I've been watching NASCAR for a few years now, after many years watching Formula 1. Not actually watching, more like having it on to accompany whatever I'm doing - on TV you miss the speed and sounds of a real race. I once had a taste of stock-car racing when I volunteered at the Edmonton Indy, and thought the thunderous sound of a V-8 pushrod engine at 9500 RPM was AMAZING.
So I'm planning to see a race - in Bristol, Tennessee ...
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| 2012.02/03 |
The idea strikes me... |
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When the NASCAR season started I pondered, very lightly, on the idea of seeing a race. There were a couple that weren't far away (Phoenix, Vegas) but I wasn't prepared. Then I started thinking more strategically, about a race that would be a good planned adventure - I haven't had real holiday in years.
So with that in mind, the IRWIN TOOLS Night Race at Bristol in August at Bristol Motor Speedway (BMS) looked like a pretty interesting candidate for a newbie.
- It's a half-mile track - so lots more close racing action, moreso since the track owners are spending a million bucks to repave and tighten the track after complaints it wasn't bumpin'-and-bangin' friendly enough.
- BMS is a huge Coliseum-like track holding 160,000 people - I've never been in a crowd that big before, and on TV it looks like quite the facility.
- It's a night race, which in late August should be not so much baking under hot sun, and quite snappy when the sun goes down - automotive gladiators under the lights!
- In 2010 Car and Driver magazine named this race one of "10 Events To See Before You Die" - the only NASCAR race on the list.
- It's the 50th anniversary of BMS.
When I looked at airfare, flying in and out of Charlotte, NC was the best deal by $500 - enough to cover a car. Charlotte is home to the NASCAR Hall of Fame - how conveeeenient! |
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| 2012.04.01 |
Fortuitous Southern Hospitality |
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I haven't considered a trip like this for some time. Let's say forever. It seemed a bit daunting, organizing everything and venturing out of my comfortable life into the unknown. Well, the hardly-known - the Internet makes many things knowable at least superficially.
The Internet also makes people more connectable too, and I wondered whether there might be other race fans that would want to connect up with a Canadian newbie fan.
So one evening while researching my options, after an extra martini, I posted a personals ad in the Tri-Cities section of Craigslist, thinking someone from there could give me some tips, or show me around. Or the post would just be ignored. I am a Canadian NASCAR fan from Edmonton Alberta contemplating attending my first race at the Irwin Tools Night Race in late August. Wondering if there are any local fans there that would also be attending and could like to advise/tour/host a friendly Canuck guy in attending that event. I'm a vicarious gearhead, work with computers, well-educated, normal and well-adjusted, not much of a party animal (can't drink a lot, though I'm a JD fan) but not a stiff either (420-friendly, not an old scaredy-cat). I'm kind of a man of contrasts: I appreciate the aesthetics of a race as much as a symphony or good wine or mountain vista view.
I'm thinking of a Friday-Monday trip, to see all I can see of all that surrounds the race (would be great to meet Carl Edwards), and see what your world likes like in late summer.
Very appreciative of whatever you can provide...!
Within an hour I had a reply. Hello, I saw your ad about coming to Bristol in August. I am Nikki. My husband Jim and I live about 2 miles straight from the track. We are race fans. We go some years but not going this year. I can offer you a room we normally rent for the race. Its the 2nd bedroom in our very nice apartment. We rent if for $300 for the whole week of the race. We have a big pool here to. Bristol is a very small, easy going town, with the race being our only real event here. There are no resturants or hotels within 5 miles of the track. Downtown on Thursday night before the race they have Race Night and all the cars are set out, some drivers are there, they give away alot of free stuff and its pretty cool. It usually goes from 1p-9p. Traffic is awful all day Fri and Sat. If you want to stay with us we could take and drop you off and come back to get you at the track. If you can find parking you have to walk a very long way and it is very expensive. Let me know if you would be interested!
Well... how is a fella supposed to resist serendipity (and a helluva deal) like that? Totally friendly people, out of the blue, Nikki has answered a bunch of questions and given me tips and other ideas in subsequent e-mails, so this trip is firmly ON. |
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| 2012.April |
Not Just a Race Now |
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I like projects: they solidify an experience for me, before, during and after, and leave me with more than holiday snapshots and trinkets. I'm not much of a travel-to-sit person, and after surfing around to see what else I could do out there, I had a tidy list of other places I could see. Starting to get my tourist on!
In corresponding with Nikki, I changed the scope of the race portion of the trip to include all the events that are usually part of a NASCAR race week:
So that suggests flying in to Charlotte on Tuesday, and to make a full-week trip I have a few days after the races.
The Tri-Cities area borders 4 states: Tennessee , Kentucky , North Carolina and Virginia - lots of history and options in the region. For the time I expect to have, these are good candidates within a reasonable driving distance from Bristol or Charlotte. Hope gas prices don't go nuts!
With this range of options I started thinking outside just a holiday to see some cars go whizzing around a track. In one small area there's (potentially) something for sports, music, history, and travel fans. Maybe one of our fine local newspapers (the Edmonton SUN and Edmonton Journal) would be interested in a sports or music or travel correspondent? Well let's see...! |
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