Each week, on Thursday evening, I have the pleasure of taking my 10 year old grandson, Michael, to his karate class. He and I have the most profound conversations during those trips and this past Thursday was no different. He was telling me how he wished there was a time machine he could use to go ahead and make it Christmas Day tomorrow. I explained to him that a great part of Christmas, at least for me, is the anticipation of Christmas morning. Michael went on to say he likes all of Christmas but Christmas morning is very special. When I asked him why, he of course said that it was because of the gifts he gets to open but even more, his words now "Mema and Pop come spend the day with us", which is exactly true. For only 10 years old, that kid has a mastery of knowing what to say and when to say it, but, as is the innocence of youth, he says what he feels. I was sort of quiet after that remark. Hard to top that.

Time does move on. The older you are, the more quickly it moves. I heard that when I was growing up but never believed it. You can bet your candy cane I believe it these days. To a 10 year old, each day leading up to Christmas seems like a month at least. To a 67 year old, each day between Christmases seems as though it is only a tick of a second on the big grandfather clock. I know it seems like only a week or so ago I was wishing everyone a Happy New Year on the show here as we rolled into 2013. Tonight, we wrap up the 2013 year of "Racing Through History" as the next two weeks are Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve and there will be no shows.

This year has been one that, to me, moved at the speed of a Star Ship in warp drive. Seems as though it was yesterday I was anticipating the 2013 Daytona 500 and the premier of the Gen-6 Car. We have been through a season of some great races and some real bad races on the track. We now have another 6 time Cup Champion, bound to be a 7 time champion within the next year or two. We have up and coming stars in all series, Cup, Nationwide and Trucks. We can anticipate young Kyle Larson providing some excitement in the Cup series next year as well as anticipate the return of the iconic number 3 Chevrolet as Austin Dillon rolls out for the Daytona 500 in February.

NASCAR continues to work with the cars in an effort to provide better racing. I will leave that statement with the only comment being "good luck". Many here, and many in other capacities have offered suggestions and some of those may come to past. I think we all know, by now, that the racing of the 40s, 50s, and 60s, will never return. After all, time marches on good or bad.

I have discovered, or maybe I've known it all along, that time moves a little more slowly in small towns. That thought came to mind last week when I was in Mooresville for the events there. As I looked around the room, I began to think of places like Thomasville, Taylorsville, Martinsville, Timmonsville, and Dawsonville. Places like Rhonda, Randleman, Denver (N.C.), Concord, Darlington and North Wilkesboro. Mooresville, but for the racing industry, would be a really small town. The other small towns from which our drivers came and where tracks that built the sport are located have contributed much more to stock car racing than have places ten times the size. There is much to be said for the small town life. Remember the simplicity of Mayberry? Which would you prefer? Life in Mayberry, or New York City? I know my answer.

I truly believe that the small town values of those involved in the early development of the sport is what made the sport grow. The value of dedication, hard work, and respect for each other, regardless of what happened on the race track. The early pioneers took care of each other. Not so much so today, too busy taking care of bank accounts and sponsor responsibilities. Yes, I miss Mayberry and the values that came out of that fictional town. But when I am fortunate enough to hang around some of those pioneers as I have been recently, I know that the spirit of Mayberry is still out there. You just have to know where to look.

Last week, when I was at the Stocks for Tots event, I saw folks of all ages come through the line. At the end of the event, many of the students of the NASCAR Technical Institute came through for autographs and Bill Blair and I got to talk to several of them. For most, the passion was there, from the two young ladies that want to be on the first all woman Cup pit crew, to the young man who said he didn't care what he did as long as it was in NASCAR. Of the 12 to 15 we talked with, the passion was there, but I had to wonder if it was for the spirit of the sport or the spirit of the dollar. When Bill and I found out tuition is $42,000.00 per year, we could only wish them all good luck with their dreams. Time will pass for them, as it does for all of us, and whether or not the passage of time will lead them to the "small town life" or the "big city existence" no one knows, but my Christmas prayer for each of them is that they find a true happiness in wherever they may find themselves.

