Track walk at Charlotte Motor Speedway Coca-Cola 600

Track walk at Charlotte Motor Speedway Coca-Cola 600
Track walk at Charlotte Motor Speedway Coca-Cola 600

Friday, November 23, 2012

Driving around Charlotte Motor Speedway in our own vehicle! (w/ Funny Video)


The boys experience the cornered banking...
Apparently everyone wants gets in on Black Friday sales, and NASCAR is no different. We went to Charlotte Motor Speedway to pick up our camping passes for the Coca-Cola 600 weekend in May and a few tickets as well. Not only did we get a huge, free Kyle Busch diecast M&M car(they handed it to me in a non-descript box-perfect for one of my 6 year old’s Christmas presents!), but they also gave us a couple of passes to drive our own vehicle around the track!
            Yes, apparently CMS is crazy enough to let citizens ride around their track with just enough supervision to make it legal. I took the helm for the first set of laps, and honestly, I was unprepared for the experience. The banked corners create very strange sensations. Obviously, your vehicle tilts and you feel like you are going to flip, you see the ground right outside your window, but what they don’t tell you is that you actually have to steer your vehicle toward the wall in order to stay in the lane. So, you feel like you are falling down, but you have to steer away. Awkward.   


That's me freaking out.
            Secondly, I now know firsthand why race “spotters” are so desperately needed. Yes, there were some drivers who went faster than others, and in a 2005 Chevy Astrovan, we were not in the front of the pack. Multiple times, at 80+ miles an hour, we had people race up behind us to pass on either side. Because there are so many turns (especially the dog-leg right after turn 4), you can check your mirrors and be clear, and in two seconds someone can be right outside your door.
Going into turn 3!
             If you are ever in Charlotte when this is offered, I highly advise you to take a drive on the legendary track! It definitely made for a memorable Black Friday…







Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Response to "Nascar needs to get more young fans interested in racing"


I was inspired by an article on SB Nation by a 14 year old Nascar fan named Megan Leben. (See here)  Like Megan, I see Nascar’s longevity as a national pastime waning due to many factors, but the most ominous is its inability to attract new, younger fans.   While this may be disconcerting to Nascar management, the problem isn’t insurmountable if some basic strategies are implemented. In some cases, these strategies are already being carried out at certain tracks, they simply need to improve their ways of catering to the family-friendly atmosphere.
My son plays with a chalkboard
at Charlotte Motor Speedway's
4th turn Kid's Section

