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Perry Holman-Thank you my friend
Late Model Mark
August 27, 2010
Pinson, Alabama
This is no doubt, one of the hardest Red Clay Report's I have ever done, normally it is a track review, a report on a particular race or maybe just a gaggle of viewpoints. Not this one, this one hits home hard, a shot to the gut, a haymaker of reality. This column will be about the friendship I had and a few storys about the best and first friend that I've had since moving to Alabama. I dedicate this column to my "bud" of the last three years, Perry Holman.
I had landed in Alabama in late 2007, the racing season had wound down around here so I had to wait until the very early season Ice Bowl to see any action. That January day that would start season at Talladega Short Track, I was standing in front of the tower in the Orange shirt, of course, when a gentlemen with a TST shirt and a microphone came up to me and said, glad to see ya son, where ya from? You're not from around here are ya? From that day forward, after explaining who I was, where I came from, and about the shirt, the friendship was on. I had met the man I had read about for years, the dean of Southern racing, the man they called the "Voiceman"
The next time I went to TST I was standing once again in front of the tower when Perry said over the P.A. Hey, Late Model Mark is here from Latemodelracer.com, why don't ya come up here into the tower!! I went up there in a jiffy, it was like sitting next to the pope or something. We talked and I just sat next to him listening to him call the race and talking when he wasn't race calling. Unreal, what a deal. We then exchanged phone numbers and talked every ten days or so up until his passing.
On average over the next three years I would go to Talladega 12 to 14 times a year, Perry would talk about all the things he had seen, the racers he knew, it was such an incredible experience. He had called races at so many tracks from a multitude of states, the storys told were priceless. He would invite me to sit next to him each night and I would spend hours listening, watching in complete awe this man do his thing. I absorbed every bit of information and advice he gave me with very wide open ears. We had spent time at many tracks, from Columbus to Cleveland, Green Valley to Rome. Wherever Perry was at, the number of people that came up to him to say hi was outrageous, he was so admired and loved.
One night last year at Green Valley, a place that he worked on Friday nights, I was up there in the booth with him and we were talking about how I wanted to be an announcer, a dream since I was little. The Super Late Models were about to pull onto the track for the feature when Perry got up, turned the microphone off, handed it to me and he says, "why don't you call the race." After scraping myself off the floor, just kidding, I called my first complete main event in the South. Perry then said after the race, you did good Mark, you seem to be a natural. Coming from Perry I nearly cried I was so thrilled. The guy who most agree is the best in the business gave me an atta-boy. I'll never forget the gesture.
Fast forward to 2010. Perry and I became even more close in 2010, I valued every dang second I was with the man. One of the very few persons that never had a harsh word for anybody. A guy who could brighten anybody's spirits, he just had a way of making you feel special. We talked so much about the future, for me, for him, life, and racing. Perry was in my view, responsible for me realizing the dream, getting an announcing job. He gave me advice on delivery, style, what to say, how to approach the track operator and what to ask for. His main advice was to not imitate or copy any other race caller, be yourself and mainly have fun. All of his advice, each aspect of it was right on the money. It worked, I got it due to Perry, I am so grateful.
This past week was so sad, this well loved icon, the dean of announcing in the South, a grandfather, father with family, left us so unexpectedly to be with the good lord. My thoughts and prayers go out to the family, his racing family and to all that loved this man. He wil be sore missed. There is not a chance that his shoes can be filled, just replaced. a one of a kind man in life and a one of a kind in racing. It will take a very long time to adjust to things at the track without Perry. He was buried on Thursday, surrounded by family and friends, the racing people were dressed in their racing attire, there were checkered flags flying, very appropriate. He is at peace now, smiling down on us. I miss him so. Perry Holman was my first and best friend who added so much to my life and taught me so much. Life and racing will go on but it won't be the same, Perry would I'm sure would tell me this, go racing and have fun at it. Goodbye my friend and thank you, you enriched my life, made me smile and were such an influence on me.
God bless Perry Holman, next race will have a good 'un!! Till we meet again friend.
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