Boogity, boogity, boogity... Let's go racin' boys and girls!

[RVGal]

You asked for a trip report, I'm a good homie... I'll give you a Trip Report...

This was a planned weekend away for just DH & me (DH = Brad & me = Tricia). We both enjoy racing and have for many, many years. I attended my first Nascar race in the late 80s and Brad went to his first race in the late 70s. Since we didn't start dating until 1998, it is safe to say that this is something we both enjoyed long before we were a couple. This isn't a "he was a fan and she's just humoring him" thing or a "she was a fan and dragged him along" thing. We are both avid fans. We don't cheer for the same driver, but that doesn't stop us from having a good time. We haven't come to blows over the outcome of a race... yet...

We wound up getting tickets to this race as part of a "participation package" that was offered to us months ago. We own a small RV dealership and we were very involved in an RV show that was at the Atlanta Motor Speedway in April. Because we spent money showing RVs at the track, they offered a special deal on the premium grandstand seats and on the luxury suite seats. I've never sat in what could be considered a "luxury seat" in my life, but we decided that we would splurge this one time.

I know that most of you are not race fans. I know when the average non-race fan flips by a race on tv, all they see is cars driving around in a circle. Maybe if they crash, that might be interesting, but other than that... why would you watch guys driving in a circle for 3 hours? There is a basic gladiator-like appeal to watching men battle it out in an arena-type setting. Boiling it down, that's what almost all sports are. The people involved in the battle are doing different things in the arena, but the draw is the same as it has been for thousands of years. Who's strongest, fastest, smartest, most skilled, and/or luckiest.

And it's a heckuvalot of fun to watch.

Did that cover the background stuff? I hope so. I worried in the weeks leading up to the weekend. Would everyone stay healthy? Would the weather cooperate? So many variables, but the weekend finally arrived with no problems.

We live in the northeast corner of Georgia. Atlanta Motor Speedway is south of Atlanta (Hampton, to be specific). It is about a 2.5 hour drive for us. We weren't sure we would make it to the race on Saturday at all, but since it was a Craftsman Truck Race we really wanted to try. Brad's parents agreed to come over and help us get out at a reasonable time. We had our stuff packed up and kissed the kids goodbye and were off by 9:30 am. For us, that's not bad at all.

We made good time heading down around Atlanta. About 11:30, I mentioned that I hadn't had breakfast and we should probably stop somewhere before the peak lunch crowds hit. We didn't want to wait until we were on the racetrack exit because number 1, there isn't much there and number 2, everyone else headed that way would probably be doing the same thing. We found a Golden Corral and decided that would do. It's a buffet, lots to choose from, decent, filling... we're good to go.

We arrived at the track and turn into the main entrance.

There is a long line of cars being funneled into an outlying parking area. The guy directing traffic is screaming at everyone that the lots up front are full. We get to the front of the line and he sees the Club One parking pass in our window and waves us through. Woo HOO! Perk number 1 of having luxury suite seats!

We parked in front of the Winners Grandstand and waited for our Club One shuttle.

Yes, we luxury people aren't expected to actually walk from our car to the gate. In fact, they swiped our tickets while we were still sitting in the golf cart and the guy drove us right up to the door. We did have to walk through the door. An elevator took us straight up from the ground level to Club One, which sits on top of the Winners Grandstand.

My first stop was the bathroom. I'm a girl. It's part of the package. I have never been in a bathroom in a stadium like this one.

Perk number 2, a nice bathroom, close to our seats, that didn't have a line EVER. There was also a bathroom attendant, but she waited outside the door and just went in when nobody else was there to tidy up. I can't stand having a bathroom attendant that waits in the bathroom, turns on your water faucet, hands you a towel, offers you a mint, etc. then expects a tip. What is up with that? They aren't providing a service. I can turn on my own water and if I want a mint, I'll carry them in my purse. So, I was glad that this setup was a "keep it clean" lady, not a "hulk over my shoulder for a tip" lady.

I met up with Brad and mentioned how nice the bathroom was. I said that they had everything I could want or need (in regards to the bathroom) right there. He made some smart comment about feminine hygene products and I laughed and said, "Yep. Those too... and not in a vending maching either..." I told him to wait and I'd be right back. I ran in the bathroom and snapped this picture:

AFTER I took the picture and was on my way back out, I heard a toilet flush. OMG! I thought I was the only one in the room! There is probably some woman running around out there now worried that some pervert snapped a picture of her on the can. Note to self: Check under the stalls before using the flash in public restrooms.

