by richard teague tinynascars@yahoo.com
The Monster is stirring. What is the Monster you ask? Daytona International Speedway, what else? Besides stirring, you could say it’s awakening from a winter’s sleep. The past few days have already brought smiles to the city that seems to close-up between August and December, because there are people coming to town. Not just any people: race fans, race drivers and racecar owners. Not to mention the media that has to cover the start of the 2007 NASCAR season. And with all that there is money everywhere, just ask Brian France.
Now I’m not really saying that Daytona doesn’t have the Snow Birds, it’s just not the same as further south or others parts of Florida. Well Bubbas and Bubbets, it’s fixin’ to get going, and if the past few test sessions at the track mean anything, it will be going close to two hundred miles an hour real soon. Over the next four weeks the speed of things will only increase right up to the Daytona 500. But have no fear, y’all, because right after that comes the slower, but just as important, “Bike Week.“ And I bet Mr. France would love to figure out a way to get a piece of that also. Now I have never been to Bike Week, but not really because I haven’t wanted to, it’s just that I don’t own a motorcycle. I have been asked to go several times by some of my friends that do own them, but it seems I never have any money left after Speed Week. I definitely have fun when I’ve spent the week in Daytona before the 500 but, from what I have heard, to be there with all them bikers is the real challenge. Perhaps one day I will do it when I get me a Harley or don’t spend all my money in February.
Speed Week and Bike Week may not run at the same speed, but there are a couple of things that the two have in common. One is that you get to see some real fancy rides, in the four and two wheel versions, and then there is the fact that NASCAR fans and bikers are known to have FUN! With more and more new people watching NASCAR, and the number of motorcycle owners increasing every year, the influx of humanity to Daytona will probably reach an all time high this year. Growing numbers of RVs at the speedway and more hotels sold out, with the Beamers and Toyotas parked outside the rooms, shows you just who is coming. The same with the bikers. With so many trailers and haulers bring the two-wheelers in, it’s a far cry from the pickup trucks and groups of bikes turning off I95 at HWY 17/92.
Then, after all that is done, the city sits back and awaits the real speed demons from all over the country to show up, and many of the articles I have seen over the past few years say that Daytona maybe loosing some of its charm to other cities. “Spring Break” is when Daytona is turned into a place from another galaxy, with the way these kids travel at light-speed. They try to crowd a whole year into just a few days or weeks by eating, drinking and – I’ll use the word – “socializing” here, rather than what they may call it.
Yeah, I’ve been to spring break before and driven on the beach with the ole 18-pound movie camera running. Tapping the babes on the beach and goin’ to the places where everybody goes. These days they got those camcorders and them little tiny cell phones that can broadcast a single picture or a full-length movie to their buddies with a laptop in the next room. With all the gadgetry in the world today, and it’s availability to these young people (our leaders tomorrow), the words of Bob Dylan sure do have new meaning: “For the times they are a-changin.”
Here again, the city seems to be the center of the universe, and all the good town’s folk are stashing those hard-earned dollars away once more. Even with the Pepsi 400 (formerly the “Firecracker 400”) only a short time in following, it’s just not the same as these three big events. Hey, all that’s down the road and right now, all I’m worried about is that I get that email from NASCAR telling me when John, my cameraman, and myself can register and when to show up for “MEDIA DAY” in Daytona. My first media day was last year, and let me tell ya, it was by far better than canned beer or dirt.
Let’s talk NASCAR and Social Security. James Hylton wants to be in NASCAR’s record book as the oldest guy to ever race in Cup, and after being the 1966 “Rookie of the Year” he feels he’s got a shot at it. Why not? He holds that record in the Busch Series (soon to have a name change) at the age of 71, which he did last season at the Milwaukee Mile. Let’s not talk about how it was only four laps of the 258 race, but he did qualify and start and he did take home $13,680.00, which ain’t bad for a four-lap day.
With the RCR Chevrolet that J.C. Weaver bought from Richard, the dynamic duo of Hylton and Weaver have started testing at Daytona. With his other good friend, Richard Childress, as “unofficial” backing. As James puts it, “I am doing this for seniors. To show that at 70 years old you don’t have to go hunting for an old-folks home. You can go race for a little bit.” Hylton talks about his races with Childress back in the 70s and said, “he went on to be a multimillionaire and I went on to be poor.’’ Well if James can get a spot in the 500 field and start the race, there’s the chance of making almost 300K for last place, which, like I said, is about 1/5 of his Cup earnings SO FAR! Now that’s the part about the Social Security, will he still be able to draw his the rest of the year?
Don’t call him goofy yet, cause with the Busch record he also holds the same one in ARCA, so just don’t count him out. Well maybe in a few days ya can, but not now. Does the word “triple header” have any meaning here? By the way here are his statistics for 27 years of Grand National / Winston Cup racing: 2 wins (one at Talladega, 1972), 140 top fives, 301 top tens and 4 poles. These all came from 1966 to 1980. Then from 81 until 1993 he came up short, but he also curtailed his racing career those years.
In the weeks to come we will be hearing all about Benny Parsons, the things he has done, the way he has lived and the lives he has touched. We must remember him by the way he has touched our lives whether as a driver or a person, from afar or as a friend. We also need to pray for his family and all of his loved ones in this time of sorrow. He will truly be missed by so many as he makes his way to be with those that have gone ahead to wait for his arrival.
I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. -2 Timothy 4:7&8
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