| | Winston Cup racing is a thrilling sport, comprised of great people and sprinkled with big-name stars. The people you'll rarely see and never meet are also stars. These are crew guys, or the transporter driver. The public relations people, even most of the officials. You may not know these folks names, but each of these people are stars in their own right.
You need 43 guys to drive the cars, but without the strong support and dedication of these people, there would be no stars.
It's because of all these people that I really enjoyed Ward Burton's win at Darlington last Sunday. I'm glad that ESPN had 35 to 40 minutes to fill at the end of the broadcast so the fans that wanted to stick with the coverage could go into Victory Lane and see what goes on in there.
|  | | Kenny Wallace's best finish is 11th at Bristol. Can he get his first win in career start No. 191 on Sunday? |
Viewers got to hear from car owner Bill Davis -- by far one of the most popular people in the garage -- about his second career, and his first win since Oct. 22, 1995. I was glad that Ward's wife Tabitha got some "air time." I was happy that you viewers got to see some of the Victory Lane "hat dance," and heard first-hand that Ward, in his enthusiastic celebration, broke the race trophy.
Here's one thing the viewers didn't see.
After the "extended" television coverage ended (that's a fancy word for filling to the end of the scheduled air time), and the Victory Lane festivities were over, Ward Burton climbed into the photographers stand that faces Victory Lane and posed with all the photographers so they could have a picture with him to commemorate the win.
Now, that's a popular victory.
And that's why fans enjoy going to the races each week, and why they enjoy watching the races each week. But more importantly, that's why we follow the sport.
There is the excitement and glamour of Bobby Labonte, Dale Jarrett, Dale Earnhardt, Mark Martin, Jeff Burton, Rusty Wallace and the superstars of the sport winning on Sunday. But there's more to it than that. It's the possibility of watching Ward Burton climb from his car in Victory Lane after a career that has had more ups and downs than the NASDAQ.
Did you know that when Bill Davis was just starting his operation he lived in a motorhome behind his shop, while his wife, Gail, ran their trucking business in Arkansas? This was a motorhome they had at the trucking company that Bill brought with him to North Carolina. He's always said it wasn't that bad. He also told me he didn't plan to live in it for two years, that's just the way it worked out! Now things are really starting to work out.
This week there is the endless excitement and possible disaster that is the foundation of racing at the Bristol Motor Speedway. It's loud at Bristol. The stands will be packed with fans, the tiny track crammed with cars whizzing by, whirling around, turning laps in 15 seconds, maybe faster. There are two narrow pit roads with tiny pit stalls.
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WAITING FOR NO. 1
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Here are Winston Cup's active drivers with the most career starts without reaching Victory Lane.
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DRIVER
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STARTS
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Michael Waltrip
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435
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Rick Mast
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313
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Dick Trickle
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294
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Wally Dallenbach
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202
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Kenny Wallace
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190
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Chad Little
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183
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Robert Pressley
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140
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The "3-T's" are critical factors ... traffic, timing and temper. The first two influence the third.
It's safe to go to Bristol and expect to see some of those "stars" we've mentioned prevail, finish first and raise their fist in triumph. But we can dream, and we can certainly hope for the excitement and surprise we saw last Sunday.
What if?
What if Michael Waltrip, winless in 435 career starts found the magic and in the Tennessee mountains and took us all along with him to Victory Lane for his first career win (Waltrip did win the Winston in 1996). He has struggled this season. He hasn't finished higher than 23rd in the first five races. In fact, he hasn't finished higher than 23rd in the last 10 races dating back to last year.
Still, he is one of the most popular drivers in the sport. Colorful. Funny. He won the Busch race at Bristol in 1993. He finished 12th in this race last year. We can hope.
What about Rick Mast. 313 starts. No wins. Coulda, woulda, shoulda ... but hasn't.
He's from Virginia. He traded a cow for his first race car. He won a Busch race at Bristol in 1990. He finished 19th here last year. We can dream.
Then there are guys like Chad Little, who is 11th in points. In his last four starts at Bristol, his best finish is 20th. How about Mike Skinner, Johnny Benson, or Steve Park? Or maybe Kenny Wallace.
Sure, Kenny is oh-for-190, but that could all change Sunday afternoon with a little luck. Okay, with a lot of luck.
Heck, Wallace was 11th here last August. So what if he has has just one career top-10n at Bristol, and that was almost seven years ago. It doesn't mean we can't hope.
How many people would've picked Ward Burton to win at Darlington before last weekend got underway? Sure, you say that NOW. Where were you last Thursday when they were collecting for the office pool?
Earnhardt, Wallace, Martin, Gordon, Jarrett. Big names that have had big days and big nights at Bristol. In fact, they've won the last five races at Bristol. Will one of them win the next race at Bristol? Maybe. Probably. Heck, it's got to be one of 43 guys. But which one? Part of the thrill of the race is the difficulty in predicting the outcome.
You can talk about the cars and the sponsors, but Winston Cup racing is successful because of the people. If you're reading this column, you already have a favorite to root for this Sunday. But just before the green flag falls, as the cars slowly circle the half-mile oval on the final pace lap, as you settle into your seat at the track or in front of the television, flash back to the final moments of last Sunday. Remember the twinge of excitement when Ward Burton came charging off of Turn 4 and shot down the frontstretch to take the checkered flag, taking his team of unknown stars to Victory Lane, the first trip for many of them.
If your guy can't win this week, who will you root for?
Winston Cup racing is a sport of constant commotion for all of the participants. For the rest of us, it's a never ending exercise of devotion and emotion. | |
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