Running 2023 Motorsports thread

I shot photos once from the Turn 4 box at Talladega back in the early 80s. Only the wall and catch fence separated us. It was exhilarating and scary and so unbelievably noisy, even with plugs and muffs, that my ears buzzed for days afterwards.

 

Try the starting line when two Top Fuel stomp the loud pedal.

 

My one ... to date ... Speed Weeks, I remember running up on King Richard standing there shooting the shit with a buncha nobodies while holding a pair of coil springs. After a minute or two, he ambled on over to his car, where his guys were doing some bondo-ing after a brush with the wall. King Richard put the springs down, lit on a stool ... and immediately resumed the bull session.

 

The King can't be long for this world. Got to believe there are some really good obits in the can all over the place, though.

 

Petty - 86
Cale - 84
Bobby - 86
Snake - 82
Bernstein - 79
Force (still racing) - 74
Mears - 72
AJ - 86
Mario - 83

 

It's weird. Drivers back then either died in crashes or lived a long life. Parnelli Jones turned 90 in August.

A.J. will be 89 in four weeks. (He's one week younger than my father and eight days younger than Elvis.)

 

Ned Jarrett is 90, Red Farmer is in his 90s and I think Hershel McGriff is 95.

Dick Childress is pushing 80 and still acts like a dick every once in a while.

 

Speaking of drivers who lived a long and full life: RIP, Paula Murphy (Miss STP).

Pioneering NHRA female Funny Car racer Paula Murphy, Miss STP dies

 

Schumacher's accidents was 10 years ago today.

Michael Schumacher accident: Separating facts from fiction 10 years on

 

Fuck traumatic brain injuries. At least Michael had enough money to provide long term care and a family to protect him from the vultures. I feel tremendous empathy for all of them.