Every Fall for the past 17 years, my good friend SB and I have headed to a NASCAR race. A "boys" weekend road trip, usually to the land of Dixie. A great way to finish off the Summer before getting ready for (should I say it?) winter. The past three years we've traveled to Richmond, because it is an important race and usually always produces an exciting evening. This year was certainly no exception.
Ever been to a big time auto race? Very interesting experience, especially in NASCAR, which treats it like a travelling road show or circus. Lots of people, maybe 75-85k. Lots of exhibits. Lots of souvenirs. Quite an experience. Here are few of the visuals from this past weekend.........
Although one can park on the grounds, as you can see from this pic, the time to get out after the race can be mind boggling, so SB and I park downtown and take the free shuttle to the track. Easy, fast and fun(?).
While waiting for the race to start, there are always things to watch, like Fox TV's live pre-race show. Everyone tries to stand out, so that they will receive their three seconds of fame on international TV. Each to his own.
Or spend some time at the souvenir stands. Usually very busy, this pic was taken the day before when it was considerably quieter.......
Want a model car, a t-shirt, a coat, a plaque, a baby blanket? If you can think of it, you can probably find it in one of these 45' rolling stores, complete with the driver's image, autograph and sponsor.
Displays are also plentiful.........
From a driver cut out, perfect for picture taking, to a manufacturer's exhibit, in this case Ford's - close ups of the cars, drivers and also their new products. All in all a great show.
So what about the race? Exciting? Certainly. Controversial? Absolutely. I won't go into the details, which you can get on any sports site, but days afterwards, there are still repercussions, with the final results possibly in question.
Great way to spend a September weekend and a Saturday night!
Until next time.......
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