DARKSIDE OF THE RING HARLEY RACE
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- čas přidán 25. 04. 2024
- The Life and Legends of HARLEY RACE.
Eight time NWA Champion Harley Race achieved near mythical status for wrestling fans as the ultimate tough guy, but behind closed doors his life was haunted by violence and unimaginable personal tragedy. - Sport
Whoever is in charge of this channel. Thank you for putting Darkside Of the Ring on here. I will be a life long fan. You are appreciatedm❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Totally agreed! 👍🏾
Truly grateful as well
I agree
it is some sort of non english speaking oriental person(s).
i cant imagine this channel will be around long
@@an0therdimensi0n99why do you think that?
If Mick Foley calls you tough.........
Nuff said.
i haven't heard of any foley street fighting stories. if by tough, you mean taking crippling bumps for years and years, i'll give him that.
You gotta be a legit tough guy if Andre the Giant takes a suplex and a bodyslam from you. Flair asked Harley what he told him, “I said suplex, bodyslam. Kick out at two”. What did Andre say? “Yes, boss”.
Exactly. Dude never had the body, but he definitely beat up his body to put on the best extreme matches
Haku\Meng sees Harley Race walking towards him, and runs to the other side of the street.
@@wraithstrongopark alot of people will do it for the money
a good example of the fact that legends are often times the most troubled individuals. I appreciate how his wife was overall very kind with how she talks about him while still acknowledging the abuse she faced. It’s okay to appreciate people’s legacies, but it’s important to know this behavior is not okay no matter who you are.
When I recall Jim Ross describing a guy as "tougher than a two dollar steak" he was definitely talking about Harley Race.
He also said Steve Williams was a tough S.O.B. and Bart Gunn put him to sleep.
Doc tore his quads in that B4A bout. Like Terry Silver once said, “If a man can’t stand, he can’t fight.”
What pissed me off about the whole thing is they could of build Bart Gunn up to be this super badass and made big money off of him in a kayfade sense with Ken Shamrock and Dan Severn.. But nope, Jim Ross got in his feelings about his friend looking bad so Jim Ross and Vince McMahon decided to bury Bart Gunn by bringing in a legit Boxer 🥊 in Butterbean to teach Bart Gunn a lesson.. Vince and Jim is wrong for that and that's the part that never gets talked about as much as it should.
"He hit the floor and Harley hit the door"........CLASSIC LINE
The first pro-wrestling match I ever saw was Hulk Hogan vs. King Harley Race... I was hooked.
Thanks, brother. I've had that effect on lots of wrestling fans, brother. Harley was easy pickins for me, the "Real American".
@@toddmorrissey8372 Take your medicine
Lol there's two wrestlers who's histories have certainly done an about face with each other. One with a legacy that seems to get stronger the other one impossible to judge accurately anymore and just getting worse. Such a shame, he was the most popular wrestler in the world at the time, his legacy would have spoken for itself, best in the world just wasnt enough for him, weird and sad.
I just want to say that Trevor Murdoch is a rock solid old school rassler. He doesn't have that "it" factor that makes a top guy, but he's a big ole cornbread fed dude who's strong as a bear and doesn't hurt anyone in the ring....and he's been doing it for so many years.
Didn't care for him in WWE, but NWA oh boy he had my attention he's good
@@t_buddski4672 He worked in a tag team called The Dupps in early TNA, too.
Buster Murdaugh too. 😃
I met Harley Race at Capital region hospital in 2004, he was in the waiting room waiting for his wife to get tests done and I was there meeting my stepmother who was the Head nurse for the hospital, we talked and then shook hands, we never talked about wrestling
That's an amazing story! I met Harley with my oldest son back at WM20. He was an absolute gentleman and of all the wrestlers I met, he was by far the most laid back. When someone is as much of a bad ass as Harley, you don't need to be loud mouthed or arrogant. He was so kind to my son, lifted him like he was nothing (even though Harley was in a wheelchair) put him on his knee, and said: come here, champ, let's take a picture
Is that one that he beat up?
Did he put her in the hospital?
Half joking
Towards the end of his life I stopped Harley for speeding. I didn’t let on that I knew who he was. He was a complete gentleman and even did some small talking with me. Great guy!!
No offense but what a missed opportunity, you should have thanked him for his career. 😀👍🏻
Did you give him a ticket ?
