Thank God George and Tom of Dover Brother's Racin & Donkey Farm aren't Greek. From the first time I saw their team logo painted on the rear deck of their race car I liked it and today I got my very own Dover Brothers Racin T-shirt! Some of the team members names of the #263 Volvo are Ben Dover and then there's Leaned Over and so I decided I needed a team name of my own so I asked my wife what she thought. She said I looked like Runded Over. I should never have asked her.
Ever notice how some photos taken in a different light can drastically affect the overall mood of the photo? Well, then have you ever noticed how the angle from with the same subject is shot can also give an entirely different feeling, sensation or mood? A good example might be if you have ever seen a movie set where a movie has been shot. From one angle you see the actors, the horses, the saloon and so on but from a different angle you see the back side of the lot set including the unfinished movie prop thus taking away the realism of the whole mood.
Anyone having read my blog over the last week or so have probably seen the following photo taken by the photographers at Go Fast Energy Drinks.
This is a photo of the #263 Volvo piloted by my good friends Tom Boes and George Sullivan after taking what some might call "The Scenic Route". As you can see, it appears they are only about 30 or 40 feet off the road in some tall grass. I remember as soon as I saw this photo that I quickly fired off an email to them telling them it doesn't look all that bad so I see no reason why they shouldn't be able to get right back on the road. After all, it looks like a safe place to go off from what I can see.
But then today our good friend Francisco Ortiz sent me a picture he took of the same car in the same spot except this photos was taken from just a little different angle thus giving the viewer a different perception. More like HOLY CRAP! Look at the size of that cliff they narrowly missed going over by only a few feet!!! What appeared to be only 30 feet in the other feet is more like a several hundred feet of sheer cliff. Now I can figure out why the guys in the tow rig made the two of them ride in the car on the back of the tow rig. After a ride like that there had to be some stained shorts and I bet the car was fine but the clean up is probably what took the rest of he day.
If it's sensation and realizim you want just take a look at THIS photo!!!!
CLICK ON PHOTO TO ENLARGE
Here's a video reinacting Team Dover Brother's last words before going over the cliff...
One of the funniest messages I have received so far is from Tom Boes and George Sullivan, co-pilots of the #263 Volvo. Remembering that they had an "off road excursion" a few days ago and the heart-breaking story of another team who spotted them sitting in their car atop a car hauler, it is very uplifting to learn these two great guys have the heart to laugh all the way home and see it as the thrill of victory... and not as the agony of defeat!
Not allowing fate to stop them they made it their destiny to finish and that's exactly what they did. How freaking cool is THAT!!!
Here is one of the messages George sent that had me laughing so hard.....
Gary,
Well we finally figured out we came in to hot, got airborne and suddenly became a very high speed lawnmower. We are just wondering if John Deere will sponsor us now. All of the safety equipment required in the car did their job and the neck braces we bought more than paid for themselves. The car was repaired and we were off and running again out of 109 cars in the starting field we were one of from what I understand one of 67 to cross the finish line which is always a high and low point of the race the high being you did it and the low you have to leave the friendships you have made over the past two weeks that will last forever as you know. I went down with full intentions of posting often but the car always came first then what sleep we could get. The Volvo is pretty beat up right now and lots of work to be done over the winter. As Tom and I talked as we rode on the top of Duane's car hauler we have lots of stories to talk and laugh about over the winter.
George
Note to George and Tom... If I were you I wouldn't waste any time contacting John Deere and remember their slogan... "NOTHING RUNS LIKE A DEERE."
