"Let me tell you, they had some of them white-knuckled shootouts without tinkering with the rules and messing up everything. They didn't have to race a bunch of races and then be artificially separated, either, before they went on to finish the season."
Joe leans across the bar, closer to where Bubba and Hank are sitting. "I know what you boys are talking about," he says. "Ain't it awful? People come in here all the time and get around to talking about how racing used to be, and how much they miss it.
"I guess you have to get used to it. I remember when I was younger, I watched professional wrestling. I also used to watch roller derbys on television. Both of those sports have gone away.
"When things are good, don't upset the cart. That's what I always say. Look what they have now. Very little compared to once upon a time, but I reckon it was their race to lose.
"My son went off to college, you know. He's studying business. I was telling him about how racing used to be something big. He said he was reading one of his school books that said a lot of private companies in this country were built by the first-generation founder. Then, he said, the second generation comes along and keeps the business going or makes it grow some. Then, according to the book, an awful lot of big companies have gone down the drain under third- and fourth-generation leadership. You reckon there is anything to that?"
Bubba orders another round. "Well, Joe, that's interesting," he says. "I guess we're just lucky the NFL hasn't started throwing the forward pass in reverse, or that baseball doesn't let their whole season come down to the last 10 games. If that happened, we'd probably be without any sports to watch, but it sure looks like there are an awful lot of people at each one of those football games today."
Apparently, one of the three drops a glass, because I am awakened by a loud noise. I sit straight up in bed, trying to shake off the bad dream I've just had.
What? No racing? You must be kidding. What happens in your mind when you're dreaming, I wonder? I don't know any Hanks, Bubbas, or bartenders named Joe.
I'm sure glad the whole thing about racing going away was just a dream.