Sunday, November 13, 2011

A Day (or Three) At the Races...

A year ago, if someone had said to me that I would be going to races and liking it, I would have said they were out of their ever-loving minds!  But, to say that Jack loves racing would be an understatement.  It's in his blood. He even loves the smell of methanol (I got a strong whiff and it burned my eyes and my throat)!  Anyway, Jack's passion is racing and I want to be able to share it with him...so I went to my first car race last weekend.

We went to the Charlotte Dirt Track for The World of Outlaws Finals. Three nights of qualifying, heat races and main races featuring Sprint Cars, Late Models and Modifieds. Mind you, most all of this was Greek to me, but now I actually know what I'm talking about...a little!

I learned how just cold it can be up in the grandstands when the wind is blowing. I learned just how much red dirt one can inhale when the track is dry and said wind is blowing. I learned the difference between Late Models and Modifieds (I already knew about Sprint Cars). I ate track food...and paid $4 for a bottle of water, a Diet Coke, a hot dog or a slice of pizza, $6 for a hamburger or a beer...and liked it. We had passes to go into the Pits; seeing the cars close up was very cool. I am now the proud owner of a World of Outlaws hoodie, goggles (for the red dirt) and ear protectors (race cars are very loud). I learned that racing is more than just driving fast...and that watching it is fun and exciting!

I'm even looking forward to our next race trip!