When I started writing many moons ago, my mentor told me never to write when angry. What he said makes sense. However, I have to break this one rule.
Regular readers of this column know that one of my favorite things to do every year is participate in the Long Island racing reunion, staged by Marty Himes. For the last seven years, it has been held at Riverhead Raceway.
For all those years, the track owners, Barbara and Jim Cromarty, opened their gates for us and totally supported it. In fact, last year when it poured rain, they gave us a later date. Marty Himes had no indication that there were any problems. Yet, six days before this year’s reunion, he got a terse phone call, saying that he and his reunion won’t be welcome this year.
What a cruel thing to do. If they didn’t want to stage the event, why not say something earlier? Marty could have scheduled the event elsewhere. People fly in from California and Florida every year.
What I especially hate is this impugns the reputation of Marty Himes, who has tirelessly done so much for those of us who helped create racing history on L.I. It strikes me as a vindictive act and I wonder what the Cromartys will gain from this, as they have lost many supporters and friends.
• ESPN is back televising NASCAR racing. They used to be the best. Aside from pit reporters Mike Massaro and Dave Burns, their commentators are awful.
Trying to run the twice-postponed Michigan Cup race, NASCAR had to delay the start an hour because cloud cover hindered the view of the spotters. For many years, there were no spotters.
That hour was filled by Jerry Punch’s slobbering over NASCAR President Mike Helton. It made it difficult to eat lunch.
Rusty Wallace chided Kevin Harvick for his comments via two-way radio to his crew when J.P. Montoya spun. What was ESPN doing eavesdropping over a private confab anyway? How come they didn’t listen to what Ricky Rudd or anybody else had to say? Rusty had plenty to say about his rivals when he was racing. What about his son, who seems to wreck every week?
ESPN sure wasted money on its “draft-track” special effects. Too bad it doesn’t show why racing was better 20 years ago without the damned “aero-push.”
• Unfortunately, it didn’t look like there were 40,000 fans at the Knoxville Nationals like announcer Ralph Sheehan blathered. People just don’t seem to have the enthusiasm they had for racing years ago. Better racing and less rules and politics would help.
• I wonder if NASCAR will get Oscar Mayer to sponsor its rulebook? Talk about baloney!
• Don’t forget Ken Brenn’s car show Sept. 9, the day after the Freedom 76 at Grandview Speedway. Williams Grove’s Open is set for Friday- Saturday Sept. 29-29. Hope the gremlins don’t keep me away again.
• Best wishes to my longtime friend John Roth on the news he will be a granddad. That child will have two excellent male influences.