Okay, I've got us to the track and I've marveled at the bathroom... sounds like a good time to take a break! I'll try to make it back and update some more later today...

 

[bubba's mom]

... why would you watch guys driving in a circle for 3 hours?

Yep....that's me sorry!!! Sounds like the weekend is off to an awesome start!!! Ya didn't even have to walk to the gate....step aside please.... Only YOU would take pix of the bathroom for us ...but I agree...very nice bathroom. I think in places where you get those "luxury" seats, they commonly have bathrooms like that..... When the current arena the Flyers play in opened, we went to 2 games...(only) both in club box seats. Waitress service from your seat, private bar, private bathroom...with the famous, NO lines EVER. You could potty on commercial break and not miss anything..... Ah, the "good" potties.....

Lookie forward to more....of course.....


(Waitin' for the jacuzzi and booze to factor in to the story )

 

[keishashadow]

lump me in the pile as to racing; I say go for it if it's your "thang" though

any public bathroom that has toiletries in a wicker basket on the floor is top notch in my book. Most are so bad @ sporting venues that you wouldn't dream of putting your purse down & wish your feet didn't have to touch either.

I'm thinking of a certain senator's behaviour in the can , think people are sorta paranoid now - you're lucky that lady didn't go running for security

 

[AlexandNessa]

Racing in style. Have to admit that, on most days, I would rather swim naked in sewage than watch a car race, but I might swing the other direction if we did it in style like you! Think that bathroom might be nicer than my downstairs loo! It must be ... I light a candle when guests come, but I've never put out mints.

Can't wait to hear the rest.

 

[loribell]

Yippie! Sounds great so far. I am loving the pics. Can't wait to hear more!!!!

 

[Motherfletcher]

I'm fond of swimming naked in sewage,too!

 

[JawsCPA]

Tricia - great report and love the pictures.

It is nice that you and hubby have a strong common interest.

NASCAR is HUGE here in West Virginia. But my husband and I aren't big fans. Our DS12 is starting to get interested and wants to watch the races on Sundays.

My brother-in-law who lives near Orlando, has gotten to attend the Daytona races several times.

Can't wait to read more.


-Jennifer-

 

[RVGal]

Thanks for reading what I've got so far. I'm glad you're enjoying it.

I know that racing isn't for everyone. No sport is. Personally, I don't get the appeal of basketball. Group of guys run to one end of the court and (probably) score a basket. Group of guys run to other end of the court and (probably) score a basket. Repeat for 2.5 hours. Oh, and the last 2 minutes on the game clock lasts about 30 minutes. NOT my idea of a good time. Football, love it. Hockey, love it. Baseball, like it. Basketball, just don't get it.

I am also aware of the stereotype attached to racing fans. I'm not saying you guys (I know you guys don't stereotype), but Lori can probably back me up as another Nascar fan that we often get a *ahem* certain attitude from others when we mention that we like racing. I'm the only one in my family that watches it. We get the eye roll/smirk combo whenever we talk about it.

Let's see, I've heard that it is the "dumb man's sport" 'cause we's too stoopid to keep up with all them rules in player sports so we just watch cars drive around. It's a "southern sport" (other than Daytona, the most popular and best attended races are in California, Nevada & Michigan... not to mention Indianapolis). It's a "redneck sport" and only beer swillin' daddy-was-a-farmer hillbillies watch it. It's a "poor man's sport" (oh, if they only knew the ticket prices). AND, it's "not even a sport" at all because the guys drive a car instead of running around the track (that's debatable, but if you've ever heard the statistics about how much weight a driver loses during a race and the physical conditioning they have to undergo prior to a race, you'd be hard pressed not to consider them an athelete).

Sigh. Didn't mean to climb on my soapbox. I'm just venting because I know you guys will understand.

Okay, I'm going to TRY to get some more reporting done today. I've got Halloween to un-do and Thanksgiving decor to find, but I'm still going to try.

 

[AlexandNessa]

So, what are you saying, Tricia? Would you rather swim naked in sewage than watch basketball?

