Sept 12: Road trip - 2014

Saturday night racing NASCAR style. Forty three "stock" cars with upwards of 900 horsepower each, going round and round the short track at Richmond, Virginia. This was the last race before the ten race stretch to determine the Sprint Cup champion. Big money, big prestige. If you are a fan, you already know who won, so let me try to describe the experience........

.........for the past 18 years, my very good friend, SB and I have done a road trip in the Fall to one of the NASCAR Sprint Cup races (formerly Nextel Cup, formerly Winston Cup). It's always fun to see a big league race, but this extended weekend (usually four days), is more about taking a trip with a good friend. Relax, chat when we want to, share thoughts or simply enjoy the experience. And we were not the only ones who thought Richmond would be a good place to be on September 6th.......

 .......tons of cars, loads of people. Being seasoned veterans, SB and I know the best way to attend the race and it sure is not driving to the track and parking in that humongous lot.......

 ........no way, we take the free shuttle bus from downtown right to the track, no fuss, no stress. Once it took me over two hours to get out of the parking lot at Michigan International Speedway. No thank you, we'll ride the bus.

These races are big events with all sorts of displays.......

Clint Bowyer's sponsor

A Ford Fusion cutaway

Chevy's display of their drivers' cars

 Lots of excitement, as we wait for the moment when the pace car finally takes to the track to lead the cars to the race's green flag........

 .....ah, the pace car and also the other thing, that every event bringing in around eighty thousand people needs, plenty of police presence, from the locals to the state police (race fans are wild and crazy and out of control - right?). Race fans also bring $, so what better way to relieve them of it, than with souvenirs of their favorite driver.......

Forty five foot trailers, which are painted up like the race car haulers, but which have opening sides, revealing a store featuring every manner of way to relieve an enthusiastic fan of a few (or a lot of) hard earned bucks. Just check out the stands and add up the ways a fan can support their favorite driver, from t's, to hats, to coolers to butt supports. You name it.

A few years back, there used to be even more trailers, but this year NASCAR's most popular driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr, still had three identical trailers dishing out his wears. And yes, they willingly took some of my money as well.

So another road trip under our belts. What better way to finish off the Summer, than a hot September night under the stars with thousands of like minded people, watching the colourful spectacle called NASCAR Sprint Cup racing?

Until next time.......