November 13, 2002

This sport of NASCAR has something to offer that no rock concert ever could. It’s Stuff!

In the past ten to twelve years we have seen an increase in NASCAR memorabilia of which the likes could ever been equaled by any sport bare none. I don’t care how many basketball or football games you go to you can’t find stuff like we have in NASCAR.

At this point you could decorate your entire home with memorabilia from your favorite driver or car make. You could wear a complete new outfit everyday which shows your NASCAR thoughts for a year and never come close to running out of attire.

I went to a friends home (bump you have friends?) the other day to witness a shrine to Winston Cup. Located on the walls of this home was every T-Shirt from every race known to be run anywhere. They had so much stuff that they were looking for a home with octagon walls so they could put more stuff up.

They asked me what I thought. Folks it’s really a huge mistake to ask me what I think.

I am not sure where this idea of putting stuff on walls comes from. I do know that back in the pioneer days they used to place the chairs on the walls in an effort of obtaining more space in the log cabin. Perhaps that is the origin that we can look to that started this phenomenon.

As far as displaying my clothes I can say that I have never done it. Oh yes I used to get my clothes from cartons of Marlboro cigarettes but even then I would actually wear them. That is a tradition that went away for one reason or another.

I too have a lot of memories in stuff that I got at the track. I always hated to wash that shirt that meant so much to me but in the washer it goes to be seen another time some years down the road.

A shrine to textiles is more than I need but, I do think it’s funny when they give something away at the track such as a carry on bag. MBNA has done this several times. You can tell the NASCAR fans at the airport the next day because there are thousands of MBNA carry on bags.

This giving away of bags always helps me because I can do away with the Piggly Wiggly paper bags in which I came to the track with and head out in style with my fancy carry on.

For the most part I try to buy my stuff at the track on Wednesday when the trailers open up for the first time. That way I don’t have to fight the crowds on the weekend. I pack light when going to the race because I know that I have to have stuff and will be bringing back more stuff than what I left with.

I try not to wear new stuff at the track. It has been my experience that if you show up in a shirt from two maybe three events ago folks will treat you better. Wow, check dude! He was there when Gordo did that bump and run move on Wallace. Little do they know I picked up the shirt online after the race.

I don’t wear hats at the track or anywhere for that matter. I am not on the winners circle plan and receive no money for advertising thus the hat is a moot point. There is only one cat in the hat. That gig is pretty much taken. The wearing of a hat shows that we are sheep in search of direction and meaning in life and, we wear a hat to find others that are in a similar need.

When I go to the track I try to have an understanding that my dressing up like Jeff Gordon will not make him do better in the race. More so, the dressing up of my entire family will not make Gordo win either. These are usually the people that I end up setting by in the stands. Seen from space with satellite tracking systems you have to wonder what guides these fans.

The bottom line is that I go to the track in a Cessna and leave in a 747 because I got stuff.

You can contact Joe at: Insider Racing News