If you looked at every sport across America, you could probably tie a certain day in the year to every sport. For example, college football has New Year's Day where everyone gathers together and tries to figure out the clusterfuck that is the Bowl Championship Series, for the NFL its Thanksgiving where you and your family gather together to eat a lot of food and to watch the Detroit Lions be their crappy selves and listen to your drunk uncle go off for three hours and how great the Dallas Cowboys are and for horse racing its a certain first Saturday in May where the women where God-awful hats and everyone gets drunk on mint juleps and giggles why trying to sing “My Old Kentucky Home”. But if there was a day where people in the motorsport community can gather together and celebrate the greatness of the sport. That day would have to be the final Sunday in May. It is the day before Memorial Day and every year people gather together fire up the barbecue and watch three of the world's greatest races: the Grand Prix of Monaco, the Indianapolis 500, and the Coca-Cola 600.
The first race of the day is “the Grandest of all Grand Prixs”, the Grand Prix of Monaco. A race set in a modern-day fairy tale kingdom, the Grand Prix of Monaco is the ultimate peak for glamor and celebrity in the Formula 1 schedule. For some of the drivers this race is home as they only live within a few blocks of the track (tax-free havens rule!). The track has had very few changes over the years remaining its narrow and twisty self. Three-time World Champion Nelson Piquet once described this track as “Trying to ride your bicycle around your living room.” A driver has to some finesse and some balls to get around the circuit successfully, one mistake could have in the fence and taking the long walk back to garage or your apartment within the principality (Ayrton Senna did that in 1988). The best part of the track has to be to tunnel, listening to those V8's scream through that section must be the best way in the world to go deaf. The circuit has had its heroes over the years like Aryton Senna who won five straight race between 1989 and 1993, including 1992 when Senna had Nigel Mansell breathing down his neck throughout the race, but held him off to get the victory. Graham Hill earned the nickname Mr. Monaco for his many wins throughout the 1960's. The track has had its surprise winners, too. Like in 1996 when Oliver Panis in his Mugen-Honda powered Ligier found victory when everyone else to seem to have found the fence in crazy wet-dry conditions. It would be the only win for Panis and the last win for the Ligier team. The best part though must be when the trophy is presented to the winner by the Prince of Monaco or a member of the royal family and of course there is no podium to climb on in Monaco, another unique feature.
The second race of the day is “the greatest spectacle in racing”, the Indianapolis 500. The race has many traditions from Jim Nabors singing “Back Home Again in Indiana” to the three-wide eleven row deep start to the cold drink of milk the winner receives in victory lane and of course the Borg-Warner trophy. Many of the drivers who have won in Monaco have also won in Indy like Graham Hill, Emerson Fittipaldi and Juan Montoya. Even though the cars, the speeds and the sanctioning series have changed over the years, the fans still come every year and over a quarter-million people come to see their heroes. Heroes of the past like Mario Andretti and A.J. Foyt, heroes of the present like Dan Wheldon and Helio Castroneves and future heroes like Graham Rahal and Marco Andretti. The track itself is a cathedral of speed, from the early days of a track with a complete brick surface to today where the grandstands stretch high and wide. Many great memories stretch from this race such as the close finishes of 1982, 1992 and 2006. The four time winners like Al Unser, AJ Foyt and Rick Mears. Even the not-so spectacular moments such as Roberto Guerrero's spin on the pace lap at the beginning of the '92 race or pretty much any time Kevin Cogan has raced.
The third race is simply known as “NASCAR's longest night”, the Coca-Cola 600. This is no ordinary stock car race, this is a race of endurance. The car and driver must be in top shape to make all 600 miles. The race is so long that is starts in the heat of the day and ends in the cool of the night. Amazingly, a race in which one would think a grizzled veteran would come on top after 4 hours of racing has actually rewarded future stars with their first win. Drivers like Jeff Gordon, Bobby Labonte, Matt Kenseth and last year's winner Casey Mears have claimed their first win in the 600. And then there is Jimmie Johnson. The driver who is sponsored by the same company who sponsors the speedway the 600 is held at, Lowe's home improvement warehouse, call this place “his house”, Jimmie won three straight 600s between 2003 and 2005, the last win coming in an incredible duel with Bobby Labonte that made some people forget about the wreckfest that described the rest of the night.
No matter what happens tomorrow, good or bad, this day will certainly last in a race fan's mind for the rest of the year. I know it will in my mind.
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