Calling NASCAR fans - Tim Richmond documentary

[entropy]

ESPN did a great documentary last week

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ek0jdHEi4bQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cU5DiESEUU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPYb9iZIKs0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYgZ-d-CtVM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nc2ZVl0ExVw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iF5HGVnEwHI

For those who need a bit of a history lesson Tim was an immensely gifted driver who raced Indycars before moving NASCAR - 1987 Riverside NASCAR race is worth watching.

Unfortunately he died in 1989 after contracting AIDS. Being the 80s this was a scary era (even as a 5/6 year old kid that gravestone ad scared the crap out of me) and unfortunately in hindsight NASCAR treated Tim like st even though Tim tried to hide his illness.

http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=3916...

[entropy]

Also forgot to had add he was NASCAR's answer to James Hunt and Eddie Irvine but, arguably, far more charismatic.

[456lbft]

entropy said:

Also forgot to had add he was NASCAR's answer to James Hunt and Eddie Irvine but, arguably, far more charismatic.

He was who the Tom Cruise character (Cole Trickle!) in Days of Thunder was loosely based on apparently. particularly his relationship with his crew chief.

[onomatopoeia]

Saw a lot of that at the weekend, some kind american streamed it in between practice sessions and the two races on Saturday. Very interesting, I'd never heard of Tim Richmond before having only been following it for the last five years or so.

[Glen320]

never heard of tim richmond either,brilliant charasmatic driver but an incredibly sad story.RIP.

[belleair302]

This 60 minute documentary is part of the ESPN 30 in 30 series whih showcases some amazing sports stories and human interest achievements. Tim Richmond was way ahead of his time regarding media persona and certainly shook up the NASCAR world.

A very well produced piece about a very gifted human being who was taken too soon and unfortunately was ignored by team mates, mechanics and the publc by large in a time where medical science was not what it is today, and media hype was everything regarding AIDS. If he had been diagnosed earlier or survived a little longer he may well have been alive today. A loss to sport and NASCAR.

He led a pretty fast lifestyle, but the documentary is well produced and shows NASCAR in an interesting light.

As has been mentioned he was certainly used as a basis for Cole Trickle in Days of Thunder, as were some of his team mates / crew chief / antics.

WATCH IT ON ESPN OR BUY THE DVD.