Edward Otto

 

Check out the book, Asbury Park Press

By Feb. 12, a long-awaited book by Edgar Otto and Joann Biondi will hit the world of auto racing and should create lots of interest among that world. Edgar Otto is the son of racing promoter Ed Otto.

Otto, when he promoted races in which I once competed, lived in Union. The book's title is Ed Otto: NASCAR's Silent Partner.

Ed Otto was a 40-percent partner in NASCAR from 1949 to 1963. Bill France bought out Otto in 63 and took full control of NASCAR.

My feeling always has been that if Ed Otto had not been involved with NASCAR it would not have been able to survive those early years. Otto promoted seven nights a week in the early days and provided a good economic base for NASCAR. There were a lot more tracks running NASCAR shows in the North, Midwest and elsewhere than there were running in the South.

As NASCAR is not now a Southern sport, it never was a Southern sport. The characterization of the NASCAR fan as a truck-driving, gun-rack, rifle-packing, over-weight, beer-drinking individual just isn't so. It never was.

As for the sport starting because some of the whiskey runners needed a place to race their cars, that too is fiction. The sport existed long before 1948 and prohibition had been over for a long time. And to the best of my knowledge, there were very few whiskey runners competing in the early days of NASCAR.

As a young race driver, I had the pleasure of racing against many of the early NASCAR heroes like Lee Petty, Buck Baker, Herb Thomas, the Flock brothers, and many others.

That particular type of driver, for the most part, does not exist today. The drivers in the "good old days" had to have a high degree of skill just to stay alive. Given a choice, I would rather drive today as opposed to the 21 years I spent racing a long time ago. It is much safer today even at the higher speeds.

Today is a very different world when it comes to the sport of auto racing, and in many respects it is much better now. But as far as the people involved in the sport, I will take the good old days anytime.

Changes abound

The balance of the NASCAR rule changes I mentioned last week in this column are as follows:

Fuel Cell Size — All three national series will run the same up-graded fuel cell, that is the same cell used in the 2007 Nextel Cup Series which will continue to be used in the 2008 Sprint Cup events.

Engines — A new engine combination package has been introduced in the Nationwide and Craftsman Truck series, and it will allow for cost-saving opportunities for teams. The modifications reduce RPMs and horsepower, which will help engines and pieces to last longer. In turn, teams will have the opportunity to run multiple races using the same engine components.

Tire usage at non-sanctioned tests — Teams in all three national series will receive an al011 ? 0048.08lotment of tires to use for non-NASCAR sanctioned tests. Cup Series teams will have access to 200 tires during the course of the year. Nationwide teams will get 160 tires and Truck teams will get 120 tires.

NASCAR fines - The money collected from fines issued to drivers now will go to the NASCAR Foundation, which supports a variety of charitable causes. Previously, fine money was added to the season-ending points funds paid to drivers for their final placements in the point standings.

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