"Just Rollin' Along !"
submitted by "Polly"
M.L. Morgan (referee)
Well, race fans, we have decided to turn our Sound Off!
page over to you.
This will be your forum and we encourage you to submit your opinions to us.
Don't be bashful.
Another snippet of life as a race fan from our friend "Polly".
Every race room has to have a genuine Windston Cup driver's tire on the
wall. Now you know it, and I know it. But convincing non-believers can
be a problem.
I attended my first race at Phoenix International
Raceway. An all around great racing experience. Ambling along souvenir
row, I spotted a lone vendor between the trailers. Used tires piled
high beside him. Not any old used tires, mind you, but actual Winston
Cup driver's used tires. Mostly numbers 2, 3, 5, 6, and 24. The mere
mention of buying one brought icy sideways glances and terse remarks
from my companions. "Have you lost your "BLANKING" mind!" How would
you get it on the plane, and what would you do with it anyway?"
I envisioned the perfect spot on the back wall in the race room, but kept
quiet, and dropped the subject. However, the next year I was better
prepared. I phoned the airline and got permission to put "my tire" on
the plane as luggage. As soon as we got to the track, I separated
myself from the group with a vague "think I'll do a little shopping",
and sought out the tire vendor. Aha! There he was. I picked out one
of my favorite driver's tires, asked the vendor to hold it for me, and
paid him the $15.00. That's right, only $15.00. And that included a
certificate to send in to GET a certificate verifying the tire actually
belonged to your driver. Of course, I knew mine was genuine because it
had my driver's number written on the side in chalk.
Now for the tricky part. Announcing to my companions what I'd done.
"You bought what!", came with the inevitable icy stares. I knew my tire
and I were on our own. It really is not TOO difficult rolling a tire
the entire lenghth of a race track and parking lot. Surely, I only
imagined the smirks on those faces as my tire and I rolled on by. I was
banished to the back seat of the car, tire in lap. On the day of the
flight home, my tire was rolled to the car, put into the trunk, taken
out of the trunk, rolled into the airport, presented as luggage, rolled
out of the airport, put into the trunk, taken out of the trunk, and
rolled into the house. I then lovingly "Armour Alled" it, (being
careful not to smudge the chalk number). I installed brackets in the
middle of the wall in the race room, and hoisted the tire up. WHEW!! I
stepped back and took a long, hard look. PERFECTO!!!!!! It had all
been worth it. The race room was now complete.
BUT, waaaait a minute.
Didn't someone tell me you can buy full sized inflatable replicas of
Winston Cup cars??? Hummmmmmmmmmmmmm.......... Have comments or questions? E-mail:
M.L. Morgan Back
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