Life on the Road – Trucking News Blog

I’ve always said that Life on the Road needs a good NASCAR reporter. And I honestly have to say, that is not me. Although I’ve been a OTR (over the road) trucker for some time now, I am completely clueless when it comes to races, cars, drivers, tires, engines and sponsors. I don’t know a restrictor plate from a carburetor. Although I live not too far from Daytona, I have never been to a race. One time, parked at some truck stop in Las Vegas, there was a speedway across the street. I couldn’t see much, but was impressed at the incredibly loud engine noise coming from the track. I’ve always said that if I could afford to go to a NASCAR race, I go on a cruise instead. But maybe it’s time to think differently.

Being a truck driver and not knowing about NASCAR, is well like a fisherman not knowing about tides, hooks and rods. I know for sure that if I knew anything about NASCAR, I would “fit in” more at truck stops TV rooms nationwide. I could get unloaded faster when the fork lift driver starts telling me how much he hates Jeff Gordon. Not knowing about NASCAR and being a trucker is like being a member of the A-V squad in high school. I don’t have NASCAR underpants, don’t have any NASCAR stickers on my truck and I’m embarassed to say – and this really tough for me to admit – I don’t have a NASCAR hat.

So, in an effort to say something about NASCAR to Life on the Road readers, I tuned in to a race on the Sirius/XM NASCAR station. Wow. Charging Charlie Glutzbach, Coco Martin in the Nitro #9 car, James Hilton and Buddy Baker. The announcers (sounding they were talking into coffee cups) were saying: “What a race!” and “This is quite a race” over and over. I admit it sounded kinda interesting. Oh no! – JC Elder is out of the race with a broken rocker arm. Too bad! Ouch! Petty’s out with a blown engine. Ford, the Purolator Mercury and Dodge. Round the track they go – average speed 185.885 mph! Zoom. Into turn three they go. This is the  exciting “action” at the Talladega 500.

I listened for almost an hour. I did it for you, the Life on the Road reader. I figured if I can learn NASCAR, not only would I be a better trucker, maybe I could make more money being a NASCAR writer. I was feel’n pretty good about myself. Damn. I need to reset my GPS which is velcro’d in front of my Sirius/XM receiver. I leave the GPS unit down on the seat and look up to the display on the Sirius. I find out that I’m listening to the Talladega 500 – AUGUST 11 1974! And what makes me really depressed is – I didn’t know the difference.

Photo credit is: www.wallpaperbase.com/movie-nascar3d.shtml