| I went to my first NASCAR race about 5 years | | | | "must have" list.) |
| ago. My fiancée and I live in Los Angeles | | | | The first time I was actually in the grandstands |
| and go to the Fontana Speedway. Every Sunday, | | | | for the beginning of a race and all those |
| I would watch the race on TV or at least listen to | | | | gentlemen took their hats off as everyone stood |
| it from the other room. I can't say that at first I | | | | for the "Star Spangled Banner", a real Stealth |
| was a huge fan, but after a few live races...I was | | | | Bomber flew overhead, they announced, |
| hooked. The crowds were overwhelming and the | | | | "Gentlemen, Start Your Engines" and my whole |
| parking was crazy, but we would arrive hours | | | | body started to shake from the roar of the |
| before the race to scope out a good parking | | | | engines ...I realized I had started to cry. (Keep in |
| space..which means close to an entrance and | | | | mind I cry at Prego pasta sauce commercials, but |
| preferably backed up to a wall. | | | | still...I was hooked.) The drama of the drivers, the |
| Unpacking the truck, setting up and meeting your | | | | suspense with every turn, negotiating those |
| "neighbors" is great. We usually have a little | | | | beautiful cars at speeds of up to 180 miles an |
| something to eat and then go check out what | | | | hour and the pride Americans have about |
| their selling from the trailers outside the track. In | | | | NASCAR have made it my sport of choice and I |
| California, it can be brutally hot in August (like last | | | | kind of like all the cute guys, too. |
| year - 105 degrees) and it can ruin a good time if | | | | Every year we pick a new driver, although we |
| you not dressed properly. NASCAR fans are | | | | are still big Carl Edwards, Casey Kahne and Dale |
| creative at keeping cool - water gun fights, | | | | Jr. fans. This year we have decided to support |
| bandannas full of ice on your head, ice cold beer | | | | David Reutimann. He was rookie of the year last |
| and you can always sneak into the car for a little | | | | year in the Craftsman truck series and will be |
| A/C when you need a refresher. | | | | driving the Toyota 00 car for Michael Waltrip's |
| Then we go scope out where are seats are | | | | team. David comes from 3 generations of drivers. |
| located, but to be honest, we never stay there | | | | I can't remember where I read it, but supposedly |
| for long even after the race has started. If you | | | | he used to sit on the knee of his race car father |
| want to seriously watch a race, it is more easily | | | | Buzzie at 3 year old and even then he knew all |
| done from the comfort of your own living room | | | | the drivers, their cars and stats. The word in the |
| with 15 cameras catching every single angle and | | | | garage is that he's a gentleman and this man can |
| commentators reviewing each turn. At the race, | | | | drive. I posted his pre-season Daytona Thunder |
| even in the best regular seats, you can't see the | | | | test drive stats for you to see. |
| whole track, but Sony has these big screen TVs | | | | Stick with me as I update the blog with fun facts |
| outside now, so even when you aren't in the | | | | about David Reutimann, his Toyota 00 car which |
| track, you can plop down and watch the race. We | | | | has a split sponsorship between Dominos for the |
| love to walk around, people watch, buy cool hats | | | | first half of the season and Burger King for the |
| and shirts and then there's always tons of free | | | | last half and of course, my 2007 NASCAR |
| stuff like seat cushions, ear plugs, magnets, note | | | | experience. |
| pads, water. When we get loaded down, we go | | | | I wonder why Burger King didn't get Richard |
| back to the truck and munch some more. (Don't | | | | Petty to drive their car. He is "The King" right? |
| forget to check out my recipes and tailgating | | | | |