How cool is this?

[spidernut]

I went to look at the 80 Spider I just bought and pull a few parts from a parts car. As I was talking to the owner of the car I bought, I found out that one of his best friends (and roommate) when he was younger was my childhood racing hero - Jimmy Gordon (no relation to Jeff Gordon, but from the same city). I used to watch him race Sprint cars on dirt tracks and the guy was amazing. As we talked further, I found out that he also raced at all the tracks that I used to go to as a kid and raced with Jimmy Gordon. I probably saw him race dozens of times. We had a great time reminiscing! This is sure a small world!

[mdrburchette]

That is pretty cool. i was out with the new 500 the other day and a guy with dreadlocks comes up to me, talking about the car. We everntually found out we had a mutual friend.

[manoa matt]

Is your mutual friend "Marry Jane"?

[mdrburchette]

Haha, no, but I guess it coulda been. He was actually a big car buff and had just gone to the big swap meet at Charlotte Motor Speedway. He was pretty knowledgeable about the new 500.

[Exit98]

Matt that's funny.

Denise, I here that swap meet is pretty big. Not many Spiders though I'll bet.

I really should time one of my trips to Charlotte to coincide with one of the big races. Believe it or not I've never been to a NASCAR race. Seen F1, original Trans Am (the good old days) Supernationals, but no Nascar.

My son did the Charlotte 500 a couple years ago on a VIP or Press pass and got to stay in the pits. He liked the experience but said if he ever got to go again he wants to see it from the grandstands. I guess he couldn't see much of the race from the pits.

[bobplyler]

I used to go to Nascar a lot when I was in college. It was a LOT cheaper than it is now, and we stayed in the infield (even cheaper). We stayed the night before, and there were monster parties at night. During one race, I watched some drunk walk off the top of a UHaul van. He was moaning and groaning, and probably broke something, but I don't think he felt much.

[spidernut]

Matt that's funny.

My son did the Charlotte 500 a couple years ago....

I'm conditioned to see "500" and think of the Fiat 500. I momentarily though a Charlotte 500? Which one is that?

[tonyfromjersey]

The flying business is like the "6 degrees of Kevin Bacon" game. Put 2 guys in a cockpit and within a couple of minutes you'll figure out that the guy you're sitting next to once bailed out of an F-4 with your wing commander, for example (true story).

I was once walking down the street in Triere, Germany and ran into someone I knew from pilot training and hadn't seen in 15 years. Somehow we ended up at a beer garden and there went the evening. It really is a small world, that's what makes it great.