The Kez Invades Toledo Speedway

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On Tuesday, at the Toledo Speedway, while Steve, Charlie and I were preparing for the On Pit Row radio show, I could hear the sounds of a car outside on the track.  It was ‘rumored’ that  Brad Kesolowski was testing.  I decided to go check it out and possibly capture a picture or two of the guys on the track. 

The track is right outside of building where the show is broadcast.  So I stepped out the door, into the track facility, and I looked over towards the pit area and sure enough, there was a Hendrick Motorsports hauler.  As it turns out, the rumor was true.  Brad and teammate Landon Cassill were both testing cars.

The #5 was running most of the laps while I was there.  Brad’s #88 was being busily adjusted in the back of the track.  He did eventually, get his car out for some laps right before dark.  

I found a nice spot in the front stretch where there was a hole in the fence just wide enough to fit my lens through and waited.  It wasn’t long before Cassill’s car came around turn 4.  I felt the ground rumble, then the whoosh of the wind as the car went flying by within 4 feet of where I was standing.  It was a little scary and I had to fight the urge to jump back when the car got that close; even though there was a wall and a chain link fence protecting me.  It was also electrifying and an incredible rush.  

A man came up to me and told me Brad and Landon had been there since 7:30am.  We chatted a bit about how Kesolowski specifically wanted to come to Toledo for testing because it was a track he was familiar with and he needed to work on his short track program.

Mostly though, he wanted to warn me about the dangers of standing so close to the wall.  I thought about the dangers involved with racing…even testing.  I was done anyway, but I thought, I’d rather go out doing something I loved than wasting away alone in a nursing home.  It was a good afternoon.

Photo credit: BethAnne Heisler - ON PIT ROW