Hey, Man, That's a Real NASCAR©!
FIVE NASCAR TAPES AND NOTHING ELSE
I don’t really know much about the world of automobile racing, but I recently saw this photo of a NASCAR Camero towering over the other cars at the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in France, and it really got me thinking about those late summer lazy Sunday afternoons when it really felt like there was nothing else on television but 5 straight hours of a NASCAR race.
For me, at least, there’s a lot to love about NASCAR, though very little of that has anything to do with the races themselves. I’ve always loved the car and uniform designs, from the maximalist, sponsor blanketed cars of the 90s, to the more spartan ones I see on occasion now, they just look COOL. I love when the winners are getting interviewed after the race and each time you see them they’ve got a different hat on because each on has a different sponsor and all of them get their moment.
I love to watch the pit crews as well. When I’m at the tire shop getting my tires rotated for like 3+ hours, it’s hard not to think of those fellahs in the pit getting everything done in a matter of seconds. It’s really fun to watch them work.
And of course, the crashes can be really exciting. For an indoctrinated viewer, I’m sure some of the rivalries and personal conflicts can make big moments like crashes and wins feel like huge spectacles, but even as a kid with a short attention span, it was pretty engaging to watch.
So for this week, I’ve got five tapes showcasing some of the best moments and drivers of the NASCAR scene in the era that I remember engaging with the most, the late 90s- the early 2000s.
Let’s get right into the tapes!
Jeff Gordon: Wide Open
1996 | Runtime 70 Minutes
This Exclusive Video Biography of Jeff Gordon Gives Fans a Close-up and Personal Look at NASCAR Winston Cup's Youngest Champion. MorningStar Entertainment Group became a "fly on the wall" in the young champion's life as they set their sites (and lenses) on documenting the exciting journey inside the everyday life of this young superstar!
• Enjoy rare footage of Jeff in his early years as he learns to handle BMX bikes, quarter-midgets, go- karts, dirt cars, sprint cars and finally stock cars.
• Meet the people who have shaped, and continue to influence Jeff's life.
• Go behind the scenes at special appearances on location at the David Letterman Show, the ESPY Awards Show, and other great appearances.
• Spend quiet time with Jeff & Brooke in their home and hear their candid interviews.
• Travel with Jeff & Crew Chief, Ray Evernham, as they take you behind the scenes of their Championship Team.
The Winston Cup:
Like You've Never Seen It Before
1998 | Runtime 22 Minutes
Sit down and hang on. 'Cause we're giving you an in-your-face look at the most no bull sport on the planet - Winston Cup Racing. Featuring high-impact footage from all the great tracks, this video is nonstop action like you've never seen before. Enough talk, just watch.
King Richard:
Tribute To An American Legend
1992 | Runtime 31 Minutes
200 wins. Seven NASCAR Winston Cup Championships. Seven Daytona 500 wins. Richard Petty is The King.
Now to celebrate his reign and his retirement, King Richard - Tribute To An American Legend takes you inside the man behind the legend.
You'll hear stories about The King that have never been told before. You'll get a look behind the scenes at some of his greatest moments and some of his
closest brushes with disaster. You'll meet The King's inner circle including his mother Elizabeth, his wife Lynda, and son Kyle. You'll hear from racing greats like Buck Baker, Cale Yarborough, and Darrell Waltrip. You'll also get a unique slant on The King's career from other sporting greats like Arnold Palmer and Brad Daugherty.
Davey Allison: Runnin’ Wide Open
1994 | Runtime 76 Minutes
Inside you will find a most unusual view of auto racing, more than an hour of fast action and behind the scenes insight offered by Davey Allison and other members of the Texaco Havoline Racing Team.
Sit in on a strategy meeting... Go flying, golfing and hunting with Davey Allison... Attend a party at his house... Listen to conversations between car Number 28 and the crew on pit road...See startling footage of crashes at Pocono and Charlotte and hear his reaction to them... Watch him tape television commercials. This is the ultimate auto racing video tape, up close and personal, and wide open from start to finish.
NASCAR Full Access 2000
2000 | Runtime 21 Minutes
Well, that’s it for this week! I hope you enjoyed the tapes! If you’re looking for more, please check out my page on Archive.org for the full list of digitized media. If you have any questions, feel free to send me a message right here or drop a comment below. If you haven’t already, please check out this previous installment of Virtual Channel Surfing! or any of my other previous posts here. Thanks so much for checking out this week’s edition of Diptych!
See you soon!
—Forrest
CARS!