Ok, the time has come for the annual Phoenix
WC race.  Those with tickets probably already
have their camera/scanner bags loaded up and
sitting by the front door.  For anyone else,
tickets are still available for the race…and you can
always get hillside tickets and show up early for
fantastic seats.  Just remember to bring the seat.  ;-)

The Sacred Scroll (TSS ’98) otherwise known as
"The Banner" will be at the track on Friday and
Sunday for sure.  Come to a reunion, sign the
banner, see how many other signatures you can
recognize…meet some fellow newsgroup NASCAR
junkies.  :-)

REUNION PLANS:
Friday, October 23rd.
This is general seating at the track for WC qualifying and
the Southwest Tour race.  The plan is to meet/sit near
the start finish line…highest row of seats in the lower
section.  This means, about half way up the grandstands
as close to the start finish line as possible.  Since this is
in the grandstands you won’t be able to use the banner
as a signpost, so just walk up to the people in that area
and start muttering "are you from r.a.s.n"…or something like
that.  You will find someone eventually…I did a couple of
years ago.  

Saturday, October 24th.
This is the Craftsman Truck race day…I won’t be there, but
Mike Collins, Rick Beers, Art+Sabrina Lubboch, Scott
Liljenquist, Owen Mitchell, and maybe a few more will be there.
If you guys have any Saturday plans beyond meeting in the
same general place as friday, let me know…

Sunday, October 25th.
Last year we met under the crossover bridge between the
front parking lot (VIP parking) and the main entrance.
That is the plan again this year if no one has any better idea.
The foot bridge is a good landmark and we were able to hang
the banner without getting bothered by security.  :-)
The race starts at 12Noon, but I am sure everyone plans on
getting to the track earlier than that (Even you, Mike…no
sleeping in).  So, anyway, the plan is to meet under the
footbridge at 10am…on the side of the bridge closer to the
main gate.  (Side note..the parking directions are calling this
a tunnel rather than a bridge again this year.  Who knows,
maybe this time it finally will be.  In any case, whether it is
a bridge or a tunnel, if you are there you are in the right place.

Tinadog says:  Hope to see you all there.  :-)

>From nearly the beginning, the moderators have had to manually send out the

welcome messages.  A few of us have been working on the problem, and Chris
and Igor seem to have tracked down at least one of the setup problems.

Unfortunately, this means that even those of you that have been posting
from day one will likely get the acknowledgement message once.  We believe
that it is set up so that after the first message for each email address,
the ack message will be turned off.

If that is not the case, and you start getting an ack message each time you
send, the fastest way to solve the problem is to send an email to
rasnm-no…@carracing.com and the robomoderator should stop sending you
acknowledgement messages.

If this does not work, please send an email message to
rasnm-ad…@carracing.com.

Thank You,

Eric O. Troldahl, for the moderation team.

I can’t even remember which year they first arrived on the scene…
but someone asked me today, who got the first win in a Lumina ?

OF course I told them Dale Earnhardt, but that’s just force of habit <G>
Anyone know for sure ?

–
Chris Watkins
C_Watkins on TEN  (Team Bowtie Racing)
Dirty Hobby Motorsports, Douglasville, Ga.
Moderator, rec.autos.sport.nascar.moderated

Ok, about every other Dega race, we hear about Baker being the first
to break the 200MPH mark there.

Anyone remember who it was that broke it first at Daytona ?
not that we’ll ever see 200mph again, unless someone sneaks one in at
Atlanta before they slow ‘em down some.  I was just looking at some Daytona
stats and noticed that Awesome Bill had the pole record there like he does
at dega, (around 210.??? MPH) and wondered who hit the mark first

–
Chris Watkins
C_Watkins on TEN  (Team Bowtie Racing)
Dirty Hobby Motorsports, Douglasville, Ga.
Moderator, rec.autos.sport.nascar.moderated

It’s a magical experience you’ll never forget–your first Winston Cup
race.

Hey, wait a minute Bob.  I thought you’d been going to races ever since
#43 was a Ford.

Well yeah, I have.  But the Pepsi 400 under the lights was the first
time for my daughter Lisa, and watching that race thru her eyes
was–well, an experience never to be forgotten.

My main concern as we headed east down Highway 40 was finding a place to
park.  Everything I had read and heard said parking would be at a
premium.  With my radio show going from 10:30 to 11:30 that morning plus
a pit stop at Burger King for lunch, we were pretty much locked into a
mid-afternoon arrival at the track.  