That’s not something to be proud of as a LEO.
@@Intheknow12 what’s not to be proud of?
@@jonathanturbide2232 wanted to remain professional given the circumstances. I suspect he knew that I knew who he was.
Harley won his first world title with a suplex. Awesome
Lololol😅😅
The rings were like concrete back then, so yeah. 🤣🤣🤣
And on my birthday too
But what you fail to realize they set up their finishing moves during the match because Harley Race worked on the person's back so the soup place was just a nail in the coffin it's not like all of these generic hotspots that they doing matches now
I was 10 years old and watched Starcade 83 via "closed circuit" TV at the Colosseum in Fayetteville NC, man those were the good days LOL.
Harley looked 59 years old in his 20's! 😅
Also he looked older in the 1980s in the WWF than he did in WCW in the 90s 5+ years later... It didn't make sense.
I'm 47 and look like Harley in his prime. 😂😂😂
@@samuelwoods164 Maybe he threw some steroids in the mix.
Steroid is what made men older last time
He's doesn't look like he was doing a whole lot of steroids@@alwilson3204
Mom: he would beat me and threatened to get rid of me if I left
Son: I think they divorced because of wrestling
The son is skeptical of his mother. You even hear her say idk if he’ll ever believe me. Messed up family sure. With all due respect
@@BrandoTolerrari2277You thought this comment was about women. It is entirely about you, William. And every single person who reads it knows that.
@@Ceaseless_Watcher no
@@Ceaseless_Watcher You are so rather correct Sir. Please allow me to apologize if my comments moistened your nether regions. You are so ever correct there is nothing sneaky about women. Now I'll if you don't mind good Sir. I must make my leave on my invisiable horse.
I think theyre speaking more in terms of the greater effect wrestling had over his entire life, always the first priority etc you know what I mean?
One of my favorite wrestlers of all-time
Been dying to see this episode. My grandparents were friends with Harley and I didn't know how bad ass he was until about 10 years ago. He was just a friend of the family that would show up when he was going through town.
I grew up a fan of Kerry Von Erich here in Dallas, and I've always said one of the best matches, If not the best match of Kerry's career IMO was against Harley Race at texas stadium, and the winner getting a title shot against Ric Flair!
Kerry and Harley were fighting all over the place, including the football field, but it actually ended up beating a pretty decent match!
Who won?
@@BreakingNVainKerry
You know you're nuts when Harley Race calls you nuts lol
Iron claw was on point with Harley race casting
Was the movie good?
@@jamalevans1574yes
@@jamalevans1574its very good
@@Satan97458 thx.imma check it out later on
@@Satan97458not gonna lie, I've been skeptical but I have heard it's great yeah good endorsement imma see it
He didn't have to yell on his promos. He just came across as a serious badass with that stern voice.
They skipped over his second wife like she didn’t even exist.
I grew up watching Harley Race wrestle in St. Louis. I took photos of Harley, and eventually, i took a pic of him i consider the consumate photo of Harley as Missouri Stare champion. When he started his promotion, i was contacted prior to the close of the tourney that their world title beld had disappeared. I loaned the promotion my best belt to use that night.
Later on, i went to several shows at his academy in Troy, Missouri, and at times spoke to him at length.
During that time, i also had possession of the original Central States Championship belt, that he was synonymus with in the area.His then wife BJ was having a surptise birthday for Harley, so a couple of guys i worked with got the belt to her in time for the surprise.
I wasnt able to be there for the event, but later talked to him, and he took me into his office at the center.
He proudly showed me he had it displayed on the wall.
Harley really meant a lot to me, as a fan, watching his career and the occasional chats i had with him.
One Harley story id like to share, was when he had an "Open house" for the Troy facility.
I took my granddaughter to it and introduced her to Harley.
A little while latee, as we all broke off and were milling about, i noticed Harley was sitting at the refreshment area, talking to my granddaughter.
I was about to go over and tell her to stop bothering Harley, i stopped.
Harley was talking to her, and they were eating cookies.
In the decades before, i had seen him taking on every person in the world of wrestling, in some of the bloodiest brawls in the world.
Yet here he was. He had a really kind, smile, one i didnt see a lot of. He almost looked embarassed when my granddaughter told him i had His picture up in my living room.
