This is not about race cars, but rather a "secret" way that International Speedway Corporation, and by extension, NASCAR, "hooked up" with local law enforcement in Talladega and Daytona. I was remindedof it the other day when I saw a motorcycle officer on tv at Talladegafor a moment. It's something the common fan wouldn't know, but the sponsors who spent a lot of money (like I used to do back in day) were very dialed in. Why did the motorcycle officer at Talladega trigger a memory? Well, the fact is (unless there's been a big change) the Talladega event was staffed by local Sheriff's deputies and Alabama State Troopers. I used to take about 12 dozen Wrangler/Dale Earnhardt hats over to their command compound near the little airport when I'd first arrive on-site. Trust me, that little trip every race bearing gifts stood me in good stead. Even though you saw motorcycle officers all around the Talladega premises, fact is the local Sheriff's department had no motorcycles. So, where did the motorcycle guys come from? They were all Daytona Beach, Florida motorcycle officers on the payroll of the City of Daytona who worked the Daytona races AND the Talladega races. Every Talladega race weekend, a big trailer full of Harley-Davidson motorcycles arrived at the Talladega command center directly from the Daytona Beach police department. The motorcycles were all re-decalled with Talladega Sheriff's Dept. insignia and the Daytona Beach motorcycle officers were re-attired in Talladega Deputy Sheriff outfits and sworn in as Talladega deputies. I knew several of these officers very well, because I paid each of them several hundred dollars "under the table" at both Daytona and Talladega. If I had a busload of V.I.P. guests staying in an Orlando, Floridahotel or an airplane full of 7-Eleven executives landing just before the Daytona 500, one or more motorcycle officers would be dispatched for me to lead a "convoy" around traffic, through grass medians and directly to the track. I've actually had buses get from Orlando, down I-95. onto International Speedway Boulevard, through the Daytona Main gate and directly onto pit road during pre-race, led all the way by two Daytona Beach motorcycle officers stopping traffic and escorting the bus. You always tried to ask for the same officers. When we got to Talladega, they'd call you by name. In Talladega, the Sheriff's car also helped. I always had one Talladega Sheriff's deputy "guarding" my V.I.P. suite door down at turn 1. When Earnhardt won, he'd get us from the V.I.P. suite in the patrol car with motorcycles leading the way all the way to victory lane in the infield. When the race at Talladega was over, they'd get us on "closed" roads and quickly to the airport. It is absolutely amazing what spending a little money and being nice could accomplish. Those motorcycle cops were tough, but nice, and they loved Dale. Now you know what wasgoing on when you saw those cycles stoppingyou. It was just me trying to get home. Another little look at the "inner" workings of a race weekend.
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"Any Day is Good for Stock Car Racing"
updated by @dave-fulton: 12/05/16 04:02:07PM