Great story Tim. Darlington should still have the "Southern 500" on Labor Day. Do you suspect that it being called the "SOUTHERN 500" had anything to do with doing away with it? I can proudly say that I have witnessed the "Southern 500" on the old Darlington track. That was back in the day when racingWAS racing and we had race car drivers. REAL race car drivers.
I also recall the great races at Atlanta. Both of them. Every driver interviewed at Atlanta this weekend remarked on how much they loved the Atlanta track. So what do they do? They take a race away from one of the fastest 1 1/2 mile tracks that drivers and fans alike really enjoy.
On another note. People refer to the 1 1/2 mile tracks as being cookie cutter tracks. To me cookie cutter means same as, alike. But in turn, drivers will say that they are all different. They drive differently. Some are faster than others. Some are banked differently. So are they really cookie cutter tracks? I think not. Two 1/2 mile tracks come to mind. Palm Beach Speedway and Middle Georgia Raceway. Both high banked 1/2 mile very fast tracks. But you had to drive each one differently. So. Were they cookie cutter tracks? I think not.
Have a GREAT LABOR DAY......Your turn.
I drove in both races at Lakewood in 1967. Curtis Turner won the first one driving Bruce Brantley's #27 1955 Chevy. I didn't remember who won the 2nd one so I assume it was Buck.
I had problems in the first race as I hit a large (BIG) rock that had gotten dug up in turn two and it tore the botton of my race car up.Tiny Lund was beside me on the inside (he was lapping me) and as we came out of two there it was and I was right on top of it. No way to miss it.
In the 2nd race I had motor problems and had to drop out.
It was a thrill driving that flat, dirt, mile, track. It could get your attention bigtime.
Thank you Jeff. Very well explained.
I agree with Wally Bell. I quit listening also. But it is too good of a show to have to do that.
I tuned in to TNT Sat. to watch a Cup race at Kentucky Speedway and got Commercials with a race thrown in here and there. I even timed one portion between commercials and came up with three (3) minutes of racing.
A race was taken away from one of the most exciting race tracks and a favorite of the drivers, ATLANTA,so that Kentucky could be added to the schedule.
This was the most boring race I have ever watched in all of my years of tuning in and looking forward to an eventful evening or afternoon. I wish that Jerry Springer had been on. He would have had one more viewer.
Oh well, I did get to watch the pre race show on Speed so it wasn't entirely a wasted evening.
Don't smoke nuttin'. Never have. Never will. I did spend the night in the 3rd turn at MGR a few times. Not on the track------under it.
Jeff Gilder said:
Tommie's been "again" sniffing the creek that runs out of the ground under turn three at MGR .
You got that right Bumpertag. Krista Voda is a class act and she knows her racing. So does Wendy V.
Bumpertag said:
Jamie Little, I can look at herall the time.
Bumpertag said:I like to listen to Steve Byrnes anytime. The rest I pretty much tune out. I hear them but don't focus on them, only the info they provide.
