NASCAR Pre-Race Activities: Pomp, Pageantry and Pet Peeves

Every sport has its pre-event activities and festivities.  Football, baseball, hockey, basketball, F1, you name the sport and you can probably also describe the activities and traditions that precede each event.

But there is none better that the pre-race activities that happen before every NASCAR race.  While most sports begin their events with tail gating and other fan gathering activities the day of the event, NASCAR fans line up days and sometimes even weeks in advance to get the party started.

There are fields of RVs, campers, and trailers, all sporting flags and pennants of their favorite drivers.  There are miles of cars, with just enough space in between for portable grills, tents, coolers and generators for fans to chill before the big race.

Fans spend hours before the race visiting all of the haulers, purchasing their race collectibles and die casts.  There are food stands of every sort, often manned by volunteers from local high schools or civic groups, raising money for their causes.

The pre-race activities themselves are filled with patriotism, pageantry, and tradition.  Troops from every branch of service mill around the infield and garage area before the race to catch a glimpse of their favorite driver, who inevitably takes a moment to salute them.

There is often pre-race pageantry, perhaps a pre-race concert, a band, or a special performance of local dancers or talented kids.  Then comes the parade of drivers, as each one is introduced, greeted by the owners of the track, and driven around in the backs of pick up trucks so that the fans can salute (cheer or boo) them.

Every NASCAR race then jumps into the prescribed pre-race rituals that every NASCAR fan loves.  There is the presentation of the colors, again with military officials bringing in the flag of the United States of America.

Every driver, team member and family member then lines up beside their race cars in formation.  And every member of the stands rises as one, takes off their hats, and places their hands over their hearts, ready to pray and then sing along to the National Anthem.

Then comes the totally politically incorrect prayer—yes, we still do pray in NASCAR.  Usually a local preacher or someone from Motor Racing Outreach will ask for God's blessing, for safety of the drivers and fans, for a great race, good weather, and protection of the troops abroad.

After the prayer, it is time for the singing of the national anthem.  Right as the notes of the Star Spangled Banner fade, planes, choppers, stealth bombers, or some other cool kind of military aircraft performs a quick flyover of the track. 

Then it is time for the utterance of the four most famous words in motor sports.  The corporate sponsor or a contestant winner or some lucky celebrity hawking their just released movie gets to scream into the microphone in their best voices "Gentlemen, start your engines"!

And with that, the drivers crank it up and await their turn to follow the pace car out onto the track.  After several parade laps, the drivers weave back and forth getting heat in their tires, the green flag waves, and the race is on.

Now you may think that every pre-race is picture perfect to every fan.  Although I love the pomp and pageantry of the pre-race, I for one also have a few pet peeves about NASCAR's pre-race activities.

My first pet peeve is when the race track chooses someone who absolutely cannot sing to deliver the national anthem.  Take note, I would definitely include Jessica Simpson in that category.

Other pre-race pet peeves of mine include those drivers or family members who are talking or just messing around during the anthem or prayer.  Note to Ingrid Vandebosch, do not fuss with your husband Jeff Gordon's hair during the anthem—it's just not right.

Another peeve is if by chance, you get the coveted opportunity to say the four famous words, do not do that in your wimpiest little voice.  The command is meant to be shouted at the top of your lungs, right into the microphone, just let it rip for goodness sake.

But having shared my minor pet peeves, NASCAR's pre-race ceremonies are by far and away the best in sports, bar none.  Every fan will tell you so and will most likely admit that this is a part of the race that we never miss. 

Yes, we may snooze a bit during the race—come on, every one of us has done that—admit it.  But even if we are home in front of our television sets, we are up on our feet during pre-race for the anthem, bowing our heads for the prayer, and cheering like mad for the flyover and command.

So, when it comes to any sport's pre-event festivities, NASCAR takes the checkered flag hands down.