As told by Jack Brown "MS Race Historian"

Top Rodgers was the epitome of "old school" racers. I met him in the late 50's when I was a kid hanging out in the pits at Speedbowl Park helping whoever would let me. Top loved to race!! I remember he told me one week that he had gotten laid off from his job and didn't even have gas money to race with. I saw him pull his unpainted Ford around to several gas stations offering to advertise their station in exchange for a tank of gas. He was sitting at an old Conoco station on Terry Road with a bottle of white shoe polish, writing the station's name on the door of his car in big letters. He got his tank of gas and headed for the track. That's how bad he wanted to race. Top was a carpenter and the announcer "Fats" Harvison made a announcement to the crowd that if any one needed an excellent carpenter that Top was available. Where else would something like that happen?