Off the Wall - New Season Special

Off the Wall - New Season Special



Bill Maynard's got it spot on - Stock Car Racing IS Magic! Phwoar that was a great season, personally for me as well as the racing on the track. You have no idea how much it meant for me to be up there, in Race Control, in the F2 World Final Weekend, actually part of the commentary and Incarace team. This year surpassed all expectations - this has been my best season as far as meeting attendance goes - I have met many new friends, been mentioned in the magazines, written articles, but most of all, I've enjoyed the racing no matter where I've been. Ladies and Gentlemen, I LOVE STOCK CARS!!! That's better, now I've got that out the way we can start to chat about the things that matter�politics! Hahaha, only kidding, bet some of you were about ready to move over to the next page of the paper eh? Now, you may wonder why the Editor has given column space to an 18 year old Scottish student studying in Oxford, and quite frankly boys and girls�so am I! However, lets not divulge into small matters, let me explain what I aim to cover in my writing space apart from mumbling incoherently about random stuff and not going into any detail whatsoever. Basically, I have been given the freedom to write about whatever I damn well please, as long as it's related heavily to Stock Cars. Seems a fair deal, a magazine about oval racing demanding oval racing related articles, brilliant! "Wot's he goin' on abaaaaaat?" you may well be saying. Well it's quite simple really chaps and chapettes, this column is as much yours as it is mine (although just you remember that technically it IS mine, and I'm the one that writes it in the end, OK?) Therefore plant some ideas in my head, I'm eager to learn more, and won't stop until my educational needs are satisfied (as long as it involves getting up after lunchtime and missing as many lectures as possible). Give me an e-mail, chat to me at the tracks or contact the mag, if you have any questions or want me to cover a topic, I may accept your challenge� So what's he going to write about in this edition then? Well, I'm not going to write about any one topic in particular cos I ain't in that sort of mood today. Today, I feel sort of�well I dunno, nostalgic really. The close season does that to you, instead of looking forward you tend to go "Ah, now that was good�" and so on. Well I'm sorry folks but we can't keep looking back at what it was like but instead we must henceforth into the mysterious darkness that is the future, and how WE WANT Stock Cars to be. As was proved back in the old days (damn it, looking at the past again, fallen at the first hurdle) Stock Car Racing can be a very popular sport on the box, and it seems that Incarace are trying to lead the way into re-establishing Stock Car Racing as a regular item on television as we head even further into this new Millennium. Now, I want you to stop and think for a second, and ask yourself this question, "Do we want Stock Cars to be a regular item on TV?" REALLY think about it, about Stock Car Racing and telly in general, now put the two together and imagine the consequences. Here's what I'm thinking; too much telly coverage is gonna lead to Stock Cars becoming too professional, and you are going to get an even worse situation than we are in now i.e. a major reduction in grid size as the budget racer is forced out of the sport. If you bring in TV coverage then true enough, sponsors are going to come in, but then they will demand that their driver MUST finish in the top 3 in every race, and he/she has to perform to such a high quality throughout the season etc etc etc. Money is gonna get thrown around trying to make the cars faster and handle even better, and then we can wave bye bye to Billy Budget. Hell let's get telly coverage for Stock Car Racing, but don't make it too much of a regular programme. F1's and National Hot Rods are getting top class programmes from Sky at the moment, and that's what I want to see for at least National Bangers, Saloons and F2's in years to come. Let's get the spectators through the gate, let's increase the prize money, let's get an even better Saturday night atmosphere, and let's go STOCK CAR RACING!!! Just don't overdo it Mr T.V sir please? You all know the feeling you get when the main season comes around again�hell I loved it when I got to hear Emerson, Lake and Palmer booming out from the Racewall tannoy as dad and me took in our first Cowdie meeting of the season�bliss! This year, it's been Rinky Dink bringing a smile to my face, signalling the start of another belting NIR meeting�you just can't beat Stock Cars! This year the atmosphere around the raceways was superb, with NIR's Saturday nights establishing themselves as some of the best nights of Stock Car Racing and banter you'll ever have. F2 World Final Saturday was definitely one of the biggest laughs I've ever had, and it really thrust down the reason why I like Stock Cars as much as I do. The F2 World was the main attraction in 2 days of pure, exclusive F2 action, and the country's most popular F2 oval. Kitson's dominance was a marvel to watch, my contribution was something special, the fans loved the racing�it was a near perfect weekend! Saturday night (and Sunday morning�) in the bar was also something special, I mean where else can you share a drink with the defending World Champ who's also just won the meeting Final? "Drippy" Sworder, Andy Ford, Richie Bruton, Andy Sobey, Russell Taylor�just some of the drivers that socialised with the fans and officials on Saturday night�brilliant! Who the hell can fail to love this sport??? Very few people would've found the F2 World Weekend a load of rubbish (although I know one individual who found a load of rubbish at the F2 World Weekend�), it had all of the necessary ingredients needed for the perfect F2 recipe, Stock Cars can be proud� Now, I've babbled on for more than long enough, and would like to close with a few words of thanks. To Roger V, (old man) Dave Carter, (Mr or Mrs?) Ian J Bennett, (talentless one) Deano, The Editor (Paperboy), The Postman, Stevie Ross, GMP, TSR and last but by no means least Mark Bond and all at Incarace for their help and encouragement throughout the year - I really appreciate it. Thank you all� Cheers, Scott J Keith

Hosted by www.Geocities.ws