I completely empathize with Megan’s plight; she has no one to talk to about her favorite sport. As a teacher in a school of over 1,000 students, administrators and employees, there are only a handful of people on campus that I can discuss Sunday’s race with on Monday morning. Nascar’s ability to attract the younger generation is quickly slipping away.  My personal opinion, and my reaction to Megan’s article, is that Nascar sometimes misses their target. For instance, Megan mentioned that Nascar should use Science and Math to attract the younger generation. On a recent visit to the Nascar Hall of Fame on educator’s day, the administrators there mentioned that they have field trips for Science and Math classes. While I understand their intention, teachers usually try to use practical examples that interest the students already. So, if they aren’t interested in Nascar, then trying to apply a school subject to an already boring sport (in their minds) isn’t going to help. Nascar needs to take a step further back. Their focus should not be directed at the middle or high school student, but the elementary student and younger.
While I agree with Megan on all of her other points, I would argue that the younger generation should be Nascar’s focus. Once a kid has positive feelings and memories of the race track, the fondness for these experiences will never wane. Yes, it will take some investment of resources and time, but in the long-run it will be worth it. For instance, my sons (ages 3 and 6) are already asking about our next trip to the racetrack!
My 3 year old at Joe Gibbs Racing shop
At some tracks, they’ve already implemented strategies to target kids and their families. First, they’ve incorporated other things that kids already LOVE in their race weekend activities.  Bounce house inflatables, petting zoos, rides, and even meeting the teenage mutant ninja turtles and other characters are the highlight of my kids’ trip to the track. Yes, for now, it’s not really about the race, and that’s ok. They are slowly learning to follow the sport and their favorite driver. (I celebrated last week when Jimmy Johnson wrecked in Phoenix and my six year old son danced and booed Jimmy Johnson. While I actually like the #48 car, my son loves Kyle Busch, who was currently leading the race. He understood that Jimmy being out of the race helped Kyle.  Even at 6, he’s slowly understanding the implications of other drivers in each race.)  Obviously, there is always room for improvement in the kid’s attractions at the track; for instance, they need to have other entertainment opportunities for the kids during the race, in case a kid needs a break from the monotony.
Some speedways, like Charlotte Motor Speedway, are making strides with kids entertainment.  They even have severely discounted children’s tickets and pit passes for each race. CMS recognizes that if they can get a kid to the race, they may have found a fan for life.
The TMNT hauler!
With that said, here are a couple ways that Nascar can improve. The family campgrounds at the tracks need improvement. Just like a KOA or Good Sam Campground, the tracks need a dedicated kids area with a playground so that the kids can play while at the campsite. Secondly, they need to find a way to get these drivers to more school appearances throughout the year.  At our school of 1,000 students, what do you think would happen if Jeff Gordon or Dale Earnhart Jr. showed up at an assembly the Monday preceding a race? Ticket sales would explode.  Thirdly, I think Nascar is doing a fairly good job of fostering younger drivers, for instance the fourteen-year old Gray Gaulding of the PASS series. He’s a great young man, and an amazing ambassador for racing (as well as Krispy Kreme doughnuts), but this series doesn’t seem as interested in offering the same deals for kids as its Nascar counterpart.  I recently considered going to their regional race, but the cost of the race would have been more than I paid for the kids section in turn four for the Bank of America 500. I simply couldn’t justify the purchase.  Lastly, Nascar should be better implementing their four “Nascar Speedway” parks, not as mere money making opportunities, but rather as ways to inspire people to follow the sport.  At this point they are just “another go-kart resort”, so why not team up with an organization like the World Karting Association to have regional or state competitions? If someone had a friend or a family member racing a kart at one of these events, they’d likely attend. And if I they enojoyed the race, this could inspire them to attend the next Nascar event.
Lastly I want to applaud Megan and sbnation.com for publishing her thought-provoking article, and I have a feeling that Nascar will take it seriously. After all, it’s their profit and future at stake. 

If you liked what you've read, and you want to know more about our family experiences and tips for Nascar Newbs - follow this feed or my twitter account @DeanHardy23

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Why NASCAR is the best sport: God and Country

          Why is NASCAR the best sport? Simply put, they know how to show respect for God and America's men and women in uniform.  If you didn't know, this sport is the last national pastime that begins in a word of prayer (and why not, it's a dangerous sport!). The actual company of "NASCAR" as well as many of the individual speedways and racing teams have chaplains and these speedways actually encourage ministries such at Motor Racing Outreach and local churches to be involved during race week.

      I had the opportunity at this year's Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway to hold "the world's largest American Flag" at the introduction of the race. Many military (in and out of uniform) men and women were on hand and they peppered the grandstands. I don't think I said "thank you for your service" so many times on one day. While it was an honor for my family to be a part of this event (my father in the video and picture is a vet), it was also amazing to hanging out in the pits right before the race. We were able to watch the pre-race rituals of each of the teams and I even got the chance to cheer on Tony Stewart's pit crew on the way by his pit stall. The reaction from his crew was pretty cool...  After we passed Jeff Gordon's 24 pit crew and my father-in-law asked if they would take a picture with a vet. They said they would be honored and waved him over. We got a great picture with him and Jeff's crew literally minutes before the race.
       On both Veteran's Day and Memorial Day (as well as their normal race days), Nascar knows how to honor God and Country!

If you liked what you've read, and you want to know more about our family experiences and tips for Nascar Newbs - follow this feed or my twitter account @DeanHardy23

Thursday, November 8, 2012

How to meet Nascar Drivers: episode #4 - Kyle Busch


Meeting stock car racing drivers is easier than one might think. In fact, it's one of my top five reasons that NASCAR is my favorite sport.  Here's our brief encounter with one of the giants in the sport: Kyle Busch. 