As long as i live ill never forget that image.
Oh i forgot to mention, when you showed the reenactment, and he put the g*n in his waistband. They got it wrong.
Harley was a southpaw. Great job, tho.
That’s a wonderful story. Thank you for sharing.
So basically Harley had to mop a human hippo..you gotta be committed to lace Harley’s boots
One of THE GREATEST wrestlers and bad asses of ALL time.
For a wrestler he was a badass no doubt about it but I dunno man, I feel like a journeyman Muay Thai fighter or MMA practitioner would be tougher now doubt about it. Legend though that's for sure.
Ken Shamrock and Brock Lesnar is still alive.. Some of the baddest of men I seen who were pro wrestlers..
@@wingerdingwwe wrestlers beat up kickboxers 😅
I ran into Harley near his wrestling school in Eldon, Missouri before he passed. This was in the mid 2000's and he was already a senior citizen who had been slowed down by back and hip and knee surgeries. Still, he had that air about him that let you know if you pissed him off and you were within reach, he could still get ahold of you and break something. I can only imagine what he was like in his prime. You didn't mess with Harley Race.
I also worked with Trevor Murdoch who spoke about Harley in this video. Trevor wrestled for Harley and then became a tag champ in WWE. I was Trevor's boss while he worked part time at a regular job, while wrestling on the independent circuit. Trevor is a good dude.
I went to several of his WCW matches around MO with my great aunt. She would take photos for the wrastlers and make buttons for them, loved Harley Race and Bulldog Bob Brown
Harley was tough, but he did have a modified Captain Kangaroo haircut
I remember hating him so much cause he was attacking sting at ring side as a kid and then to learn he was the toughest of the bunch !!! Did his job well I couldn’t stand Harley. Now he is one of my favorites
Self proclaimed. These stories all cam from him.
He was responsible for the death of his 1st wife and child. He beat his 2nd wife and cheated on her. He seriously injured multiple innocent people in an accident because he was drunk. He was a good wrestler but it's hard for me to look past all that stuff.
If you judge performers in any kind of entertainment based on their off stage personalities you'll probably have a hard time finding anything to watch or listen to.
Was he responsible for the car accident? It sounded like it wasn't his fault. Was he inebriated?
Harleys fro has a chin strap
You are gonna blame him for the first incident?
@@samnickoles3322 he was at fault
Surprised they let the wife tell some of the truth about the real Harley
he's DEAD, why wouldn't they? Ever since Elvis. That is the consistent thing, so EASY to tell stories when they are gone.
@@jimnfl7134 They told them plenty when je was alive.
women lie
7:20 So, the Zbyszkos were the American equivalent of the Harts in Canada. Wow.
Harley race was not just a wrestlers wrestler Harley Racewas a man’s man there well never be another hard race rest in peace Harley
Damn! Justin definitely looks like his Dad.
People mark out at dudes who are barely 170lb doing the bumps on mats and through boxes that Harley and other 270lb monsters we're doing 30 years ago on concrete.
AEW fan base lol
The older class of wrestlers had to be hookers to keep security in their titles.
@@JayZombie1216 that fanbase and Khan are fearing for their lives with your comment
I've heard stories of how badass Haku was from the likes of the Road Warriors and other legitimate tuff guys. The only other guy you put along side of Haku, is Harley Race.
Definitely need the bash at the beach 2000 dark side of the ring episode 💯
So... Harley invented the DRIVE BY too?!?!?!
Right?! Lol I swear, half these stories are pure BS.
@@IamLegend32he was a crazy MF. There are so many stories on CZcams from wrestlers. He's a legit legend
@IamLegend32 just like all of the "tough guy" stories or "fight" stories where someone attacks someone who's asleep or sucker-punches someone... MOST of the "workers" stories are BS!
@@brandonsmith5880he sounds like a spoiled BRAT!
@@guywilliams6569 exactly man.. I grew up watching wrestling and have a lot of respect for these guys but most of these stories they tell are most likely either way exaggerated or straight bs.
And all those bar fights these guys won were probably against fat out of shape truckers who were also outnumbered by the wrestlers. No doubt, there were probably some legit tough guy wrestlers but most of these guys are fat, out of shape slobs who acts tough for a living.
