As for Richmond, I saw very little of the Cup race. Other priorities took my time. I did, however, see the Nationwide race and the finish of that one was reminiscent of the good old days for sure. I respect Denny and Kurt both for not wrecking each other and making such an exciting finish to that race. No, I’m not becoming a fan of either of the Busch boys but I do respect good racing and that was some good racing. I was very happy to see Ryan Blaney, 18 years old, finish 7th. I’m not sure he was given proper respect during the race because the announcers at the end of the event seemed surprised that he had finished 7th and only recall him having been mentioned a couple of times, very vaguely at best, during the running of the race.
Another thing about Richmond, as our own Dave Fulton pointed out the next day in a Forum post, is the hustle of the network to get to 23rd place finisher Danica Patrick. I listened to her interview and turned to Ann to ask “what did she just say”? Trying not to be hyper-critical here, but her responses to the questions made little or no sense to me. Maybe I just have a mental block that prevents me from understanding someone like her trying to explain something she doesn’t seem to understand. Johanna Long finished two positions ahead of Danica and I don’t think she was even mentioned, certainly wasn’t interviewed. Johanna certainly has a better personality and, in my humble opinion, is a much more attractive individual than is Ms. Patrick.
Ok, time to talk about Travis Pastrana. Actually, I knew very little about this 28 year old nutcase before I researched him for this Legendtorial. A few things I learned to justify the “nutcase” title, was that he once jumped from an airplane withOUT a parachute intending to hook up with other jumpers who did have parachutes. Obviously he made it. He has also had over thirty surgeries, 15 on his knees alone, from injuries in all his X-game exploits. Reading his biography is like reading a combination of Evel Knevel and Superman. Travis finished one position behind the Honorable Danica Patrick. My reason for even a passing interest in the young man was the statement Dale Jarrett made at the race’s end when he said that Travis had said he was going into the grandstands and stay there until he had signed autographs for everyone who wanted one. I thought to myself “wow, what a nice gesture.” Reminded me of someone I revere whom I will discuss later in this Legendtorial. Not long after Dale Jarrett made the statement, the camera panned to Travis who was posing for pictures with an entire family of race fans wearing huge smiles as they were actually getting an opportunity to interact with a driver who had just finished a NASCAR Cup Race. Sort of like the good old days for sure. That took me back to a special race at Richmond, many years ago, which I would like to tell you about now.
When I was in the Navy, from September, 1965 to September, 1967, I was stationed on a ship out of Norfolk Naval Base, actually, Little Creek where my ARS which stands for “Auxiliary Rescue Salvage” was home ported. This is a ship with 55 enlisted men, of which I was one, and 7 officers. In short, it was not much more than an ocean-going tug boat. Of the 55 enlisted men on board, I was the ONLY one from South of the Mason-Dixon Line with most of the guys from Ohio, New Jersey, and Connecticut. Not a one of those guys knew anything about stock car racing but, as I do today, my usual conversation revolved around NASCAR and what Richard Petty was doing.
I had a car, one of the few enlisted men on the ship to have one, a 1961 Plymouth Belvedere four door. That was the toughest car ever built, although not necessarily a beauty contest winner. Got hit by a tractor-trailer once and barely scraped the paint on the quarter-panel. Anyway, NASCAR was going to race in Richmond which was then a half-mile dirt track, in April, 1967, and since that track was only about an hour and a half from Norfolk and I had that Sunday off, I decided to go. As soon as I said that, several of the Yankee boys decided they wanted to go with me, more or less, I think, to see what I was talking about all the time but even more to prove that I wasn’t actually able to talk with Richard Petty. After all, these boys, all football, baseball, hockey or basketball fans, never had the opportunity to talk with their heroes on the field or the court. Only five could fit in the Plymouth with me so I picked my five closest friends, although not one of those five believed for even a minute that they would get to meet Richard Petty.