I sure as heck wasn’t going to pay the 30 bucks the businesses near the
track charge to use their lots, but at the same time, the thought of
having to carry 60 pounds of sleepy seven-year-old back to the car after
the race weighed heavily against the idea of parking in a more remote
location.  Rock. Hard place.

As I explained the possibility that we may have a pretty long walk from
the car to the race, Lisa looks up with wide-eyed innocence and asks,
"Daddy, why don’t we ask God for a good parking space?"  Out of the
mouths of babes…

As I roll up Bill France Blvd. toward the track, I’m amazed to see the
driveway leading to my favorite spot, the old GE plant parking lot, is
not blocked off with a "Lot Full" sign on it.  I turn in and am
absolutely astounded when a young lady directs me to a free parking
space about five minutes walk from the RASN reunion site. Prayer
answered.  Thank you, Lord.

We head across the street to begin the process of keeping ourselves
amused until race time, several hours away.

"Daddy, what’s a simulator?"

"It’s kind of like a carnival ride that makes you feel like you’re
inside a race car."

"I wanna go!  I wanna go!"

Several minutes later, we’re roaring around the track.  "AACCCKKKK!
Somebody hit us, we’re gonna wreck!"  WHAM!!  Right into the water
barrels guarding the outside pit wall.  Got wet too.

"Let’s go again!"

"Maybe next time."

After a bit of relax time in the air conditioned comfort of Daytona USA,
it’s time to go tie up the Sacred Scroll.

"Can I sign it?  Can I sign it?  I wanna sign it!"

"OK, here’s the marker."

A few minutes of intense scrutiny yields the perfect spot, right in the
middle.  Slowly and carefully, L-i-s-a  P-a-x-t-o-n, then a
self-portrait.  The glow in her eyes brought back the memory of the
first time I ever put Sharpie to Scroll.  A new RASNer is officially
indoctrinated.

Time to head for our seats.  Front row, Winston Tower.

"WOW DADDY!  This is GREAT!"

"Say thank you to Mr. May.  He got these seats for us."

"Thank you Mr. May!  THIS IS GREAT!"

"Take your binoculars and look over there.  What do you see?"

"JEFF GORDON!!!!  YAAAYYYYYYYYYYY!  And there’s Dale Jarrett for you!!"

Gentlemen, start your engines!

"OK Lisa, it’s going to be louder than it was when we were here for the
test session."

"That’s OK Daddy.  I can handle it."

GREEN FLAG!  43 engines strain against the restrictor plates to come up
to speed.  The smell of rubber and hot exhaust drifts upward.  Two
little nostrils swell to drink it all in.

"AHHHH! Smells wonderful, doesn’t it Daddy."

Yep.  I’ve got a real race fan for a daughter.  Makes her old man dang
proud.

"Here they come again Lisa.  Let’s see who’s going to lead the first
lap."

"DALE JARRETT!  YOUR FAVORITE!  YAAAAAYYYYYY!"

With the #88 leading the way, 43 cars thunder past at full song.  It’s a
sweet symphony that sweeps us both under its spell.

"OK, here they come again.  Let’s see who’s in front now."

"Earnhardt!  BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!"

That’s my girl!

John looks at Lisa in amazement.  Remembering his own youngsters’
fearful reaction to all the noise and speed, he can’t believe what he
sees.  Yep.  I’ve got a real race fan for a daughter.  Makes her old man
dang proud.

"Hey Lisa.  Look who’s up front now."

"Jeff Gordon AND Dale Jarrett!!  ALL RIGHT!!!!!!  THIS IS GREAT!"

"Maybe they’ll finish that way."

"YEAHHH!!"

The next couple hours just fly by as we sit mesmerized by the sights,
sounds and smells washing over us.  I think they call this bonding or
something like that.

"How many more laps, Daddy?"

"Not very many, we’re almost finished.  OH RATS!  Look at that."

"What’s wrong, Daddy?"

"Dale Jarrett.  He’s slowed way down and everybody’s passing him.  Must
be something wrong with the car."

"I feel some more rain."

RED FLAG with five laps to go.

"Daddy, do you think Jeff Gordon can win?"

"Well, you never can tell.  If the guys behind him go to racing each
other, he can get away from them, but if they gang up on him, a bunch of
cars could draft by him."

"I hope Jeff wins."

"Me too."

"What are those things?"

"Jet engines on the back of pickup trucks.  They use them to dry the
track off."

