Longstanding traditions have been part and parcel of the American way of life for as long as all of us can remember, and certain customs within the realm of professional sports are no exception.
Consider, for instance, what professional baseball would be without the ceremonial first pitch or seventh inning stretch, or a resounding chorus of "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" spontaneously ringing throughout the stadium. Consider further, what professional football season would be without the annual "Thanksgiving Classic" or the extravagant Super Bowl halftime production, or what the absence of "March Madness" would mean to the world of college basketball. And just how much excitement and enjoyment would hockey season be without its share of broken teeth, bloody noses and bruised egos that are just as much a part of the quest for the coveted Stanley Cup as are the games themselves?
In one word: boring.
In essence, tradition is just as much a part of any sport as is the competition itself. It provides both fans and participants with a sense of consistency and continuity--a comfort zone, if you will--that keeps the loyalists coming back for more, in eager anticipation of those "little things" that they have al come to expect and embrace over the passage of time.
Nascar racing is certainly no exception to the rule when it comes to many of those endeared customs that have placed a signature stamp upon the sport over the 60-plus years since its inception. What follows is a look (in no particular order of importance) at a mere sampling of the traditions that have served over the sport's history to shape, mold and define it into what it has become--arguably the most popular spectator sport in the United States today.
SPEEDWEEKS AND THE DAYTONA 500
Consider, for instance, what professional baseball would be without the ceremonial first pitch or seventh inning stretch, or a resounding chorus of "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" spontaneously ringing throughout the stadium. Consider further, what professional football season would be without the annual "Thanksgiving Classic" or the extravagant Super Bowl halftime production, or what the absence of "March Madness" would mean to the world of college basketball. And just how much excitement and enjoyment would hockey season be without its share of broken teeth, bloody noses and bruised egos that are just as much a part of the quest for the coveted Stanley Cup as are the games themselves?
In one word: boring.
In essence, tradition is just as much a part of any sport as is the competition itself. It provides both fans and participants with a sense of consistency and continuity--a comfort zone, if you will--that keeps the loyalists coming back for more, in eager anticipation of those "little things" that they have al come to expect and embrace over the passage of time.
Nascar racing is certainly no exception to the rule when it comes to many of those endeared customs that have placed a signature stamp upon the sport over the 60-plus years since its inception. What follows is a look (in no particular order of importance) at a mere sampling of the traditions that have served over the sport's history to shape, mold and define it into what it has become--arguably the most popular spectator sport in the United States today.
SPEEDWEEKS AND THE DAYTONA 500
While other professional sports have always adhered to the practice of reserving "crowning glory" for their respective season finales, Nascar by longstanding tradition practices the exact opposite. Each February, the teams end their three-month off-season sabbatical by heading to the very birthplace of their sport--Daytona Beach, Florida--for their season-kickoff spectacular known as "Speedweeks." This grand opening event is actually a series of "several" events taking place over an 11-day time span and culminating in what has come to be known as "The Great American Race" or "The Super Bowl Of Nascar," the Daytona 500. Customarily, he who triumphs in this most prestigious event is known not as the Daytona 500 "winner" but rather as the race "champion," and furthermore his winning car is subsequently "confiscated" by Nascar for the honor of being placed on public display at "Daytona USA" for the period of one year, until a subsequent "champion" is duly crowned. Also worthy of mention is the fact that to this day, the Daytona 500 is the only race on the circuit whose title is not preceded by the name of a corporate sponsor, leaving it to stand alone in the place of honor to which it alone is rightfully due.
