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Former NASCAR driver busted for making moonshine
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Like a blast from the past, a former NASCAR driver and crew chief for the legendary team owner Junior Johnson was arrested last week after a still used to make moonshine was found on his property.
Dean Combs, 57, was charged last Friday with making non-tax paid liquor, as well as one count each of possessing ingredients to manufacture and possessing equipment to manufacture non-tax paid liquor.
Combs property sits near the abandoned North Wilkesboro Speedway in Wilkes County, North Carolina.
Agents from the State Division of Alcohol Law Enforcement along with deputies from the Wilkes County Sheriff's Office raided the property and found a still that had a capacity of 300 gallons per run, with about 1,150 gallons of corn mash in the “working” stage in preparation for another run in two to three days. Agents said the still was warm from a run of corn liquor the day before.
“It was a very professional, clean operation… all stainless steel,” N.C. Alcohol Law Enforcement (ALE) Agent Shon Tally told the Journal Patriot newspaper. Tally added that the still had a primary condenser and a secondary condenser for efficiency and quality. It also had about 180 feet of copper tubing.
Agents also seized 200 gallons of corn liquor and 3,000 pounds of sugar.
After trying to figure out what to do with the still, deputies finally called the bomb squad. Combs himself then moved the still to a safe area before it was blown up.
“He got his tractor, he pulled it up there for us,“ Tally told the Enterprise Ledger. “That’s how accommodating he was. You couldn’t ask for a nicer fellow.“
Combs said authorities actually praised his moonshine.
“They even bragged on it, said they’d never seen spring water that clear,“ he said. “I said, ‘You need to put a label on it and stick it in the store.‘“
“It’s something I was always interested in,“ Combs added. “I wanted to see if I could make something drinkable. I guess I gave someone a quart I shouldn’t have.“
Authorities said they acted on an anonymous tip.
Combs raced in NASCAR’s top series from 1981-84. He was a five time Goody’s Dash Series champion and crew chief for car owner Junior Johnson. Johnson got his start in racing running moonshine in the 1940’s and 50’s. He also served a brief stint in jail for the crime.
Combs was served with a warrant but not taken to jail. No word on a court date.
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