I drove a race car for 5 years. I never won a race in that time but I finishe d second so many times the first two years that at the end of the second season, I changed my car number from 83 to 2. In all that time, I spun out once at Columbia Speedway when it was dirt by getting to low in the "track ironing" time and spinning in the slick red mud. I spun out once when I tangled with my brother in turn one at Myrtle Beach Speedway, and once in turn three at Myrtle Beach Speedway when the Master Johnny Mallonee and I tangled. I hit the wall coming our of turn four in Columbia when the right front tire blew coming out of the turn. I hit a car spinning out in turn two at Savannah, and I jumped the fence at Myrtle Beach Speedway in 1973 and hit a car and spectator in the infield when a clutch disk blew and came through the floorboard cutting the brake and clutch pedal completely through as well as the steering shaft. Othewise, I ran lap after lap, always in the top three or four cars, usually finishing second and never finishing worse than third in any race the car was running at the finish.
It was not until today that I discovered what it takes to make a great driver. I had been to my grandson's soccer tournament and came in just in time to see the Kyle Busch spin in Kansas. He didn't hit anything and proceeded in the race but pitting with four flat spotted tired. I could not believe the five minute oratory that went on between those guys in the booth about how great Kyle was that he could spin and not hit anything. They weren't impressed enough to even mention the car right behind Kyle who didn't hit him which I thought was really good driving. Imagine that! All it takes to obtain the title as a "great" race driver is to spin out and not hit anything. And I always thought really great race drivers didn't spin out. No wonder I was such a failure behind the wheel. Well, at least now I know. Maybe in February they will cover Kyle walking across Lake Lloyd.
Tim
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What a change! It's been awhile since I've checked in and I'm quite surprised. It may take me awhile to figure it our but first look it's really great.
updated by @tim-leeming: 12/05/16 04:02:07PM