Randy Waples isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, and he’d be the first to tell you it’s okay that way. When you push the envelope and push buttons, you often push your luck in the median acceptance department.
Personally, I’m a sucker for the class clown. I’ll tolerate a lot more pushback from someone who offers colour and counterviews than a safe and bland fence-sitter.
Waples is smart, funny, and charming, and has enough savvy to know what the media wants from a good sound bite (and what the ORC doesn’t, LOL).
Even if you don’t care for his theatrics or occasional defiance of authority, you can’t deny Waples is an exceptional reinsman.
In addition to his inherent talent and on-track instincts, he also works for the edge. He says he feels more confident going to the gate knowing he works out one to two hours a day, five or six times a week. No longer the freshest face in the WEG driver colony, Waples is entering a new phase of his career and one in which he appears to recognize the benefits that only come with age, namely experience and clarity.
A two-time O’Brien Award winner for Canada’s Driver Of The Year, he’s enjoying a fabulous season and approaching 5,000 career wins and $84 million in purse earnings.
In Grand River Raceway’s final 2009 episode of CRIBS, presented by the Tarmac Show, Waples and I hit the Stratford Festival Warehouse. Like a wonderland for the theatrically-inclined, the warehouse is packed with thousands of costumes and props from hundreds of productions staged over the past 55 years.
While Waples browsed for a Halloween costume, we discussed scary moments, racing politics, maturity, family, other drivers, and a few more topics that we begrudgingly left on the editing room floor.
Enjoy!
To view the video, click here.
Haha absolutely hilarious
Haha absolutely hilarious and well done. Randy really is as good as it gets in the interview business.
Do Kelly's interviews ever
Do Kelly's interviews ever get picked up by The Score? This is exactly the type of promo work that needs to be on tv. How about slipping it in where some of the Australian Thoroughbred racing is now. How boring is that? Kelly and Randy--what a team. They could have their own show!
This is the kind of
This is the kind of creativity that harness racing needs! A wonderful combination of information and entertainment, that puts a real face on one of harness racings top preformers. We read all the negative comments about whipping rules ruining the sport, how harness racing is doomed - well this is at least part of the answer to that. The sport needs to be marketed, and few seem to have the knack for it that Kelly Spencer does. Keep up the good work and maybe other tracks can pick up on this "personality" based marketing that will draw more people.
There is no competition for
There is no competition for Randy as far as interviews go.
When Randy isn't busy one night it would be great to see him on the Score joining Renee.
Not sure if Randy could handle not racing for one night.
When Randy's days are done there is a job waiting for him behind the mic.
At least WEG has one thing going for them these days (besides the BC)
What a humourous and
What a humourous and insiteful piece. I've maintained for some time that Randy may be the best interview subject in professional sports and Kelly's interview confirmed that.
Cudos to Kelly and her team for a job well done. Randy....thanks.
Dave Michie
Aurora, Ontario