It was quite a day as we braved rain, lightning, thunder, and repeated delays to see the event. But, the sensation was well worth the wait.
The trucks made it around mile and a quarter oval in about 35 seconds for an estimated speed of 128 miles per hour. They were simply blurs of color as they passed before our eyes. We would follow our favorite trucks as they made it around the far side of the course so that we could anticipate them flashing by in front of our Row 13 seats.
Some people might not see the point of watching a race on an oval track. But, there is a lot going on. For first quarter of the race, we were simply in awe of the noise and power. In the second quarter, we began to get a handle on the race leaders and start tracking our favorites. In the third quarter of the race, we were timing laps, calculating the speed in our heads, and timing pit stops. Finally, in the final 40 laps, we were focusing on the outstanding performance of the race leaders and wondering if they could maintain their leads despite their pit stops. We were watching in earnest to see who would win.
We learned a few things in attending our first race and present a few tips for your enjoyment:
1) Bring earplugs! They don't call it NASCAR Thunder for nothing! Even the trucks were loud enough to damage hearing. Fortunately, we knew this ahead of time.
2) Plan for weather! NASCAR doesn't race in the rain. If the rain is coming down, the race will be delayed for until it stops and the track is suitably dried. So, if the rain is falling and you have tickets and parking passes in hand, you've got some time to kill before the race. Even with jet dryers, it takes quite a long time to get the track prepared after a good rain. Our race was delayed for over 3 hours and we were sheltering under the grandstand for most of the time. It would have been better to explore the surrounding countryside. Bring a raincoat or poncho and be prepared! Also, bring the sunblock and shade for the hot summer days, too!
3) Get a cup headset for your radio scanner. A bearcat can add a lot to your race experience. But, you won't be able to hear it without a headset.
4) Go to race. It's quite a different experience from what you see on TV!