Harley was the first legend I ever met. 5th grade, at a small indie show in SE Iowa, 15 years ago. He talked with my Dad and I for a few minutes (my Dad grew up watching him in the Handsome Harley era), and he was very kind. As I shook his hand, he looked me in the eye and said “Kid, don’t ever take crap from anyone.”
I used to be in awe of Harley,my journey to loving his style of wrestling was when I saw him beat Terry Funk for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship in the mid seventies
Harley had a great look when he was young. Surprised not see any comments from Ric Flair in this. Flair had nothing but respect for Harley.
Well now hold on, Happy Humphrey ALSO taught Harley how to take bumps and grapple, too. I can't believe they forgot to add that to the episode as it was a very important fact to talk about. He had matches with Happy Humphrey too and he treated Harley very well, with pay and experience. These are from Harley's own words, too. That is like Jim said, that is paying your dues!
What a badass. Also crazy to see that he worked the carnival circuit.
Thank you for these videos
Harley was A PSYCHO
Many thanks for all the uploads
Hands down best wrestling show ever
Much better than WWE
THANK GOD FOR THIS CHANNEL!! ❤😂 I just subbed! I refuse to sign up for any more streaming apps just to watch this show! You're doing the wrestling lord's work 😂
I’M FROM “KANSAS CITY 🏙️” , & I grew up in the 70s watching HARLEY RACE, RUFUS R. JONES, & BULLDOG BOB BROWN to name a few on local TV 📺, when the NWA HEADQUARTERS was located in Kansas City!!! TOUGH MEN💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽!!! “KING 👑 HARLEY RACE” & THE NATURE BOY RIC “Woooo” FLAIR are my 2 Favorite Wrestlers 🤼 of ALL-TIME!!!🙌🏽💪🏽🔥😎
"I didnt get shot with a pistol, it was a nuke"
Harley Race
A real-life badass...that was Race. Glad this documentary showed both sides of his personality. What I saw was Race in the ring, doing his thing--and he was great at it. But in his private time, he turned out to be a very difficult person to be around. Not quite a psycho when the booze got to him, but something close to it, and that's just sad.
One thing he said about the flying headbutt: he regretted using it. Not because it wasn't exciting for the fans, but because it led to wrestlers doing more dangerous styles of the headbutt. Race never suffered any brain damage AFAIK...the guy must have had a head like solid rock to withstand all the bumps and spills he took. Lke him or hate him, he changed pro wrestling forever.
@jessfrankel5212: He feuded with the late great Bobo Brazil in the early Eighties in The WWA if I remember correctly. Sadly the feud pivoted around which man could better withstand the punishment of the Flying Headbutt. Knowing what has come to be known about CTE in The National Football League...😔B.W.
Too bad we can't say the same thing about Chris Benoit when he used that move.
Harley Race and Terry Gordy were my heroes. And nothing i hear in this episode will change that. I thought no body could beat either. In the ring, or otherwise. I thought the sun rose and set on Harley and Terry. They were the reason I became a pro wrestler. I may not of had the it factor, that didn't stop me from doing it for 17 years. And those two are the reason it was all I wanted to do from age 6. RIP Mr. Race. Your missed.
Nothing? So if he was a paedophile he'd still be your hero? Sounds like you have a really healthy relationship with fame.
Man, you really saw where Kurt Hennig got his looks from his dad!
@wrathchylde9539: Bruiser and Crusher just to draw Heat when Harley Race & Larry Hennig were a Buddy Rogers style AWA Tag Team called Harley & Larry "The Dolly Sisters" after a popular Movie about 19th Century Showgirls! And Harley Race & Larry Hennig were Faces in that Feud.😂🎤💃💃🤼♂️B.W.
I once saw a bout between "Mr. USA" Tony Atlas and 7-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion Harley Race. The match lasted an hour and it was a 2-out-of-3 fall match. Harley took all the blows that Tony Atlas could dish out and, no matter how many times Atlas pinned Harley for the 3-count, Harley beat the 3-count each time. I don't know exactly how many times Atlas pinned Harley for the 3 count, but it must have been a thousand times. Race was in a gory mess at the end as his forehead was opened up by the countless headbutts that Atlas gave him, but the guy just couldn't be stopped.
Correction - Race was usually doing the headbutt off the second, not the top rope. There's quite a difference and they should know better.
