When the race was called Saturday night and it was announced that the starting time would be 11:00 a.m. Sunday, Ann and I had a brief discussion about going to church Sunday morning as our service also started at 11:00 a.m. Of course there was the early service available (at 8:30 a.m.) but frankly that thought did not occur to me until this very minute (3:10 p.m. Sunday afternoon). Regardless, I made the decision to be in our regular church service in our regular seats realizing the service would be a little longer because it was Communion Sunday as first Sunday always is in our church. Nevertheless, we were there at 10:40 a.m., our usual time, which allows me time to meet and greet the regular gang of folks I care about so much. Ann has her friends with whom she sits while I dance about the church talking to everyone.
I made it a point to go talk to the minister before the service. I told him “Jim, you’ve got to cut your sermon short today because I have a race to watch”. We shared the laugh because Jim and I are good friends but he did take a minute to mention to the entire church that there was at least one person in the church asking for a brief sermon. The guy who always sits behind us, also a race fan, tapped me on the shoulder and laughingly and I heard him whisper to his wife “I’ll bet Tim told Jim to hurry it up”. I turned around, looked him straight in the eye, and winked. He knows me well.
We got home in time to turn on the television just at the exact moment that Ricky Stenhouse showed us why he finds Danica Patrick so attractive, but I won’t go into that here. So, in short, I missed about 20 laps of actual racing. I quickly changed clothes and sat down to watch the rest of the race.
There is just something about racing at Daytona on the Fourth of July, or thereabouts, in daylight, that makes it better for me. Overall, I like night races at Charlotte, Atlanta, Bristol and a couple of those other events run under the lights, but I prefer my Daytona racing in daylight both in February and July. To me, the brutal heat of the usual July day in Daytona is great. I remember one year, early seventies that it was so hot that although I was wearing only swimming trunks, I would dip the beach towel in the ice chest and then drape it over my shirtless shoulders. But I loved all that.
As with every race I watch, my eyes always search for the number 43 car, as old habits never seem to get out of your system. It has been an ordeal over the past few years because they seem to change the color scheme every week. Aric Almarola has had some good runs, and I have been excited about his chances before, but Sunday afternoon he seemed to be really making the right moves at the right time. When he took the lead, my heart rate increased 10 fold as it was Daytona and the number 43 was out front. Of the 10 times Richard won the major races there, I was in the infield 9 of those times. This year I was in my recliner but as the race wore on, I could feel the intensity of actually being inside those fences watching the 43 from the top of the motor home.
When NASCAR finally red-flagged the race with Aric leading, I, along with just about every other fan in the country, figured it would be a short break for the drivers and the air-titans would dry the track and they would be back racing. Seemed like they were making progress on that front when the bottom fell out of the clouds again and the track was drenched. Thunder and lightning that time. It was 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time and NASCAR called the race.
Immediately social media lit up with the criticism that there were lights at Daytona and they could have just waited it out and probably gotten in the rest of the race. With that I agree. Seems those shouting that the loudest were the Danica fans and the Number 3 fans. One post I read said that NASCAR called the race so they could get the publicity of the Petty 43 winning the race 30 years after The King won his 200th there in Daytona. Frankly, if you think about it, wouldn’t the NASCAR publicity machine have been better served to be splashing that picture of the bikini babe and the Go Daddy ride all over the place with Danica finally winning? That would have been far preferable to NASCAR than adding another win to the number 43 history. But I do see it both ways. Everyone knows I am happy that Aric won that race in the 43 and I’ve had several calls already asking me how it feels as if I had won the race. But sit back a minute and think of it this way: Most of those fans had been in the wet grandstands and infield until late Saturday night and returned early Sunday morning to go through more of the same. I’m sure there were some very tired folks trying to make it to work on Monday morning.
In addition to my thrill for the Richard Petty Motorsports win, is the win for Trent Owens. Remember Trent’s step-dad, Barry Dodson, being on the show with us a few months ago? Remember how Barry talked about how proud he was of Trent (and Travis) and that he felt like the move Trent made to the Almirola team was the right move for him? Sure, I realize this is only ONE win and it came under the rain-shortened circumstance, but as they say, a win is a win is a win. Winning breeds winning I heard someone say once and it does seem like winning the first time makes the second and subsequent wins more likely.
I think the “big one” and the “super big one” were reasons for us all to be thankful no one was hurt. It appears these cars are safer than ever and it was great seeing all the drivers out of the cars almost immediately and walking around. There were only, what, 14 cars on the lead lap at the end? Maybe if they had restarted the race Richard Petty’s prediction of Danica’s first win could have happened. Have to give her credit though. This time she wasn’t causing the wrecks but she was avoiding them very well, in fact, she made it through both big ones with barely scratches to the car. That, in itself, deserves a “good job”, even from The Legend.
Half the season is in the books. This new deal with The Chase set up must be making NASCAR happy as they are having some new faces entering The Chase. This may be the year that someone you least expect becomes the Champion. Probably not, but then in the world of the Legend, anything is possible.
On another subject, Brian France has been talking to the media again. You can find his diatribe is several different outlets on-line, or, perhaps, you saw it live. Most of what he had to say doesn’t bother me one way or the other because until it happens, I believe very little that comes out of his mouth. But one thing he has brought up really disturbs me, although I no longer attend races. He is proposing that all the different souvenir trailers from “Souvenir Row” be abolished and that all souvenirs of every driver be sold in a big tent set up by NASCAR and operated by NASCAR. I have many memories of walking through Souvenir Row and talking with individuals in almost all of the trailers, talking racing, talking about their drivers and talking about life on the road. It was always good conversation and although I can’t recall a single name after the 15 years it’s been since I made the walk, I do recall the faces. Many of those faces belonged to “Mom and Pop” operations that were fortunate enough to make a living doing something they loved to do. Somehow, having all these things in a big tent, under the total direction of NASCAR, just doesn’t seem right to me.
One final thought. Sunday’s race was the last time we could hear Barney Hall describe the action on Motor Racing Network, MRN. He was interviewed on “Count Down to Green” Saturday night and that interview should be on-line somewhere. If you are a race fan, watch it. Barney started calling the races on MRN in 1970, long before television stepped into the picture. Many of the “mental memories” I have of races I didn’t attend came from Barney Hall. Truly, in the annals of broadcasting, Barney deserves every award there is to hand out. I understand, from what I read that he will still be involved with MRN in special projects. MRN, I’ve got news for you! Everything Barney Hall ever did in broadcasting was special. You will be missed my friend, but after all the years you have put in, the rest has been earned. I am betting you will really miss it though, just as we will miss you.