The rain stops and the engines crank up again.

GREEN FLAG!

"OK Lisa, if he can stay in front for three laps, Jeff will be the
winner."

A sixty pound bundle of perpetual motion springs into action.

"GO JEFF!  COME ON JEFF!!!"

"OK here they come, last lap.   Look at that!  Skinner’s up racing
Mayfield.  Jeff’s going to win!  Oh wait a minute.  Look at Bobby
Labonte.  He’s passing everybody!"

"Oh NO!"

"It’s OK, Jeff blocked him!  I think he’s going to make it!"

With a pack of hungry pursuers snapping at his heels, the #24 flashes
under the checkered flag.  Two little fists thrust themselves skyward.

"YYEESSS!"  "YYYEEEEESSSSS!!"  "YYYYEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!"

Almost immediately, a touch of sadness tempers the elation of the
moment.

"I’m really sorry Dale Jarrett had a flat tire."

"Well, that happens sometimes, but let’s be happy.  Dale won last week
and Gordon won tonight."

"YYYEEESSSSS!"

We thank our benefactor one more time and bolt for the car.  Thankfully,
Lisa’s under a full head of her own steam and I don’t have to carry her.

Our great parking space pays off as we’re in the car and on the road
well ahead of most of the traffic.

"Well Lisa, how did you like it?"

"Daddy, this was the greatest day of my entire life."

Ten minutes later, a deep sleep replaces the boundless energy.

I look over at her angelic face and whisper to myself, "Yeah, this was
one of the best days of my entire life, too."

Yep.  I’ve got a real race fan for a daughter.  Makes her old man dang
proud.

–
* Bob Paxton                | Fight spam.  Join CAUCE  It’s free.     *
* paxto…@popmail.firn.edu |  http://www.cauce.org                   *
* http://www.nefec.org/bobp |                                         *
* Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati                                        *

…of this season – I think it was after ‘Dega or just before Daytona and I’m
suprised that no one’s even brought this up but I recall seeing an interview
with Evernham where He stated that "This season’s been an INCREDIBLY lucky one
for us" and
"I’d like to think that God’s been riding with us to have had the luck we’ve
had throughout this entire season."  

And he went on to say that winning a championship takes a LOT of skill on the
driver’s part and additionally it takes an incredible amount of _*luck*_ to
have the sort of winning season the #24 team has had.  

Refreshing, coming from him;  I’m glad someone on that team’s got their eyes
open.  That’s the first I’ve heard anyone on the #24 team just tell it like it
is and not try to sugar coat it so much that it makes your teeth ache.

Rich

Rich Bemben                                                                  
Rbemb…@aol.com
DoD #0044                                                                    
rbem…@eng.micrion.com

Anyone think Skinner might get his first WC win ?  He’s been strong the
past couple of weeks, but then again, it was a childress car at a plate
track <G>

Who do you think has the best shot, supposing JG lays back and rides
a bit ?
—
Chris Watkins
C_Watkins on TEN  (Team Bowtie Racing)
Dirty Hobby Motorsports, Douglasville, Ga.
Moderator, rec.autos.sport.nascar.moderated

We’ve been having trouble keeping the system online this
week–more than our ordinary teething problems.

Chris Watkins has found part of the problem, we think,
in the software we use on our server; but the server’s
relationship to the internet seems fragile.

Sorry about the problems, folks.  Please bear with us
as we climb the learning curve.

                                      Marty

———–== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==———-
http://www.dejanews.com/       Search, Read, Discuss, or Start Your Own    

According to the Arizona Republic the "official
announcement" will be made today.

Tinadog says:  Yeah! …but I hope they find a way to
keep the Winston West series on the schedule as well.

Check this out:
http://www.journalnow.com/news/local/sports/nascar/race15.htm

Richard Petty doesn’t seem to like restrictor plate racing
much.  Wouldn’t you know it…he compares it to driving
in traffic on the highway.

I agree.

That is the whole problem with restrictor plate racing.
It takes less skill than any other racing on the WC circuit.
If you are in the fast lane you are going forward, if you
are in the slow lane you are going backward, and which
lane you are in has more to do with luck than skill.

I know some people think that having 8 or 9 cars in a
position tpo win on the last lap is exciting, but to me
it just proves that the whole thing is a series of random
events.

Tinadog says:  I sure wish NASCAR would find a way to get
rid of the plates…or take away a race date from these
boring tracks.