NASCAR Racers—And Fans—Are Born on Local Dirt Tracks

If you are a NASCAR race fan, you've seen the commercials showing drivers at local dirt tracks, where so many of them have gotten their start in racing.  Many of the Sprint Cup series greats—Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, and Kasey Kahne to name a few—"grew up" and became premier racers on a dirt track in their own home towns.

Of course, true fans also know the genesis of NASCAR racing—moon shiners trying to outrun the law in their fast cars.  Racing in sand in Daytona to racing through the dirt of backwoods America is the backbone of stock car racing in the country today.

While many drivers honed their skills and love of the sport at a dirt track venue close to home, many race fans also got their start on these local tracks.  Indeed, that is where my love of racing was born—on a small dirt track in Selinsgrove, PA.

My grandfather's local building supply store sponsored a sprint car and my uncle managed the team.  Our family went to the races every Saturday night during the season, often flocking to the pits when our driver was fortunate enough to win the race.

As a teenager, I truly loved every minute in the pits, helping to get the car ready and just "hanging out".  It was a whole other world at the track, one of speed, flying dirt, and thrills a minute.

Our grandparents would pile us into their car, fill up the cooler, and pack up the most uncomfortable metal seats for the short trek to the track.  All of the grandchildren (my cousins) would follow single file behind them into the bleacher seats.

But of course, we couldn't sit still long.  We were up and down for the best french fries in the world, peanuts warm in the shell, and all the other wonderful race track food.

And then it was time to visit the pits—the highlight of the race activities.  We would hang together, wandering around the infield, getting dizzy from turning around and around in circles, watching the cars fly around the dirt track.

This past weekend, our family had a first ever reunion at a local amusement park in Pennsylvania.  Close to one hundred of our relatives gathered to reconnect and celebrate our ever expanding families.

But the highlight of the weekend was all of the cousins returning to sit together with our own children at the dirt track known as Selinsgrove Speedway.  This time, it was the cousins carrying the coolers, the seats (at least more comfortable ones this time), with the children following close behind.

We took turns going back and forth to the concessions stands, enjoying the familiar tastes of the speedway, including the french fries and the warm peanuts.  We reminisced and remembered our prior visits together to the track.  We screamed for local drivers and celebrated their successes in victory lane. 

And, yes, we ended the night covered in dirt—that wonderful dirt from our favorite local track.

So, yes, drivers are most certainly born on the dirt tracks.  But fans are too—I know this fan sure was.