Basketball is about the only sport I do like.

 

[RVGal]

It's probably more along the lines of I'd rather have a root canal than watch basketball. At least then, I'd be given some good drugs to numb the pain and pass the time.

 

[RVGal]

Okay, so where was I? Oh, yeah... just leaving the nice bathroom...

So, after my personal pit stop, we decided to go up to the rooftop "Sight and Sound Observation Deck".

One of the many uniformed workers noticed me taking a picture and asked if we would like a picture of the two of us. Perk number 3 of the luxury suite, polite employees waiting to help.

After she snapped our pic, we headed upstairs. When you are at a race, it's like being at any other sport live, the sights and sounds (and in racing, the smells) add to the experience. We wanted to be outside for the start of the race.

We walked out and found a spot along the rail. This is not the place to be if you are afraid of heights. The opening ceremonies were just underway.

They don't last long for the Truck Races. They save the big stuff for the Sunday Nextel Race. Pretty soon, we had honored our nation with the pledge of allegiance, the national anthem, and a military fly-by. Don't ask me what planes they were. There were three of them grouped together and they were hauling butt. I didn't get a picture. After the invocation and the driver announcements, it was time to crank them up and go. I've been cheering for the same driver for over 20 years. Mark Martin. That's him in the number 21 truck.

They take their pace laps, the green flag waves, and they are off and running.

I can't begin to describe what it is like to be in the stands (or, in our case, on top of the stands) and hear the roar of the engines. Conditioned men driving powerful machines as fast as they can, feeling the vibrations through your entire body as they rev the motors, hearing the whoosh as they pass and the unique zipping sound as the tires grip the asphault... it's all very, VERY exciting.

Okay, enough of that. I'm starting to sweat.

We watched a few laps of the race, but we decided to head back downstairs to our seats (and the bar). Before we left, Brad took a pic of me showing off my Club One credentials.

Here is the setup for the seating in the luxury suite:

And our seats were here:

But one of my favorite things was that just a few feet behind our seats sat this lovely bar:

When you get your Club One pass, you also get Perk number 4, which is a ticket good for 5 alcoholic beverages per seat. If you don't want to do the math, that would be 10 drinks between the 2 of us.

Here's a shot of me after we had our ticket punched a few times...

To soak up the alcohol they are serving you, you also get to enjoy Perk number 5, which is the buffet. Everything from hotdogs and hamburgers to seared tuna and standing rib roast.

Things start to get a little blurry as we continued to get our ticket punched, but I know for sure this is the almost-required-burnout celebrating the checkered flag...

That is Kyle Busch headed to Victory Lane...

Thank goodness for the cushion of alcohol. I can't stand either of the Busch brothers (Kyle OR Kurt). Eh, whatever. He DID have the fastest truck. It was obvious from the beginning. Sometimes the jerks come out on top.

We decided to stick around and maybe sober up a little and watched the Legends Race.

When they finally ran out of munchies... they were serving "snacks" at that point (popcorn, nuts, chips, etc.)... we decided we had better go. At least we were only going across the street to our hotel because I don't think we had sobered up all that much...

... judging by the dopey Fonz-like pose that Brad was giving me on the way out.

That takes us through the first race. Up next will be our hotel and race number 2.

 

[Sharon G]

Sounds like you both are having a great time! The seats you had are awesome. 5 drinks a piece? You'd have to carry me out. That red shirt must be Brad's favorite, he's wearing it in your siggie too.

 

[RVGal]

Sounds like you both are having a great time! The seats you had are awesome. 5 drinks a piece? You'd have to carry me out. That red shirt must be Brad's favorite, he's wearing it in your siggie too.

Brad and his shirts... where do I begin...

This is from the "travel and special occasion" collection. Not to be confused with the "church" collection or the "work" collection or the "hanging out at home" collection or the "lawn and home maintanence" collection or the "it's so ratty it can't even still be considered a shirt so why are we keeping it" collection.

Most shirts begin in either the "church" or "special" collection and then work their way down. All shirts must be polo style with NO pocket on them. Solids are preferred, but simple stripes are acceptable.

Yeah, he's a pure joy to shop for.

