Day 8: Tiring of the same old conversation

I admit it, I'm starting to feel the wear and tear of 8 straight days on the road, with 3 more to follow. Readers must be noticing, too -- considering one among you (and you know who you are!) actually suggested I stay at Daytona and cover the 500 because I was so disappointed by the fan turnout at New Smyrna Speedway this week.

Let's clarify one thing here. I'll take short-track racing over the Sprint Cup Series any day of the week. It's why I made it a point to get to New Smyrna on a few occasions for some of the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing there. And just because I think it's too bad there aren't more fans there, or because I think the rules there could use some tweaking in the interest of more entertaining competition, it doesn't mean I think there's no reason for teams to make the trek to central Florida for mid-winter racing.

Hey, I'm more Oxford 250 than Daytona 500, more PASS 300 than Sylvania 300.

I love short-track racing for all of the reasons that I grow tired with the issues I face moonlighting as a Sprint Cup Series reporter. If Johnny Clark and Mike Rowe spin each other out racing for the win at Beech Ridge, you track them down and get emotional, colorful quotes that paint the picture for fans who can't ask those drivers themselves. But if Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch wreck each other out of a Cup race (or, ahem, practice), you're not going to get close to either of them. If you're lucky, you might get a transcribed quote sheet from a public relations rep.

Like I said, if you're lucky.

I love the racers who do their own work on the car during the week, scrape together every last penny just for a couple of tires on Saturday night and race for a paycheck so small it barely covers the fee at the pit gate.

My love of covering the everyday people in this sport is probably why I gravitate to the likes of Robby Gordon or Kevin Lepage in one of the NASCAR garages. Gordon invited me into his hauler to sit down today after Cup practice, offered me a Monster from the cooler and comfortably eased me into some fun conversations he and his team were having for what felt like half an hour.

Last September, by contrast, it took 3 full days of trying to finally get one of the Roush Fenway Racing drivers to give a local reporter 10 minutes. And we're not talking about a Roush driver who was in the Chase, either, leaving you to draw your own conclusions.

Suffice it to say, some of these guys are already "legends" in their own minds...

Maybe I'm especially tired of the lack of direction there seems to be around here. No fewer than 3 times I went to somebody tending one gate or another around the Daytona International Speedway infield looking for information, only to be told each time the EXACT same thing -- "I don't know what to tell ya'." No help, no suggestions for who might know, no further instructions.
One good thing happened. I think.

Speed 51 founder Bob Dillner came over to say hi this afternoon. That was interesting, particularly considering I've been fairly critical of some of that organization's dealings recently, as I'm sure you're all well aware.

It went like this:

"Are you Travis Bennett?"

"No, it's Barrett, but whatever."

"Oh. I just wanted to stop by and say, 'Hi.' "

And with that, he was gone. Funny, I thought, he knew who I was back in July.

I don't know what to tell ya'.