My Summer at the Southside Speedway

I worked in the pit stop on the car alongside my father. I cleaned windshields and put tools away, and I quickly made friendships with the sons of the drivers and mechanics. To be honest, I don’t remember which make, model, or car it was, but I do remember some of the winners and driver’s names from my days at the Southside Speedway.

I was young and so was the sport, and these drivers were not household names like the NASCAR drivers of today. I was a crew-cut kid, and all the drivers would rub my head every time they came near me. The drivers were Junior Johnson, Rex White, Jimmy Pardue, Cliff Stewart and Richard Petty.

This was the first time I was part of a group of boys and men making similar choices about music. The times and the music were changing so fast. Our parents didn’t like the music we were listening to, and they were listening to music their parents didn’t like.

Looking back, I realize that the generation gap was wide in the beginning of the new sound that was called rock and roll. But in reality, it wasn’t that much different. The new sound told stories of lost and found love, peace and having fun. The main difference was that rock and roll was a visual media. Elvis moved his hips, Jerry Lee beat on his piano, and The Beatles had long hair and everybody wanted to not just hear them, but also see them.

So this is why, standing in the garage listening to 409 and watching the generation gap melt away, even if it was just for the length of the 45 record, I realized that music must be a part of my life.

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