Now, swinging in another direction, let's talk about an event going on in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. No, it has nothing to do with Jeff Gilder singing songs from The Sound of Music, but it does have to do with something that will be music to the ears of car buffs. The Fifth Annual Fun in the Sun (you do remember what the sun looks like, right? After all, we've seen very little of it here in South Carolina recently) will be held this weekend. Bill Blair called me at the end of last week to let me know about the event.
This event started as the result of the efforts of Benny Huff and his Crus'n Street Productions. It seems Benny was good friends with one Harold Bassett. Harold ran a club in North Myrtle Beach for over 40 years before his passing earlier this year. Harold was an avid fan of classic cars and was always asking Benny to get more of his friends to visit and bring their classic cars to fill up the parking lot at the club. This is something Benny wants to continue in honor of Harold and to give classic car fans a good weekend at the beach in the "off-season".
According to Benny, many of the folks will meet at the rest area on highway 220 just South of Asheboro, NC. They will travel mostly secondary roads in a convoy led by Benny in a 1972 big block Corvette. They will travel through Laurinburg, Roland, and Fair Bluff, North Carolina and Green Seas, South Carolina before arriving in North Myrtle Beach.
While it is well-known that many race fans are classic car fans, and some classic car fans are race fans, Benny is making an effort this year to incorporate some racing history into this weekend’s event. He got this idea in Daytona, back in February, when I first met him. No, I am not claiming credit for Benny's idea, just saying that I was at the event that inspired him and I can completely understand why he was moved to incorporate racing heritage into this event. Bill Blair, Jr. and his wife Shelia will be there, as will Rex White and Don Johnson. Jeff Stunts will be there. Hank Goodrich is bringing the Marty Robbins tribute car. Most of you know Marty was a favorite of mine, both in the music world and in the racing world.
As I understand the schedule, there will be a meet and greet, also known as a question and answer session with the above named racing folks at Jud Kuhn Chevrolet on Friday and on Main Street in North Myrtle Beach on Saturday. The City of North Myrtle blocks off three blocks for a display of the classic cars, expected to approach or exceed 100 cars. From the long-range weather forecast according to my "app" on my I-phone (who would have ever expected me to say that?), is good for both the event in North Myrtle Beach and our event in Mooresville. I hope all of you located anywhere near either of these events will avail yourselves of the opportunity to share some time with others who have the same interest as you do. I wish I could make both events but scheduling sometimes gets complicated in the fast-paced world of racing history preservation. Choose your event and go for it.
We are down to the final three races of the year on the Cup Circuit. Texas this weekend, Phoenix the week after, and then the Champion-deciding race in Homestead, Florida. Jeff Gordon earned his berth in the final knock-out round with his amazing win in Martinsville this past Sunday. I sat and watched all of the post race celebration, as I was very happy for Jeff and his family. It seems as though it was only last week that I was watching Richard Petty drive his final race and the young Jeff driving his first Cup race. I had watched Jeff drive the "Baby Ruth" Ford in what was then the Busch series and I remember thinking how appropriate the sponsorship was for the baby-faced Gordon, the pencil thin fuzz above his lip being the only saving grace from full-blown laughter at the sponsor. I remember being at the 1994 World 600 (yep I still call it that) when Jeff won his first Cup event. I was in the pits, but I did not visit Victory Lane to see the tears. I was doing a radio show at the time on the local 100 thousand watt local all sports station. My show aired every Friday morning at 9:00 a.m. On the Friday AFTER the 600, I remember the switchboard being flooded with calls after I complimented Jeff on the win. Seems as though I was the only person within the 100 thousand watt range that actually liked Jeff Gordon.
The baby-face now has a little grey in his hair, has a beautiful wife and two adoring children. He has gone from the Baby Ruth days to the Milky Way. He is an elder statesman, as they say, with 93-Cup wins, falling third in line behind The King's 200 and The Silver Fox's 105. That, in itself, is a great feat and worthy of special acknowledgement whether or not you are a fan of Jeff Gordon. Whether he wins the title, or wins another race in the remaining three, he has had an amazing career and will, without question I think, be voted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame without one dissenting vote. There were two things about Jeff's win Sunday that I especially enjoyed; he did NOT do a burnout, and his celebration was complete with his entire family there to share in the victory. The scenes with his son and daughter, Leo and Ella, represent a family presence in the sport, which I have long applauded.
Jeff has won a race in his final season and stands as good a chance to win the fifth championship as he has ever had. He is, in essence, leaving the sport at the top of his game, so to speak. If he does win this championship, I would think the celebration in Homestead would exceed anything NASCAR has seen in many, many years. I am almost pulling for Jeff to pull it off. Sad thing is I really don't have a favorite on the track anymore so it matters little to me how Jeff does, or anyone else does. NASCAR racing is just something I watch when I have nothing else to do and I am more or less forced to watch it these days because Bill Blair calls me out on any comments I make. Bill, I watch sometimes and other times I catch the highlights of the "Race Rewind" feature on NASCAR.com.
As for Sunday's race at Martinsville, I missed the first part as I was, once more, at my grandson's soccer game. I watched the little guy play in the pouring rain to lose yet another game. Michael, 12 years old, is great at handling things. His team is like 1 and 6 and while it may bother him a little, he relishes the time he gets to spend with his friends playing the game. He is quite the little sportsman! I am proud of him. He shows more maturity on the soccer field than some of the folks on the racetrack.