THE CHECKERED FLAG
Although its actual origin is unclear, it is most likely believed that the tradition of waving the checkered flag in recognition of a driver's victory began in the early days of racing dirt tracks, where women placed in charge of drivers' lunch breaks would signal them to stop by waving a checkered table cloth. Another widely accepted theory of origin states that the flag was first used to signal the end of bicycle races in 19th century France. The earliest actual photograph of a checkered flag's use at the end of a race is traced to New York during the inaugural Vanderbilt Cup race. Though the date of said race is uncertain, the best estimate of such time is somewhere between 1906 and 1908. (SOURCE: CheckeredFlag.com)
"SIGNATURE" VICTORY CELEBRATIONS
THE CHECKERED FLAG
Although its actual origin is unclear, it is most likely believed that the tradition of waving the checkered flag in recognition of a driver's victory began in the early days of racing dirt tracks, where women placed in charge of drivers' lunch breaks would signal them to stop by waving a checkered table cloth. Another widely accepted theory of origin states that the flag was first used to signal the end of bicycle races in 19th century France. The earliest actual photograph of a checkered flag's use at the end of a race is traced to New York during the inaugural Vanderbilt Cup race. Though the date of said race is uncertain, the best estimate of such time is somewhere between 1906 and 1908. (SOURCE: CheckeredFlag.com)
"SIGNATURE" VICTORY CELEBRATIONS
Modern-day post-race celebrations have long since moved well beyond the customary "victory lap" to allow the individual drivers to "seal" their hard-fought triumphs with pieces of their own respective personalities, thus making each celebration truly "one's own." Among those "personal touches" that fans have come to recognize and love over the years are the backward ("Polish") victory lap, credited to the late Alan Kulwicki for the purpose of ending each race "facing and thanking the fans"; the "fence climb" (Tony Stewart); the "snow angel" (Kurt Busch, in response to his Bristol victory the day after a massive snowfall pounded the track); the backflip (Carl Edwards); Kyle Busch's "victory bow"; and "the kissing of the bricks," initiated by Dale Jarrett's crew following DJ's 1996 triumph in the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis.
However, there is perhaps no victory tradition more popular amogst both drivers and fans than the celebratory "burnout." Although its origin within the realm of Nascar is debatable, the practice actually took root in the CART series, where in 1997 driver Alex Zanardi "lost [self] control" after emerging from last place and a lap down to win the Cleveland Grand Prix, without the benefit of a caution flag. The story is told that he was so excited that instead of heading to Victory Lane, he drove his car directly "to the front straightaway, put his foot on the brakes, turned the wheel and pushed the gas pedal to the floor" (David Newton, ESPN.com). Credit for the first actual burnout on the Nascar circuit has been attributed to several drivers, among them Dale Earnhardt Sr. (the 1998 Daytona 500); Ron Hornaday Jr. (Nascar Craftsman/now Camping World Truck Series); Mike Skinner (Suzuka , Japan--1998); and Kevin Harvick (Atlanta 2001, two races following the death of Dale Earnhardt Sr.). But irrespective of its actual beginnings on the Nascar circuit, the burnout remains the most widely recognized and beloved celebration of victory within present-day Nascar.
Whomever the driver, whatever the race, there is no doubt that the fans love watching the drivers place their own marks of individuality upon their moments of glory, and there is no doubt in your writer's mind that as time passes and new victors emerge from the shadows, the list of beloved victory celebrations will increase both in number and the creativity factor.
DARLINGTON: THE LADY IN BLACK, "TOO TOUGH TO TAME"
However, there is perhaps no victory tradition more popular amogst both drivers and fans than the celebratory "burnout." Although its origin within the realm of Nascar is debatable, the practice actually took root in the CART series, where in 1997 driver Alex Zanardi "lost [self] control" after emerging from last place and a lap down to win the Cleveland Grand Prix, without the benefit of a caution flag. The story is told that he was so excited that instead of heading to Victory Lane, he drove his car directly "to the front straightaway, put his foot on the brakes, turned the wheel and pushed the gas pedal to the floor" (David Newton, ESPN.com). Credit for the first actual burnout on the Nascar circuit has been attributed to several drivers, among them Dale Earnhardt Sr. (the 1998 Daytona 500); Ron Hornaday Jr. (Nascar Craftsman/now Camping World Truck Series); Mike Skinner (Suzuka , Japan--1998); and Kevin Harvick (Atlanta 2001, two races following the death of Dale Earnhardt Sr.). But irrespective of its actual beginnings on the Nascar circuit, the burnout remains the most widely recognized and beloved celebration of victory within present-day Nascar.
