GOODBYE, FAREWELL, AND AMEN
Allow me to borrow from my generation, the television
generation. It was that generation that was bid farewell from the television
series M*A*S*H with an episodic television movie finale entitled “Goodbye,
Farewell, Amen.” The conclusion of the 2000 edition of the NASCAR Winston Cup
Series took its final laps in much the same way Hawkeye, BeeJay, and Col. Potter
made their final rounds around the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital. Some
tears, some jeers, and a hope for a better tomorrow.
Goodbye.
All three ranks of the NASCAR racing series national touring
divisions said sad goodbyes to some favorite sons. The Busch Series claimed Adam
Petty, truly a favorite son in every sense of the word. And grandson. And great
grandson. Putting aside his lineage, it wasn’t that long ago that Adam has his
trial by fire, a test if you will, of the most gruesome kind, that would define
him as a man. Many racers we will never hear of reach that fight or fold
crossroad early in their careers. In Adam’s case, this crossroad was found at
Minnesota State Fair Park, a nasty half mile, and staple of the ASA circuit.
This track featured a less than desirable racing surface and crowded pit
conditions. It was in these crowded pits Adam would take the life of a crew
member, and it was at this point that the younger Petty became a man. He sat in
turn three, shaken, then almost instinctively felt the power of his heritage.
The show must, and did go on. It went on right up through the Busch Series and a
successful Cup debut in 2000. Adam could have folded up there in turn three in
Minnesota, and never mash the gas again. He didn’t He soldiered on. Yes, Adam
was a racer. Adam was a Petty. Kyle, Richard, and Heaven should be proud.
The 90s have brought us the invasion of the open wheel
drivers into the stock car wars. This trail was blazed by Steve Kinser most
notably, and has been followed by Jeff Gordon, Robby Gordon, Scott Pruett, Tony
Stewart, Dave Blaney, and Kenny Irwin. We lost Kenny at New Hampshire
International this year. Loved by many, loathed by some, Kenny had a tough road
in Winston Cup following a successful run in the Truck Series. His first Cup
ride came in that star crossed #28 of Yates Racing. Large expectations, small
returns. It seemed that Kenny’s learning curve at Yates would not be put to
use until he found home at Sabco Racing. Felix Sabates appeared to have found
the chemistry to make Kenny a marquis racer as he had been when he was the pilot
of the #98 Raybestos Truck in his one and only season in that series. Sadly,
just as Kenny had found a home and appeared to be hitting his stride, fate
stepped in and took him from us. We miss his fire and desire and his will to
win. Another open wheel outsider who came into Winston Cup, made his mark, made
some friends, and with his passing, made yet another unfillable void in the
racing community. Godspeed Kenny Irwin.
The best racing that almost no one will watch takes place in
the Truck Series. The list of graduates from that series gets longer each year.
From Mike Skinner to Kurt Busch, talent is formed and accelerated quickly in
this brand of extra crunchy racing. The CTS IS part of the big leagues with its
share of risks and sacrifices. We will never know just how far former ASA
standout Tony Roper was going to go. He had traded paint with the likes of Butch
Miller and Tony Raines in the ASA short track wars. In 2000, he took his turn
behind the wheel of a pick up truck, NASCAR style. Tony, we hardly knew ya! The
racing resume was there like that of Kulwicki, Martin, Wallace and Kenseth.
Unlike those racers that cut their teeth on the Midwest circuit, we will not be
allowed to see just where the Roper talent would have gone or how far. Tony may
not have been the legacy as Adam Petty, or the high profile spirit that Kenny
Irwin was, but his loss is just as heavy to our sport.
So we say goodbye to these three young gladiators keeping in
mind that in the year ahead, as we complain of rule changes and such that cause
us to think the governing body of NASCAR is less than fair, we are also reminded
that life can be the most unfair governing body of all.
Farewell
When we say farewell, we say it with a chance, a remote
chance, that the parting of friends or lovers may not be forever. NASCAR bids
farewell to two very old and loyal friends with the cessation of hot laps in
2000. We say a fond farewell to ESPN and TNN as the escalating cost of doing
business in all facets of Winston Cup claims these two broadcasting veterans.
We want to think that the new television gatekeepers will
maintain the level of expertise and technical ability that our old friends set.
Perhaps they will. We will strive to be patient as the newcomers find their
niche and learn our sport. We will not forget our friends at ESPN and TNN that
blazed the trail for the new and hope, in some small way, the new guard will
seek counsel from the old to ensure the smoothest possible transfer from the
banked corners into the straight-away.
Finally, we find comfort in the parting words of Eli Gold and
Bob Jenkins as they back away gracefully. They could have left us with bile and
regret, but they did not. They left us with hope for a better future in new
hands. Dick Bergerren guarantees us that future is in good hands, but should the
new guard stumble, or should the greed mongers decide at the new contracts’
end that stock car racing ceases to be a successful part of market strategy, we
can be confidant that racing will come home to its roots, as it always does. And
ESPN and TNN will be there.
North Wilkesboro went away, but stock car racing did not. STP
went away, but the 43 car remains. Money is a big part of our sport, but so is
tradition. ESPN and TNN may go away for the short haul, but their templates of
covering racing will live on in some form with NBC and Fox. We hope. We hope
that the new guard will be humble enough to look to old for guidance when needed
much as Jeff Gordon looked to Dale Earnhardt not so very long ago…
And one final farewell: Thank you Ned Jarrett. We welcome you
out of retirement at any time. Can you really stay away?
Amen
Finally…The Dodge has come back to Winston Cup!!!
Can we get a big “Amen” from the congregation?