| Home > racin' > Unleashing an IdeaVirus: Death of the "Pit Lizard" |
| Unleashing an IdeaVirus: Death of the "Pit Lizard" | | Date Created: Feb 25, 2005, 12:24 PM |
 IS THIS WHAT WE MUST RESORT TO FOR SECURITY?: (names used by request, not just by permission) (Left to right) Lory, Jenn, Nicole and Sabrina. NASCAR credentials stipulate no open-toed shoes, no shorts, and shirts must have sleeves. I do not recall a single word on the release forms referring to the midriff section or pneumatic boobs.
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Seth Godin is one of the most influential minds in marketing, and I've long enjoyed his books and his columns online and in the top-notch biz magazine FAST COMPANY. One of his more compelling ideas is the concept of the Ideavirus. In simple terms, it involves developing new theories, ideas or terms that spread rapidly via the world of the internet and word of mouth.
So - in honor of Seth and because this weekend's race event is near the glittering ooooze pit of celebrity known as Hollywood - I've decided to make public our very own term for what were known as "Pit Lizards." The Lizard reference has been around quite awhile, and for those new to the sport or unfamiliar with the term, it's used in a mostly derogatory manner to describe the ladies (young and old) who hang out in/around/near the garage area in an attempt to um... meet the drivers. It's racing's version of a groupie.
In other sports, they are known by colorful names like "jock sniffers." That phrase can describe a man or a woman. It's not always a sexual connotation - there are as many/more guys than women who exhibit a fawning, swooning, non-sexual need to be with or near athletes or celebrities. OK, maybe it is sexual, but it's the lure of being near celebrity and the surrounding hoopla. (My fave quote relating to the gaudy old-school t-shirts with more ink on them than cotton in them, courtesy the ultimate mentor to the stars/Big Boy Himself/The Salty One/The Man, The Legend, Bill Kentling: "Is it kinda gay to wear a t-shirt with another guy's face on it?" heh heh I learned the phrase 'jock sniffer' from Bill.)
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 I believe it was Dale Jr. who first expressed his displeasure in 2001 with the inadequacy and worn-out nature of the phrase "pit lizard." In an attempt to create our own new and more vibrant term, we consulted in-depth with Robby Gordon's sister Beccy. With much brain work and teeth-gnashing, we came up with... (DRUM ROLL PLEASE...) HELMET LICKER.
We think it's funny, smart and completely appropriate on many, many levels. SO - now we must watch the web, the newspapers, radio and TV broadcasts for the new use of HELMET LICKER. It is an ideavirus that CANNOT be stopped!
An odd aside: In light of the creation of the helmet licker phrase, Mz. Gordon also managed to define a new role for myself (or Mike Davis or any other of our crew whose main job at the track is more bodyguard than anything else). That role is to be the LICKER BLOCKER. So, please show some love and respect for the licker blocker near you.
Spread the word! It's up to YOU. Down with Lizards! Up with Lickers!
(Yes, that IS Carrot-freakin-Top... but it looks like he's the one doin the lickin' here. hmmmmmm...The entire theory turned on its head.)
NOTE TO NEW READERS: We like to have fun here. We are not LITERALLY calling for the death of pit lizards, merely the PHRASE. In fact, we have nothing against pit lizards (mostly for medicinal reasons). Remember kids: no glove, no love. Helmet Lickers: use it, love it, spread it, own it.
See Webster's for: irony, sarcasm, parody, ennui
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Spur of the Moment IdeaVirus: Just tried to find some simple information at NASCAR.com. Took me three times longer than it should have. Ya think we could ask them to add MORE to their front page? Maybe make it harder to find anything at all? I wish I would have written down the date several years back when I told one of their execs "sure would be productive to put a 'search' feature on the site" because it was so difficult to navigate. I understand the ad sales and having the logos and videos zooming and swooshing across my lil' screen, but HELP US FIND WHAT WE WANNA KNOW. Even this easy-to-use-darn-near-free blog software we use allows a site search via Google. (See the link on the right. If you ever need to search anything on this site: type your info and click SEARCH. Simple as that.)
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