Mike Helton where was your pass?
04/01/2003
One of the funniest moments from the weekend came after the bush qualifying on Thursday evening. I was headed out of the parking lot on the way home. I headed to the North gate to exit and the entrance was blocked by a nice young man. Traffic was only to go out at that gate.
A brand new car drives up to the gate and the attendant waves him off. The car continues to drive up the wrong way into the parking lot. The car stops and the attendant tells the driver he can’t enter that way. There were no hanging passes or logos on the car. I look up and notice it is Mike Helton, the president of NASCAR in the car with a passenger. I started to giggle. I rolled my window down and yell to the attendant, “Son, I think it is OK if you let him in, he is the President of NASCAR.” Mike and his passenger started laughing. They gave me a nice waive and smile as the attendant let him pass.
The attendant says as I go by, “I was only doing my job“. I assure him he was fine and the passes would be handled by the next morning.
This reminds me of a concert story. The opening band is on stage. Security is tightened up to the back stage area. The guitar player from the band jumps off stage and mingles with the crowd. He then tries to enter the backstage area. Security says no way guy, you don’t have a pass. The guys don’t carry there wallets or there passes on stage. He can’t identify himself. I get a call on the radio saying this guy is being disruptive at the stage entrance and insists he must get in. Could you head over to the gate? I walk up to the gate and start laughing. Yes it is the band member and go ahead and let him in. The security guard is awfully embarrassed he says I was doing what you told me. I say that is perfectly fine, that’s what we want you to do. I just asked him to look over his shoulder when the next band come up so he knows who is on stage.
