Full Throttle

BAKERSFIELD, California - When we all gathered in Bakersfield for Mesa Marin Raceway’s 28th, and final, October Classic we were assured that two things were going to happen: Mesa Marin was going to pull out all of the stops to make the 2005 Classic the biggest and best three days of racing in its long and illustrious history. Secondly, somewhere in the late hours of October 15th we were going to have to say goodbye to a motorsports facility that meant everything to us and no matter what level of toughness we ascended to we were going to feel the pain.

Everyone knew this night was coming back in June when Mesa Marin Vice President Larry Collins held a press conference and announced the decision to sell 40 of the track’s 56 acres to a housing developer and 2005 would be Mesa Marin’s final season. While that announcement left many of us speechless, we eventually had to admit that all of the reasons were sound. There was a need for his parents, Marion and Shirley Collins, to slow down. At 69 years young they both continued to dedicate their lives to the race track they created and Larry Collins knew they would never consider retirement as long as the track was still open.

As the black and white checkered flag fell on Mesa Marin’s final lap I found myself standing alone, near the backstretch wall, thinking about the 13 years I had been covering races at this track. I recalled watching drivers like Kevin Harvick, Ron Hornaday Jr, Matt Crafton and Kurt Busch use Mesa Marin as career springboard that launched them to their current status in NASCAR’s national touring series. I recalled the first ever race truck, built by Gary Collins in the Mesa Marin race shops, and how that turned into the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Most of all, I recalled all of the talented and fascinating people I met there and how much the privilege of covering Mesa Marin events meant to me.

Returning to the front part of the race track, the victory lane celebration was concluding and it was time for Marion Collins to say farewell and thank you to all of the fans who had gathered at the raceway that night. It was also our time to thank him for everything he did for us over the past 28 years. “Over the years the people I’ve met are far more important to me,” he said. Then, with a strong rush of human emotion, Collins added “will everybody please cry with me? Thank you for everything.”

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