I warned you!!! I saved this for last so if you don't want to hear my opinion of the Martinsville race, other than my compliments to Jeff Gordon, now is the time to make your way to the fridge for a snack. If you choose to hang around, be prepared for what you are going to hear. I already know there are clandestine listeners to this show who choose to express opinions and make comments on other sites as to things I have to say. Hope you have a field day with this rant.
Patrick Reynolds made his rant on his show last night, most of which was right in line with my way of thinking. One point Patrick entertained was that Tom Logano, Joey's father, should not have made an effort to get to Kenseth. I sort of had a flash back to the days when my younger brother Richard was racing. One of his archrivals, always the one to be bumping and spinning other drivers, hit Richard midway between turns three and four at Columbia Speedway, spinning Richard and causing a multi-car melee that almost destroyed Richard's car. I was working for the track at the time and I remember looking up towards the turn and seeing my silver-haired Daddy running in that direction. I never ran so fast in my life to intercept him at the cable separating the track from the infield. It took all the strength I could muster to hold him back from the offending driver. I still shudder to think what could have happened because my Daddy was no slouch in the ability to defend himself or to mete out physical punishment to deserving parties. I totally understand Tom Logano's feelings although I am glad he was restrained. No telling what would have happened if he had gotten to Kenseth.
But let's get back to the racing action. First up, someone needs to teach Ms. PatWRECK how to retaliate. I watched all the action between the Princess and David Gilliland on "Race Rewind". PatWRECK was slower in the turn and David touched the back of her car to move her up. PatWRECK's car was virtually undamaged but she took it upon herself to go after Gilliland. She almost totally destroyed her car and then spun herself out having to take the battered Go Daddy car to the garage. Perhaps she needs to go to the Matt Kenseth School of Dirty Driving.
Yes, it is now time for me to address the Kenseth-Logano incident. There has been so much discussion in the press and on social media with fans of one or the other taking their driver’s side. I have seen folks on social media unfriend folks with whom they have interacted for several years over a certain position for one driver or the other. We have heard, as early as the post-race show Sunday that Kenseth's actions will give the sport a "black eye". I have seen far more negative comments about Kenseth than anything else I've seen in several years. NASCAR is surely loving all the press they are getting out of this. Someone once said all publicity is good, even negative publicity. Can't remember who said that and I don't have time to look it up as this is being written at the last-minute as I have been awaiting NASCAR to release it's "findings" after a thorough review of the incident. It's 11:25 a.m. and I'm still waiting.
Anyone who knows me or has listened to this show in the past knows I can't stand Toyotas and that Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards are my two most disliked drivers. Whether or not that prejudices my opinions is up to you to decide for yourself, but this is what I think: What happened at Kansas was Kenseth blocking a faster car racing for the lead. Having watched that event as it happened, Kenseth got exactly what he deserved. Even then, he had to lie about it saying Joey lifted the rear wheels of the 20 off the track. Anyone watching could see Joey diving for the inside and Matt coming down to block. The faster car touched the slower car resulting in the slower car (Kenneth) spinning. This, thinks the small mind or Kenseth, is a reason to retaliate against Joey at the first opportunity.
The first opportunity came Sunday. With Matt being 9 or 10 laps behind (even NASCAR scoring apparently doesn't know) he deliberately took out leader Joey Logano. While I am not a huge fan of Joey's, I have to admit he has come into his own with the Penske organization. What Matt did at Martinsville is the epitome of classlessness. One of the most ignorant actions I've even seen in racing, and believe me after 64 years around the sport and attending thousands of races, that is a strong statement. To top off the disgraceful actions, Kenseth comes out of the care center and lies, flat out, bold face, lies claiming a tire going down and later claiming the splitter was on the ground. As far as I know, Preacher Joe, owner of the junk Kenseth was driving, has not made a statement, but again I haven't searched high and low for such a meaningless statement.
Everyone has taken sides in this. I guess I have too. We each think we are right. Depends on your loyalties I guess. Sort of like the Democrats and Republicans which neither is right on every issue.
I have delayed wrapping up this Legendtorial to hear the final ruling by the sanctioning body, which just came down at 5:58 p.m. almost 48 hours AFTER Kenseth dumped Logano. Kenseth has been suspended for two races. While I am happy something was done, it seems like pure stupidity to me to allow Kenseth to return at Homestead, which would allow him another opportunity to rob Logano should Joey make it into the Championship hunt. It took the lamebrains in Daytona two days to come to this conclusion and still it opens the door for possible further actions by Kenseth to determine the outcome of the championship. There are two JGR cars still in the hunt as of today and certainly it would not be outside the realm of probability, please note I said PROBABILITY and not POSSIBIITY for further less than honorable actions by one such as Matt Kenseth.
In as much as NASCAR played the 1959 Daytona 500 game today, dribbling out little by little comments by NASCAR officials, including Brian France throughout the day, they have managed to milk it for all its worth and timed, appropriately, for the 6 o'clock news on the East Coast. A calculated maneuver on NASCAR's part to increase interest in the Texas race this weekend. We shall see how that works out for them. Just one more disgusting action by this clown circus headquartered in Daytona Beach.
