The View From My Recliner: Ready for Texas
By John Harlow
Steve Byrnes, FOX Sports NASCAR reporter
I want to start by saying I hate cancer. That is how I lost my dad almost five years ago. There is one NASCAR reporter I have always enjoyed watching and listening and that is Steve Byrnes. He would give you the story from pit road and some how always did it with grace and dignity. Byrnes is fighting cancer and this is what he had to say on Twitter.
I am in ICU with pneumonia and a Pulmonary Embolism (blood clot) in my lung. Kind of a perfect storm on top of cancer. Thanks for prayers.
— Steve Byrnes (@SteveByrnes12) April 8, 2015
I am praying for you for a speedy recovery and for your family as you battle this disease. My favorite Steve Byrnes moment (because I am sure that we all have one) was at Auto Club Speedway after Tony Stewart took a swing at Joey Logano on pit road.
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I want to give a shout out to Beyond The Flag writer Clayton Caldwell and his brother Brandon who host a show on Blog Talk Radio called Talking in Circles. I guest on the show occasionally and it is a fun debate of what is going on in NASCAR.
This week NASCAR heads to Texas to run under the lights Saturday night. It is a mile and a half cookie cutter track. It would be nice if NASCAR got rid of some of the cookie cutter tracks and built another Rockingham type track somewhere where the market can support it. Some of the best racing is on tracks a mile or under. It’s not going to happen, but it would be nice.
I want to thank everyone who read last week’s column and I hope that it might just help one person.
Martin Richard, Boston Marathon bombing victim.
My home is just outside of Boston. Two years ago when the Boston Marathon bombing took place, my family and I were locked down in our house while police searched for the bombers. 30 counts and 30 guilty verdicts. #BostonStrong.
Every time I see the picture in the right of this text it just saddens me. Please keep the victims and their families in your thoughts. I couldn’t imagine being the parents of Martin Richard. They lost an innocent young boy in a senseless tragedy. As a father, I have no idea how I could even begin to think about going on.
Lastly this week I have a request for the broadcast networks. Here is my ultimate broadcast team…
Pre-Race show host Krista Voda with analysts Jeff Hammond and Dale Jarrett. Let’s put Mike Joy, Larry McReynolds and Jeff Burton in the booth. Finally on pit road I’ll go with Jamie Little, Matt Yocum, Dave Burns and Steve Byrnes when he is able to come back. I would love a Waltrip-free broadcast. Sorry DW and Mikey, you’re both nice guys and all but in all honesty it’s time for the both of you to go.
Enjoy the race in Texas this week and we’ll talk next week when I hop in the recliner again. Be sure to share your thoughts about this week’s edition of the recliner by commenting below or reaching out to us on Facebook or Twitter.