Give Me Five Volume 27

By Arianne Hegeman
May 12, 2008 

1.       Everyone is feeling the pain of soaring gas prices; even NASCAR race teams who operate in a multi- million dollar business.  Imagine how the cost is affecting mom and pop race tracks all across the nation.  Racing fuel tends to cost more than passenger vehicle go-flow.  Should race tracks look at shortening their events in order to save money for local racers?  The schedules cannot be shortened without directly affecting the bottom line profit that struggling track owners are already up against.  If things don’t improve the industry will have to do something.

     2.       Ever heard about the peanut superstition in  
            NASCAR?  The origin is relatively unknown yet 
            theories abound.  Some believe a race team ate
            peanuts while working on their car prior to a race
            and when the engine later blew, they blamed the
            peanuts.  Another theory mentions peanut shells
            sprinkled on the hoods of five race cars, those cars
            wound up wrecked by the end of the day. A more
            serious debate involves the death of a driver who
            ate peanuts prior to the start of an event. Even
            though the origin may never be proven, the
           superstition is still very much alive. Consider this: 
           Darlington Raceway is known as the toughest track
           on the circuit and ironically, it was built over a
           peanut field in the late 1940’s.  Hmmmmmm…..  

3.       Being a social worker by day, I love to hear stories of drivers helping other drivers, race teams helping other race teams, so on and so forth.  Most recently at the “return to the rock” ARCA event, NASCAR drivers, crew chiefs and crewmen showed up on a rare day-off to support Andy Hillenburg’s efforts.  Whether it’s bringing the roar of engines back to a racetrack or giving a legendary racer a race’s worth of tires; the spirit of giving is what makes waking up every day worth the effort.    

4.       NASCAR Day is coming up on May 16th.  Dollars raised in the effort will benefit a list of charitable causes.  Some of those organizations include; The Victory Junction Gang Camp,  KaBOOM!, and The Children’s Emergency Room at Homestead Hospital.  Race fans can purchase a NASCAR Day pin at any Home Depot.

5.       Saturday night racing vs Sunday afternoon racing; which is better?  From the perspective of someone who hates mornings and typically is not fully awake until noon; night races rock.  Saturday night racing also leaves time for other things that I should be taking care of on Sunday afternoon.  It also avoids those ugly scenes when my well-meaning family members and friends plan barbeques and parties on Sunday afternoons.  There is something exciting about night racing in general.  The paint schemes look brighter and the energy level seems higher.  Plus it gives race team members and drivers much needed time off on Sunday.

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