I've been watching Madhouse on The History Channel (for excellent reviews of the show see KT's reviews at Esbee's blog) and I do enjoy it immensely, but one of my fears is that my friends and family in other parts of the world will think that the Madhouse crowd is representative of Winston-Salem in its entirety. Fec offers his own evaluation and I have to say that the first and last sentences of his second paragraph kind of sum up my worries:
I stayed up last night and watched the History Channel’s Madhouse chronicle of W-S Bowman Gray stadium modified racing. The series portrays our area in the worst possible light.
The shows are highly effective cautionary tales of men who refuse to grow up and the families they neglect. It is a cogent primer in abnormal behavior. The soul-crushing pastime of habitually racing on a track too small to pass renders the participants beyond their already limited capacities to maintain composure. It’s Jerry Springer on wheels.
I have nothing against the Madhousians, and in fact the culture reflected in Madhouse is one of my favorite things about the Winston-Salem area, but you have to remember that just a few miles away from Junior Miller and his K'ville Mafia live grown men who wear loafers with no socks to the pool at FCC. If that doesn't say "I haven't grown up" I don't know what does.
Official disclaimer: I see nothing wrong with going sockless, but why drag your loafers into it?
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Befuddled 
Heck Jon, I’ve met people from outside this country that thought the first thing they’d see upon arrival in the USA was cowboys and indians in full regalia. And it was not that long ago either.
I’ve heard others express the same sentiment as you and Fec but hey, it is what it is. TV distorts many things and people will realize it for what it is sooner or later. However you feel about it though, a Saturday night of Bowman Gray Racing is pretty damn accurately depicted by Madhouse and about 15K show for almost every race. The same would apply if Madhouse focused on Darlington, Talledega,Daytona, or Bristol. Love it or hate it, NASCAR fans represent a part of society.
The Dash and Grasshoppers can only wish they had that kind of following and passionate fan base.
So, about three weeks ago I get a call from a friend in Minnesota who opens by saying “So, Bo, (heavy emphasis on the “o’s”), I’m watchin’ TV late the other night…….that’s your home town right?” I assured him that there was much more to WS. Nonetheless, that show has shone a bit more light on us here. Hope they keep it going.
I agree with you on all points. I really do love the show and I really do love the fact that we have Bowman Gray and I think the Dash folks will have died and gone to heaven if they get anything close to the passion at their stadium. I actually disagree with Fec that the Madhousians represent the worst thing about our area, but I really dont want people to think thats all weve got either.
Im definitely going to try and make at least one race this year. It looks like a blast.
Me too Bo. I think its a good show and it proves that Bowman Gray is a jewel in our crown that we shouldnt take for granted.
I am not a NASCAR follower but I just wish that 30 years ago our city fathers had built a super speedway for a big NASCAR race….The Camel City 500 or Winston 500. It seems like it would have been an excellent fit for the old RJR, Winston Cup Series and tourist $$$’s that come with it. I don’t know about the politics back then. Do either of you know? BGR would probably be even bigger as a result.
1980 marked the beginning of our troubles here. McLean trucking, Westinghouse, AT&T, etc. Followed by Piedmont Airlines, Hanes and F. Ross Johnson. I think people were just looking to stop the bleeding. A full length track proposal would have been political suicide.
What did the F in F Ross Johnson mean?
Thanks. I’m a little sensitive to the behavior portrayed on the show, having spent my life trying to get away from the local obsession with racing.
I hear ya. I felt much the same about lobbyists when I lived in DC.