Tag Archives: memories

40

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Dude, you would be 40 today.
I’d have called you and ribbed you unmercifully about being old.
I’d have bounced your kids, which I’m sure you’d have had by now, on my knee.
- – -
We saw a young man at LAX yesterday.
Your mother’s eyes got all misty.
After he went into the terminal,
I looked at your mother and said
“Yes, he does.”
We still see you in a lot of places, old Hoss.
-k-

eee Bloggin’

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The last few posts were made from my eeePC, using ScribeFire. The eee’s tiny screen, combined with my poor eyes, makes it difficult to check spelling and punctuation with much efficacy. So, don’t attribute any grammar, punctuation, or spelling errors in any of the foregoing to any lack of dedication on the part of my English teachers. They all did a stand-up job, and I remember them all fondly.
-k-
[stags]tbbs, memories[/stags]

I Said it Well Enough the First Time

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23 years ago, at about this very hour, my Dad passed away. It was even on a Friday, as it is today. Driving home tonight, I thought it appropriate to comment on his life again on this old blog. I thought about what to say, then looked back to what I’d already said.

And I can’t add much to that. He tried to teach me well, and I wish I’d been a more attentive pupil. I’ll strive mightily to live as he did.

Thanks for everything, Dad.

In Memory of Don Nelson, 8/1/1919 – 12/7/1984.

-k-
[stags]Life. Memories[/stags]

DALE, the Pre Show

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The Dale the Movie pre-show is underway on CMT.  Fortunately, the country artists have yet to break out in song.  They’re instead sharing their memories of the Intimidator, interspersed with clips from the Fall, 2000 Talladega race, wherein Old Ironhead roared back from 18th with 12 or so to go, to claim his final NASCAR victory.

Good Stuff.

-k-
[tags] CMT, DaletheMovie [/tags]

Talladega Memories

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They’ve been racing NASCAR Cup cars at Talladega Speedway since 1969. And I’m plenty old enough to have seen them all. I haven’t, because consistent teevee coverage didn’t arrive until 1979. But that old 2.66 mile, high-banked monster has brought some memorable moments:

  • In the mid 70′s there was a hellacious crash on the backstretch; it took out the majority of the field. I think it was either Benny Parsons or Buddy Baker who later remarked “It looked like a 747 had crashed on the backstretch.”
  • In 1988, Bobby Allison’s car became airborne, pivoted multiple times on an axis from the roof of the car to the floorboards, and came perilously close to entering the grandstands. This ushered in restrictor plates at Daytona and Talladega for the next season.
  • Somewhere in the 80′s, a “fan” who is the poster child of the “Whiskey for Breakfast Bunch”, stole the pace car, and made nearly a lap around the track, before several of Alabama’s finest took him into custody coming off turn three.
  • The late, great Dale Earnhardt won his last NASCAR race at Talladega in 2000. He came from 20th with 2 or 3 laps to go, to win the event. Today, he would have celebrated his 56th birthday. Racing still isn’t the same without him.
  • What other track could spawn such jokes as “What has 50,000 legs and 100,000 teeth?” A: The infield at Talladega.

Maybe SWMBO’s and my “Search for America Tour” should head to Alabama someday. I think that would be great.

-k-

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So Long, Texas Terry

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The green flag is about to drop on the Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. This marks the last race for Terry Labonte, two time NASCAR champion. He starts his 848th NASCAR Cup event today, and will hang up his helmet after a long and storied career.

He’s seen many changes to racing in his nearly 30-year NASCAR career. I’ve always liked his style; I can remember races where his name wasn’t mentioned until the last 50 laps, where he apparently came from nowhere to be in the top 10 or top 5, with an excellent chance at the win. Cool, calm, that is Terry.

While his NASCAR championships have to top his accomplishments, I’ll always remember the last real Southern 500, run as it should be, in the Labor Day heat and humidity in Darlington SC. An old-school win at an old-school track, by an old-school guy. Racin’ the way it was meant to be.

Thanks for the memories, Terry.

-k-

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