Dark Side is garbage tier, Vice is terrible
38:12 wow he sounds so much like Harley. Great stuff!
3:19 I now realize this Man, Mr. Race was not to be underestimated.
Excellent.
Cornette showing what a criminal waste of his talents that his knowledge of these times will not be how people remember him,
Cornette been known to get in fistfight himself
I used to listen to his show when it was all about the old times. But when he ran out of history to talk about it just turned into old man shouts at cloud.
Harley Race was the greatest pro wrestler of all time!
🤣🤣🤣🤣
You misspelled 'Shawn Michaels'.
@@blakehardy7105 If you think he is, you need a history lessonjust like jimmyleon2983 about pro wrestlng.
The greatest is historically either Ed Lewis because he being part of the Gold Dust Trio and the first draw in wrestling created modern wrestling or it's Lou Thesz because he innovated and invented most of the modern moves and holds in wrestling.
And even if you're a mark who thinks no wrestling existed before 1985, then Keiji Muto/The Great Muta was a billion miles ahead of HBK
@@blakehardy7105 Shawn 'The Wimp' Michaels,,,LMAO!!
@@blakehardy7105you mean Bret Hart or Stone Cold dood
no offense ..but Harley did the headbutt from Bret's rope
who tf goes out boating & turns off their lights?!? not making excuses for harley, but still, lights on=no crash.
The ex wife was telling what really happened but they cut it out. She left that night. He left mad and drunk so something else happened out there. At Lesa’s that’s what she’s implying
That's not really what happened.
@@givem110 oh, ok.
@@Rjensen2 i wasn't there, i don't know. they said that the lights on the "victim's" boat were all off. my comment was based on that info.
@@jdbankshot God, never mind. You're just another idiot that doesn't understand the concept of police reports.
But yeah, I wasn't there.
Has Cornette forgotten about Haku?
and ron simmons
He was around both and said Harley. So take that for what it's worth
I remember growing up and hating Harley Race. I was a huge Jerry Lawler fan and lawler couldn't beat him for nothing! Every time he'd come into the area Lawler couldn't beat him!
I've been watching wrestling ever since I can remember. I loved watching it at my grandparents house. Harley, Dick the bruiser, and the crusher were the toughest
"It wasn't a pistol. It was a machine gun." I'm calling B.S. on that😂
Remember all those old Chuck Norris memes? They should be about Harley. Like: When Harley was born, he slapped the doctor... Etc etc.
He’s was the man! No one was as tough as Harley was 💪🏼
I loved wrestling as a child. Watched every single time it came on. I was born in 1980 so I was a WWF kid and that’s all I knew. My grandmother used to wake me up for “Saturday night Main Event”. I loved it. As a kid this was so much fun to have a live show with no Jobbers either. Title matches and a whole bunch of drama. When Harley Race came out My Grandmother told me that he was the toughest guy in wrestling and I couldn’t believe it. You would never know by the gimmick in WWF. He’s so the Meat &potatoes , bar of Iron type of heel not the regal, crown & robe blonde type of heel.
Harley Race and Haku. Enough said.
The only two people in the world andre the giant feared
Would have loved to watch it till the end.
i thought wrestling was fake till i saw harley drag rick flare's face across a chain link fence at kansas city kansas memorial hall i was hooked been a fan ever since
Harley is underrated on the microphone.
I’ll be honest when I first saw that pro wrestling exposed I didn’t think it was Harley. To be honest even though the voice was off due to the size and hair of the “booker” I thought it was Dusty.
Lol you couldn't do anything to Dusty's voice that wouldn't immediately let everyone know
@@TRIIGGAVELLI to be fair though if you didn’t actually watch the show and only saw a photo of the booker. I think 9 out of 10 wrestling fans would think it was dusty
3:19 The great E.J "Ted" Whitten, was Footscray now known as the Western Bulldogs, premiership captain in 1954 in the old VFL now AFL, was a commentator for Australia's World Championship Wrestling owned run by Jim Barnett. All the big stars around the world came to Australia to perform including Harley when he was champion.
Would be nice if the afl would get behind Australia's independent wrestling scene now. I used to be a monthly attendee to one of Australia's best independent shows in Perth, and I still follow what's happening over there even though I'm in Melbourne.
