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May 8, 2007

Darrell Basham for President-Last of a Dying Breed
By Dennis Michelsen

Just imagine a real racer in the White House! Maybe this is just what the country needs! Forget the old political games in Washington, let's put someone in that position of power that understands how to stretch a dime for 200 laps. Darrell Basham is the last of a dying breed of old time racecar drivers. This fifty-seven year old ARCA RE/MAX driver from Henryville, Indiana deserves your support and vote in 2008!

Back in the Day…He Lives it Every Day
Tune in Dale Earnhardt Junior's fantastic television show "Back in the Day" and you will see racing the way it used to be. But forget about just settling for scratchy video on a flat screen, get out to one of the short track events on the ARCA RE/MAX circuit and you can still live that experience! Sure the ARCA RE/MAX series has plenty of talented drivers with large budgets that put on a great show every week. But at the other end of the garage are guys like Darrell Basham. These are real racers that given the finances of the other teams could whip their butts! But instead they manage to still get to the track using volunteer crewmen and women and the most bare bones budget you will ever see. No one is having more fun than these folks though and it shows! Walking into the infield at Winchester Speedway last weekend was like walking through a time tunnel and being transported back in the day. This is racing the way it used to be and still is for some. These are the true heroes in racing. These are guys that show up for that gunfight every week with a swizzle stick but still manage to survive! Anyone that can do this deserves our support for the Presidential nomination.

Save an Endangered Species…Buy a T-Shirt and Help Support Darrell Basham

Darrell Basham for President
"When I get elected it will be Federal law for all racers over fifty-five to get a two lap advantage," exclaimed Basham during the driver's meeting at Winchester. "It will also be Federal law for the President to get a special provisional!" Fuel discounts for drivers over fifty will also be mandatory according to this friendly Hoosier whose first race in the ARCA RE/MAX series took place over thirty years ago! Darrell and his girl friend/team manager Sandy work as long haul truckers to finance the team's racing effort. "Some people say I only hooked up with Darrell for his money since he is a racecar driver, but I was his banker before I was his girl friend so I know better than that," joked Sandy. Their race team is cobbled together and gets to the races thanks to a band of friends and family that manages to keep the car rolling through good times and bad. Just how popular is Darrell Basham among his peers in the ARCA RE/MAX series? Judging by the number of drivers, officials, and sponsors wearing the "Basham for President" button at Winchester this is one well-respected and popular guy. Even the series Chaplain proudly displayed his support for the campaign! We have had an actor as President so why not a racer? I can promise you no one will ever handle the budget with more care!

What Might Have Been
Darrell won some championships and a lot of races at his home track of Salem Speedway before coming to ARCA. Also hailing from that high-speed short track is good friend Frank Kimmel. Frank has gone on to win eight ARCA championships while Darrell is struggling to survive in racing. Sometimes I look at people's careers and wonder what might have been if circumstances had been different. Darrell Basham is too busy looking ahead to even have such thoughts. "It's gone from a bunch of mechanics building their own stuff to a bunch of rich people, and me one last poor guy," quipped Darrell. This fun-loving throwback racer did get philosophical when asked why he keeps going despite the hardships. "Green flag drops and it's adrenaline, it's purely just the adrenaline. Let's say you're at Daytona getting ready to take the green flag with forty other idiots trying to get into that first corner. I get fired up just thinking about it," said Darrell with a twinkle in his eye. "Sometimes it amazes me what we can do on absolutely nothing. We made every show last year!" While Basham was disappointed with his twelfth place finish at Winchester, the car survived and the team will be able to head to another race next week at Kentucky Speedway.

Race Fans Can Help Too
The sponsor of Darrell Basham's car is Anti Monkey Butt Powder out of Buda, Texas. This company produces a powder that is specially formulated to absorb moisture. This makes it very popular with truck drivers, bikers, and anyone else involved in butt busting activities! The folks at Anti Monkey Butt Powder have proudly supported Darrell Basham the past two seasons. Also onboard for the Presidential campaign is Fatheadz sunglasses! Now race fans can help the cause too by buying a special "Save an Endangered Species T-Shirt." Everyone that does purchase a shirt has a shot at some cool prizes from Race Talk Radio and to win a chance to help out the team during a race later this season! Remember to get out there on Election Day and also support Darrell Basham for President! Darrell is the last of a dying breed, those racers that just have to get out there and take the green flag every week. It will be a shame when the day comes that guys like Darrell Basham can no longer afford to entertain us at the track every week.

Darrell Basham and Sandy after the race at Winchester	The Anti Monkey Butt Powder No. 34 car in action at Winchester Speedway
Darrell Basham and Norm Benning at Winchester, two of a dying breed of old time racers	Darrell Basham beating up Race Talk Radio's Chris Knight for hugging Sandy