It's all about passion

By Tim Packman, Turner Sports Interactive
January 26, 2002
1:46 PM EST (1846 GMT)

COMMENTARY

Tim Packman

The sun was just starting to break Saturday morning and colors of orange and purple started to ebb through the trees that stand along the shores of Lake Norman. There was a slight fog that lingered and danced just above the water like wisps of smoke from a burned-out campfire.

As I sat looking out my kitchen window, my eyes wandered back and forth across the lake and marina across the street. The skies were devoid of any clouds and everything had a light frost on it, like as if someone had sprinkled powdered sugar over the neighborhood.

I was absorbing the beauty and color of the morning before me when my mind leapt to what brought me here in the first place, allowing me to experience the picturesque moment -- NASCAR.

The other day, I was wearing a shirt from a Buffalo radio station where I was the airborne-traffic reporter. That shirt was the catalyst for three separate conversations.

The inquisitive parties also moved here from Buffalo and recognized the station. Like most people who discover they are from the same area, but now reside in the same area, again, the question comes up of what brought us to this wonderful state.

When I proudly informed one couple of what I did, he said how cool it was and that he has just started following NASCAR. It was the guy next to him who garnered my attention. Unprovoked, he said something quite simple, but piercing to my friendly-minded ears.

“NASCAR,” he said, shaking his head, “I don’t see the big deal in it and why people get so whacked out about it.”

Have you ever smiled at someone with your mouth, but your eyes didn’t quite follow suit? That was the reaction he got from me.

“Well, to each his own,” was my calm reply. “You ever been to a race?”

He shook his head no while looking straight ahead and taking another swallow of his barley soda.

“Well then, shut your face, you big ignoramus!” was the thought that went through my mind, but didn’t cross my lips.

For me to sit there and tell him how great our sport is would have probably been a waste of time.

I could have told him how 140,000 fans circle the half-mile, high-banked track of Bristol to watch 43 cars do battle. I guess bringing up Daytona and the 200,000 or so people that will be there next month would have fell on deaf ears, as well.

The high speeds, history and frenzy that surrounds the Daytona 500 probably wouldn’t have registered on his dense-o-meter.

That aforementioned barstool bonehead would probably never be found sitting on a cold, wooden grandstand wrapped in a blanket on a chilly April or October day at a local short track. He wouldn’t be the type to stand under an overhang waiting out a brief summer shower there, either.

If someone asks about NASCAR to learn more about it, I am more than willing to share my pittance of knowledge. If you show an interest, you have my attention.

This sport has had my attention since I was a youth. From the reactions received regarding Track Smack, stories and columns that appear on this website, I can tell that you pay attention, too.

Trust me, I’m glad you do because I’d hate to think my mom and sister are the only ones who read what I write.

NASCAR is all about passion. It comes from the driver who started his own team at the local-short track, the unpaid crew member who helps out and the fans who pay their hard-earned money to cheer their efforts.

That driver and crew member may make it to a Winston Cup, Busch or Craftsman Truck Series team and realize the dream. Then again, they may be just as happy being the big fish in their chosen pond, so to speak.

Passion drives the drivers and fans of this sport. Nobody has to be involved in racing; it’s a choice that’s usually made at a very young age. Don’t knock something until you’ve tried it or experienced it at least once.

If you can walk away with an educated assessment of this sport and choose to follow or not, then I can accept your choice.

Next month, I’m meeting 200,000 friends in Daytona for our first of 38 exciting get-togethers this year. We’ll tell stories and discuss the day’s events of Speedweeks 2002.

I love and live for those moments, I truly do.

Too bad the moron on the mahogany is going to miss out.

Tim Packman's column appears every Saturday on NASCAR.com and the opinions listed here are solely those of the writer. To provide feedback to Tim, email him at tim.packman@turner.com.