68SSCamaro's blog

Humpy "Dragon Slayer" Wheeler

Sunday October 12, 2008 @ 06:52 PM EDT

Lowes Motor Speedway has seen it’s share of excitement over the years, lots of action on and off the track. Home of the coca-cola 600, the longest race of the season and the All-Star Race and now NASCAR- UFC # 1 starring Cousin “Roid-Rage” Carl Edwards & Kevin “Happy to knock ya on yer ass” Harvick. It just goes to show that not all the action is on the track and some of the best stories come from off the track and behind the scenes.

When I hear LMS it reminds me of a lil’ altercation that happened a few years ago during the race weekend between NBC & Humpy Wheeler. Some of you may remember it and the newer fans that weren’t around at that time should at least hear about it as it is a part of the silliness & excitement that is the history of Nascar. So here goes, my favorite LMS moment.

Once apon a time………….Nascar……. had just gone national with broadcasts of the races on prime time TV and by the big boy broadcasting companies, FOX and FX, NBC & TNT. NBC had taken over their half of the season covering the races in their mediocre style (I’m being very nice here). It’s the fall race at LMS and NBC in their infinite wisdom air their pre-race show as usual but instead of calling the track by it’s name “Lowes Motor Speedway” they insist on calling it “Charlotte” over and over, refusing to say the name “Lowes” even though it is the official name of the track, they considered themselves having to advertise for “Lowes” for free. Their refusal to call the track by it’s official name all the way thru qualifying broadcasts lights a fire under the track owner Humpy Wheeler and after talking to NBC in private and getting the brush off “we’ll broadcast this race the way WE want to” he arranges a live interview with one of the trackside reporters and bashes the crap out of NBC on national television. The little white haired business man was beet red as he lambastes NBC and threatens to have the NBC trucks and equipment towed “the…HELL off of his property” hahahaha. I could just visualize him out in the parking lot personally choppin on the NBC truck cables with an axe hahaha. Needless to say………..come race time it was ……..NBC…….“broadcasting from the beautiful Lowes Motor Speedway” hahaha and I’m sure NBC never gave Humpy Wheeler any more crap in their short and inglorious tenure of nascar coverage.

I have many memories of great racing at " Charlotte or Lowes Motor Speedway" but when someone mentions LMS the first thing that comes to my mind is that power struggle over who actually had the final say that racing weekend a few short years ago and I just have to smile.

Thanks for the memories Humpy!!

68§§

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