A quiet, gentle soul amidst a storm of dirt
A level, wise driver beneath his familiar cap.
A precious gate keeper in turn four,
Our Buster carefully counted every single lap.
Husband to his dear Angie for most of her life.
Together they traveled thousands of miles side by side.
Every state line added to a collection of storied images
Kicked back with each other trying to enjoy the ride.
Friend to all and partial to none.
Working feverishly to make an informed call.
Entangled among the voices of protest
Tempted to put a cheater behind the wall.
First on the scene when metal grew twisted.
Shovel and extinguisher readily at hand.
No fear nor regard for his own well being
When it came time to help a fellow man.
A loyal friend from day one.
A solid shake behind that worn and tattered glove.
A sparkle in his eye as he took you in.
So much about Buster a friend could love.
And in the speed of forty laps,
he'd stop us solidly with one request.
He spied a lonesome dog too close to the cars,
To safety, he carried them all by his chest.
More than once we lingered in the pits
as the drivers and cars left our sight.
Propped up on a truck bed he'd recall every race.
Sometimes we found ourselves teased by sunlight.
"Buster Cupp....Lone Mountain," he'd proclaim to my spouse.
"H Smith....Cedar Fork," became the standard reply.
Two pals, once caught up in smoke and laughter,
Together stand shaking hands in the glory of Heaven tonight.
As the sun came up and the dew stopped falling,
He'd take off his gloves and store them for a time.
He'd go to the pole, and turn out the lights,
And a quiet still crept across the finish line.
Despite the darkness he shifted toward us,
He never really wanted to leave the track.
He found comfort in the dirt he carried home,
And every week he anxiously came back.
Watch over us, sweet Buster, I humbly ask of you.
We are broken and our spirit is dark to its core.
We know we are not supposed to question,
So in our faith, we'll just love you a little more.
We'll take care of your Angie,
And we'll watch out for your family, too.
We promise to be loyal in your absence,
And we know God is standing there with you.
Stand tall on those golden streets.
Let your wings ease the burden of your load.
Find those who have been waiting to see you,
Find peace like you have never known.
Shine down on us with God's favor.
Give us strength as we travel alone.
Raise us up from this pain and selfishness,
And we will see you when God calls us home.
Love,
Danna
