(Photo by Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR)
When you're a fan of the sport, seeing a race live is the ultimate experience.
It has become more expensive to attend a race, but fans still save their money and make the trip to the track.
I had that experience this past May when I went to Darlington for the Southern 500.
Being at the oldest track that NASCAR races on was an unbelievable privilege. This past weekend I had my ultimate experience at a NASCAR race.
I was in the media center with many of the major NASCAR writers and commentators. Without a doubt, it was indescribable.
In this edition of Parks Race Reactions, I'm not only going to speak about the Sylvania 300 on the track, but also in the infield.
Right away, when I made it to the track I received my credentials.
Needless to say I was a nervous wreck. This was the first time I've even been behind pit road, let alone in the media area.
But when I walked in and saw how everything was set up, my tensions began to ease.
After getting my hot pass and lanyard, I walked around looking for my seat. Lucky for me, the staff set me up at the end of the table right in front of the television and leaderboard.
It was the perfect seat.
After getting settled in, I realized that right beside me was one of the lead writers on NASCAR.com, David Caraviello.
That really set me at ease, because I was close to an experienced writer to get advice from.
After having breakfast at the cafe next door, I got as much paperwork for the race as I could. I also got to meet ESPN's NASCAR reporter, Marty Smith, who was a familiar face in the garage all weekend.
Finally, it was time to make some rounds in the garage area and pit road to see where everything was set up. Luckily, the garage entrance is right by the media center, and the first cars I saw were Jeff Gordon's National Guard/DuPont Chevrolet and his two teammates, Mark Martin and Jimmie Johnson.
At that point, I realized I forgot ear plugs as the teams were running the engines to get the oil circulated in the engines.
The sound of those engines was exhilarating, but just a little loud for early in the morning.
I made my way back to the media center.
It was about three hours before the race and I wanted to check out the stories heading into race day.
However, when I returned to my seat, I was met with a big surprise.
Sitting just three feet from me was the 1983 NASCAR Winston Cup Champion, Bobby Allison. I was torn between introducing myself or not saying anything.
Finally, I decided to say hello, and he returned it with a handshake. He asked what company I was representing, and just maintained a casual conversation. Soon after, he had to leave, but what an honor.
The most unexpected, yet fun aspect, came shortly after.
A few media members were given the opportunity to assist Toyota representatives in a t-shirt toss. After signing up, I—along with two photographers—were brought to the track and to the Toyota area along turn one.
We were suprised to see that we all would be riding in the back of the Toyota Tundra monster truck.
Being a big fan of monster trucks, I enjoyed the experience and thrill of the ride. The t-shirt cannon was not working right, so the Toyota reps were forced to throw the tees like baseballs into the stands.
2 Comments
Loading more comments...
This comment and all replies have been deleted This comment has been deleted Undo delete