Rolex 24 Memories

My brother, Ed, emailed me the above photos, the top two of which are from this year's Speedweeks in Daytona Beach. For those of you who are not aware of what "Speedweeks" is, or is that are?

In early February, the auto racing season gets underway. For two or three weeks in Daytona Beach, at the Daytona International Speedway, henceforth DIS, racing in one form or the other is happening on the track. It could be either sports cars, NASCARs, motorcycles, NASCAR Truck Series or any type of feeder spec races. It is an exciting time, if you like autosports. It is during this time the Rolex 24 Hours race is run, which I love. As well as the Bud Shootout and the Daytona 500.

The third photo, of the wheel and tire, well here is that story.


A couple years ago, the second year after the introduction of the Daytona Prototype, henceforth DP, Ed, James

and I were walking back to the motorhome from the pits. It was after dark, probably about 8 or 9 o'clock. Earlier in the race, the Suntrust DP and a Porsche 911 had had an incident in the hairpin turn which took out the Wayne Tayler's Suntrust DP...so sad..

Anyway, wait, I should preface this with a little history.

For a long time, I have always had a tendency of wearing Polo Oxfords, Khaki's and loafers. I don't know why but I do. Ed, on the other hand always wears Levis, Golf Shirts and sneakers. I don't know why but he does.

On this occasion, we were wearing our typical attire, but as it was chilly, yes in February in Florida it is chilly, maybe 60 degrees, Ed was wearing a Goodyear windbreaker and a Goodyear cap, as he works for Goodyear, it was a cheap wardrobe. Again, I digress.

Ed, James and I were walking back from the pits. We get near the hairpin and Ed sees the above pictured tire lying on the grass. Now at DIS, on the road course, there is a 6' chain link fence keeping us away from the race cars and a guardrail keeping the race cars away from us. This tire is in the grass on the other side of the guardrail. Ed says to me, "I am going to get that tire". Now I was tired and a bit cranky. I told him he was out of his mind. There is security and all, you will never get that tire. Well, of course, that set him off. James and I kept walking while Ed

Walked right by the security and up to the tire, picked it up and walked back. Now this is not just a few feet, but probably 20 yards or so. As Ed was walking back by security, he mutters, "Sucks to be the low man on the totem pole." Security laughs and says, "Yeah, it does."

James thought his old man could do nothing wrong and that tire and wheel is now garage art at Ed's place and will, forever, have a place in the 24 hour race memories of James, Ed, and me, and now, you.