About 25 years ago, most of us were pleased that flag-to-flag television coverage of auto racing had arrived. It certainly was beneficial to everybody, as it gave large corporations a chance to invest in auto racing.
What could be bad about all this? The assault on our ears is one thing. The racing community went overboard with endless plugs for sponsors.
I remember the first real offender was Geoff Bodine, who used to make one nauseous with his overbearing plugs for his sponsor’s product.
In ensuing years, I remember getting the last laugh. Bodine ended up with his own team, which folded due to lack of sponsorship.
There are times I remember drivers climbing out of careening or burning race cars and despite being winded, got in another plug.
“My Acme Sassafrass Special was running well until it turned over five times and burst into flames,” is not an exaggeration.
Broadcasters shouldn’t be concerned with this, but most of them are.
I recall on early ESPN telecasts, if Bob Jenkins mentioned a certain racer, Ned Jarrett would interrupt him to point out the placard on the quarter panel.
You just can’t get through an interview without a driver or a team member getting that mention in. It is ridiculous. Let’s face it: sponsorship is a big tax deduction. That’s why they do it in most cases.
But the lowest point was reached a couple of weeks ago. During the NHRA telecast from Englishtown, N.J., the close-knit drag-racing fraternity was in total sorrow over the loss of driver Scott Kalitta.
Gary Gerould, an experienced broadcaster, had difficulty doing his job. Gary Scelzi, a contemporary of Scott, couldn’t talk without showing his emotions. Then came Cruz Pedregon.
In the middle of all the grief, Pedregon had the absolute gall to use the moment to plug his sponsor, not once, but twice. If I were there, I would have smacked him. I will not shop anymore in the retail auto-parts store, which sponsors him.
• Compiling all-time lists always starts arguments, but I sure can’t figure out how ESPN’s “panel of experts” came up with 25 great drivers and did not include Parnelli Jones. Parnelli won in all types of race cars and probably was the second most dominant driver at Indianapolis behind Bill Vukovich, who also wasn’t included.
• Did you hear about the dope who stole a GPS system from a car? He took it home, activated it and the cops arrested him.
• Old friend Rick Miller is going to (well, he says so) retire from Gater Racing News after covering Long Island since 1971.You mean people really retire from this? He’ll be missed.
• Those of us privileged to talk into a microphone should bow our collective heads for Jim McKay and Tim Russert. Both did their jobs with style and class.
• Thanks for all the nice comments on the Freddie Stutz column. He was very special.
• I get a kick out of seeing ole Buzzie Reutimann on TV, still racing at age 67. Buzz won the greatest race I ever saw, the 1969 All-Star finale at Nazareth National.
• Is it true Hillary Clinton wants to invoke NASCAR’s Chase system for this years’s election?
Checking the ‘roids’ box on my organ donor card at 25 Emerson Place Valley Stream, N.Y. 11580. E-mail to Racewri771@AOL.com.