By now you have read what Jeff and Jimmy have posted about the event at The Rock on Saturday, November 27th, and you've read the comments of the others who were in attendance. I could not let all this pass without sharing a couple of personal observations (maybe even personal feelings) about being there in person.
When I first walked in and saw the "wicker bills" on the cars my thought was "this is stupid". By the time I had looked at the cars for 60 seconds I didn't even notice the wicker bills. I DID notice the orange Dodge Charger from days so long past so replicating of the K&K Insurance Charger driven by Bobby Isaac with such success. Just watching that number 71 as it rolled around on the parade laps was a touching, almost unreal moment for me. The cars on the track actually looked like STOCK cars! They sounded like the stock cars I remember from my younger days. I didn't recognize the names of many of the drivers but that doesn't matter because they wouldn't recognize my name either. There was one in the field easily recognizeable in the person of Kurt Busch, yep the Cup driver. I heard someone say he shouldn't be in that field but I disagree. He came to race and that he did. He was beaten by Will Kimmel but not without a very good fight and some actual, real, honest to goodness racing. That's right R A C I N G. Remember what that is like?
I have loved that track at Rockingham since it opened in 1965. The only races I ever missed there were those held when the U.S. Navy had use of me on board a ship. I even traveled up there, in 1970 I think it was, three Sundays in a row before the weather let them get the race in. The track is absolutely beautiful and the folks there really know how to treat fans! I have been most fortunuate to have attended four events there over the past two years and I hope Andy keeps coming up with more events because it just feels good to be there!
Ok, that's enough from me. Just know, if you're a true race fan, the kind of folk for the most part who hang out here, you need to be at The Rock every time there is an event there. It just feels good to be a part of RACING again. The sport where there is competition, comaraderie, and good times.
