The whole purpose of me writing any of these articles is to get your attention so you can look inside yourself to realize what is really going on. I was witness to a terrible experience on October 4th and I want to share it with you NASCAR fans to let you know just how ignorant and cruel we can be. Anyone who knows me knows that I go to Orange County Speedway. I love it, it is my local track and it is, by far, the world's best short track. If you are familiar with OCS, you have heard of Barry Beggarly, the Man in Black that seems to win every race. Let me fill you in on the action of October 4th. Barry had already wrapped up his 5th championship in 8 years. Officials at the track presented him a challenge. They offered Barry $5000 if he could win from the back of the field. Beggarly accepted the challenge and by lap 89 of 200, Barry was leading the field of 28 around the 3/8 mile track. A feat that no one else could pull off I assure you. As he was rounding turn 1 on lap 128, two lapped cars spun and collected Beggarly, wrecking his car, and ending his shot at the $5000. The jubilation from the crowd was nausiating. "I'm glad he wrecked, that S.O.B.!!" I heard from a few spectators. Now like the man or not, he, like every other driver in that field, or any other, is out to perform at high speed for the very fans that called him an S.O.B. That is a disgrace. We cheer when a father, son, and brother, slams into a wall at speed of 100mph and higher. Yeah, wrecking and rubbing is racing, but so is respect. I know I don't have the guts to do what Barry Beggarly or any other race car driver does. I completely respect anyone with the balls to get in a car and drive over 100mph in heavy traffic, and so should other race fans. What I was a witness to in person on October 4th is common. You hear crowds cheer when Jeff Gordon breaks down, or when Dale Earnhardt slides under a car putting him in the wall. "That's racing!," it's all too common to hear that. You would never hear,"is Rusty ok?" From a typical race fan you would hear,"Put 'em in da wall!!!" How would YOU like to hear that if you were a driver? So when I ask are NASCAR fans the best in the world, are we? No question we are the most loyal, but are we really giving these daredevils the proper respect? I don't think so. Think about what you have read here the next time you see a wife's husband or a kid's father slam into a wall at 100mph. Thank you.
