Living NASCAR. Style. The Simmons Condo

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Janis Moore
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1 Living NASCAR Style The Simmons Condo photography by John Edwards, Fresh Air Photographics by Ann N. Yungmeyer From the earth tones and sandy soil of their palm tree farm near Homestead, Fla., Ernie and Tracy Simmons gravitated toward cultivating a different passion one that fuels their creative energy indoors between screaming-hot colored walls. The Simmons turned their new two-bedroom condo at RaceDay Center, across from the Bristol Motor Speedway, into an artfully decorated collector s museum/habitat. The couple s longtime enthusiasm for auto racing inspired their hobby in theme decorating and led to plans to design more interiors. Tracy and I play off each other s ideas and then try to add a little feng shui, says Ernie with a playful shrug. The Simmons have been seriously collecting race memorabilia for more than a decade and filled their townhouse near the Daytona Speedway with NASCAR souvenirs. Four years ago they made Daytona their home after selling their wholesale tree farm in Homestead. We ve always gone to the Bristol and Daytona races and the finale in Homestead. We get together with friends and family at the races, so we wanted to have our own place here, says Ernie of the Bristol property. He points out that spending weeks at the races over time makes owning a condominium an attractive investment. Mixing Color, Comfort and Creative Utility Yellow, red, blue, magenta all colors of the NASCAR logo meet in the corners, setting off relics such as battered Hot Wheels metal, black-and-white accent décor and oodles of race memorabilia. The Simmons style blends comfort and ingenuity, evidenced by many furnishings that Ernie created. A THROWBACK TO THE WINSTON CUP SERIES, THE SIMMONS S HAND-CRAFTED COFFEE TABLE DISPLAYS CARS, MATCHES, CONFETTI AND OTHER MEMORABILIA. 104 M A R Q U E E ~SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2007

3 KITCHEN ACCOUTREMENTS FEATURE A MYRIAD OF SPONSORS, DRIVERS AND AUTO PARTS DEALERS. A plush denim-covered couch and red leather chairs from Rooms-to-Go surround a large coffee table in the living area. The handcrafted table, cleverly supported on jack stands as table legs, displays a collection of souvenirs from the Winston Cup Series era in a glass-topped wood box. The sofa pillows are adorned with race patches. I finally found something to do with all my patches! Ernie exclaims. Over the sofa hangs a Snap-On Tool cabinet showcasing Snap-On miniature cars. Two stacked Goodyear tires from the Richard Petty Driving Experience are topped with round-cut glass to serve as end tables. A utility-style entertainment center is made of warehouse shelving, decked with tires at each end. The king bed in the Craftsman master bedroom features a unique headboard made from five Craftsman creepers (those things they roll under cars on) lined up like dominoes. A neck roll tailored from extra creeper leather accents a denim-covered down duvet. The bedside tables are Craftsmen tool boxes. Chrome lamps are fashioned from valve covers from a motor and trimmed with checkered shades. The flat-screen TV is jacked up on a Craftsman jack, which Ernie welded to a pipe to encase the wiring. Necessities in the master bath are genuine from the shop: a toilet-paper holder made from a ratchet and socket angled on the wall, red shop rags hanging as hand towels (air drying is optional for less-than-true fanatics) and an oil rag safety can serving as waste basket. The guest bedroom is a Rusty Wallace room, complete with Miller Lite kegs for bedside tables. Lamps are created from air filters with a fuel line trimming the shades. The bed is decorated with a blue NASCAR quilt, softening the headboard made of a foreboding-looking stop fence. Ernie says his mother often stays in this room and jokes about the many photos on the wall of Rusty posing with voluptuous women. Chandeliers in the kitchen and dining area are crafted from automotive droplights linked together to convey a candle effect, albeit a bright one. The Chevy barstools come from the Hot Rod catalog. Down to the details there are NASCAR salt-and-pepper shakers, a paper towel holder made from a Hurst shifter knob, and wrench and socket cabinet hardware. The kitchen soffit displays a collection of sponsor cereal boxes. With so many of the furnishings put together by Ernie, it begs the question, Is he a welder or a mechanic or an engineer? Ernie, who actually worked in sporting goods sales before propagating palm trees, laughingly refers to himself as a redneck engineer. Artful Display of Collectibles Joe Nemechek s gas can accentuates a living room corner, 106 M A R Q U E E ~SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2007

4 BOLD NASCAR COLORS PROVIDE THE PERFECT BACKDROP FOR DÉCOR THROUGHOUT THE CONDO. LIVING ROOM WALLS PROVIDE PLENTY OF EYE-CANDY WITH SNAP-ON TOOLS WALL CABINETS, CHOCK FULL OF MINIATURE CARS, RACE TICKETS AND COLLECTIBLES.

BEDROOM ACCESSORIES EVOKE THE RACING THEME IN EVERY DETAIL.

Among other unique items featured in the condo there is a Federated Auto Parts hood from the Ken Schrader Truck series, a collage of race tickets, and the original direction signs from Bristol Motor

We still have two ceiling trays to splash with color, says Ernie. The Simmons daughter Kaylyn (20), and son Ernie V (the 5th, 18) like the fun look of their parents décor, as do their friends.

5 BEDROOM ACCESSORIES EVOKE THE RACING THEME IN EVERY DETAIL. while a nostalgic Chevy sign from the Petty Experience graces an entry doorway and a stopper parachute by Simpson Safety Equipment hangs from the ceiling. Among other unique items featured in the condo there is a Federated Auto Parts hood from the Ken Schrader Truck series, a collage of race tickets, and the original direction signs from Bristol Motor Speedway hung on a handcrafted valance of silver spray-painted PVC pipe. In between races, the Simmons visit Bristol to enjoy the Tri-Cities region and to work on the condo. We still have two ceiling trays to splash with color, says Ernie. The Simmons daughter Kaylyn (20), and son Ernie V (the 5th, 18) like the fun look of their parents décor, as do their friends. The couple plans to put their mark on more condominiums at the Bristol Motor Speedway and on other properties in the Daytona area. I d like to do a Harley theme someday, adds Ernie. We enjoy fixing up old houses I like to find junkers and turn them into gems. Or like here, starting with fresh, new white walls works, too. Ann Yungm eyer is a fre elance writer w ho lives in Kingsport. m 108 M A R Q U E E ~SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2007

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