Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Motor Sports

I am not a great fan of motor sports.

My step father would always listen to the Indy 500 each year (that was way before it was on any teevee). I knew the names of the powerful in that era of open wheel racing.

But nowdays not so much. Indy is not what it used to be and what used to be the home of the brightest lights, seems to be less so now. I hardly ever go out of my way to watch any more.

Yesterday there was a big "stock car" race. Sunday there was a medium big race (I think it was) and in the evening ther was to be the grandaddy of them, but it rained, and while they may play football in rain and snow, they don't race cars in anything resembling rain.

So the race was put off.

Gotta tell you honestly, the only reason I was interested in watching guys drive extremely expensive cars at 200 miles and hour was because there was supposed to be a gal in the race. She had recently converted from Indy cars, and while she was new to "stock car" racing, she was not new to racing.

In the rain delayed race yesterday, she was involved in a multiple car pile up very soon in the race. Her car was damaged, but with a little legal fixing, she was allowed back on the track. She drove well and could keep up with the guys. Mostly she wanted to finish the race (which she did) and gain experience in the deal.

Girls driving at 200 miles an hour is not common in our male dominated world. I rooted for Janet in her day and now it is Danica (bet her dad was a Dan).

Still not sure how it qualifies one as a "sportsman" to sit in your duff watching others do something. Sometimes it is called "spectator sport" which seems a lot closer. Yet, those who duff set will proudly tell you how much they are involved in the "sport" of racing, or football, or baseball.

I'll not push that point, and once or twice a year I will watch mostly guys push each other at 200 miles an hour. That is fast, but boy do they do wonderful crashes.

Worth the wait, almost.

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