Ever feel like the world is a tuxedo and you are pair of brown shoes?
My friend Jay won weekend passes to the AMA Superbike races at Barber Motorsports Park.
He couldn't use the Saturday passes, so he gave them to me. I was thrilled. I had taken Lovett to an auto race there last year, and we fell in love with the place. George Barber made a fortune in the dairy business and turned his hobby of motorcycle collecting into one of the premier road racing tracks in the world, right here in Alabama. Porsche Driving Experience moved their entire operation from Road Atlanta to BMP, and the top road racing series are beginning to take notice of the facility. It is a gorgeous course. In some places, spectators can see 70 percent of the track. Parking is free and free trams take you anywhere you want to go. It is a prime example of what can happen with a little free enterprise and vision in this state of pork procurers and demagogues.
Zelda and Dora wanted to go, so we made a day of it. We saw a lot of practicing, and some qualifying, and two races. Don't ask me who did what, 'cause I really couldn't tell you. Number 1 led the first race the whole time and won. Number 98 and number 1 and number 3 battled for the lead in the second race, and I think number 98 won (at least, his number was at the top of the big pole in the center of the track at the end). I doubt there was a man there that knew as little about motorcycle racing than me. Or women either. My manhood is not threatened by this, however. Sports have had their proper place in my life for a long time. I go to a game, or an event like this, marvel at the participant's skills, and go home when the last out is made or the horn sounds or the checkered flag waves. I don't have a stake in who wins or loses, and that suits me just fine.
So I thought I'd check out the evening news tonight to see what the race winners actually looked like. Now, with a world-class event in Birmingham with live TV coverage, you'd think it would be a pretty big story, wouldn't you?
Well, you'd be wrong. As was I. Apparently, the NFL got together today to choose up sides for next season. Which means someone somewhere said the word "football." Which means that the world stopped turning to see where our collegiate gridiron gods would ply their trade at the next level. A bunch of them from Auburn went somewhere, and one from UAB went somewhere else, and the Alabama guy finally got picked to go somewhere, too. They interviewed mama n'them, and the college coaches, and the sportscaster who nicknamed them, and the coaches who picked them, and them, until I begin to feel like I knew them better than some of my own family.
But what about the races?!? I screamed at my TV, like a regular sports fanatic.
There were races at the Barber Motorsports Park today, chimed the weekend sports anchor. And he proceeded to show 15 seconds of racing footage. 15 seconds. They didn't even give the winners time to take their helmets off. I still don't know who won. I guess I'll wait for tomorrow's paper.
You think the Birmingham News heard about the NFL thing today, too?
He couldn't use the Saturday passes, so he gave them to me. I was thrilled. I had taken Lovett to an auto race there last year, and we fell in love with the place. George Barber made a fortune in the dairy business and turned his hobby of motorcycle collecting into one of the premier road racing tracks in the world, right here in Alabama. Porsche Driving Experience moved their entire operation from Road Atlanta to BMP, and the top road racing series are beginning to take notice of the facility. It is a gorgeous course. In some places, spectators can see 70 percent of the track. Parking is free and free trams take you anywhere you want to go. It is a prime example of what can happen with a little free enterprise and vision in this state of pork procurers and demagogues.
Zelda and Dora wanted to go, so we made a day of it. We saw a lot of practicing, and some qualifying, and two races. Don't ask me who did what, 'cause I really couldn't tell you. Number 1 led the first race the whole time and won. Number 98 and number 1 and number 3 battled for the lead in the second race, and I think number 98 won (at least, his number was at the top of the big pole in the center of the track at the end). I doubt there was a man there that knew as little about motorcycle racing than me. Or women either. My manhood is not threatened by this, however. Sports have had their proper place in my life for a long time. I go to a game, or an event like this, marvel at the participant's skills, and go home when the last out is made or the horn sounds or the checkered flag waves. I don't have a stake in who wins or loses, and that suits me just fine.
So I thought I'd check out the evening news tonight to see what the race winners actually looked like. Now, with a world-class event in Birmingham with live TV coverage, you'd think it would be a pretty big story, wouldn't you?
Well, you'd be wrong. As was I. Apparently, the NFL got together today to choose up sides for next season. Which means someone somewhere said the word "football." Which means that the world stopped turning to see where our collegiate gridiron gods would ply their trade at the next level. A bunch of them from Auburn went somewhere, and one from UAB went somewhere else, and the Alabama guy finally got picked to go somewhere, too. They interviewed mama n'them, and the college coaches, and the sportscaster who nicknamed them, and the coaches who picked them, and them, until I begin to feel like I knew them better than some of my own family.
But what about the races?!? I screamed at my TV, like a regular sports fanatic.
There were races at the Barber Motorsports Park today, chimed the weekend sports anchor. And he proceeded to show 15 seconds of racing footage. 15 seconds. They didn't even give the winners time to take their helmets off. I still don't know who won. I guess I'll wait for tomorrow's paper.
You think the Birmingham News heard about the NFL thing today, too?
posted by Chris @ 10:58 PM
1 Piquant Remarks:
At 4:55 PM,
Rurality said…
I'm so jealous! We saw the races year before last. Have been wanting to go back but just haven't made it... ended up having too much to do this weekend.
The races were shown (delayed) on SpeedTV. I saw a little bit of it, and they were really praising the track and the crowd turnout.
It really is a beautiful track.
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