By Robin Smith Meiser
A four-wheeled Old Milwaukee Beer can and a purple Racing Bug with four arms, waving a checkered flag drew race fans to Pep Boys Auto Parts Store on International Speedway Drive in Daytona Beach, on February 9. Inside the store, long tables were set up with chairs behind them. Sitting in those chairs were the rising stars of Goody's Dash Series, one of NASCAR's growing touring series.

Reminiscent of the NASCAR days of old when Days of Thunder wasn't even a thought in Tom Cruise's head; Richard Petty really was King, still driving the STP car; and there were no Racing Champions on the shelf at your neighborhood K-Mart. Back in the days when the sport's biggest drivers would sit for hours at the Daytona Mall signing autographs, letting fans take their pictures, doing what came natural, being themselves!

The sport of auto racing has grown by phenomenal numbers in the past ten years. A recent trend has shown however, that NASCAR's premier series, Winston Cup's, popularity may be waning. Several of the 2000 season's races failed to "sell out" for the first time in years. Could it be due in part to the growing distance between the drivers and the fans; or that the average Joe who made stock car racing what it is now cannot afford to attend the events that they grew up with, sitting in the family grandstands with their parents?

At any rate, Goody's DASH series new director, Randy Claypool, has the same vision that Bill France, Jr. had when he was trying to make auto racing the most popular sport in America. He wants the public to be able to meet and interact with their heroes. He worked with the local Pep Boys store to have an old-fashioned "meet-the drivers and get an autograph" session the night before the season opening AC Delco 200 at Daytona International Speedway on February 10.

Many of today's biggest stars such as current champion Bobby Labonte, still do their utmost to spend time with the fans but when they do it is usually a mob scene and very time limited due to the huge constraints on their time. This was not the case at Pep Boys, both the drivers and fans were relaxed, spending time together and getting to know each other. After they made their way through the long line of drivers, they milled about the store, probably buying those items that you know you need but always forget to buy.

Each of these little known drivers has a story to tell and this writer had a wonderful time wandering around, talking to them about out mutual passion-stock car racing. We exchanged email addresses and made promises to let each other know how we are doing all season long. I have a new favorite series and I hope to tell their stories throughout the year. I hope that you readers, like me, will grow to know them like we do the drivers in the bigger series. In a nutshell, here are just a few of their stories in bullet form. These bullets will expand and drivers will be added as the season progresses.

·Tom "Doc" Brewer, driver of the #44 Pabst Blue Ribbon Pontiac who has earned his nickname honestly. He is a physician who trained in emergency room medicine but has a private practice in High Point, NC. He counts among his patients Bobby and Terry Labonte. This is a man who has actually saved lives of fellow competitors while they were racing but that story is for another day.
Interview with Doc Brewer

·Doc's new teammate in the #52 Old Milwaukee Pontiac, 37-year old Tim Nichols who was making his first trip to Daytona with his wife, Bubs, and two kids TC and Katie. The whole family was as excited about going to Disney World as they were about being at the World Center of Speed. That too, is another story for another day.
Interview with Tim Nichols

·Florida's own Derrick Kelley of Auburndale who was sitting on his first Goody's Dash pole for the AC Delco 200 in his Discount Auto Parts sponsored Pontiac. His car owner, George Crenshaw of Lakeland, is well-known in central Florida short track racing.

·Kelly "Girl" Sutton, an inspiration to us all in her Copoxone sponsored Pontiac. You may be asking what is Copoxone? It is the drug she takes for her multiple schlerosis that enables her to race. The Today Show will be wiring her car in a race and interviewing her soon on her amazing story. I have a feeling she will be a hero to us all before the season is over and you will definately hear more about her from me.

·The other young lady in the series, Angie Wilson, who turned the fastest times in testing in January. She has been racing against the boys half of her life but still retains her Southern grace and charm. You can see her sitting on the verandah of a plantation house, sipping mint juleps until she climbs into her Pontiac and puts on her racing helmet. Then she becomes "just one of the guys".
Interview with Angie Wilson

·Her racing buddy, Scott Redmon, who qualified 27th in his #27 Pontiac Sunfire but would start in the rear of the race on Saturday due to a change in cars. He ran five Dash races in 2000 and is running for Rookie of the Year.

·1994 Dash Champion David Hutto in his Germain Automotive Group sponsored Pontiac who made the race, starting 34th. Unfortunately, his team mate Scott Krehling of Naples did not make the field which was a disappointment to me as he was once one of "my boys" at Charlotte County Speedway.

·The "youngster" in the group, Scott Thornton, a 17 year old from Jacksonville who also failed to make the race after blowing his motor during qualifying. He still brought his car to the party, along with his pit crew, his dad, Mike, and grandfather, Sam. Scott grew up racing go-karts with fellow Young Lions BJ McLeod and Brad Barkis,It is not only the drivers that have a story to tell but the "behind the scenes" people as well, such as:

·"The Racing Bug", identity unknown. The world's fasting touring mascot, in his purple and green bug suit. He brought a stuffed animal to life to pique his young son's interest in stock car racing. Unfortunately, the closest the bug will get to DIS is the parking lot of Pep Boys as he is not an officially licensed NASCAR product.

·Ken Catlette, State Manager of Pabst Brewing of Florida, who has helped to bring Pabst and Old Milwaukee back into NASCAR after being overshadowed by the other breweries. A man with undying enthusiasm for stock car racing, he has works endlessly sending out information on the Dash Series to all his email buddies, myself included. No one works harder than Ken in promoting this series and it is people like him who will make this series a big name.

·Fred England, who drives Allison Legacy Cars. His crew chief is Donnie Allison and he is looking forward to racing at New Symrna Speedway next weekend. This weekend, however, he serves as cook and gas man to the Doc Brewer/Tim Nichols team.

Claypool and the DASH drivers would love to see pre-race autograph parties become a tradition for the Goodys Dash Series. I personally hope so because I want to be able to go to Lakeland this year and know I can get the rest of the story on my new friends and those who I didn't get the chance to talk to such as the Hobgood Brothers.

Pre-race autograph parties the night before each race. What a concept! I wonder who thought them up in the first place?

By Robin Smith Meiser

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