Saturday, April 18, 2009

Talking racin'

I am home in North Carolina, watching the Phoenix race on television like everybody else this weekend, but that doesn't mean I have been totally goofing off.

This is the 50th season for Lowe's Motor Speedway and the Observer is preparing to mark that with a special project. We're going to provide 600 hours of anniversary coverage -- that's 25 days -- beginning May 1 and running through the day after this year's Coca-Cola 600.

In preparing for that, I've been talking to people who've lived the track's history. I'm not even close to being done. I am supposed to talk to Buddy Baker, for example, Tuesday night, and there are a lot of other drivers, current and former, I still have to sit down with to talk about their memories of what I consider to be the template for the modern American race track.

But what I did get done this week was pretty cool.

On Monday, I sat down the three guys who've all done the same job I'm doing now. Tom Higgins, Bob Moore and Bob Myers all covered NASCAR for newspapers here in Charlotte. When Myers left the road, he moved to the sports desk at the Observer. When he retired, that opened the spot on the desk that I wound up getting. About 6 1/2 years later, after the 1996 season, Higgins retired as the NASCAR beat writer and I took the job I've got now.

We sat around for nearly three hours and I listened to those guys talk about all the racing they've seen at Charlotte. Myers was telling us about a "race" he saw one time when Curtis Turner and a couple of his buddies showed off racing around in the dirt outside the track for a couple of Hollywood celebrities who'd come to town. Moore's perspective on the sport's history is really interesting. After working for newspapers he went to work for Sports Marketing Enterprises, the group that handled the NASCAR sponsorship for R.J. Reynolds Tobacco. So he saw that side of things, too.

Friday, I spent the afternoon at Humpy Wheeler's house. It was like taking a graduate school course in NASCAR history. We talked about his 30-plus years at the track for what I am doing for the paper. Then, we had one of those discussions about what sport in America might look like 20 years from now. It'll never make the paper, but if one of these days you're watching a ball game or a race at a massive stadium that exists only in some kind of virtual reality, I hope Humpy and I both are around to say we told you so.

I started trying to do the math while I was shaking my head at the completely shameless sponsor shilling that passed for a Fox prerace show before Saturday night's race. I've covered the Coca-Cola 600 11 times now (I missed a year for a family emergency) for the Observer. Myers was at every 600 from the first one in 1960 through 2004. Higgins and Moore have probably been to at least 40 each. Wheeler was at every one from 1976 through 2008 and a few more before that.

The way I figure it, among the five of us we were good for seeing the 600 right about 200 times. That folks, is a lot of left turns.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

David, there were certainly great reporters for the NASCAR beat over the years. I felt the late Gerald Martin of the N&O was one of the best.

I truly enjoy your work and insight. You always have a different angle that is interesting and well thought out. If those nimrods running the show would listen to you and Joe Castello, I'd still be a fan and attending racin'.

Anonymous said...

Hey David,

When was the last time you watched a race from home vs at the track? I'm curious of your opinion of the race telecast tonight. You are spot on about the pre-race.

Right now in the race, just when the competition is getting hot they keep going to commercials. My kid, a Nascar fanatic, just fell asleep and 10 minutes ago he said "there are more commercials than racing!"

Anonymous said...

Ya David, the infomercial promoting the insipid rodent followed by the sandwiches caused me to leave the room. And the networks wonder why they are losing market share. On your series of articles: Consider making them easy to locate on the paper or that's racin' website(s). Site navigation at times leaves something to be desired. Old_Guy

Anonymous said...

Fox racing coverage is like the news division. "Fair and balanced" is more like fill the screen with as much mindless drivel and as possible. TV is a lost cause. Radio(PRN/MRN) is worthless unless Barney Hall is broadcasting. World Rally Racing is more exciting online from around the world than "Digger", "Crank it up", and the Sprint smile lady in the postrace interviews. Goodbye NASCAR. I can't imagine why anyone would pay to see this when they can visit a local track and see some emotion.

Anonymous said...

The Fox geniouses drool over themselves because Dale Jr. has gotten the lead (allbeit through pit strategy and they know he's going to lose it again) and is being pursued by a hard-charging Tony Stewart. Best they can tell, Stewart is going to make a pass for the lead in about two or three laps, so HURRY -- get off the air and into a break NOW !! Sure enough, we were shown the pass on replay after they got back.

Then they actually have the stones to hype their "extended" pre-race show next weekend at Talladega ??

My kid's high-school AV club could do better...

Anonymous said...

25 days of Poole and his liberal partner reporting on the World 600s past.
He should say it will be a Earnhardt and HMS festival.But then thats everyday.
Also on Martin winning.Watch how he ZOOMs in Pooles rankings.And if you've been a fan for more than 3 years...remember how Poole used to shun Martin when he drove for Jack Rousch.Well put you waders on cause Poole is going to spread the manure THICK!

Centurion8 said...

David,
I totally enjoy your columns and look forward to them. I don't always agree with you. However I fully believe you give an honest opinion and shill for no one. Continue the good and honest work.
John K.

Anonymous said...

Does anyone ever notice that the Poll votes always add up to just 50% - not 100%?

Anonymous said...

Read 9:07am.
TOLD YA SO.

Anonymous said...

David thanks for being as thorough and proficient in the sport as you are i have learned alot through you and thats racin.comin and the morning drive you and bagley make a great team even if he does have issues some times just kidding i really enjoy listening to the show daily it makes the miles go easier so thanks again and keep up the good work sincerely Ed Baker southerncrossdreamer@hotmail.com

Anonymous said...

Ed Baker????
Pooles 2nd cousin.

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