We left early in the morning heading for Richmond. When we got to the track, we were some of the first fans to arrive for the infield tickets. We drove into the infield and parked next to the fence in turn one. We got out of the car and started walking to the pit fence with me hoping that somehow I could get Richard’s attention and he would at least come over and say a few words to the guys. As we approached the pit fence, Richard was sitting on the pit rail facing the infield. He saw me and got up and walked over to the fence. I introduced him to my shipmates and he spoke to each one of them individually. I have often wished I had pictures of these guys' faces as they talked to The King, even though, at that time, he wasn’t known as “The King." It was race day, and Richard spent at least 30 minutes with us. Richard won that race and we all got to talk to him afterwards. I remember James Hylton, Buddy Arrington and Earl Brooks all went out of their way to talk to the guys from my ship. I’m sure there were other drivers that did too, but I remember these individuals especially.
The talk in that Plymouth on the way back to Norfolk was non-stop. Once back at the ship, word spread like wildfire that old Petty Officer Leeming actually did know Richard Petty and that Richard Petty talked with all of them. They all had autographs. Over the years, I have lost contact with most of my shipmates, but there are two who made that trip who stay in touch through Facebook. Both of those guys talk about that day in Richmond like it was yesterday. I wonder, other than maybe Ryan Blaney and Travis Pastrana, how many will remember the 2012 Richmond race held this weekend. Whatever the magic was back in the day is missing now. Richmond was dirt in 1967 and that made it interesting. All the personalities made it interesting. Richmond is now a beautiful ¾ mile track which hosts usually good races. I’m not so sure my lack of interest this time wasn’t more just me than it was the racing or the track. The magic just wasn’t there for me this time. Maybe drivers like Ryan Blaney and Travis Pastrana can put a little bit of that back in the sport. I know Travis going into the stands and promising to sign autographs until everyone who wanted one had one had a huge impact of the way I consider him as a driver and an individual. I like that style. I like it that someone who may be destined to be a star has that attitude. That was sort of like going back in the day. Sort of like Shelby where Marvin Panch, Rex White, Ned Jarrett, Paul Lewis and other stars from back in the day were signing autographs. The one-on-one driver to fan. The personal connection. That’s what we had back in the day. We don’t have that now.
Do me a favor. Next time you get to be around where the guys from the good old days are signing autographs, observe them as they do. Then, next time you are around where the current “stars” of the sport are signing autographs, observe them as they do. What you will notice is that the drivers from the past will engage in conversation with you, take time with you, actually look at you, and show sincere appreciation that you are there. The “stars” of today will sign ONE autograph for you and if you are extremely fortunate, will actually look at you and maybe, just maybe, say a word or two to you.
There was a forum discussion going on this week, spurred by the Bopper and his 11 year old tag-along to whom Bopper is introducing the sport. That’s what it takes. For several years after my trip to Richmond with my shipmates, I would get Christmas cards or phone calls, which always, and I do mean ALWAYS, mentioned stock racing and Richard Petty. In 1988 when Richard had that awful crash in the Daytona 500, I got a call from one of those shipmates with whom I had not talked in over 20 years. He wanted me to know he was watching the race and that wreck scared him because he thought of me immediately and how I would feel if something had happened to Richard. Funny how my life is so intertwined and identified with racing that such would come to mind after 20 years. But, going one better than that, when Richard ran his last race in November, 1992, I got a call from my 11th grade English teacher who was then 79 years old in a retirement home. She said she had watched that race just because she knew it was Petty’s last one and she always thought of me when there was a race. Guess there are worse things, huh?
So, like Travis Pastrana, never, ever, pass up an opportunity to present racing in a positive light to anyone you encounter. You never know what will happen. It may not be perfect these days, but again I will say it is still far better than any other sport going. If we truly want to make a difference in how our racing heritage is remembered, we must be sure that we are introducing younger fans to a sport which respects that heritage. I saw the young folks at Shelby who are really into what we here at RacersReunion are into. The history, the heritage, the memories. Let’s all do our part to ensure the facts are there. It is, after all, our responsibility to all those heroes we watched growing up. It is our responsibility to the young folks to tell the stories of days past. Funny thing is, we don’t even need to embellish those memories to make then fascinating. Our history is fascinating and stunning. Keep it alive.
