Heroes
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(I
want to apologize for my absence the past couple months, I had a heart attack
that has changed lots in my life, but I am back; not 100% just yet but enough to
crank out a few stories.)
In
most people's lives, they have heroes; people whom they look up to and admire
for one reason or another. I am no different (well in that aspect anyway.) I
too, have had a few heroes.
One
of my heroes was Jody Ridley, 7 time All Pro Champion and 1980 NASCAR Rookie of
The Year. I guess I picked Jody because he is from just down the road from me,
he drove Fords and he was a super nice guy. For years I followed him via
newspapers and articles in racing magazines, cheering him on when I attended
races where he raced. I used to draw pictures of his cars when I was in school.
Then
one day just a few years ago, while I was announcing at North Georgia Speedway
in Chatsworth Ga. We hosted the Biddle Ridley Memorial, to honor Jody's brother
and longtime crew chief. I was thrilled to be able to announce this historic
event. Then when I found out Jody would be there, I was even more thrilled, and
once I saw him, I jumped at the chance to do a one on one interview with my
hero! He sat and talked with me for almost an hour, talking about racing, and
talking about his brother Biddle, with whom he was very close. He was so
thankful we were honoring Biddle with the race. I sat on cloud 9 for a week
after that interview, and to top that night off, I got to do the victory lane
interview with “The Tarheel Tiger” Ray Cook, who won the race. What a night
that was.
But
I digress, another of my heroes was Dawsonville's very own Bill Elliott. I had
the honor of being at Riverside for his first win, I was at the track through
one of my own racing sponsors and walking up and down pit lane. I hear some
guys talking and they had some serious southern accents which caught my
attention, so I wandered over and spoke with them. It was Bill Elliott's pit
crew. As the race drew to a close Bill got the lead and I was not going
anywhere! I stood there watching the crew jump and holler as he took the win.
Watching the press run up and down pit road screaming “Who is Bill Elliott?” No
one knew who he was, then, but it was the start of a long career and the first
of many wins for the Dawsonville native.
Well
recently through my work with the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame in Dawsonville I
got the chance to do a sit-down interview with Bill himself. I have never been
one to be star struck, but this was different. It was Awesome Bill from
Dawsonville! I followed around as the NBC crew did their interview for the
Darlington race on TV and when it came time for him and I
to sit down, he was amazing. “My God where did you get that 'stashe?” he asked. We both laughed and the next 45 minutes
were filled with history, stories and laughter. He was open and honest about
anything I asked, we talked about how he felt about being in the Georgia Hall
of Fame, and some of the others who were in there as well; talked about his
career and now his part in watching his son Chase step into the family
business. Before long it was done and we went to part ways, he looked at me
smiled and said, “Thank you for the work you’re doing here at the Hall and for
what you do to keep the history of this sport alive.” Come to find out, he has
read some of my ramblings and he actually knew who I was and what I was doing.
I actually am still on cloud 9.
But
to look back on what has happened in racing over the past 15 years, and to sit
and talk to one of the icons of the sport, it changed my outlook a bit. I now
have a new understanding of the sport and lots of the behind-the-scene things
that happen. I am still just as in love with racing as I ever was, but now,
after meeting both my heroes and doing interviews with both, I have reached a
place I never ever thought I would. I have done things I never thought
possible. I have learned first-hand that chasing your dream can be an amazing
ride because sometimes dreams do come true.
(The
article with Bill will be available later on since it is part of a project I am
working on for the Hall of Fame.)