Cliff Champion, who was born and raised in a racing family out of Chesapeake, Va.,  found out several years ago there was another life besides motorsports.
Champion’s uncle was Ricky Rudd, driver of Robert Yates Racing’s No. 88 Ford.
His cousin was Bill Champion, who drove the No. 10 in NASCAR’s old Grand National (now Nextel Cup) competition as an independent competitor, backed mostly by Rudd’s dad, the late A.J. Rudd, who operated an auto salvage yard in the Norfolk, Va., area. Bill Champion was one of NASCAR’s top independents in that unsponsored red-and-white car.
Cliff Champion started off helping Ricky Rudd in those early days in the late ’70s and ’80s as a mechanic.
Rudd’s sister, Carolyn Rudd-Ulrich Wax, now residing in New York and Charleston, S.C., was involved in motorsports public relations and put the Tide racing program together, among other projects. One of her two sons, Jeff, is involved in motorsports today in marketing. The other son, Skeet, is an aspiring young actor.
“I can remember when we got one of those six-seat passenger vans, and the seats would lay back so we could relax while we traveled,” Champion said. “We thought we were in high cotton when that came along. We’d pick up Ricky and maybe one other crewman and drive all night just to get to Michigan or some place like that by the next day. That was before the day of all these airplanes and motorhomes.”
Champion went on to become a darn good crew chief in Cup, working for Rudd and the Tide effort and the late Benny Parsons in Robert Jackson’s No. 55, along with many other teams.
There’s no telling where Champion could have ended up if he had wanted to stay around.
Instead, Champion loves the water, especially up here in the northwest portion of Mecklenburg County on what they call Lake Norman, where a lot of today’s NASCAR people hang out and have fun.
He’s now operating Championship Yacht Charters from the Midtown Sundries location in Cornelius, N.C. (www.championshipyatchcharters.com), which includes a 42-foot boat (two to 20 people) and an 80-foot house yacht (two to 120 people). Champion has been in the boat business for about 10-12 years.
“Our business is not where it really needs to be, but we’re doing OK,” said Champion, who took a group of media folks, courtesy of Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C., out for a Lake Norman cruise the afternoon of Aug. 16. Guest of honor was Casey Mears, driver of Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 25 Chevrolet, who won the Coca-Cola 600 in May for his first Nextel Cup victory.
H.A. “Humpy” Wheeler presented Mears with the customary ring, honoring the 600 winner.
Then Wheeler and Mears took a few minutes to go fishing in Lake Norman with a professional guide. It was Mears two, Wheeler zero. Mears landed a crappie and a good-sized striper bass.
Champion averages about five-six cruises per week during the summer months on the 80-footer. “You know, I’m just not sure how many people are aware of what we offer and what we’re into,” Champion said.
“It’s kind of rough right now because it’s so hot and the lake is down about six feet. And the cost of insurance isn’t getting any cheaper, the same way with gas (he uses high-test gas, not diesel).
“But you know what, it sure beats the heck out of being a crewman in racing. I can’t imagine going back to that life again.”