© 2006 Dwight Drum
Story and photos by Dwight Drum
Web work by Gary Larsen

Homestead-Miami Speedway's Ford Championship Week, NASCAR's long season finale is fast becoming an extravaganza to attend and watch. Many events including Ford Fan Fest at Los Olas Park in Ft. Lauderdale accompany the exciting "Chase for the Championship" finish. This focus turns to yet another related happening, a sedentary competition, one that requires silence and patience.

Hot Rods & Reels™

"I try not to put a hook on the line, because maybe that way you might have to actually do something." (Bobby Labonte)

"Fish are kind of like women, you never know what they are going to do." (Martin Truex Jr.)

"This thing is either running into my hook or it's not."(Scott Wimmer)

NASCAR Goes Fishing

A team owner, a TV commentator, a legend and 17 active NASCAR drivers converged on a cool November morning to drift over 80 foot of water on an 18 acre infield lake trying to hook rare Peacock Bass. This lake and two more on HMS property were created from lime rock fill removed as base material for the 1.5 mile track oval.

Year-round the colorful bass are automatically fed but during Ford Championship Week the Hot Rods & Reels™ catch-and-release tournament sponsored by Miccosukee Resort & Gaming, popular drivers provide a meal with baited hooks. The fun event benefits Darrell Gwynn Foundation, a non-profit organization for the ultimate of cure spinal cord injuries and other debilitating illnesses and Speediatrics, a 14-bed pediatrics unit at Homestead Hospital.

Darrell Gwynn was a winning NHRA Top Fuel Dragster driver until 1990 when serious injuries from a high-speed crash during an exhibition run at Santa Pod Raceway in England confined him to a wheel chair. Gwynn's spirit has never faltered with efforts as an owner of racing teams and the launching of Hot Rods & Reels™ charitable endeavor.

A long line of great drivers paid a $5,000 donation to drop filament lines with baited hooks in an attempt lure hungry bass and catch the most fish during a one hour period. A lot of competitive energy trolled around lake fringes that morning seeking to weigh in the winning poundage.

One question about this contest scenario comparing fishing to racing jumped to mind like a hooked fish. Let's start this inquisitive engine with Richard Childress, team owner and champion maker.

Can you compare the challenge of fishing to the challenge of owning a race car team?

Richard Childress:
"They both have their challenges. Some days it works and some days it don't, you know. You just got to get up the next day and go again."

MATURE DRIVERS

Can you compare the challenge of fishing to the challenge of driving a race car?

Darrell Waltrip
"Well you know you got to put your line in the water to catch one and you gotta run your car to win one. That's kind a how it goes."

Bill Elliott:
"That's quite a bit different. I think sometimes fishing is harder than racing, cause the fish have a mind of their own. But I have never been able to lure them to my hook."

Ken Schrader:
"Seems like it's pretty hard. I can't catch any fish. I don't know nothing about fishing. I question sometimes whether I know anything about racing. I don't know anything about fishing."

Bobby Labonte:
"No. Not really. Maybe not my fishing. My fishing is relaxed. I try not to put a hook on the line because maybe that way you might have to actually do something because it should be relaxing. In racing you are just totally on edge all the time."

Kyle Petty:
"I don't know, man. I've never caught a fish at this tournament, so I can't tell you. I've never caught a fish here."

Mike Wallace:
"Yeah. I think you can in a lot of aspects. It takes a lot of discipline and a lot of patience to catch a fish. It's the same way in racing, you gotta have a lot of discipline and a lot of patience to win races. I definitely think there's a lot that crosses over between the two."

Stacy Compton:
"Absolutely it's competition. We are all out here for one reason and that's to win. Win a race or win a fishing tournament, it doesn't make any difference."

Jeremy Mayfield:
"It's about the same. You never know what you're going to get. I don't know if it's the same or not, but it's still a challenge. Fishing is more laid back and relaxing to me. It kind of gets your mind off racing and if you get your mind off racing while you're racing you're in big trouble. But you can do that while you're fishing and that's cool."

YOUNGER DRIVERS

Can you compare the challenge of fishing to the challenge of driving a race car?

Tony Stewart:
"No difference, I mean it's a totally opposite atmosphere. We get to relax when we go fish so it's the one time when you don't have to listen to the phone ring or anything else. It's nice and relaxing."

Martin Truex Jr.:
"No. No. Fish are kind of like women, you never know what they are going to do. And they're pretty moody. You catch 'em sometimes and (then) you just can't catch 'em no matter what you do."

Carl Edwards:
"I don't know enough about catching fish yet to even really know how to work at it. I just enjoy it. I hope it never becomes hard, you know what I mean, otherwise it wouldn't be as much fun."

Scott Wimmer:
"Fishing it is the way I got this figured out, this thing is either running into my hook or it's not."

Ryan Newman:
"Oh, all depends on how hard it is to catch the fish, because sometimes it is hard to drive the race car."

Kyle Bush:
"That's why they call it fishing and they don't call it catching. So you just give it a shot. It is what it is, once you catch one then it's fun, but till that point you're just out there twiddling your thumbs."

Clint Boyer:
"It's still a little bit tight."

Bill Elliott and boat teammates caught three fish for the combined weight win. Fast guys with deep thoughts leave us with water ready for drifting and words to ponder and remember.

Hot Rods & Wheels ™

Daytona International Speedway
February 16, 2007
www.darrellgwynnfoundation.org

Homestead-Miami Speedway
November 17, 2007
www.homesteadmiamispeedway.com