Over the 1974 season I made many new friends in racing among the drivers, the crews, the marshals and the other journalists. There was one other prize I had spotted several years ago and this I wanted. It was the red armband of either the European Racing Press Association(ERPA) or the American Racing Press Association (ARPA). I applied to both. I got a reply from ARPA and was accepted into this exclusive organization. I didn’t get a reply from ERPA. The ARPA application I found out later nearly did not make the cut. I catered mostly to the drivers and the sponsors. I did not work for any particular magazine or newspaper. I did a number of covers and the odd story, but it was the sponsors who paid the big bucks and it was them I geared up for. The letter of acceptance from ARPA was a big day for me. The package arrived with a red leather armband with gold embossed letters and my photograph neatly tucked inside a small window for all to see. I stood in front of the mirror just looking at it on my left arm. At the track I wore it off my belt as it was tight on my arm. I had arrived!
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