Richard Childress Racing. Photo: James Phelps, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dale_Sr_1994.jpg)
Gallery of Chocolate Myers (Danny Myers)
Richard Childress Racing Museum. Photo: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Richard_Childress_Racing_Museum_October_2022_24_(Dale_Earnhardt%27s_1998_Daytona_500-winning_No._3_GM_Goodwrench_Plus_Chevrolet_Monte_Carlo).jpg)
Richard Childress Racing Museum. Photo: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Richard_Childress_Racing_Museum_October_2022_24_(Dale_Earnhardt%27s_1998_Daytona_500-winning_No._3_GM_Goodwrench_Plus_Chevrolet_Monte_Carlo).jpg)
Danny “Chocolate” Myers is an American stock-car racing personality, mechanic, broadcaster, and former Richard Childress Racing fueler. He helped Dale Earnhardt’s team win six Nascar premier-series championships, later became curator of the Richard Childress Racing Museum, and co-hosts the SiriusXM Nascar Radio program “Tradin’ Paint.”
Background
Danny Myers was born on October 17, 1948, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, a city with a longstanding connection to stock-car racing through Bowman Gray Stadium. He grew up in a racing family as the eldest son of Bobby Myers, an early Nascar driver who was killed in the 1957 Southern 500 at Darlington while driving for Lee Petty.
Myers became acquainted with Richard Childress during their youth in Winston-Salem. The two sold programs, peanuts, and other concessions at Bowman Gray Stadium before becoming involved in racing themselves. Myers acquired the nickname “Chocolate” during childhood, and the name later became his public identity in motorsports.
Career
Myers began working around stock-car racing as a young man and developed a long professional association with Richard Childress. Richard Childress Racing, founded by Childress in 1972, became one of Nascar’s major teams and was closely associated with driver Dale Earnhardt during the team’s most successful period.
Myers worked for Richard Childress Racing from 1976 until 2002 as a general mechanic and fueler, principally with Earnhardt’s No. 3 team and later the No. 29 team. His pit-crew work included lifting and operating the fuel can during pit stops, a specialized task that made him widely known as “America’s gas man.” He was part of the “Flying Aces” crew that received Nascar Pit Crew of the Year recognition from 1985 through 1988.
As a member of Earnhardt’s Richard Childress Racing crew, Myers participated in six Nascar premier-series championships in 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, and 1994. He was also part of the team that won the 1998 Daytona 500, and his years with Richard Childress were associated with 84 victories. In 2001, after Earnhardt’s death, Myers continued with the RCR crew supporting Kevin Harvick and moved to Robby Gordon’s team during the 2002 season.
After retiring from over-the-wall pit-crew work at the end of 2002, Myers remained associated with Richard Childress Racing as a safety director and later became curator of the Richard Childress Racing Museum in Welcome, North Carolina. He has also worked as a racing broadcaster, including color commentary, and became a co-host of “Tradin’ Paint,” a call-in program on SiriusXM Nascar Radio. His public work has included racing-history appearances, speaking engagements, and participation in programs preserving Nascar’s heritage.
Myers was a member of Richard Childress Racing’s pit crew during six NASCAR premier-series championships won by Dale Earnhardt in 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, and 1994.
He was part of the “Flying Aces” pit crew that received NASCAR Pit Crew of the Year recognition from 1985 through 1988.
He participated in Richard Childress Racing’s victory in the 1998 Daytona 500 with Dale Earnhardt.
Myers was inducted into the Legends of NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2006.
During his two decades as an over-the-wall crew member, Myers was associated with 84 Richard Childress Racing victories.
Interests
NASCAR history, racing memorabilia, motorsports speaking engagements, and broadcasting.
Sport & Clubs
Stock-car racing and NASCAR.
Connections
Myers is the eldest son of Bobby Myers, the Nascar driver who died in the 1957 Southern 500. His uncle Billy Myers was also an early stock-car driver, and Nascar’s Myers Brothers Award was named for Bobby and Billy Myers.
Myers is married to Caron Pappas Myers, a television and radio broadcaster who has reported on Nascar and worked with FOX 8/WGHP and WFDD. They have a daughter, Alexi Nichole Pappas Myers. Myers and Caron Myers were featured together in a chapter of Peter Golenbock’s book The Last Lap.
Father:
Bobby Myers
An early NASCAR stock-car driver who was killed in the 1957 Southern 500 at Darlington while driving for Lee Petty.
Uncle:
Billy Myers
An early stock-car driver; the Myers Brothers Award was named for him and Bobby Myers.
Wife:
Caron Pappas Myers
A television and radio broadcaster who has reported on NASCAR and worked with FOX 8/WGHP and WFDD.
