Hero:1.A person distinguished by exceptional courage, nobility, fortitude, etc.2.A person who is idealized for possessing superior qualities in any field.These are two of the most common descriptions of the qualities, or characteristics, that most of us if we were ask to explain the word Hero. There are others and I know we all have meet people that have earned the title for many different reasons over the years. The brave men and women in our armed services that have served honorably in our place truly have earned it, as well as the law enforcement officers in all our communities. Still others may not fit the description to all, but to individuals the title is well deserved. As Ive aged the criteria for this honor has changed many times, but looking back at the heroes of my youth, many still received the honor for what they meant to me.Today Im referring to the many drivers and owners that pass through our memory that most may not give a second thought to, those which for any number of reasons have earned a place of honor in my memory. Drivers like Petty, Allison, Yarborough and Pearson as well as crews have earned their place for drawing me into the sport of NASCAR and being examples of hard work and talent. Older drivers like Lorenzen, Roberts, Turner and Weatherly, even though I never saw them race, created the history that I have referred back to many times as I hungered to learn more about the sport. The Wood Brothers, Jr. Johnson and Smokey Yunick are there for the way they thought outside the box and sparked the interest of many new fans. The list could go on of the greats in the sport, but a few may be heroes to me alone, and sadly most did not survive.Tiny Lund stands out in my memory, both as a talented and driver and as a likeable giant of a man. His fun loving nature and the respect that many of the better known drivers had for him speaks of the man he was. From the story of his Daytona win to the day we lost him at Talladega, he showed great ability and desire.Larry Smith, 1972 Rookie of the Year, stands out to me for a few reasons. First I understand that he had lots of talent on the dirt tracks around the south. I recently talked with a mechanic that worked on his engines for a brief time that told me Larry was good. Not many could race and win well enough that it was possible to make a living at it in those days, but Larry very well could have. He was that good. To read of his climb in the sport driving a family owned car, the steady improvement and earning a big time sponsor and the title of ROTY, then he was gone. So much promise, such a loss.Harry Hyde was as good as they came. Smart, innovating and a great sense of humor. To this day I came stop smiling when I see a clip of any Harry Hyde interview. The stats from the years with Isaac and Baker are still impressive and rank with the sports greats from any era. Harry seemed to have had 2 sides to his personality, the laughing and fun loving side and the deeply serious side when it came to car preparation. From that bright grin to the competitive steely stare Harry earned his place in my memory by his hard work and his competitive drive, and by finding the balance to enjoy and have fun while doing what he loved. In my opinion Harry Hyde deserves to be in the NASCAR Hall of Fame soon.Just a few that stand out to me, I know there are many that have touched us all as fans. Who holds a spot in your memory and earned the title of hero?Thanks,Bumpertag in S. Carolina
updated by @bumpertag: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM
