From the Marbles - NASCAR

From the Marbles

Mon Nov 09, 2009 5:00 pm EST

Dickies 500 @ Texas: Best. Pace. Car. Entrance. EVER.

By Jay Busbee

Every prerace program has its own character, and while some are painful to watch (talkin' to you, Jimmy Fallon), some are undeniably America-hell-yeah awesome. Witness, for instance, this entrance from Sunday's Dickies 500, in which a Chinook helicopter descends on the track and delivers a bouncin' baby pace car:

Col. Doug Hurley, a Marine who piloted the space shuttle, got the honor of driving the pace car. And as the Dallas Morning News reported, Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage got in a dig at Jerry Jones during Hurley's media appearance. When Hurley was asked if he could see Texas Motor Speedway from space, Gossage added, "I think what you meant to ask is, 'Is it true that you could see Texas Motor Speedway but you could not see the Cowboys' stadium?' "

ZZ Top delivered the "start your engines" command, and, well, the Lil' Ol' Band from Texas was kinda sleepwalking through it. It was no Kevin James giving himself a coronary, not even a "start your engines, brothers!" from Hulk Hogan. Too bad it wasn't a vice-president of marketing for the southwest region. Those guys are always a laff riot.

(Video via All Left Turns)

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16 Comments

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  1. Paul A.
    1. Posted by Paul A. Mon Nov 09, 2009 5:18 pm EST

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    This was awesome, but hasn't this been done at least once before (Charlotte perhaps). Also, nice to see the B-52 flyover; over 50 years in service and still a badass plane.
  2. kinggeorge
    2. Posted by kinggeorge Mon Nov 09, 2009 5:54 pm EST

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    Ok, that was pretty damn cool! And the B-52 was as ominous as ever. I liked how the servicewoman singing the national anthem stopped to let that beautifully dangerous plane have the respect it deserves. Not to mention no one could probably hear anything anyway...but that's irrelevant.
  3. Moon
    3. Posted by Moon Mon Nov 09, 2009 6:37 pm EST

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    THAT WAS AWESOME!!!!!
    Our country soooo rocks....we have the most awesomeness equipment for our soldiers!
    Thanks for sharing Jay
  4. tjshawnee
    4. Posted by tjshawnee Mon Nov 09, 2009 7:50 pm EST

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    Atlanta did this in 2007 and I think Kansas has too. But none had the emotion of Texas and Ft. Hood.
  5. Carol
    5. Posted by Carol Mon Nov 09, 2009 8:02 pm EST

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    KG, I absolutely loved that as well.
  6. Dani
    6. Posted by Dani Mon Nov 09, 2009 8:59 pm EST

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    It was awesome and very emotional !!!!
  7. Kim
    7. Posted by Kim Mon Nov 09, 2009 9:09 pm EST

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    The one thing I noticed with the Chinook was the pilot bumping the tail down a couple of times. I've never seen a Chinook in action, so I don't know if that's typical. I love the B-52's; as KG and Paul said, one awesome plane. The woman singing the anthem was great, too.
  8. Mike C
    8. Posted by Mike C Mon Nov 09, 2009 10:29 pm EST

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    Was NASCAR Race Control in that black helicopter?
  9. Rudy88
    9. Posted by Rudy88 Tue Nov 10, 2009 5:02 am EST

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    From all I've read about opening program, I'm sorry that I missed it in order to watch the Packers get their butts whipped by a team that had no wins this season. I guess that'll teach me!
  10. brinirmess
    10. Posted by brinirmess Tue Nov 10, 2009 7:11 am EST

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    Absolutely AWESOME, but our Military and all our soldiers ALWAYs are!
  11. meatball
    11. Posted by meatball Tue Nov 10, 2009 8:31 am EST

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    that was cool, but they did the same thing at the Coca Cola 600
  12. Larry M
    12. Posted by Larry M Tue Nov 10, 2009 2:11 pm EST

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    ZZ Top has been sleepwalking for 30 years now, why change for this?
  13. Steve
    13. Posted by Steve Tue Nov 10, 2009 9:36 pm EST

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    All you guys need is a couple of A-10s to swoop down and fire a couple rounds into JJs engine block next week and you are back in business.
  14. LdySmk
    14. Posted by LdySmk Thu Nov 12, 2009 2:15 pm EST

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    I was sitting in Turn 1 when this Chinook was landing and it was spectacular. All the fans in the area were on their feet and in awe over the entire thing... When that gorgeous Camaro.... ZZ Top "Gentlemen, start your engines," well that just so BLAH. The fans were not impressed whatsoever!
  15. hwkfxr
    15. Posted by hwkfxr Thu Nov 12, 2009 8:26 pm EST

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    That was by far the best I've seen a CH-47 flight crew, It loked as though they came in a bit hot but the Pilots and the Guys in the Back worked together as a team and it was totaly awsome. I bet there was some very usefull crew coodination going on in that aircraft, Having been an ACT-E instructor The flight crew did and awsome job. And for those guys in the back they were in sync, and well rehearsed. Good Job!!!
  16. 24Fan
    16. Posted by 24Fan Fri Nov 13, 2009 3:19 pm EST

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    Hoo-ah!!

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