Whomever the driver, whatever the race, there is no doubt that the fans love watching the drivers place their own marks of individuality upon their moments of glory, and there is no doubt in your writer's mind that as time passes and new victors emerge from the shadows, the list of beloved victory celebrations will increase both in number and the creativity factor.
DARLINGTON: THE LADY IN BLACK, "TOO TOUGH TO TAME"
Without a doubt, Darlington Raceway, the first of Nascar's "super speedway" tracks (by original classification), is also among its most beloved, despite its dubious distinction as the track "too tough to tame." As your writer has been known to state (botched grammar and all) with each visit that the drivers make to this historic track, "The Lady In Black ain't nobody's lady!" This 1.366 mile raceway, by today's measurements re-classified as an intermediate track, is perhaps most widely revered as both the birthplace of the "Southern 500" and for its trademark battle scar appropriately known as the "Darlington Stripe." It has been stated in the past on numerous occasions that a driver has not "properly" raced Darlington until he has been the unwilling recipient of his own "stripe," and further, as an outward "honor" to "The Lady," the retaining walls remain, for the most part, untouched by paint, leaving the bold "black" in place on said wall as a silent reminder that this particular track is "one tough old broad" and he who remains standing in conquest when all is said and done is truly worthy of the respect of his competitors and an entire nation of fans.
TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY AND "THE BIG ONE"
TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY AND "THE BIG ONE"
With each visit to Talladega Superspeedway, it is never a question of "WILL" there be a major wreck, but rather one of "When?", "Who will trigger the highly-anticipated 'disaster'?, and "How many cars will be involved?" Over your writer's 20-plus years as a Nascar fan, I have been witness to more than "anyone's" share, fair or unfair, of such "horror stories" at the 2.66 mile facility--two "spectacles in particular involving my drivers of personal choice: Rusty Wallace in the spring of 1993 and Carl Edwards in the spring of 2009. But despite the dangers traditionally associated with the speedway (attributed, realistically speaking, to the practice of "restrictor plate racing" due to the size and configuration of the track), Talladega's two yearly events continue to draw in some of the largest crowds of the season, a significant testament to its place of honor in the hearts of race fans everywhere.
BACK-TO-BACK EXCITEMENT AT CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY
For those race fans seeking "that little added extra" in terms of the excitement factor, the last two weeks in the month of May are guaranteed to provide just that, as the teams head to Charlotte, North Carolina for two highly anticipated weeks of thrills, chills and spills. The first event on the calendar is Nascar's All-Star Challenge, a non-points, "show me the money" event where almost anything goes. Although subjected to certain tweaks and changes each year, the basics surrounding the "all for fun, all for the money" event are the same: the eligible participants consist of winning drivers from the present and previous seasons, past Cup series champions, two drivers who "race" their way in during a mini-opener event and one driver who, on the basis of fan popularity voting, is "elected" into the field. The race is run under the lights in multiple segments, and though a "victor" is recognized for each segment, the actual winner of the overall event is not determined until the checkered flag falls at the end of the "final" segment.
By tradition, the Coca-Cola 600, in terms of distance the longest event of the Nascar season, takes place in Charlotte over the Memorial Day weekend. The 600 is unique to Nascar in terms of distance, and until 2010's addition of 75 miles to the spring race at Phoenix, this race also held the distinction of being Nascar's only "daylight-into-nighttime" event. Also noteworthy regarding the 600: it takes place on the same date as the prestigious Indianapolis 500, and over a period of several years in Nascar's recent history, a few drivers attempted what has become known as the 1,100 mile "Double Dip,"an attempt to run both the Indianapolis and Charlotte events in whole or in part, over the course of a single day. Two drivers noteworthy in that respect are Tony Stewart and John Andretti.
