Have your say — To 'Boogity' or not to 'Boogity'
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Long time readers of my columns know that every year I like to take an annual poll as I try to keep my finger on the pulse of my fans, the media, the TV critics, and the racing community as a whole. I like to see where everybody is concerning one issue in particular: To "Boogity, boogity, boogity!" or not to "Boogity, boogity, boogity!"
I know I take a lot of heat, and it seems like it's mostly from insiders, about using the "Boogity, boogity, boogity!" catchphrase before every race. I've been told that the saying "is ridiculous," and that "it doesn't make me sound very intelligent." Every year I feel like I almost have to defend starting a race with those words, but I'm telling you, I travel a lot all over the country and I talk to fans — from little guys that are five, six, seven years old, teenagers, old race fans, new race fans, senior race fans, perimeter race fans, you name it — but I got to tell you folks, and you may not believe it, but they always come up to me and say, "Man, I can't wait to get the NASCAR season started again and to hear those magic words..." and they are not talking about "Gentlemen, start your engines."
I'm always kind of torn though; I want to be all things to all people, I guess. I want to be the best analyst that's ever been in the booth, I want to be entertaining, I want to be funny, I want to be clever, I want to be informed, I want to be a teacher ... I want to do all those things, but most of all I want to be respected. And I think most athletes feel that way, whether they are still active, retired or whatever. The biggest thing you'd like to have at the end of your career, or even during your career, is the respect of your peers and the respect of the people that know you, watch you and follow you.
I don't want to do anything that would hurt my image, I don't want to do anything that would hurt the sport, I don't want to do anything to make us look foolish, but I do want to have fun. I got to tell you folks, I am guilty of having way too much fun. If you watch and you listen, you know that old DW likes to ratchet up the fun meter — it's just who I am. "Boogity, boogity, boogity! Let's go racing boys" is fun. What would you like to hear? "Green, green green — go, go go" or "The green flag is out and they are headed off into Turn 1"?
Give me a break, it's got to be more exciting than that. It's like all the celebrities this past year, they try to outdo each other when they say the command "Gentlemen, start your engines!" Some are over the top and some are fun ... everybody's got a different opinion of how they want to do that when it's their turn. My opinion is that starting a race with "Boogity, boogity, boogity! Let's go racing boys" is fun and exciting, and a way to get people sitting on their couch involved before the race starts. I've heard people tell me that they call everybody for the race by just calling out "Boogity, boogity, boogity!"
Hey, it is what it is. So love it, hate it, use it, lose it, whatever you want to do — that's OK with me. Just vote!
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We're experiencing some, ahem, technical difficulties with the DW Boogity poll. Until it's straightened out, please register your preference in the comments here. Thank you. | ||
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You can vote here, we've got a comments section where you can leave your thoughts, you can send me a message — you can tell me I'm an idiot, you can tell me I make myself look foolish. Just remember, when you tell me all these things I've been told all those things before, so you are probably not going to say something about me that somebody hasn't said before.
I love my job, I love what I do, I love the people I work with, I love the sport that I get the privilege to be involved in, and I love having fun.
Let me say that again in great big letters, F-U-N, FUN.
So, let's get the votes here and let's see what the outcome is going to be. The last three years we've done this it's been 60-40 pretty much across the board, 70-30, 60-40. As long as I get positive feedback, I'm going to keep doing it. So when you look at the numbers, if you don't like the way they are going, reload the page and vote more I guess.
That'd be my advice.
Oh, by the way
Everybody's coming back this year for the NASCAR on FOX broadcasts, the same crew we've had for seven years. Probably the only new addition to our team over the last few years has been Krista Voda, and Krista does a great job and we are proud to have her working in the pits and working for SPEED. She brings a lot to our telecast; she's a smart gal who does a good job. Krista will be with the rest of the crew that's been around; Doc, Byrnes, Matt, Eddie, the guys in the pits, me, Larry, Jeff, Mike and Chris Myers.
Let me just say this about Chris Myers, I know Chris Myers. A lot of people say "he's not knowledgeable, he doesn't really fit in, and he doesn't know what he is talking about..."
Let me tell you what Chris Myers does for us, he brings us a totally different perspective. Chris does every major league sport that FOX covers, he has worked on other networks, and he's hosted news shows. Chris Myers is a smart guy and what he does for me, Larry, Jeff and Mike particularly is he asks questions and he puts things into perspective that we don't consider because he's covered other sports and we haven't. So when we are talking about rules, rule infractions, officiating or any of those things that other sports have in common with ours, Chris can always ask different questions and always have a different perspective.
That makes us smarter and better and I love the way he does things. Me, him and Hammond, I probably have more fun doing the NASCAR on FOX prerace show than anything I've ever done because Myers can be out there, he's got a warped sense of humor, and you know Hammond and I have known each other for over 30 years and we kind of have a way at getting at each other as well. So I think the three of us make a pretty good prerace show.
I enjoy working with Chris Myers. I think he is a smart guy and he brings a lot more to the table than people give him credit for. Some of the things he does is part of his act, that's who he is and that's part of his act when he gets ready to do these shows. So cut old Chris some slack, give him a break, and just take it from somebody who knows — he is very good at what he does and we are lucky to have him.
Oh, by the way too
The first round of testing at Daytona International Speedway is over with and we've got another session next week, but I just want to remind you that when you see names, cars that make you go "Hmmm..." always keep an eye on that car, team and driver when we get back to Daytona for Speedweeks.
There is no inspection at testing. You go down there and you are kinda on your own. The inspection station isn't opened this year, which is a little bit different because you have always been able to run your car through tech and get it checked over to kind of be sure you are in the ballpark. They are not doing that this year, it's NASCAR's opinion that because it's the Car of Tomorrow and the way it's got all the computer chips in it that if your car is documented and legal after it's gone through the Research and Development Center in Concord, N.C., in their mind the car is legal and there's nothing they can check other than having all those big templates at Daytona.
Anyway, you are on your own during testing, and I just know from past experience that when nobody's around, you are going to try something there that will give you a little extra speed. And if you are looking for a sponsor, trying to impress somebody, or if you are a new driver and a new team combination, sometimes you'll just try to get as much out of your little race car as you can so you can get a lot of attention before we get down there for the big shows.
I'm not saying anybody's doing anything wrong. I'm not saying anybody's cheating. Just telling you, if you see names at the top of the speed charts and you say "Wow, look at that! How did they do that?" When you hear the "Wow" word, or see things that make you kind of go "Hmmm..." just keep an eye on that guy when we get back down there and the officials take over.
Sometimes that changes the way your car performs.
One final 'Oh, by the way'
We just had our final board meeting for Motor Racing Outreach down in Charleston, S.C., and we had a great board meeting.I just want to thank all of the racing community. This year has been the best year we've had for people supporting the ministry, for people seeing the value in the ministry and wanting to keep it going.
The reason I mention this is that this is our 20th anniversary. MRO started in 1987, and we've had 20 strong years of being at the track, ministering to the families, drivers and crews. I think the ministry is stronger and better than it's ever been before. Since I am the Chairman of the Board, it does my heart good to see how everybody in Sprint Cup supports the ministry and appreciates it being there. That means a lot to me.
Thank you Sprint Cup community for all the contributions this year, and if I could ever get NASCAR to kick in some of that fine money they take away from these guys every year it'd make the ministry even that much stronger. But that's a story for another time, and I've told it probably more than I should.
Nonetheless, thank you Sprint Cup community for loving, caring and helping sustain Motor Racing Outreach. It means a lot to old DW.
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