signs will never change the fact that it will now be remembered as "Ron's Place". Hope you all come by to see it sometime. Ron would like that.