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New terrirory, or old ground?


New Territory, Harvick continues Gateway sweep, and the New England 300 from Loudon, NH.





Race Drivers and Racers......... Is Their a Difference?

A friend of mine who is a former NASCAR "insider" and prefers to remain anonymous, sent in a little piece that he calls "New Territory." After you read this, stop and think about who it reminds you of. I'm sure that you will be able to come up with more than one name.

New Territory

I’m going to venture into a New Territory inside of which we have never before entered. It is “inside the mind of a Racer.” First of all, there is a huge difference between a race car driver and a "Racer." I am going to attempt to explain just what that difference is.

Years ago before racecars had window nets, when a Racer climbed into his car, pulled the belts over his shoulders and fastened them, put the steering wheel in place, and then put his helmet on, something happened that the ordinary person could never even begin to understand. He literally became a "demon in disguise." That’s right, a demon. That’s the most appropriate word that I can use to describe what exactly happens. Everything in the outside world is completely shut out. His family, his friends, every one else on the track, even his own well being. He Is able to see only one thing. The man standing on the flag stand, and in his mind, he can see him waving the checkered flag.

To a Racer, there is only one thing that matters. WINNING! Nothing else. A Racer does not go to the racetrack to run, he goes to the racetrack to WIN! Period! If somebody gets in the way and he has to bump or even knock them out of the way, then that’s just tough. If the car is not exactly the way that he would like for it to be, then he manhandles it. This just makes it a little harder but that doesn't matter, because he’s there to WIN! Anything less is just totally unacceptable to this demon inside of him. This is what makes him so much different from those who go to the racetrack with the attitude of just being around at the end and hopefully having a shot at winning. A Racer does not think that way and you will never hear him say that. In fact, his mind does not
The copyright of the article New terrirory, or old ground? in NASCAR is owned by Thomas M. Sampson. Permission to republish New terrirory, or old ground? in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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