You know, NASCAR has become, as we all know, more of an entertainment medium than a sport venue. I have always thought racing was entertainment but I guess with all the television exposure the sport gets now, it has to be more than powerful cars going around in circles.  The “entertainment” aspect of the sport has gotten so far from our roots that the awards banquet now has to feature a red carpet presentation like the Hollywood Awards shows.  At least, from what I've seen, the ladies on NASCAR’s red carpet don’t injure themselves throwing those hips out for the camera. However, I don’t believe our sport needs a red carpet.  Seems a bit overkill to me.  But I’m getting a little off track here.  Back to Ricky and Danica.  Frankly, it is none of YOUR business, my business, or the business of anyone else but Ricky and Danica if they want to date, become a couple, or even get married. While we all know the comments and jokes are going to be prevalent throughout the season, those two have the right to their private lives.  They are NOT Lindsey Lohan or Matt Damon, or Angelina Jolie or Alec Baldwin. They are two stock car race drivers that happen to find the company of the other favorable.   Now, as to what may happen if Danica slams Ricky into the wall, or vice-versa, I’ll leave that up to when, and if, it happens.  I would expect D.W. to have a ball with this during the Daytona 500 telecast though.  With his infatuation with Danica, wonder if he’s jealous?

Next up, a personal request to Brian France.  Brian, while I am most appreciative as to what you have done with the Generation Six car, and the efforts of NASCAR to return some aspects of the sport to the roots from which it was born, please, please, YOU stop trying to explain things.  Please!  Every time I hear, read, or see your comments being made, it is like my brain refuses to compute what you are saying.  You can double-talk with the best I've ever heard. Your public speaking abilities are severely lacking but I can understand that.  Some people aren't meant to express themselves publicly.  I would recommend, however, that you strongly consider investing in a teleprompter that you insist the drivers use during that “spectacular “event in Las Vegas.  Then be sure you aren't asked questions that require an intelligent answer unless you are advised, in advance, of the question and given a pre-written answer for the teleprompter.  I’m not trying to be cruel or insulting here, but Brian, you are a public relations disaster.  Your grandfather and father would speak their minds without reservation. Both would leave no doubt where they stand on a topic.  You, on the other hand, need someone to manage your thoughts and your words.  Just a suggestion.  Again, nothing personal and no insult intended. Just speaking my mind. I’m allowed to do that here and I don’t get a fine for it.

Now let’s talk about how good it was to see racing get started at Daytona this past weekend, even if it was not NASCAR.  The Rolex 24 Hours has been a fascination for me since the first time they ran it some 50 plus years ago.  I always wondered if the drivers actually were able to sleep in the short breaks they get.  I would be so pumped I would never close my eyes.  Watching that race Saturday afternoon and into the night was quite a visual experience.  I remember, back in the '70s, actually catching the Paul Revere 250 sports car race at night before the Firecracker on July 4^th.  I was mesmerized watching the headlights and taillights of the cars as they handled that road course.  The cars in this year’s Rolex were really nice to look at. Love the Camaro; love the Corvettes.  Those Ferraris were pretty awesome too.  I am writing this Legendtorial before the race is over so I have no idea who is going to win it, but after fighting the fog last night that kept them under caution for so long, it should be quite a blowout celebration.

Next up, I need to thank LaVerne Zachary with The Historic Speedway Group for posting that video of the 1957 race from Orange Speedway on FaceBook. It was posted by LaVerne and then reposted by Ray Lamm and a couple others, but when I sat there and watched that video, which by the way is of exceptional quality, I was transported back to the good old days for sure.   That video led me into the adventure of a You Tube afternoon as I would Google one race after another. Robbie Solesbee had, over the years, forwarded me several links of historic races but other than those, I never really sought out the You Tube experience.  Oh, I know PattyKay can, and has, found everything imaginable there and I should have followed her lead and been exploring that resource.  Just in two hours, I was able to watch the 1964 Southern 500, the 1964, 1967, and 1975 Daytona 500 highlights.  Talk about reliving the past!!!!

If you get a chance, Google some of those events and watch those races.  The 1964 Southern 500 highlights is of particular interest as it shows, in detail, the interior of one of the race cars and when you see what those cars were like compared to those of today, you will have a difficult believing the drivers actually survived some of the accidents back in those days.  It really shows you how different things are these days.

Another thing I notice by watching those videos, is the level of competition seems more intense. Further, the cars seem to handle better and race better than what we have become accustomed to seeing over the past several years.  Watch the passing in that 1964 Southern 500 video.  Watch the close competition and drafting in that 1975 Daytona 500 video.  Watch, especially, when The King puts the bumper against Donnie Allison going down the back straight.   I have really gotten hooked on those videos and I’ll keep looking for more.  Quite interestingly, there are several of the Darlington races there, some from in the '50s, and some early '60s Atlanta races.  Believe me, if you really enjoy the historic races, you need to start by exploring what videos we have here on RacersReunion.  There are some here that I have never seen anywhere else.  After you have explored all we have here, then move on to You Tube and/or Google and see what you can find.

So, we are about to begin another season.  Less than a month from now, Daytona will be history and there will be another Daytona 500 Champion, whether a repeat or not, the name will go down in history.  Daytona is a historic place, from the old races on the beach and A1A to the 1959 Daytona 500 forward.  Things are different now, of course, but the track still shines in the sun and the fans still come; maybe this year fans will return, who have stayed away for differing reasons.

I’m weary of reading and hearing about how the sport is losing sponsors and fans. You know, of course, that Dale, Jr. has sponsorship for only 20 of the 36 races.  Other teams are in the same boat.  I read this past week that television ratings for the races are down, across the board, more than 20% over what they were in 2000.  Attendance is down more than 38% from 2000 although I thought it would have been more.  I do apologize that I can’t quote the source and maybe I should have just left this part out, but in all my reading this past week, I read it somewhere and made note of it.  I am sincerely hoping all this negative is going to begin the swing back to positive.  I know the likelihood of the sport going back to anywhere close to its “roots” is minimal, at best, but I hope the passion of the fans now attending the races will approach that passion I felt in the infield back in the days of my youth.  Like that February day in 1964 when my driver won his first Superspeedway race.  Like so many days in the infields of tracks all over, watching the drivers, bigger than life, race for the win.  I’m not sure, for the large majority, that passion like that still exists.  After all, it's show business now.  Not quite the same as it was.  Wonder when Brian France will get his “Star” on the walk of fame in Hollywood?

-Tim

Email:  legendtim83@yahoo.com

Twitter: @legendtim83

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