I'm Loving Me Some Daytona

I regularly listen to a local sports station, WCCP FM which is based in Clemson, South Carolina, and is the official radio station of the Clemson Tigers.  Feel free to Google it.  They’d love to have you listen online, if you don’t happen to be in the Upstate South Carolina area, and chances are you’re not.

A particular radio host who’s name is Walt Deptula, is on from 3:00 until 5:00 PM Eastern time.  Walt is a walking, talking sports encyclopedia.  If you ask Walt if he watched the basketball game between East Utah State and Northern Michigan, Walt will say “Of course.”  Walt watches everything, as long as it’s stick and ball sports.  You know, football, basketball, baseball, hockey, etc.  Walt’s not a big fan of NASCAR, but he does talk about it from time to time, whenever there’s big news in the sport.

Walt does talk about basketball a lot though.  Remember Dick Vitale?  You know, he’s the basketball color guy that says “Yeah, baby!” and is very entertaining to listen to, or at least some people think so.  Dicky V has a love relationship with Duke University, which usually has a great basketball program, and no matter what game Dick is calling, he inevitably brings Duke into the conversation. 

Walt Deptula regularly has a contest on his show where callers can call in and guess about how far into the basketball game Dick Vitale will mention Duke University.  Walt calls this contest “Dick Vitale’s I’m Loving me some Duke.” 

Well, I’m loving me some Daytona right now.  February, for quite a few years now, makes me get all tingly inside.  With some tickets going for as low as $55.00, I’d be there in a heart beat, because I’ve never actually watched a race at Daytona International Speedway, at least in person.  I’ve been to Atlanta, Charlotte, Darlington, Talladega, and some other tracks, which were all awesome, but Daytona is basically the Super Bowl of NASCAR.  On Valentine’s day, Daytona is the place to be for any NASCAR fan.

The off season is over.  It’s time to get back to some high octane racing fuel, the deafening sound of 43 racing engines screaming, making your eardrums bleed.  As General George S. Patton once said about war, I’ll say the same thing about NASCAR:  “God forgive me, but I do love it so.”

If there’s any way you can get to Daytona in the next couple of weeks, I would encourage you to do so.  Ticket prices are probably lower this year than they have been in decades.  Daytona International Speedway is an awesome place to see, even when you’re the only person inside the track.  Imagine being there with a hundred plus thousand of your friends and neighbors.  Imagine them all screaming, encouraging their drivers on, calling them home for the win, which may be the win of a lifetime.  It may be the event of a lifetime for you or someone in your family.