Randy Dye Takes on the "Nature Boy" Rick Flair

[JackSmith]

Randy Dye, longtime host of the Trackside Tonite show out of Daytona, archived weekly on RealRacinUSA.com has taken issue with Bruton Smith's decision to bring the Nature Boy into the NASCAR fold.

Listen and post your thoughts on the matter.
7 Minutes from Randy Dye...Or listen to whole show on www.tracksidetonite.com


Trackside Tonite can be heard live very Monday 8 - 9 PM on WNDB AM and are streamed on realracinusa.com

[Rick Anges]

There is no room in this sport for that crap.....

[Boneman]

Somebody pass Randy a paper bag, and have him take slow breaths. Jeez, I think he is going off the deep end a bit.

The outcome will be determined on how NASCAR uses Ric Flair in the broadcast. If he comes out there as Richard Fliehr, retired but well-known entertainer, and if he professes his love for our sport and thanks everyone for letting him be involved, then I see no problem with it. After all, he remains very well known, especially among "our" demographic: the southern redneck. I'd rather see NASCAR reach out again to the fans who built the sport, instead of their other efforts in recent years. Spare me the heavy metal and hip hop singers.

Randy does have a point: the potential for gross mis-management of Flair exists. Heaven help us if they use him in the promos or pre-race shows, and have him strutting up and down like the heavy weight champion. If they add contrived controversy, especially if the drivers are involved, then I agree with Randy, it would be an embarrassment to the sport.

Keep Flair and his brand of entertainment separate from ours, but if we can capitalize on his popularity, then lets do it.

[Boneman]

A follow up:

My preceeding view applies to the sport on a national level. If I can get Titusville resident, "Hacksaw Duggan", to come out and be my crew chief/enforcer, I'll do it! Schenanigans like that is good for our sport at the local level.

[Rick Anges]

I think it's great a promotion tool!!!

[Boneman]

??

So Rick, what is the deal? There is "no room in our sport for that crap" or its a "great promotional tool"?

signed,
curious

[Joe Dirt]

WOOOOOO!!! He's coming to the show monday night to demonstrate his signature ''Figure Four Leg Lock'' on Randy!!

[JackTripper]

A couple of points I'd like to make:

1. As with most of Bruton's promotions, I think this is a brilliant one. The posters look great and are trying to promote something NA$CAR is soring lacking these days - rivalries.
2. In Charlotte, Ric Flair is a god.
3. This isn't the Ric Flair of the Four Horseman era, NWA champion back in the mid to late 80s where he was in character 24/7, making millions and getting recognized all over the world. This is an older, wiser, more cognizant of his place in this world Ric Flair.
4. Boneman makes an excellent point - whether people like to admit it or not, they watch/watched it and pro wrestling and NA$CAR fans used to have a lot in common. That's why you also saw WCW sponsoring BGN cars (Greg Sacks, Kyle Petty, Steve Grissom, etc.) back in the day.
5. Is there anyone alive any more over the age of 12 that really doesn't understand that the finishes in pro wrestling are not pre-determined? Let's get over overselves already.
6. Randy seems to have a problem with the finishes in pro wrestling being pre-determined. I guess he's never heard of "the call" in NA$CAR then...

[john tenney]

This could be fun. Ya gotta admit, when Kenny Wallace struts up and down on the Speed "Home Depot" Race Day stage doing his Ric Flair imitation, and then Ric walks up behind him, it's hysterical.

[Edm]

Here it is, the top 10 similarities between Pro wrestling and Nascar fans

1. Their children drink soda straight from the 2 liter.
2. Neither can root for their favorite without yelling or sitting.
3. Both wear overalls and flip flops......................to church
4. A family outing usually ends up with a hospital visit.
5. UPN and Fox will now require a converter box. Aluminum foil no longer works.
6. The jobless rate hasn't affected them.
7. An argument usually breaks out afterwords.
8. They are both huge fans of Larry the Cable guy.
9. Getting a GED was always a goal.
10. A friendly gathering occurs at the $5 bin of movies at the Wal-mart.

Disclaimer: Nothing personal directed at anyone, so grandma please don't be mad at me for this.

[Bobby Diehl]

Bad To The Bone!!!

Man this guy is given Humpy Wheeler a run for his money!!!!!

[Racefan99]

This is the best promotional effort I've seen, in several years. KUDOS to Bruton Smith!!!

Nascar Racing isn't an Olympic Sport. It's entertainment, plain and simple.

What has given racing the most media coverage, in the last few years..... It's not Jimmy Johnson or Carl Edwards collecting another win, and giving (yet) another ho-hum Victory Lane speech.....

It's Milka Duno throwing a towel at Danica Patrick.

It's the catfight in 2006 during the Texas race when Greg Biffle's girlfriend, Nicole Lunders, walked over to "talk" to Kurt Busch's fiancee Eva Bryan.

It's Danica Patrick shoving Dan Wheldon after the Indy 500.

None of these events had any impact on the competition itself.

Drama sells!!! "Professional" Wrestling is proof of that. Let's hope that this sort of promotion, surrounding the race itself, can bring people back to the track, and introduce the sport to new fans.

Can't wait to watch the broadcast.

[Rick Anges]

??

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So Rick, what is the deal? There is "no room in our sport for that crap" or its a "great promotional tool"?

signed,
curious

I was being my usual "smart ass" Of course....I thought that poster was fantastic. If you have been reading my posts challenging "Bad Bobby" you would know what I think about joinin wrestling/promotion. Listen tonite 7-9 pm or better yet..........BE THERE!!!

[Bobby Diehl]

Another BOY SAID "........"

"The only thing to FEAR is FEAR itself" Winston Churchill about the Germans invaiding England. This will be WW III!!!!! Be there!!!! TONIGHT!!!!
"BAD BOB"

[ancrdave]

Westling was always a part of racing at Golden Gate in Tampa while Gordon Solie was the announcer... As a kid I got to meet a bunch of the Championship Wrestling from Florida stars who would come to the track where Gordon would promote their big match coming up... Met guys like Buddy Colt, Bob Roop, Jack Brisco etc.. Even got to meet "The Mad Russian," Boris Malenko who was really a nice guy and a Tampa icon for many years where he ran a gym and trained many wrestlers. the guy was not Russian, in fact had no Russian blood in him but was born and raised in the USA and spent most of his life in Tampa... I remember seeing Mike Graham at Sunshine Speedway nearly every week... he was a big race fan and I think was Jim Fenton's personal trainer!!