The only thing more embarrassing to our great sport than the hijinks of youthful disenfranchised cart enthusiasts who refuse to budge from 1995 are niche NASCAR-centric, semi-literate buffoons with self esteem issues. As is the case with a handful of our favorite cart nutjobs, a small but vocal NASCAR-centric minority also disseminate their own brand of utter and complete stupidity on the Internet. You will need some background to understand my latest harebrained rant, and here it is. There is a contributor to the Indiana Business Journal named Norm Heikens, who is probably neither a youthful cart enthusiast stuck in 1995 nor a NASCAR-style redneck. But I could be wrong. His column is what started this whole mess.
In that column the other day Heikens concocted a doomsday scenario in which both Eli Lilly and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway cease to exist in the city of Indianapolis and what the impact of such a loss might be. Frankly, given the degree to which mergers and takeovers reshape the pharmaceutical industry every year, the loss of ‘ol uncle Eli is not beyond the realm of possibility. But IMS? No way. Even if the Hulman George family was collectively stupid enough to sell it the track is a part of the historic fabric of the state, the nation and the world. I am confident I will be long deceased before IMS ceases to exist as the biggest racing stage anywhere.
That column has been forum fodder, particularly on a couple of IRL hate sites, since it was written. In their usual show of hypocrisy, those who claim to hate all things Indy slither forth to pontificate anyway. I will quote one of the most extreme lunatics, if for no other reason that it is fun to point out thinking deficiency sometimes. Admittedly not mature, but mildly entertaining. That matters to me.
“Well, I doubt the track will go out of business, My guess is that either ISC or SMI will buy it, possibly at a rock bottom price, but I doubt it will close down. I would prefer ISC buy it, simply because it would be the fulfillment of Bill France Sr’s words from back in the early 50s, when a JERK named Hulman had him thrown off of the grounds of the track for asking if a NASCAR race could be run there. He said as he was being thrown off the grounds, “One day I will own this place!” His family would own it if that sceniro came to pass so that is enough vindication for me! Like I said however, I doubt it will close down.”
What is a ‘sceniro?’ Let us more closely examine the events of May 14, 1954, shall we? But first we have to go to February 22, 1969. That is when the Daytona Beach Morning Journal ran a long, detailed piece about Big Bill France and his history. One paragraph even pointed out the strong friendship he and Tony Hulman shared. Mr. Hulman did not sound like much of a JERK there. Probably not potentially a RACIST, either. Although Bill France was also close buddies with George Wallace. But I digress.
So that is one misconception spun by an ignorant person. Here is another: While it was true Mr. France was given a bum’s rush, it was not out of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, it was out of the garage area of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Misconception 2A: Bill asking for a NASCAR date back in ’54, especially as the cause for the toss, has always been merely a twisted hilljack fantasy.
Third misconception: Tony Hulman did NOT order the Bill France toss. Harry McQuinn, the Brian Barnhart of his day, did. Why? Because France had fraudulently used a borrowed badge for entry to the garage area. That exact same trick will get you thrown out today and your badge will get revoked. It would have been a lot easier for Bill to ask Tony for credentials. Tony, his good friend, would have granted them immediately.
Fourth misconception: That he ever shouted one day he would ‘own the place.’ What he did confide privately to friends was that he would build a better 2.5 mile speedway than Indianapolis had. The high banked, poorly paved (at least now) Daytona track (the one with half the history, not to mention seats, of Indy) stands there in Daytona, and has become the NASCAR marquee.
Naturally drawn conclusion: The person who offered that hateful revisionist nonsense is not really very bright in terms of history. Further proof that intelligence is not one his strong points is this nugget:
“As to the falling popularity of it’s May race series, that has been slowly dying for years and young people haven’t been interested in years.”
Hmmm. The last time I attended and checked, attendance has risen at Indy over the past few years. Even in down years it remains, by a large margin, the largest attended single day sporting event in the world. I see people of all ages, and increasingly diverse races as well. Television ratings remain strong although they mirror the downward trend of ratings generally. The purse keeps rising.
‘Not very bright’ rapidly becomes ‘downright stupid’ when clueless commentary by hostile natives is fingered from certain rural southern areas in Georgia. He might not like hearing that NASCAR’s attendance at Indy and other venues has been plummeting recently.
“Arrogance of many of it’s fans toward every other form of racing and every other form of racing’s fans have played a HUGE part in this, as most people don’t want to be around or sit in the stands with a bunch of jerks like many of those people are. You don’t attract people by bashing or insulting them, the parts of the country that they come from or the things, such as their favorite forms of racing, that they like! Unfortunately, for them, they did that and they are paying the price for it BIG TIME! Now, go ahead and bash me you usual suspects, but I am laughing at you and your foolhearted bashing and insulting. You’re just pouring more gasoline on the fire that is consuming your form of racing. You’ve made your bed, now you have to lay in it!”
I wish he would be more specific about people who make his racing experiences less fulfilling. I have attended NASCAR races and have never once pointed and laughed at anyone. The person making these remarks also claims to have been a Marine. If that is the case could he not rapidly take care of ‘jerks?’ Would his skin not be thicker? No worries. He has proven he has no credibility when it comes to facts so why would his opinion be taken seriously by anyone except to point out facts in the interest of truth?