Corny looks good. Must be laying off the baconaters and sprite.
Going with setting ring in fire ok
Harley Race, Andre, Haku, Ron Simmons and Steve Blackman. Five men i would never want to piss off.
He had to drive fast. His name was Race.
Unlike Rick Flair, Harley Race is a legend who undeservedly flies under the radar. He was a major badass in his prime and its a shame many people will only remember him for that cheesy "king" gimmick in WWF at the twilight of his career.
He was nothing but tough
Harley had a wrestling school down in Eldon Missouri (Lake of the Ozarks),I was dating a girl from there(like 20 years ago),and went down to see her,and we drove by it,and she was telling me it was his wrestling school!!!
It's not a tragedy when you are drinking and drove a boat or any vehicle. Of course he should be liable
Seeing Harley in that gold Kimono, makes you scratch your head, and think, Uhhh, something is out of place here. Even though, had I been there with him, I would have walked up to him, and pretended I didnt recognize it was him, until we were face to face. Due to him fitting in so well with the Japanese guys there! Then told him, That Kimono looks great on ya Mr. Race! 😂
How is this show on season 5. Nobody watches this channel.
Yup. Hit pieces
Yeah, where have you been?
At least read the damn title of the show. 😂
@@Rjensen2 where have i been?
I split my time between your Mom and your Sister’s house.
@@L.m.CeeTee😂😂😂😂
Well yeah, it's in the name of the show.
Perfect man for NWA champion. He fit everything to be the man. And yes he’s the man to beat the man. Sorry to Ric Flair but it’s Harley
I'm sure Ric would agree with ya, Harley was by far one of the guys ge had the most respect for. Harley and Wahoo.
Imagine going to a carnival and Will Ospreay or Bobby Lashley was the guy taking challenges? Lol😅
I would actually think about fighting Will Ospreay.
Harley would if been great as a version of the original rendition of the Rhino in the Amazing Spider-Man comic. He looks like a walking Jack Kirby comic book character.
This dude looked 60 when he was in his 20s!
Thats called having a hard life.
@@rustyshakelford2164rip Arn Anderson’s life ;-(
my takeaway from these episodes is "guilt". I was going to wrestling shows in Boston in the 80's. while I'm there at the Garden's laughing, cheering and having the time of my life there are wrestlers families at home suffering for my entertainment.
18:43 Razor's Edge?
20:16 the heavyweight title changed hands after a verticle Suplex? (sue-play if Gordon Solie calls it.)
28:31 kinda tarnishes Harley's tough man gimmick when he needed a gun to confront another wrestler he thought he was tougher than.
Sue-play is the correct pronunciation.
🤘
This was a good one. This and Sensational Sherri have been the best this season. IMHO
I'm a bit sick of finding out all my heroes being arse holes 😢
You have to remember it was a different time. Men weren't allowed to show emotions or cry. So drinking to care of their problems. It was a tougher way of life and I guarantee you he made his peace, no one is perfect. People make mistakes he paid for his mistakes.
Everybody's human no one's perfect. On the other hand yeah some people it's not just human shortcomings some people are really not very good people.
You guys are 💯 right! I put these guys on a mmassive pedestals! I honestly thought Warrior was a superhero, although I was 6 & thought wrestling was a shoot till I was 13yo! Its still real to me damn it! 😭
We all think Harley Race got 100 times cooler after this and the wife beating stuff.
The King Harley Race a real legend.
3:20 that guys look sums up the whole show
And his barbecues were legendary
Harley Race is truly the godfather of professional wrestling
Lol, no. That would be Toots Mondt, who created Pro Wrestling or Ed Lewis who was the first major star or maybe Lou Thesz who created a ton of wrestling moves and pushed the whole style of pro wrestling forward big time. By the time Race came around, everything was already set in stone by those who came long before him.
You really need a history lesson about pro wrestling, kiddo.
Wrong Lou Lou Thesz was known long before he was ever in the game
No one tougher huh? Not say George Chuvalo?
Harley was such a Tough S.O.B.He was awesome.
Harley is My GuY. ReSt in Power KinG
Did I actually see a Clip of Harley Race with a silly smirk? That unsettles me even more than if it were Terry Funk!😂B.W.
Ah, the eight-time NWA World Champion bs....
I have a whole new respect for Harley Race.