Aug 17 2007
It was a few years ago the observation came to me: There’s a big difference between a race fan and driver fan.
A co-worker at my regular job asked if I could find her some tickets for the 2002 April Cup race at the Texas Motor Speedway. Fortunately, I was able to help. The seats were on the front stretch, a few rows in front of where the Turn 3 Race Team sits. A great view of the entire track.
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Aug 16 2007
At first, it seemed a little iffy. The cars were sliding back and forth on the dirt road, barely missing the ditches. But once he felt the big Buick get traction on the paved county road, Joe didn’t need the rear view mirror to know he was pulling away from the cops. The siren didn’t last long as he quickly outdistanced the flashing light.
Once more, the moonshine is delivered on time – and the revenuers will have to wait for another opportunity to catch Joe delivering his goods.
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Aug 16 2007
A really wide swing of the racing pendulum took me from the Turn 3 Race Team’s palatial campsite at Texas Motor Speedway last April. Off I went to a city park in Fort Worth to lend a hand as a coach at a Soap Box Derby car-building workshop. It seemed like it would be a meaningful experience with the added hook of a rumored appearance by Jimmie Johnson, winner of the 2006 NASCAR Nextel Cup Championship.I should explain that my invitation didn’t come because I am a seasoned veteran of Soap Box Derby construction. I was just expected to follow instructions and pass on the basics of mechanical theory – lefty-loosey, righty-tighty – to a teenager whose background had not included a parent to share this basic knowledge.
Aug 15 2007
Five minutes left us with a lifelong memory. Here’s how:
The Turn 3 Race Team had descended on Ponder, Texas for the annual Pre-Race Steak Night outing. Ranchman’s Steakhouse is the nearest sit-down dining to the Texas Motor Speedway, and enjoys a fairly heavy crowd of speedway diners during race weekends. It’s a place you have to call ahead if you want a baked potato. A day earlier than the normal race crowd, we were the only group in the place wearing typical race attire.
Our salads had just been served when Richard Childress walked in with two loud, obviously-Texan guests and sat at the table next to ours. Here was one of NASCAR’s biggest names sitting right beside us. As fairly normal race fans, we were awestruck. But, with good upbringing and all, we remained polite enough to leave the man alone to enjoy his dinner and his company.
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