Big Joe's Backseat Driver: Texas Thunder staff says goodbye to Promoter Pat Posted On: Monday, Nov. 23 2009 04:50 AM Before officially handing over the Texas Thunder Speedway controls to David Goode, Pat Wilson had one final duty to perform, and he pulled it off with his usual mix of a little seriousness, doused with plenty of humor.

Pat presided over his final Racer's Awards Banquet on Saturday at the Harker Heights VFW, an annual rite where class champions and the nine drivers behind them receive trophies, most of which are taller than Mr. Wilson (ba dump bump).

Among the highlights were Eric Jones being recognized as the first driver in Pat's 14 years of running the track to win championships in two separate classes, those being the IMCA Stock Cars and the Street Stocks. A new Driver of the Year award, voted on by the racers, went to Texas Twister runner-up Shelby Ellsworth, and Michael Hilliard was cited as the "Most Claimed" Twister pilot.

Mike McCarthy was named Gold Driver of the Year for his consistent finishes in both The IMCA Modified

class and the IMCA Stock Cars. Hardy Henderson got the nod as modified Driver of the Year, and the most coveted of all, awarded to a racer which showed the greatest sportmanship and willingness to help out fellow drivers, went to IMCA Modified driver Scooter Bates.

Jennifer Perry, who stepped in as head scorekeeper, was named Employee of the Year, while pit steward Ziggy Barnes and (I still don't believe it) yours truly received Promoter's Excellence Awards. Ziggy I can understand, since she has to line up every race and field gripes and complaints about starting positions (yes, that does happen), but all I do is sit up there, talk, occasionally tell the fans what's going on and generally make a lot of noise. Since my trophy was a replica of Terry Labonte's No. 5 Kellogg's Chevrolet, I'm happy to accept.

Like I said last week, my thanks to Pat and his wife and co-promoter Brenda Wilson for letting me do this for 11 of the 14 years they've run the track, but I can see their feelings on letting a new promoter try his hand. I guess you could say they were kind of like Oprah ... they felt the time was right.

After all the racer awards were handed out, the track employees presented a plaque to the outgoing promoters in a final gesture of thanks and, yes, affection.

"Whoa, I'm not going away from racing. I'll be involved at the track as much as David needs me," Wilson said, adding "When David gets a complete handle on it, I'm gonna crawl in a race car and go racing.

"A lot of people wanted to see some changes out there, some that needed to happen and I'm excited about the 2010 season."

As racers approached the registration table to sign up for their licenses and pit stalls, David Goode and his wife Tammy got their first taste of what's involved.

"Tonight, I think I'm kind of pulling my hair out, because there's a lot of stuff I have to learn," the new promoter said.

"I've got some of my people mixing in with the track employees so I can find out what's going on and which way to turn.

I mean, at the track, you always turn left and here it might be right.

I'm trying to figure out which way to turn."

David told me the new season begins the first weekend of March and there'll be a hot lap and testing day on Saturday, Jan. 9, complete with a free lunch.

I like this guy already.

Change is sometimes hard to deal with, though, especially for a dinosaur like me. Even though I'll miss Pat Wilson's ways of doing things, Goode has made a commitment to take Texas Thunder Speedway to a new level and I'm in for the long run.

Now, let's cut to the Chase.

By the time you read this, if Jimmie Johnson didn't wreck early, or finish below 25th at Homestead, Fla. yesterday, he has joined the NASCAR immortals with a fourth straight Sprint Cup championship.

It really bugs me that an accomplishment like this hasn't received the same kudos from sports fans and media alike that, say, the Pittsburgh Steelers got for all those Super Bowl wins.

Some say stock car racing isn't a sport at all. To that, I say ... well, I won't say what I'm thinking.

Racing has been part of the scene since Roman days.

Just check out a DVD of Ben-Hur and watch those drivers hitch up their brand of race cars to go round and round the oval at Circus Maximus, which was, by the way, the first race track. Those guys did it without roll bars or safety belts, too.

Nowadays, a driver is harnessed up tight with all the belts and helmets money can buy, but the name of the game is the same ... go fast, turn left and be first to the checkered flag.

That being said, it's time for me to take my long winter's nap away from the track and count the days, weeks, hours and minutes until Speedweeks in Daytona.

With Thanksgiving coming up, I've got lots to be thankful for from the racing standpoint.

Thanks to Killeen Daily Herald head honchos Terry, Mark and Nick for giving me this weekly soapbox and to all my co-workers at the track for being such a fun bunch to hang with on Saturday nights.

Special thanks to my wife Sherry Hoffpauir, too.

Every Sunday, while I'm spending hours at this keyboard pounding out my thoughts and gripes on the sport we all love, she quietly goes to the grocery store, cleans house, does laundry and, today, she's putting up the holiday decorations in our yard. What a jewel!

I love racing, pure and simple and hope to see you at Texas Thunder in March.

Let's peek out the window ... is Sherry done? Nope.

As I was saying ...