Tom Sorensen | On Valentine’s Day, NASCAR is known for flowers - and Chocolate

TOM SORENSEN

The Charlotte Observer

Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2008

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – If you want to bring your Valentine somewhere special on Thursday, bring her to Daytona International Speedway. I spend every Valentine’s Day here, and I promise there’s not a more romantic destination in the world.

Valentine’s Day is important because it gives guys an opportunity to express feelings for which they can’t always find the words. The right gift says what we can’t.

Chocolate is one of those gifts. Many women I’ve known crave chocolate. To me, chocolate suggests that we care. Plus, it’s cheap.

At the race track, you can find chocolate bars, chocolate cars and Chocolate Myers.

Chocolate became the most famous gasman in NASCAR history when he worked for Dale Earnhardt.

Chocolate engages in a different kind of gas now – he is the co-host of Sirius Radio’s “Tradin’ Paint.” He’s been in Daytona all week. Nice guy. If you see him, say hello.

I’ve known women who don’t like chocolate, but I have never known a woman who does not like flowers.

The Dale Earnhardt Jr. gift basket includes flowers. But that’s not all. You also get an item that all but screams romance – the foam thing you put your beer in to keep it cold.

NASCAR is known for flowers, as anybody who has followed the careers of Brian Rose and Bill Flowers can attest.

Rose competed in 38 Truck Series events and Flowers ran one Cup race in 1989. You can find flowers in Victory Lane but, unfortunately, you can’t find Flowers. His engine blew with two laps to go.

A candlelight dinner is romantic. Three miles from the track is The Candlelight motel. Pets are accepted.

If you want to buy something that will last, how about a diamond? But wait. Do you think we’ll find any diamonds at the track this week? Let’s take a look.

Hey, there’s Elliott Sadler, who once drove for Diamond Ridge Motorsports. There’s Kasey Kahne, who endorses a Legend Series diamond bezel watch. See that shiny thing over there? It’s only a diamond-plated Zippo lighter with a NASCAR logo.

A diamond is always appreciated. But if you’re really ready to declare your undying love, how about a ring?

Friends, Daytona has more rings than New England coach Bill Belichick.

If you want to drop to one knee at the race track today, among the rings you can offer are: a Kurt Busch replica championship ring; a Jeff Gordon key ring; a compression ring; an oil ring; a piston ring; a NASCAR belly ring; and a “Gentlemen Start Your Engines” ringtone.

More than anything, Valentine’s Day is about love. But love doesn’t just happen. It has to be created, encouraged, nurtured and sustained. The right mood helps. Here’s how you set it.

As you approach the 480-acre track Thursday, slip “Bipolar and Proud,” among Cledus T. Judd’s best work, into the CD player.

Skip to, “I love NASCAR.”

“We got owners, favorite drivers,” Cledus sings. “Boy that Tony Stewart’s a whiner.”

Another thing many women like is poetry.

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