Food City 500
I’m not sure if any of you knew that this past weekend was race weekend here in Bristol. If you aren’t a NASCAR fan then you probably didn’t know. That is unless you live anywhere close to the Bristol Motor Speedway and then you would know. I was unaware that schools around here even let out early that Friday because of all the traffic! Clint says he loved the races when he was younger for that very reason.
Now being a resident of the Tri-Cities, Clint and I joked that it might be a good thing to be able to say that we actually went to at least one race. However, I was not about to pay anything for tickets, yet alone $94 (which was the price of the cheap seats). On Friday, Clint called me and told me that he had scored some free tickets from Pepsi, who happened to be a sponsor. At that point, I had to decide if I was really serious about going or not. Well, I wasn’t really crazy about all the traffic and I’m not a NASCAR fan. But I am not one to turn down anything free. I thought if anything, we would have a heck of a time “people watching.” And that we did my friends!! It was the largest crowd of rednecks I have ever seen. Now please don’t get me wrong, not all were rednecks and really there isn’t anything wrong with the sport. I grew up listening to the races Sunday afternoons in my dad’s pick-up truck.
That being said I would like to share some memorable experiences from the Food City 500:
1) No matter what event (or how off key), hearing the National Anthem always brings a tear to my eye—include 2 paratroopers parachuting down to the track, pretty awesome!
2) It’s hard to grasp just how fast the cars are actually going until you see it in person—Holy Cow (And how dang loud they are!)
3) I’ll admit, the whole time you are watching, you are waiting to see a crash! Thankfully, none were serious at this race.
Top 5 even more memorable moments:
1) I lost track of my “mullet count” even before we entered the stadium
2) Clint and I had to be the only ones without a cooler full of beer and baloney sandwiches
3) Lady in bathroom washing her hands with a beer can on the sink and cig dangling off her lip
4) Drunken fan leaving the stadium with a cooler bigger than him walking perfectly straight and keeping it together until he passes the cops then staggered (and almost feel on me) the rest of the way.
5) And last but certainly not least: Shirtless man with the number 88 shaved into his chest hair screaming for Dale Jr. (too bad I didn’t have the camera ready for that one!)
Thanks to Clint for being my race date and laughing the whole time with me! It was an experience I’m sure I won’t soon forget!
Now being a resident of the Tri-Cities, Clint and I joked that it might be a good thing to be able to say that we actually went to at least one race. However, I was not about to pay anything for tickets, yet alone $94 (which was the price of the cheap seats). On Friday, Clint called me and told me that he had scored some free tickets from Pepsi, who happened to be a sponsor. At that point, I had to decide if I was really serious about going or not. Well, I wasn’t really crazy about all the traffic and I’m not a NASCAR fan. But I am not one to turn down anything free. I thought if anything, we would have a heck of a time “people watching.” And that we did my friends!! It was the largest crowd of rednecks I have ever seen. Now please don’t get me wrong, not all were rednecks and really there isn’t anything wrong with the sport. I grew up listening to the races Sunday afternoons in my dad’s pick-up truck.
That being said I would like to share some memorable experiences from the Food City 500:
1) No matter what event (or how off key), hearing the National Anthem always brings a tear to my eye—include 2 paratroopers parachuting down to the track, pretty awesome!
2) It’s hard to grasp just how fast the cars are actually going until you see it in person—Holy Cow (And how dang loud they are!)
3) I’ll admit, the whole time you are watching, you are waiting to see a crash! Thankfully, none were serious at this race.
Top 5 even more memorable moments:
1) I lost track of my “mullet count” even before we entered the stadium
2) Clint and I had to be the only ones without a cooler full of beer and baloney sandwiches
3) Lady in bathroom washing her hands with a beer can on the sink and cig dangling off her lip
4) Drunken fan leaving the stadium with a cooler bigger than him walking perfectly straight and keeping it together until he passes the cops then staggered (and almost feel on me) the rest of the way.
5) And last but certainly not least: Shirtless man with the number 88 shaved into his chest hair screaming for Dale Jr. (too bad I didn’t have the camera ready for that one!)
Thanks to Clint for being my race date and laughing the whole time with me! It was an experience I’m sure I won’t soon forget!
Sea of Rednecks
Yes, I made him pose with the Pepsi sign
Race Fans without racing gear on
Flying overhead
So cool!
So cool!
Soaking it all in!
5 comments:
looks like quite the experience sister! proud of you for just going and taking it all in :)
I went for the first time to the Bristol race last spring. I LOVED IT, but I love Nascar. And I thought you should know that you weren't the only ones there this year without the cooler of beer and bologna sandwiches, haha, my dad and his friend were there beerless and bolognaless as well. LOL!
Hilarious! I can't imagine the point in washing ones hands with a cig in mouth and beer nearby waiting :) But to each their own I suppose. With something like a Nascar race, not being an fan myself, you have to go into it lighthearted and find the humorous things in it otherwise you'd be miserable. Glad you had a memorable experience mullet watching haha.
Missy... CAN YOU HEAR ME? I noticed the guys next to you had their headphones on. Did you miss the memo? :)
Too bad Rob and I couldn't have been there to help with the mullet count; it's our favorite extra-curricular activity.
Oh Missy.......... I am literally crying laughing! This post has made my whole night! Thank you so much for sharing the details in such a way that we could almost smell the smoke! hahahhahahha You are the best and we miss you in good ol Clarksville! You really are an awesome writer!
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