Brock:
I grew up in Charlotte, was a member of a volunteer fire department on which we had a tire changer, and the chief electrictian for a couple Nascar teams. One of the fire instructors is married to Robert Yates' daughter. My friends Dad does PR for various people in the business including Darrell Waltrip, Ryan Newman and most recently the Jack Daniels account with Keystone Marketing. Now I have no direct knowledge, aside from my friend who flies a Beech 1900 for Chip Ganassi about the business, but my informal friendly, and firehouse conversation (historically embellished, but based in truth) and just like trying to get on the pit crew or be a driver, its a huge leg up to know people. Not saying you won't get in, but 90 percent of the pilots were hired before they were hired if you know what I mean.
If you live in Charlotte, you'll be home alot. Especially the 2 weeks during the Cocacola 600 and the All Star race, plus the Fall race.
But the atmosphere is my cup of tea. Good people, real people. Nobody out to screw you over. Lots of nice people that would give you the shirt off their back or invite you out on Lake Norman on their boat, 10 minutes after meeting you.
Case in point.
I had just gotten my private license and went to a Wendy's commercial shoot at Concord Motorsports Park...the last commercial Dave Thomas was in before he died. I was never introduced to Darrel Waltrip who was in it, and had no reason to suspect he even knew I existed. When I was leaving he overheard me say goodbye to someone and said
"You boys goin flying?"
I mumbled something about how the weather was nice, but having to cut grass (my summer job) and quickly walked away, in shock. My friends dad said my pilot status came up "in the course of conversation". He's nothing special, not rich, not a politician...just been in the business for 30 years and is well known. But for someome like Darrel Waltrip to speak up to an 18 year old kid like me who he didnt even know anything about, aside from what my friends dad told him about me wanting to fly, I dont think you'll find that attitude in any other sport.
I've got more stories like that where I've been welcomed with open arms into an environment I didnt expect to be, but I'll save them.
To me thats what makes Nascar a special environment to be in. Plenty of people in and around the business have stories like that. I'd be proud to be in that kind of business, even if it meant being away from home.
imp:
