Tough Start to 2007 NASCAR Season

This issue is about the rough start to the 2007 NASCAR season. From death to family feuds, this is set to be one of the most memorable seasons in recent years.

The death of "BP"

As I wrote in my article, A Fan's View of Today's NASCAR, I didn't start watching the sport until 1993, so I never got the chance to watch Benny race since he retired from racing in 1988. As with Dale Earnhardt, I didn't know much about BP until after his death. I knew he was a great driver and a champion, but I never knew the man. It's only now that I am learning who he really was. He was a truly caring person on and off the track.

In a sport where most drivers would knock you out of the way to win, BP wasn't like that. If he beat you, he did it fair. The drivers in the garage knew what kind of man he was, and showed him the same respect. That never showed so much as it did during Benny's 1973 championship season. On the 13^th lap of the final race of the season, Benny was involved in a wreck that tore his car apart.

He believed that his championship hopes were over until members of other teams started bringing parts over and helped his crew put the car back together. They were able to get the car out on the track after an hour and a half, and Benny won the championship.

BP will be missed by all race fans, and every person that is part of NASCAR.

The Death of Bobby Hamilton

As many race fans do, I check NASCAR.com a few times a day to see what is going on. I was just waiting for the page to load and see that Benny Parsons had died. I was surprised to see that another NASCAR great had passed, Bobby Hamilton. Like with BP, I didn't know much about the man behind the wheel, but I did have the pleasure to watch Bobby race.

Bobby and BP were very much alike. The were both "old school" drivers. They worked on their own cars, or in Bobby's case, trucks. Like BP, Bobby would give anyone the shirt off his back. If another team needed something, and he had it, Bobby would give it to them.

Back in 2001, I felt for Dale Jr as he returned to the track after his father's death, and now I feel the same for Bobby Jr as he goes through the same pain.

When Dale Sr died, RCR put a driver in his car that could put it back in victory lane. I believe BHR has done the same in putting Ken Schrader in Bobby's #18 truck for most of the 2007 season. Although Ken hasn't been to victory lane a quite a few years, I think with the determination of the whole BHR team, and the fact that Ken wants to do good for Bobby, the #18 truck will be in victory lane at least once this season.

The Earnhardts

I'm not going to get too much into this in this issue as I am working on Issue 2 that will totally focus on this matter. I would just like to say this...Teresa, stop being so greedy with DEI, think about what your late husband would have wanted for the team and his children.

Conclusion

We will just have to wait and see what the rest of the 2007 season has in store for us, but it's not looking good so far.

In closing, I would also like to mention another death in the NASCAR family. Kenny Wallace's father-in-law passed away the same day as BP. Whether in the booth or on the track, Kenny is one of my favorite NASCAR stars, and I would like Kenny, his wife, and the rest of his family, to know that my thoughts are with them.