The thrill of it all can mean many things. Different people do different things in life that can be very scary and fearful. Somehow the rest of us watch for the thrills. What is your thrill?
My thrill is watching ski jumping or skiing down an excessively big hill. I have never tried snow skiing, but I would still like to give it a whirl — on the bunny hill?
BUT my very, very favorite thrill is watching NASCAR. My love for racing began when my uncle and aunt took me to the drag races and snowmobile races. It was so exciting to sit in the stands with my aunt and watch my uncle race down the drag strip or on the snowmobile track. My aunt would occasionally say, “He missed a gear”. Aunt Eleanor had an ear for gear shifting, I guess. He came home with trophies too!
Yes, I drag raced once. My boyfriend in high school, like the guys he hung around with, were always talking about their cars. One Saturday night he announced he was drag racing on the Glen Road. Silly me went with him. I sat on the consul between the two seats and did not even buckle up! We did it, but for some crazy reason I cannot remember who won. All I remember is thinking mom would have my head if she ever found out. (She didn’t!) And yes, it was dangerous!
The NASCAR racing season starts in February. I ended up finding a race, and have been hooked ever since. An item on my bucket race was to go to a race. It has happened twice.
Yes, I am still searching for that billionaire, with a jet, to take me to all the races. One can dream, right????
My first race was the opening race in 2015. One of my very, very good friend’s son and daughter-in-law gave me a ticket, lanyard, and a tee shirt for the Daytona Race. Matt, Stacey and I were going to the race. The baby ended up getting sick, so Matt, Hunter (their other son) and I went.
Daytona is a beautiful speedway. There were vendors selling NASCAR items and food. The stands filled up quickly. I was told ahead of time that we would need earplugs. I rented a device that we could hear what the drivers were saying, and the earphones also blocked out most of the sound. Believe me it was loud. Cars would go by like streaks of lightning. Thank heavens for the leaderboard and jumbotron. It is quite different viewing a race in person. On TV the racers are followed around the track by different cameras. One can see everything.
The second race happened this past March here in Atlanta. My son and daughter-in-law gave me a race package for Christmas. It included the two race tickets, of course, and a meet and greet with my very favorite driver, Chase Elliott. Unfortunately, Chase broke his leg snowboarding two weeks before; so his dad came to the question and answer session. His dad is a very known driver, Bill Elliott. I didn’t get the chance to ask if Chase needed a grandma that would bake cookies! Chase only lives about an hour north of me in Dawsonville, GA. He will be racing this Sunday at Martinsville, VA. Love that guy!
It was very cold in Atlanta that week and weekend. But my son and I weathered the cold and enjoyed the race. We were in the Dale Earnhardt section with great seats. The people were fun to watch. Some of them really get into the racing. Once again, the cars sped by so fast that it was hard to make out their numbers. Thank heavens for the leaderboard and announcer — which we could see and hear. Yes, we had the earphones and could listen to our favorite driver. What a great Christmas present!
It is funny how humans develop these crazy obsessions. Mine gives me something to look forward to every weekend from February thru November. (The other three months are for pro football.)
Have I morphed into Aunt Eleanor? To hear her talk about drivers, you would think she knew them personally. As my sisters and I say, “Eleanor is in the house”. This lady is greatly missed by us. I understand why she watched her racing. The sport kept her company.
The question is, “Should I go to a race or just watch it on TV”? The energy of a race in person is hard to explain unless it is experienced. If you watch it on TV, you can see it all. There are cameras and replays. Try both, it is the experience of a life time.
I hope you enjoyed my first blog. I will do my best to blog about something new every week. There is always something new to research and talk about.
Blessings to all of you. Thank you for the visit.
The Blogging Grandma