 

[bubba's mom]

Off to a great start...what views!!! Ya know....even tho I am one who doesn't "get" the whole "excitement" of the "cars riding around in circles" thing...I could really go for it doing it in this style What's NOT to love? Great seats, great food/booze, bathroom, VIP treatment..... Ya dun good girl!!! Looking forward to pix of the hotel.....

 

[dsmom]

I am loving this report!! We live one hour from Daytona and love Nascar! You were so lucky to be in the luxery suite! Love the pictures.

I'm with you- I love football and hockey- baseball so-so but hate basketball( I had a root canal last week and it was much better than sitting through a game of basketball).

Who is your favorite driver? I also do not care for the Busch brothers- my husband is still in mourning over Bill Elliot. I like Ward Burton, Elliot Sadler and McMurray.

 

[RVGal]

I am loving this report!! We live one hour from Daytona and love Nascar! You were so lucky to be in the luxery suite! Love the pictures.

I'm with you- I love football and hockey- baseball so-so but hate basketball( I had a root canal last week and it was much better than sitting through a game of basketball).

Who is your favorite driver? I also do not care for the Busch brothers- my husband is still in mourning over Bill Elliot. I like Ward Burton, Elliot Sadler and McMurray.

We'll be in Daytona in February. We just couldn't miss the 50th anniversary of the Great American Race.

My favorite driver is in the slow and painful process of retiring... Mark Martin. I've rooted for him since, oh, 1986 or so. I remember the old Winn Dixie car he drove. I met him in a Winn Dixie parking lot back in days before Nascar was a big, huge money-making sport and drivers still did general public type personal appearances to keep the sponsers happy.

For awhile here in Georgia, we were practically required to cheer for Awesome Bill From Dawsonville. I enjoyed watching him race. He didn't have a good day in Atlanta, but then Mark had a worse one. Poor Mark. Always the bridesmaid, never the bride. It was painful to see him edged out in the last second at Daytona.

I'll have to pick a new driver now that Mark is running a limited schedule. Sigh.

 

[JawsCPA]

Tricia - Wow - what a great view. And 5 drinks a piece plus food.

Did you get the suite only for the truck race - or did you also get it for the main event?

Oh and Mark Martin - my nephew (who is now 15) dressed up as him one Halloween, when he was about 5-7years old. (I told you NASCAR was huge here!)

 

[loribell]

Lovin' the report Tricia. What amazing seats. You know, you describe it all so well as to why race fans love it. Thanks so much for the trippie. Can't wait to hear & see more.

 

[loribell]

Oh yeah, you can join me and cheer for the Hendricks clan. I can say that now that the stinkin' Busch brother has been dumped!!!!

Seing as how we have three race fans on here and we all despise the Busch brothers I'm wondering if anyone actually likes them!

 

[RVGal]

Tricia - Wow - what a great view. And 5 drinks a piece plus food.

Did you get the suite only for the truck race - or did you also get it for the main event?

Oh and Mark Martin - my nephew (who is now 15) dressed up as him one Halloween, when he was about 5-7years old. (I told you NASCAR was huge here!)

We had the same seats for the whole weekend. I sold off the Friday night qualifying tickets on eBay since we couldn't make it for that one.

Wow! If he dressed up like Mark Martin for Halloween, it must be HUGE where you are. There are some areas that he would have been asked, "And who are you suppose to be?" at every house!

Oh yeah, you can join me and cheer for the Hendricks clan. I can say that now that the stinkin' Busch brother has been dumped!!!!

Seing as how we have three race fans on here and we all despise the Busch brothers I'm wondering if anyone actually likes them!

Brad already cheers for Jeff Gordon. I don't have anything against Gordon and I think he's gotten a raw deal from a lot of race fans for "selling out" as a member of Hendricks... and from the Junior fans for his tribute lap to Dale Sr... but I don't know if I want to cheer for the same guy hubby is. It's been fun all these years to keep up with where HIS driver is and where MY driver is.

Joshua cheers for Tony Stewart. Why? Because his favorite color is orange! (For those of you non-race fans, Tony Stewart drives the bright orange Home Depot car.) Sometimes he cheers for Jeff Burton (the orange AT&T/Cingular car) or Greg Biffle. Biffle is because sometimes he has the Wii paint scheme on his hood and Joshua is not missing any opportunity to remind us that he wants one.

I know there must be Busch fans out there, but I haven't met one yet.