Last week, Shan said that Jeff had told her that Christmas was a favorite time of year for me and Jeff nailed it with that statement. I watch the Christmas movies, listen to the Christmas music, and attend as many Christmas events as I can. Oh, I remember when I was 10, Christmas was more about what I was expecting to get on Christmas morning than it was about giving to others. Fact was that in my youth I didn't have a great deal of money to buy things for others so that was usually limited to my Mom and Dad and two brothers. The key word in that sentence was "money". Heard that before in this Legendtorial, huh? I have since learned that giving is the greatest gift I can have. I love the feeling of giving far better than receiving. Fact. Drives Ann crazy when she asks what I want and I tell her I need nothing nor want anything. What I want, I have, and money can't buy it at any price.

I'm sure you've all heard the story of Ebenezer Scrooge told so eloquently by Charles Dickens all those years ago. It took me a long time and many readings and watching of the many Scrooge movies to learn that the calling someone Ebenezer Scrooge was NOT an insult because, if you remember the end of the book, Ebenezer became a very good man and "kept the spirit of Christmas in his heart".

"The Spirit of Christmas". That "spirit" is not found in Wal-mart, the huge malls, or shopping on line. The true spirit of Christmas is found in the twinkling lights of our Christmas tree as I drive in the yard after dark and Ann has the tree sparkling in the window. The "spirit" is watching the grandsons as they really appreciate what the wrapped packages reveal when opened. The "spirit" is Ann and I opening our gifts on Christmas morning, alone now, and pulling all the things out of our respective stockings "hung by the chimney with care". The simplicity of the funny little things that each of us will think up to put in the other's stocking. From mangoes (Ann's favorite fruit) to whatever candy Ann has picked out for me this year.

So, yes, I'm getting a little "sappy" here, but something about the story of Christmas brings out the "sappiness" in some people so please indulge me as I conclude this year end Legendtorial Speaking of which, you know it's pretty convenient for mankind to have Christmas and New Years only a week apart. Most anyone, but the most bitter of humans, exhibits somewhat of a Christmas Spirit with good feelings and good deeds. Then New Years comes along when everyone makes those resolutions for improvement in the new year. Never really understood why the stroke of midnight could make such a difference in attitudes when it was a new year coming in rather than a new day, but that is the truth of the situation. New Years is a time folks make their big plans for the another year and race teams are getting ready for another long season on the road. By February, most of those resolutions are gone with the spirit of Christmas.

But let me end with one more small town story. The small town that started all this Christmas Spirit. That small town was Bethlehem where, two thousand years ago, a young man, a pregnant teen, and a donkey could find no place to stay but a stable. It was in that stable where a baby was born and "wrapped in swaddling cloth and laid in a manger".

"And there were, in the same country, shepherds abiding in the fields and keeping watch over their flocks by night. When suddenly the Angel of the Lord appeared before them and they were sore afraid. The Angel said 'fear not, for behold I bring you glad tidings of great joy which shall be made known to all men, for unto you is born, this day, in the city of David, a Savior which is Christ The Lord'. Suddenly there appeared with the Angel, a multitude of the Heavenly Host, praising God"

"When the Angels had departed, the shepherds said to one another 'let us go into Bethlehem and see this miracle which has been made known to us'. So they went into Bethlehem and found Joseph and Mary, and the Babe lying in a manger". There was no doubt in the minds of those shepherds that they were in the right place. They had found the place they sought, the place of which the Angels spoke. They had found all they would ever need to find.

That, folks, is the true spirit of Christmas. From the small town of Bethlehem came the Prince of Peace. May the true Spirit of Christmas be with each and every one of you throughout the coming week and the coming years. Ann and I wish you all the Peace Christmas provides to all. As Tiny Tim would say in the story of Ebenezer, "God Bless us Everyone".