In honor of Racers Reunion’s “Goat Rodeo”, I’m proud to submit a column I wrote in 2004 and, as far as I know, still proudly resides in Marty Robbins museum out in Arizona.  Hope you enjoy it.

NASCAR’S Original Troubadour

Remembering Marty Robbins

By ~ Carol Bell

I was heading down the highway the other day and Marty Robbin’s “El Paso” came on the radio. It instantly had me singing along. At its end, I scrounged around looking for the CD folder that had, in my humble opinion, the best and most accurate racing song ever recorded. “Twentieth Century Drifter.”

After swerving down the road like a drunk, I finally found it, popped it in the CD and joined Marty in belting out the catchy tune as well as remembering the way racing used to be.

“Drivin’ a race car is my way of makin’ a livin’. My way of puttin’ the bread on the table at home” ~

Marty Robbins was a mega star for many reasons, though perhaps none so as much as he tended to do things his own way, and obviously his love of racing was just that. A love of racing. I doubt the monetary factor was ever considered, at least by Marty. I can’t speak for his car owners.