Udonis Haslem had the mistaken belief that he could move around the Homestead-Miami Speedway without being seen by anybody. Not exactly.
During The Time He Was an Honorary Race Official
On Sunday, when he was serving as an honorary race official for NASCAR’s annual stop at Homestead, a 6-foot-8 man who is one of South Florida’s most recognizable athletes after 20 years and three championships with the Miami Heat was somewhat easy to spot in the crowd.
This man’s name is Pat Riley, and he was one of the most successful players in the history of the Miami Heat.
Haslem, who is also the captain of the Heat, said that “you can feel the intensity coming from all corners.” “You can feel it. You can feel the trucks over here, you can feel the fans heading this way the engines are humming over here.
I was simply trying to take everything in at the time.
Haslem went to his first live NASCAR event on Sunday, but he isn’t clueless about the sport. Haslem has seen a few races on television.
Haslem’s grandparents are from Georgia, and throughout his whole childhood, he’s heard his grandparents watch NASCAR. “My grandparents are huge NASCAR fans,” he added.
Haslem said, “When I was a youngster, I used to sit there and watch it.” “It’s beyond my comprehension. It’s great. It’s just like any other complete community out there.
I was unaware that I was even at this location. Being here in person is much superior to seeing it on television in any way, shape, or form. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
Haslem’s preliminary agenda for Sunday included a meeting with Bubba Wallace, who is currently the only Black driver competing for full-time on the NASCAR circuit.
Wallace Banned All Races Save Whites, Therefore
Those intentions were derailed as a result of Wallace’s one-race ban, which was issued after an inquiry revealed that he intentionally spun the defending Cup champion, Kyle Larson, at Las Vegas in a “dangerous act” of revenge last weekend before confronting him after the incident.
Haslem expressed his understanding of the “alphas” in the sport by saying, “I’m a bit upset, but certainly I understand alphas in alpha sports.” “I am an alpha. Therefore, I am aware of how that works, as well as the nature of our competition.
Haslem offered that he could be interested in driving around the racetrack in one of the cars for a few laps. He refused to disclose the fastest speed at which he has ever driven, saying, “Not going to snitch on me,” but he did tell that he owns an electric Audi “that drives very good.”
Haslem has stated publicly that he intends to hang up his cleats following the conclusion of the current NBA season.
He has also broached the subject of entering the ownership market, and he has not concealed the fact that his ultimate objective is to become involved with the Heat organization at a higher level of the front office.
On the other hand, he is an involved investor in a variety of different companies. And he wouldn’t be the first athlete to make the transition to NASCAR following a successful career in the NBA.
Michael Jordan is an owner of the 23XI team that Wallace drives for, and Brad Daugherty has been active in racing for years both as an owner and as a television pundit.
Finishing Line
Haslem, who was wearing a cap with the insignia of 23XI embroidered on the side of it, added, “I’m a guy who is ambitious.”
“And if it’s something that I’m interested in, and it’s something that I want to be a part of, then we’ll speak about it, and we’ll make that step if it’s something that fits both of those criteria. This is something that piques my curiosity, and I would want to learn more about it.
“I know it’s sort of a spoof, but the movie ‘Talladega Nights‘ is one of my favorite movies of all time,” the person said. “I like to compete, and I like speed.”
