THE WINNER NASCAR NEVER MENTIONED

Source: Janet Peery
Date: 05/12/2008

NASCAR never mentioned one of the biggest winners at Kyle, Texas for the West race. Oh sure, there was the usual hoopla in Victory Circle after Eric Holmes' exciting battle with team mate, Austin Cameron for the checkers, but one of the winners wasn’t standing there in the midst of the checkered flag celebration.

The man that may have been the biggest winner was out in the garage area...and since the haulers line up by points a fan had to walk a bit to find him…but if as they say there is more to a race than racing itself, there were several drivers at Texas that proved this point, especially this driver. He came in 15th on the track and 1st in the fan’s hearts.

For at the end of the race, when all the fans were let into the garage/pit area…when many of the cars were being loaded up on the hauler, there was this driver with his race-worn car out there for all the fans to get up close and personal with. He didn't seem to be in any hurry to get anywhere. He really seemed to be enjoying the fans...most drivers do, I think...but this one driver was really into it and the fans were quickly making this driver their hero.

Kids were climbing in the car for photo ops, folks were talking to this driver about what it was like out on the track, in the car, in the series. I think in fact this man was the last driver standing when the track was going dark.

So to me this driver should share some kind of honor with Holmes, for they both gave the fans what they came to see, good racing and a chance to meet the drivers.

Actually all the drivers were awesome at Texas and the Texas fans were similarly amazing. The line of fans lining up for the driver autograph session was the longest I have seen in years. I spoke to NASAR Camping World West Series champion, Mike David, and with his fingers he indicated he had a big fat stack of driver cards, he said that, “…they were gone within minutes.”

But I still think this one driver went above and beyond. And I think it makes Wes Banks a winner.

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