As I watched the Nationwide and Cup races this weekend, I had a lot of memories floating around in my head, especially with all the aerial shots of the Speedway and surrounding landscape. Daytona doesn’t look quite the same from the air as it does coming through the infield tunnel, but then, again, it doesn’t look much like it did when I saw it the first time in 1962. Over the years I attended events there, from 1962 through about 1984, there were changes, but from my infield vantage points, the changes were subtle. There wasn’t nearly as much asphalt throughout the infield, and the grass, what there was of it, was never quite as green as it appears on television. But, you know what? I guess it is meant to be that way because what I witness these days is a far cry from the racing I knew back in the 50s, 60s, 70s, even through the mid 80s. I will warn you, if you don’t want to hear me talk about the “good old days” then you can tune out right now and go take your cat for a walk around the neighborhood because I’m going to tell you a few things.