THE ALL-STAR PIT CREW PRE-RACE SPECTACULAR
BACK-TO-BACK EXCITEMENT AT CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY
For those race fans seeking "that little added extra" in terms of the excitement factor, the last two weeks in the month of May are guaranteed to provide just that, as the teams head to Charlotte, North Carolina for two highly anticipated weeks of thrills, chills and spills. The first event on the calendar is Nascar's All-Star Challenge, a non-points, "show me the money" event where almost anything goes. Although subjected to certain tweaks and changes each year, the basics surrounding the "all for fun, all for the money" event are the same: the eligible participants consist of winning drivers from the present and previous seasons, past Cup series champions, two drivers who "race" their way in during a mini-opener event and one driver who, on the basis of fan popularity voting, is "elected" into the field. The race is run under the lights in multiple segments, and though a "victor" is recognized for each segment, the actual winner of the overall event is not determined until the checkered flag falls at the end of the "final" segment.
By tradition, the Coca-Cola 600, in terms of distance the longest event of the Nascar season, takes place in Charlotte over the Memorial Day weekend. The 600 is unique to Nascar in terms of distance, and until 2010's addition of 75 miles to the spring race at Phoenix, this race also held the distinction of being Nascar's only "daylight-into-nighttime" event. Also noteworthy regarding the 600: it takes place on the same date as the prestigious Indianapolis 500, and over a period of several years in Nascar's recent history, a few drivers attempted what has become known as the 1,100 mile "Double Dip,"an attempt to run both the Indianapolis and Charlotte events in whole or in part, over the course of a single day. Two drivers noteworthy in that respect are Tony Stewart and John Andretti.
THE ALL-STAR PIT CREW PRE-RACE SPECTACULAR
While all of the pre-race attention during the regular "points races" is focused on driver introductions, there is one night a year set aside for the pit crew members to bask in "their" respective moments in the spotlight: the All-Star Challenge pre-race festivities. With a touch of nighttime glimmer, glitz and pageantry near-equal to a Hollywood-fashioned extravaganza, each participating driver's crew excitedly emerges onto a stage-setting and subsequently rushes into the crowd amidst an exuberant display of hand-slapping, high-fiving displays of unity and team spirit, all in rhythm to a background of upbeat, celebratory music. To say the least, this traditional team-and-crowd motivator is hailed by the fans as "near-equal" to the racing itself in terms of the excitement factor.
TRIUMPHS AND TROPHIES
TRIUMPHS AND TROPHIES
It goes without saying that any and every race victory is unique and special in its own respect. However, there are a few select facilities where the "special" is accompanied by the "sweet," in the form of certain coveted trophies unique to those specific tracks. Notable among such are Martinsville Speedway's special-crafted grandfather clocks; Nashville Speedway's signature Gibson guitars (specially handcrafted by Sam Bass, before the track held its final event last season); "Miles," Dover International Speedway's concrete "Monster;" the Memphis "Statue Of Elvis"; and arguably the most unusual and outrageous of them all: Texas Motor Speedway's 12-gauge Beretta shotgun--and it's for real, folks! Such displays of originality leave your writer wondering just what someone else's brand of creative genius is going to craft next and for which race track. May I personally suggest a mini-statuette of a battle-scarred race car. fully upright and mimicking the ultimate gymnastic "headstand," to be gifted twice yearly to Talladega's "Survival Of The Fittest"?
All jokes aside, no one can deny the important place that certain traditions occupy within the sports (plural) that all of us enjoy watching during any given season of the year. While "change is good" in terms of flowing with the times, your writer holds fast to the belief that the familiar is so much better in terms of providing a stable sense of where things now stand relative to their humble (or not-so-humble) beginnings--a lesson in history worthy of passing down to later generations of fans in order that they, too, may learn to appreciate those time-honored elements that well-seasoned fans will continue to hold dear for generations to come.
All jokes aside, no one can deny the important place that certain traditions occupy within the sports (plural) that all of us enjoy watching during any given season of the year. While "change is good" in terms of flowing with the times, your writer holds fast to the belief that the familiar is so much better in terms of providing a stable sense of where things now stand relative to their humble (or not-so-humble) beginnings--a lesson in history worthy of passing down to later generations of fans in order that they, too, may learn to appreciate those time-honored elements that well-seasoned fans will continue to hold dear for generations to come.
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