For this NASCAR racing rookie, the races aren’t as interesting to me as the people involved in the sport. That means the drivers, the racing families, the racing teams, the Iowa Speedway personnel, which includes the track photo staff, the management, the security and other workers on race days, the people behind the scenes — the whole package.
I’ve got two NASCAR events under my belt in over a month’s time at the Newton Daily News. I’ve done three drivers’ interviews — all three were the younger, up-and-coming drivers. Rusty Wallace is a NASCAR Hall of Famer and designer of Iowa Speedway and he loves telling the story of the track.
Wallace grew up racing in Missouri. He knew what he wanted to do for a living.
“When I was younger and doing an interview, a guy came up and asked what I did for a living. I told him I was a race car driver. ‘No, what do you do for a living?’ And I told him again, I was a race car driver and he laughed at me,” Wallace told me last week.
Wallace was indeed a race car driver. A 30-plus year driving career with a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship and 55 victories under his belt, Wallace was a fan stock car driver who landed in the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
“I have the most wins on short tracks. A call comes out of the blue. They said they had some property in Iowa and wanted to build a race track. They asked if I wanted to design it for them. I told them I had never designed a track before, but yes, I’d love to.”
Wallace wanted to see the property. He fell in love with the way the track would be nestled in the hills of Iowa near Newton. He made sure financial backing was enough — and thanks to Brad Manatt, according to Wallace, it was.
“Brad came in here and said ‘let’s get this thing done.’”
Iowa Speedway has the amphitheater feel where fans look down at the track and can see the whole track. That was important for Wallace as he began designing it. As a flying enthusiast, he loved the fact that Newton’s airport was right next to the race track property and access to a major highway was available.
It all came together.
“Man, I love this track and this area. I didn’t come to Iowa, Iowa came to me and I fell in love with this area,” Wallace said. “Newton and Iowa love racing. During construction, I flew out here every Tuesday for a year and a half. When the cut the final shape of the track, I drove on the dirt here 120 mph.”
Manatt sold his share in the Speedway to the Clement family, Wallace said. The Clement family is tremendous and the management team at Iowa Speedway operates the race track well.
“I just come out and tell the story. I love it and am so passionate about this track.”
Wallace said it isn’t about if he loves the track but how do other drivers like it. He said they love it.
“This track now has character. It has gotten a little worn but that is good. The track has held up well since 2006. Yes, it has some cracks in it but this track allows for good racing. Fans love it because this track helps highlight different styles of driving by the drivers and that makes for better racing.”
Racing fans seem to love the track too by showing up on Saturday night for the NASCAR Nationwide Series race. It was a sell-out event which is not unusual for Iowa Speedway, but this season, rain has hampered crowds on a couple of dates.
My first experience at Iowa Speedway was a few weeks ago when the NASCAR truck series came to town. I was out at the track way too early, not knowing what to expect about traffic and other matters.
Anxiety level was high for me. I never shot much racing even at Humboldt Speedway back in Kansas because I had a great track photographer who sent me all the photos I needed. Now, I’m thrown into NASCAR events — Camping World Truck Series — where there are more vehicles, more speed, more everything.
I played it safe and shot from pit road, mainly when the trucks were coming out of Turn 4 onto the front stretch. I came up with some decent photos.
Last Saturday with the Nationwide Series race, I took a “risk” — it was for me any way — and shot on Turn 3. I was on the inside of the track with just a short wall, a bunch of yellow tires and a bike rack fence between the cars and myself. I stayed back a bit and again, I got decent racing photos. Plus I am getting a feel how a race goes and how to write about it.
I’m learning. Racing junkie? Probably not going to happen for me, but I have enjoyed meeting the people who do love the sport, and I respect that of them. Again, I’m a teller of stories and a people person. With every sport, there are people’s stories to tell, and that is what I love.
The track has character and so do the people involved in the sport of racing.
While I was at Iowa Speedway’s Saturday event, one of my all-time favorite football players was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Curley Culp was a member of my childhood Kansas City Chiefs. Culp and Bobby Bell and Willie Lanier were names I grew up with as a Chiefs’ fan.
Culp Culp was one of the game’s most dominant defensive tackles for much of his 14 pro seasons. In the 1969 season, he joined future hall members Buck Buchanan, Willie Lanier, Emmitt Thomas and Bobby Bell in leading a unit that carried the Chiefs to a Super Bowl win over Minnesota.
I loved that team. Way to go Curley!