“ I see the Moon”, “Return to Thunder Road” if you know those passwords you might have been among a select few to head into the deep woods Wilkes County for the annual Moonshiners and Revenuers Reunion held each year on Benny Parsons homestead.
For three years running Terri Parsons organized the event for moonshiners Junior Johnson, Clay Call, Millard Ashley and the revenuers who chased them down through the back country of Wilkes County and the mountains of western North Carolina. For many this was a way of life to support their families, but in the end the tuned up cars and being chased down turned into one of America’s favorite sport NASCAR.
“They took an illegal occupation and turned it into the number one sport in the country,” she said.
However in a recent turn of events Wilkes County resident Ronald Queen and former associate of one of NASCAR’s most famous moonshiner and champion Junior Johnson has presented a plan before the North Wilkesboro county commission to re-organize the event and move it to downtown North Wilkesboro.
Speaking before the North Wilkesboro commissioners on Tuesday night says he was approached after the third and final event in 2011 by several unnamed people wanting to continue the event in the future.
Mrs. Parsons the organizer of the events, who was in the building yet not invited to the town commission meeting, has made it clear the Moonshiners and Revenuers Reunions is not interested in moving the event.
“After careful thought we decided to not hold a fourth reunion as we had outgrown the venue for the event” Said Parsons.
In addition to outgrowing the venue several of the moonshiners Millard Ashley and Clay Call, as well as Bob Powell one of the revenuers passed away putting an indefinite hold on the event out of respect for those who were lost.
“Ronald (Queen) misrepresented the fact to the town that he speaks for the moonshiners, in fact after speaking with Junior Johnson and others who helped make our events a success we are all in agreement we are not interested in joining the reunion, and will choose when and if we decide to hold another Moonshiners and Revenuers Reunion” Continues Parsons.
Over the years the moonshiners and revenuers met, and in some cases for the first time face to face, the event was a success with the friendly atmosphere between the groups who just years prior were at odds with one another. Whether we will see another reunion or not remains to be seen, currently neither the moonshiners, revenuers, nor is Mrs. Parsons interested in moving the event.
In short when asked if they are willing to listen to the current plans for the moving of the event “Sure we will listen, but the answer is going to be no, and I speak for the moonshiners and revenuers” Said Terri Parsons.
- IROC Returns July 19-20 at Lime Rock Park - April 19, 2024
- RCR Race Preview: Talladega Superspeedway - April 19, 2024
- The perfect sweep: Julien Rehberg makes an incredible debut in the Rookie Trophy - April 19, 2024