The Shoeman finds southern entertainment turned to an international spectacle
Story and photos by Chuck Gerald

Chuck Gerald meets Jacques Villeneuve, race car driver and musician

Editors note:Chuck Gerald

owned Gerald's Shoe Shop

in Five Points for many years.

Since his retirement he has

experienced many different

adventures.Car racing is one

of them.

Over the past few months, my job has taken me through Talledega, Alabama, home of the world's most competitive track, the Talledega Super Speedway. I was amazed at the enormity of the approx imately 3,000 acres the facility covers. The 2.66 mile track surrounds the 212 acre infield. The 33 degree banking in the turns required the wall painter to fabricate special shoes because he had such extreme discomfort standing.

There is also the Motor Sports Hall of Fame, housing historical vehicles including the winged #77 K&K Insurance Special Dodge Daytona that cruised to a then record 201.104 mph, driven by Bobby Isaac. Others ranged from Bill Elliott's record of 212.809 mph to Lynne St. James becoming the first lady to exceed 200 and eventually reach 212.577, to Patty Moise's 216.607.

Jeff Gordon gets set to race

I saw the surviving members of the Alabama Gang: Red Farmer, Donnie Allison, two time Talledega winner, and brother Bobby, four time winner. Red was the founder and brought the Allison brothers to Carolina and Georgia where they could make a better living.

Most of the drivers in the 50s were using old school Fords. The Alabama Gang had discovered the new Chevy small block and won lots of money. Now, the sport has grown from southern entertainment to an international spectacle.

Some open wheel racers such as Juan Pablo Montoya, Jacques Villeneuve, Sam Hornish, and others are coming aboard. Money is flowing freely from such billionaires as Michael Waltrip, professional race car driver and owner of Michael Waltrip Racing. Waltrip said all he cared about was entertaining folks and making someone smile.

Carl Edwards, a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series and Busch Series driver for Roush Fenway Racing, smiles as Jack Roush compares notes.

I ran into Juan Pablo the International Formula 3000 and CART champion.

Villeneuve was most warm and friendly of the drivers I met. I discovered that besides being CART World Champion, Formula 1 World Champion, Indy 500 winner, Canadian Athlete of the year, and Can Am title holder, he just recently released his first music album called ParadiseHe made his NASCAR Nextel Cup race debut in the UAW-Ford 500 at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama over the weekend of 5- 7 October 2007. He qualified sixth, however, due to his lack of experience in this type of car, he elected to start the race from the back of the field. He finished 21st.

I asked Ray Evernham, NASCAR team owner for Gillett Evernham Motorsports, how he recouped the costs for the cars of yesterday? He said, "In racing you don't recoup many costs. Champions judge time better; they focus on what needs to be done and don't worry about the other stuff."