31 December 2007

Get Back to Roots

There are things in my life I'd like to just get away from, my redneck roots being one of them, but I just can't seem to do it!

I was born a poor black child in a very small town in Eastern Washington. Some of my earliest memories involve sitting on the bleachers on Saturday nights at the Ephrata Raceway Park while my uncles raced street stock class. The smell of burning oil and rubber, the deafening noise, and the drama - ohhh, the memories.

My family got out of racing when most of them moved to central and western Washington. Life happened, and I never thought much about it until a visit home about seven years ago. Seems the family has gotten back in to racing - this time in Idaho at the Stateline Stadium & Speedway - Bump-to-Pass class. Dig deep for that stereotypical image of a "good old boy" and you'll be able to fill up the grandstands! Here I was, building those same redneck memories for my son, who thought there was nothing better than having "Rhino" sign his cheap plastic checkered flag!

I recovered from that visit, and although that signed flag still hangs in my son's bedroom, stock car and bump-to-pass racing never crossed my mind again. How could they? I am a well educated, well traveled, city dwelling refined redneck woman ... or so I thought ...

Friday night, my husband is flipping through the 9,486 satellite channels trying to find something to watch. He settles on the SPEED channel which is showing Get Back to Dirt. Sounds like it could be a great flick to get hubby in the mood, especially if it involves a little water mixed in the dirt, but no, it's an award winning, 90-minute documentary on street stock, dirt track racing.
You'd think he would have had a fight on his hands, but "Honey, would you please turn on the Lifetime channel?" never crossed my lips. I watched the entire 90 minutes like it was CNN. I just couldn't rest until I knew:
  1. If Gayla Jones, the only woman racing in any class at Devil's Bowl Speedway, would finally ask her race suit sniffing sponsor move out of her home like her husband wanted (she did, but her marriage broke up anyway),
  2. If Bubba Meeks learned how to read (he didn't, but he did get his teeth fixed)
  3. If Travis Pace would blow up his garage again while working on his car (he didn't, and seems to have recovered from last year's accidental burning down of the family home)
  4. If Doug Smith's 16 year old daughter would follow in his footsteps (she did, and Doug cried when he had to sell the engine from his car to pay for her car), and
  5. If Trandel White would get caught cheating (he did, but no one seemed to mind much).
The truth hurts, and that moment was excruciatingly painful. I knew I would never be able to deny my redneck roots - that they were always simmering just below the surface of my tarnished polished image.

Did I mention it is only 48 days until Daytona???

19 comments:

Schmoop said...

I love the smell of gasoline, and always have. 48 days, eh? How I miss Buckshot Jones. Cheers and Happy Redneck New Year!!

buffalodick said...

For as much as I've always liked and worked on cars, I've never gotten into watching the roundandround races... Cookin' pit BB-Q is where the redneck in me comes out....

R.E.H. said...

I've never been one to enjoy watching race cars... I would really enjoy driving them myself, and participate in the races, but to watch some cars go round-and-round (even if at a high speed) would just bore me to death.

I did enjoy stock-car racing as a kid though... when the cars crashed and tumbled over ;)

Hava a Fabulous New Year's Eve!

Leighann said...

I'm just now getting into football. (something that's been big in my family for ages) I come from a family of Bears fans and married a Vikings fan!

Dana said...

Matt-Man, I thought I saw you sniffing the gas can in the garage!

Buffalodickdy, so when hubby and I buy that motor home and travel the NASCAR circuit, I should hire you as our cook?

REH, you need to watch bump-to-pass - it's like demolition derby on a 1/4 mile dirt track. Nothing like it (thank goodness!)

Leighann, I can always give you redneck lessons. I actually know the difference between Encroachment and a False Start!

Jay said...

Having grown up in a small town in the South it was pretty much mandated by law that I watch NASCAR growing up. But, I remember the good old days of ESPN's early days when they showed Saturday Night Races. All the dirt track and sprint car races. All much better than NASCAR, which I suspect is scripted. LOL ;-)

I've driven an Indy style car in Vegas once at at adult grand prix park. It was a lot of fun even though the car wouldn't go over like 90 mph.

buffalodick said...

Well, maybe... No goddamm country music (I gotta have rock!) And you gotta let my use the john in the RV.. And if Johnny Benson Jr. is runnin', we buy Tee-shirts! I know his old man- he could outdrive that kid any day!!!

Dana said...

Jay, I knew someone would understand my plight! You have first hand knowledge even. Does that make us soul mates??

Buffalodickdy, I may be redneck enough to admit to watching NASCAR, but that's where I draw the line! Give me Pin Floyd or give me death!

none said...

my dad's body shop usd to sponsor a stock car at a local raceway when I was a kid. From that point on I was hooked. The smell of burn rubber and car exaust bring back great memories.

Anonymous said...

Well I spect this will be hard to imagine but not only do I have deep 'neck roots Iprefer to wallow in it rather than try to hide it. I use it to my advantage in most all situations. I am also a self described cracker, it's tough not to be being raised a farmboy, refusing to wear any britches but jeans and always going lidded mostly with a Resistol! I like the races if I'm there but not so much on TV. The tailgating is far better than the race. Since they messed with the cars and they are all alike now its boring.
Happy New Year all!!!
SS

Dana said...

Hammer, there's nothing quite like the smell of burning rubber to bring back strong memories, is there??

Southern Sage, I think I might just need to do a bit more wallowing!

Anonymous said...

The entire time I was reading, race scenes from DAYS OF THUNDER with the song "Gimmie Some Lovin" were flying through my head...

Unknown said...

Racing is not redneck darling...we can hang on to those roots...I live in the land of Matt Kenseth, I love racing....never had famiyl who participated though.

Pop in to the Cafe for my New Year's wish for you.

captain corky said...

"I was born a poor black child in a very small town in Eastern Washington."

LOL!

Rick Rockhill said...

I'll watch daytona just to see what I don't mind missing all year long~

Jeff B said...

You may be a redneck if you knew the answers to those bullet points before reading the parts in parenthesis

Dana said...

Birdman, will you still like me if I tell you I own Days of Thunder?

Sassy Lucy, NASCAR may not be all redneck, but trust me, you gotta have a bit of redneck to appreciate the dirt track and bump-to-pass!

CPT, I wondered if anyone would get that line! I should have known it would be you!

PSS, just think of how diversified your perspective will be after Daytona!

Jeff, BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

g-man said...

Ah dirt. Lebanon Valley Speedway in upstate NY. :)

My buddy was pissed at me because I had the gaul to get married during the Daytona-500. (he made the right choice and stood with me)

Happy New Year!!!!

P.s. Amazing weight loss, congrats. I have struggled most of my life, and am currently back on the wagon so-to-speak.

Dana said...

I'm telling you, there's nothing like a great dirt track! You got married during Daytona and he still stood at your wedding? Amazing!