Appreciate Dave Despain

On Saturday night I watched 2 Dave Despain one hour specials on SPEED. These were reruns done in 2009 that I had not seen previously. One was on the construction of Talladega and events leading up to the first race and the other on the construction of and history of Bristol.

I really learned a lot from both shows, which were each outstanding. Really great interviews with all sorts of behind the scenes folk and really good driver interviews stuff from Richard Brickhouse, John Utsman and Paul Lewis.

I don't know how many shows Dave did in this series, but I hope to get a chance to see them all.

I believe those are the only 2 he has done so far: Dave Despain on Assignment. But 100% agreed - very well done. Despain strikes me as someone who is doing just exactly what he wants to do for a living. Covering multiple forms of motorsports, striking out on the occasional project like these 2 shows, maintaining a TV presence, speaking his mind without fear of reprisal by a sanctioning body hack, and keeping travel to a minimum.

I've enjoyed his TV presence going back to the days of Motorweek Illustrated on TBS.

I watched both shows Saturday night also. I learned a lot from the shows as well. There was some great old pictures and film on both shows.

Just caught the last few minutes of a THIRD episode about Daytona this morning. Next airing on Speed Channel is Feb 24. I already set my DVR to record the full show.

Despain is outstanding. He was the first to coin the phrase "800 pound gorilla" in reference to the Cup series at its peak. I first heard Dave as a turn announcer for MRN in the 70's.

I first met Dave in person in the lobby of our Talladega motel in 1981. My assistant Wrangler program manager, Mel Parkhurt had worked for AMA and knew Dave. He had ridden his motorcycle in to be on the MRN broadcast and MRN had failed to reserve a room for him. The late Joe Littlejohn of Spartanburg, SC talked the motel manager into releasing a room for Dave.

He did one on Daytona too. Ya know, he don't live too far from here, maybe 40 miles?

Dave has always been so exuberant on his shows. He makes the mundane exciting. I think he's one of the best. Never met him, but would like to some day.