Duane Goins
01-23-2008, 12:17 AM
Fans Make Legends Helping Legends for Sam Ard Huge Success BUT...
by Duane Goins ('Industry Outlaw')
On a historic weekend for NASCAR Busch Grand National drivers, two old rivals were being honored over a variety of spectrums. Over in Concord, Tommy Houston was inducted into the Motorsports Writers Hall Of Fame. He was introduced by Glen Jarrett at the fancy hotel over there. I`m sure the meal was great .
On the other end of the spectrum, the winingest driver in BGN history, Sam Ard, 22 wins in just 92 starts, and many many more short track races, before a career ending head injury at Rockingham in 1984, was signing autographs in between taking time out in his wheelchair to rest .
An overflow crowd that forced the doors to be opened two hours earlier than than advertised 10 am stood in line til 4 pm to see and talk with legendary drivers, engine builders, and crew chiefs from all the way back to the 1950`s to current day drivers Carl Long, and the most recent driver to 'retire' with a head injury, Jerry Nadau and his very young and beautiful family.
Fans came from as far as New York, Pennslyvania, Nebraska, Ohio, Miami, and Daytona to see all their favorites and pay homage to one of NASCAR`s most popular drivers. They paid $8 for the right to see all these men & women that made NASCAR history up close..this writer remembers the day when a ticket in the main grandstand at Charlotte was the same price.
They bought raffle tickets for items donated to help raise money. Some even threw their raffle ticket back into the drawing bowl so as to help the fundraising. A silent auction was included also. A man in a wheelchair that had driven from St Petersburg Fla won the 50/50 drawing and made a donation back to the fund for Sam.
All types of media were present except the local paper that, after at least 4 e-mails, gave the event a little more than a paragraph or two in the Friday edtion with NO coverage after the event. Strange from a publication that likes to 'buck' the system. 'Posers' I think is the current trendy word those that 'talk the talk' but don`t walk the walk', except they don`t 'talk' that much to begin with.
The day ended with a conversation with Sam about the long day and all the loving people, and he was told that nobody would ever forget him, followed by a resounding applause, whistles and yells from the crowd after a loud 'pre-race intro' by Southeastern short track announcer Duane Goins.
Sam`s daughter tried to thank everyone but was overcome and her statement was finished by Mr Goins, saying that he was in independent contractor with no ties to Daytona and that in as that it was a great thing the people had done this day it was a darned shame it had to be held and in his opinion, NASCAR ( & the tracks ) could have taken 10% of the popcorn money all these years and started a fund that by now would surely be perpetual & would take care of those injured or lost in battle. It was met with a large round of applause and some big thumbs up from many in attendence.
We all know that something has to be done for those like Sam Ard & the families that have to support them. It`s the right thing to do, no matter how late in doing so. Let`s hope those that up til now have had no shame and have lived well off the labors of the crews and drivers and their families will wake up and look around and realize that they still have one large puzzle piece missing. It`s called The Right Thing. In most cases it can make humans feel so much better. Are you listening in San Francisco and oh yeah, Daytona Beach ?
Photos of the event may be viewed or uploaded at;
http://larre.smugmug.com/gallery/4195132/1
www.memorylaneautomuseum.com
by Duane Goins ('Industry Outlaw')
On a historic weekend for NASCAR Busch Grand National drivers, two old rivals were being honored over a variety of spectrums. Over in Concord, Tommy Houston was inducted into the Motorsports Writers Hall Of Fame. He was introduced by Glen Jarrett at the fancy hotel over there. I`m sure the meal was great .
On the other end of the spectrum, the winingest driver in BGN history, Sam Ard, 22 wins in just 92 starts, and many many more short track races, before a career ending head injury at Rockingham in 1984, was signing autographs in between taking time out in his wheelchair to rest .
An overflow crowd that forced the doors to be opened two hours earlier than than advertised 10 am stood in line til 4 pm to see and talk with legendary drivers, engine builders, and crew chiefs from all the way back to the 1950`s to current day drivers Carl Long, and the most recent driver to 'retire' with a head injury, Jerry Nadau and his very young and beautiful family.
Fans came from as far as New York, Pennslyvania, Nebraska, Ohio, Miami, and Daytona to see all their favorites and pay homage to one of NASCAR`s most popular drivers. They paid $8 for the right to see all these men & women that made NASCAR history up close..this writer remembers the day when a ticket in the main grandstand at Charlotte was the same price.
They bought raffle tickets for items donated to help raise money. Some even threw their raffle ticket back into the drawing bowl so as to help the fundraising. A silent auction was included also. A man in a wheelchair that had driven from St Petersburg Fla won the 50/50 drawing and made a donation back to the fund for Sam.
All types of media were present except the local paper that, after at least 4 e-mails, gave the event a little more than a paragraph or two in the Friday edtion with NO coverage after the event. Strange from a publication that likes to 'buck' the system. 'Posers' I think is the current trendy word those that 'talk the talk' but don`t walk the walk', except they don`t 'talk' that much to begin with.
The day ended with a conversation with Sam about the long day and all the loving people, and he was told that nobody would ever forget him, followed by a resounding applause, whistles and yells from the crowd after a loud 'pre-race intro' by Southeastern short track announcer Duane Goins.
Sam`s daughter tried to thank everyone but was overcome and her statement was finished by Mr Goins, saying that he was in independent contractor with no ties to Daytona and that in as that it was a great thing the people had done this day it was a darned shame it had to be held and in his opinion, NASCAR ( & the tracks ) could have taken 10% of the popcorn money all these years and started a fund that by now would surely be perpetual & would take care of those injured or lost in battle. It was met with a large round of applause and some big thumbs up from many in attendence.
We all know that something has to be done for those like Sam Ard & the families that have to support them. It`s the right thing to do, no matter how late in doing so. Let`s hope those that up til now have had no shame and have lived well off the labors of the crews and drivers and their families will wake up and look around and realize that they still have one large puzzle piece missing. It`s called The Right Thing. In most cases it can make humans feel so much better. Are you listening in San Francisco and oh yeah, Daytona Beach ?
Photos of the event may be viewed or uploaded at;
http://larre.smugmug.com/gallery/4195132/1
www.memorylaneautomuseum.com