First
In March of 1980 while working at Charlotte Motor Speedway
(CMS) in the PR department I was sent to Daytona for “Bike Week”. My objective
was to gain some insight and establish contacts in and around the motorcycle
racing community. Our CMS facility was to host a Motorcycle racing event in the coming
months and I needed to learn about this two wheeled racing sport. Up until that
time most of my background in racing involved NASCAR and IMSA sports car
racing.
I cannot tell you who won the main event (Daytona 200) that
year but I can tell you of a young man whose presence and persona was striking
to me. I really was not familiar and
did not know of his name but the first time I encountered him his following
impressed me. He was remarkable in his
fullness of spirit and exuberance.
There was a sparkle in his eye.
He was a diminutive figure short in stature, slight in build. He had the
body of a jockey or gymnast and, I was to learn, ideal for motorcycle racing.
I was only to encounter Dale Singleton in close passing with
no spoken words. I was an observer quietly noting an ascending star. There was a greater story to unfold. It was
a story of miracles and jubilation as well as tragedy and devastating
heartbreak. It was years later when his
and my paths would cross again. To be continued…..
****
See my previous blog post “Foxhole Prayer” 2/1/15 for more
on Dale and also click on this link:
4/15
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