Yahoo! Sports, Bob Margolis and NASCAR seemed to be a very good combination. Based in Pennsylvania, Margolis was always able to keep a safe journalistic distance between himself and the personalities in the sport. His observations for Yahoo! were often quite different than the Charlotte-based media folks.
His last post on the Yahoo! Sports NASCAR page was November 16th. In low-key style, he offered his thoughts on the 2008 season and signed-off with "that's all folks." That phrase was a bit more prophetic than most readers knew.
Margolis was leaving Yahoo! on his own accord and December 31st was his last day on the payroll. 2009 will allow him to start a fresh chapter in his life. It is a life that took on a brand new meaning only two short years ago.
Many of you read the TDP post entitled "Daytona as a Place of Healing." At that time, we were celebrating Bob's return to the Rolex 24 sports car race as a very personal victory over a daunting opponent.
Margolis had stopped many race fans in their tracks with his brutally honest story on Yahoo! titled simply "A Survivor's Story." For those seeking a fresh perspective in this new year, just click on the title.
Now, after a full season of covering the NASCAR beat one final time, Margolis is headed in several diverse directions. Full of energy and a zest for life, he is turning his writing talents from weekly race observations to a long-form biography.
Project one is a biography of Jack Roush. The man who NASCAR fans either love or hate is one fascinating individual in the world of motorsports. As Margolis reminds TDP, many fans do not know the lifelong love affair with speed that has driven Roush for decades.
While Carl Edwards and the Roush NASCAR teams may be in the headlines, Roush has won with several class entries in the Rolex 24 sports car race in Daytona over the years. There was also a time when he dominated the SCCA Trans-Am category, winning over half of the races his team entered. Margolis clearly has his work cut-out for him where Roush is concerned.
The American Drag Racing Association is the group that races down an eighth-mile distance and this season is title sponsored by the National Guard. As they grow to a ten race schedule in 2009, Margolis is going to coordinate both the Internet and media side of that business as the VP of Communications.
Finally, the Internet continues to be home to a growing selection of social networking websites with all types of different themes. iTeamSports has the idea of allowing participants to own various kinds of professional sports teams, including NASCAR. Margolis is going to be helping that company expand its motorsport presence in several series. It certainly is an interesting concept.
So, for all of you who have been emailing about why Margolis has been gone from Yahoo! Sports for the last several months, there is your answer. Here are some words from Margolis to TDP readers that will ultimately put his move in perspective:
I've been very blessed in my life. Having survived cancer has changed the way I look at everything. Every day is a gift and I plan on enjoying each and every one of them. Ever wonder why they call right now "the present?" It's because it is a gift. I've had to learn that, the hard way. Never take ANYTHING for granted.
For more information, Margolis was a guest on the Rowdy.com podcast. Just click on the "Listen Now" button on the right side of the page.
Best wishes to Margolis on his new challenges and many thanks to him for being a good friend of our efforts at TDP since the beginning. Please feel free to add your comments by clicking the COMMENTS button and following the easy directions.
The rules for posting are located on the right side of the main page. Thank you for taking the time to stop by The Daly Planet and Happy New Year to everyone.