African American In Motorsports: Gary Graves

aaracers - Forty-eight year old Gary Graves has aspired to be a sportswriter since his High School days, and thanks to seemingly always being in the right place at the right time, he has reached one of the premiere positions in the world of sports journalism. Graves is currently one of the motorsports writers, for the Nation’s largest newspaper, USA Today. Since joining the paper in ’97, Graves typically writes three racing articles weekly for the paper.

Graves’ journalism career has come full circle as it has taken him from the D.C. area to Florida and back since the early nineties. After graduating from Maryland College, his career path took him where the opportunities were available. Starting out at the Orlando Sentinel Newspaper, Graves covered all the major sports in the area including the Orlando Magic when Shaq arrived. He expanded his horizons when he started covering motorsports for the Florida Today paper, which led him to his first race, The 1992 Daytona 500.

Graves was hooked on racing from that moment on. That same year, due to a misunderstanding on his part, he listened to “one of the most riveting and compelling races” stated Graves, the 1992 Indianapolis 500. Graves was enjoying his Memorial Day weekend at the beach in Orlando, when he tuned his radio to listen to what he thought was a NASCAR race. He soon realized that he was enjoying the broadcast of the Indy 500. The 1992 Indy 500 was one of the closest finishes in the history of the event and Graves’ interest in open-wheel racing was born. “After that broadcast, I knew I had to see Indy” commented Graves.

Graves started covering Motorsports for USA Today in 2001 and considers himself a “qualified passionate” when it comes to racing. He enjoys most of the races from the comfort of the various media centers at the tracks, but says that its harder to sit in the stands at a NASCAR event because they are more racially passionate about their sport.

Today, Gary Graves continues to be one of the top Motorsports columnist for USA Today and travels extensively because of the racing schedules. He is currently single and resides in the D.C. area. His career travels are not conducive to a long term relationship, but as his career has shown, he seems to turn up at the right place and the right time. Kudos, to Gary Graves, Motorsports Journalist and African American In Motorsports.

Parliament/Funkadelic Funks Pole Day at Indy

05.09.09 - aaracers - George Clinton and his merry band of characters rocked the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Pole Day, Saturday. The nearly three hour set featured many of the classic funk grooves and a few new grooves led by the incomparable, George Clinton. Playing such classics as "Flashlight", "Maggot Brain" and "Knee Deep", to name a few.The compilation of musicians, vocalists and "Sir Nose D-Void of Funk" kept the IMS Plaza Crowd grooving and entertained.

Clinton, a master of funk grooves and Stage Animations, toned down the animated part of his show but still kept the presence alive by allowing his scantilly dressed singers and colorfully dressed musicians to perform non-stop during the set. Although Dr. Funkenstein is pushing 70 years old, his voice was strong and decisive, the beast was loud and thunderous and the band was tight and prepared as Clinton directed the ensemble of characters on the stage. Kudos to IMS and The Indy Racing League for opting for a more diverse type of entertainment during the Centennial Celebration of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.