‘3’ a thriller for Winterport man Former Speedway 95 racer lands role as NASCAR official in movie

When the ESPN movie “3: The Dale Earnhardt Story” airs on Dec. 11, Winterport’s Jack Dyer will be playing a NASCAR official at a dirt track north of Charlotte, N.C. where Ralph Earnhardt, the father of the Winston Cup (now Nextel Cup) legend, was racing.

“It was a good experience. I enjoyed it,” said Dyer, who used to drive the family motor home for Nextel Cup driver Ricky Craven of Newburgh and is now driving for Cup racer Jeff Green.

His wife, Bonnie, is a nanny for Nextel Cup driver Jeff Burton.

Dyer, who splits his time with Bonnie between their apartment in North Carolina and house in Swanville, answered a casting call at Charlotte, N.C., last spring and earned the nonspeaking role.

“I filled out a form and passed it in. They wanted a recent picture of us and they wanted us to jot down our recent experiences being at a track,” said the 56-year-old Dyer, who used to race at Hermon’s Speedway 95.

After reading his extensive resume, “they called me right up.

“They asked if I knew what an official did and I said I sure do,” said Dyer.

Dyer said that when he raced at Speedway 95 he idolized Dale Earnhardt and it was “an honor to be part of the film.”

He said he spent four days on the set last summer and although he and the other men playing NASCAR officials didn’t have scripts, their roles were outlined for them.

“NASCAR officials do a lot more today than they did back in Ralph’s days [1950s and ’60s],” said Dyer. “They just hung around back then. They were like ushers. I was strictly in the background.”

Dyer, who said he didn’t know too much about Ralph Earnhardt, wore a red hat and a white uniform and had a moustache.

“I had a full beard but I had to shave it off [for the part],” said Dyer, who did find himself in a make-up chair on the days the film was shot.

“In that era, the officials had mud all over their faces and shirts,” said Dyer. “We had to look like we had been rolling around in the dirt.

“We stood by the entry way near the grandstand where the cars would go in and out. We’d be milling around, walking back and forth,” said Dyer.

“We did a lot of filming. I don’t know what bits and pieces they’ll use. I haven’t seen it. I’m anxious to see it,” said Dyer.

He found it interesting seeing everyone dressed in the clothes of that particular era and getting a look at the vintage race cars.

“You’d have guys who were supposed to be millionaires standing by the fence all dressed up in old-style suits and tuxedos. That was pretty neat,” said Dyer. “It all seemed pretty realistic.”

He was also intrigued by how the movie’s stars “hustled around” filming various segments.

Barry Pepper plays Dale Earnhardt and J.K. Simmons plays his father, Ralph.

Dyer said the set was completely blocked off during shooting. The only people allowed were those in that particular scene.

“They hired people to sit in the bleachers and they were all made up in old-time clothes,” said Dyer.

He said their work days would last 12 or 13 hours and at least two or three of those hours would be spent just watching while other segments were filmed.

Dyer is looking forward to the movie.

“I’m really excited. I can pick myself out but I don’t know if anybody else can,” said Dyer.

Would he ever want to appear in another movie?

“In a second,” said Dyer, who also used to drive a motor home for Todd Bodine.