October 21, 2007
By Kim Roberson

Kim Roberson

Have you ever heard a song and had it stick in your head? I’m sure in most cases, it is from a favorite rock or country band…or even a not so favorite.

When was the last time it was a song sung by a NASCAR driver?

No, I’m not talking about Jacques Villeneuve’s "Accepterais-tu?" I don’t think that is worthy of getting stuck in anyone’s head.

What I am talking about is a song sung by Buddy Baker. I have no idea when it was done, but it was played on Sirius radio during my drive home on Thursday, and darned if I didn’t end up humming it the rest of the night. I don’t know the official name of the song, but it has something to do with “I’m keeping you in my rear view”. I wouldn’t have expected Buddy to be able to produce such a catchy diddy, but I actually found myself trying to track down the song. So far, no luck. However I did find out that there have been other drivers who have set their voices to music.

In February, 1975, a half dozen of the sports most famous drivers got together in Nashville to cut a record that was called “NASCAR goes Country”. Darrell Waltrip, Cale Yarborough, Bobby Allison, Richard Petty, David Pearson and Buddy Baker belted out songs like “Butterbean”, “99 Bottles of beer”, “Hey good lookin’”, and “King of the road”. A quick internet search located this album on eBay, and no where else. None of the songs are anywhere to be found to listen to. I’m not much of a country music fan, but I might have to invest the $4.99 to get a copy just to listen to it.

A little further investigation located another NASCAR song on eBay…this one sung by Kyle Petty. “Oh King Richard” was side one of a two side 45. Not only is it available on eBay, there is a video using the song on YouTube. It isn’t bad. Not quite catchy enough to get stuck in my head, but a fitting tribute to his father.

Then you have “Wild Bill Elliott” sung by Bill Elliott. More like read to music. The “song” deals with his racing career and things like the fact that he is “Wild Bill Elliott, crazy racin’ man, I’d like to live up to John Wayne if I can”.

And who hasn’t heard “The NASCAR song”? “She named me Dale Darryl Waltrip Richard Petty Rusty Awesome Bill Ervin Gordon Earnhardt Smith…Johnson…Junior”.

It is interesting with all the mass marketing that goes on in NASCAR these days that no driver has actually tried his hand at singing. You would think at least one of the guys racing in this day and age might give it a go in the recording studio. They all seem to have well-known friends in the music industry:

Kid Rock is friends with Tony Stewart and Michael Waltrip; several drivers have been presenters at the CMA awards. Stewart and Dale Junior were in a music video for the Three Doors Down song “The Road I’m On” a few years ago. Music artists from all walks of life perform the National Anthem every race day (or, in some cases, try to perform it).

Then again, if Jacques’ musical attempt is typical of what might be expected from the guys behind the wheel….maybe we are better off just watching them race.

On a side note, I’d like to give a shout out to a very nice man I had the pleasure of talking to a few weeks in Richmond. The #2 Miller Lite Dodge Team’s chief transport driver Bill “Stump” Lewis won this year’s Freightliner Run Smart Hauler Challenge last week. Stump and wife, Cindy, share the truck-driving duties for the No. 2 Penske Racing team, and he took the time last month to sit down and tell me about his job.... Hauling Race Cars For A Living. "The hauler challenge is about skill and control, not speed. The course simulates real-life driving situations," explained Jonathan Randall, director of product marketing, Freightliner Trucks. He added that the hauler drivers take the competition very seriously, not only for the personal pride of being the best, but for the $35,000 grand prize, $15,000 second prize and $5,000 third prize. Stump and Cindy plan on using their first place prize money to do some work on their house.

Finally, quick congratulations go out to NASCAR’s newest newlyweds. Greg Biffle FINALLY married his girlfriend of nine years, Nicole Lunders, in a ceremony in South Carolina Wednesday evening. Greg met Nicole in 1998, but it took until last Christmas for Greg to pop the question. Teammate Matt Kenseth was one of Greg’s groomsmen, and Matt’s wife Katie was Nicole’s Matron of Honor. The newlyweds, who are animal lovers and put out the annual “Pit Road Pets” calendar, included their two boxers, Foster and Gracie, and rescue dog Savannah, in the official wedding photos. The Biffle’s are spending their honeymoon in Martinsville, where Greg will roll off 37th today.

The thoughts and ideas expressed by this writer or any other writer on Insider Racing News, are not necessarily the views of the staff and/or management of IRN.