The M&M car
I have to admit. I can't stand Kyle Busch. Even though I am somewhat a Nascar Newb, I realized very quickly that fans either love or hate the #18 driver. In every sport there must be a villain, and in Nascar it's Kyle Busch. Unfortunately, my son was attracted to the M&M car, and while I want him to love the sport, I realized that this meant that he'd likely become a fan of Kyle Busch. (I just shuddered remembering that realization.) 
     Yes, the inevitable happened. He's a full fledged M&M, Kyle Busch fan. Of course, after meeting Danica Patrick, Ricky Stenhouse, and even Trevor Bayne, all I could hear from my son was, "When are we going to get to meet Kyle Busch?" I always thought "yuk" then responded, "Yes son, whenever he's available." Not thinking, of course, that there was any chance of running into him.
Kyle Busch in his Breast Cancer
Awareness shirt
       Ironically, I was completely wrong. While standing in line to meet Trevor Bayne (discussed here) we got into an interesting discussion with the older man who was a veteran fan of the sport. He stated that he and his brother had met hundreds of drivers over the years and had almost 1,000 signatures from the sport. Of course, as a Nascar Newb, I had to pick his brain and ask him tips. One of his main tips was to always have a large 1:64 diecast car in your backpack. I didn't realize this, but they manufacture generic cars with the year listed on the side and no sponsor or driver mentioned on the car. So, whenever he simply "runs into" a driver somewhere he has a car with him to ask them to sign. While this sounds random, the next day when my son and I visited pit road I had a chance to have both Mark Martin and Jeff Burton sign something, but I had nothing on me to ask them to sign!  These generic cars can be purchased from vendor booths for under $25.  
       After receiving this tip, my son smiled and asked, "Have any tips to meet Kyle Busch?" I smiled and without missing a beat the man said, "Well, he's got a Q&A session right after this at the Toyota booth, if you can get over there quick enough, maybe you can get a signature!" My son got very excited, but I had to calm his excitement a little because drivers don't always do autographs after these sessions. So, after we met Trevor, we jetted over to the Toyota booth and it was packed. I tried to get up to the railing where everyone was gathered and I simply couldn't get to the front. After 15 minutes, Kyle came out and unveiled a Breast Cancer Awareness t-shirt that was a part of a contest, took a few questions, then started signing autographs. 
My son and his Kyle Busch stand up
    I knew we were in trouble. Kyle started halfway through the line and was moving in the other direction. We moved a few times and tried to get close to the railing, but there were just too many people. We went to the end of the line where Kyle was headed and stood behind some folks. My son occasionally cried out "Mr. Busch!" with his M&M hat on, but Kyle didn't look up, he just kept signing away. 
M&M Pit crew with my son
     Suddenly, a lady in front of us said, "Do you want me to try?" and motioned for the 12" stand-up that my son was holding and he quickly handed it to her.  She was right on the railing and had nothing to get signed, she just wanted a picture. Sure enough, Kyle walked up, signed my sons item and took a picture with the lady. The lady smiled and handed it back to my son. I profusely thanked her and celebrated his new souvenir.  

Coming up in a future Blog: pit passes- are they family friendly and worth the additional cost?
      

If you liked what you've read, and you want to know more about our family experiences and tips for Nascar Newbs - follow this feed or my twitter account @DeanHardy23

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Two simple reasons why I left the MLB, NBA and NFL for NASCAR

I used to be a baseball fanatic as a kid. I even wanted to play for the New York Yankees as a middle school little leaguer, but as I grew older and left my athletic pursuits behind, I starting enjoying NBA games, then eventually went to the NFL, but now I've left those all behind for Nascar. I recently contemplated why this was the case, and I narrowed it down to two main reasons:

1) Ease of following the sport.
         While I've always been a Tampa Bay Buccaneer fan, I've recently felt disenfranchised by the NFL. I've given many Sunday afternoons to this sport and while I don't live in Tampa, I've seen them play a few games here in Charlotte, I bought the jerseys, coffee mugs, other memorabilia, and I used to bleed, well, red.  While I still hold a special place in my heart for the Bucs, I can't follow them. You may wonder why, but isn't it simple? Unless you live in the area of your team you are only guaranteed to watch them play on network television a few times a year. Of course, you can hope for the playoffs, but unless your team is the Patriots or the Packers, the likelihood is slim.  Yes, yes, I could spend hundreds of dollars on an NFL package with one of those fancy satellite companies, but then again, no I can't. I just can't afford it!
        Nascar is different. I know that when the weekend rolls around I have a race to watch and many times I have more than one (Nationwide and Trucks) if I have the time. There's no question in my mind that on any given weekend I will get my weekly dose of Nascar.
        What do I usually get when I want to watch my NFL team on the weekend? Highlights.

2) Satisfaction of watching a well run race.

       Whether you notice it or not, there's a psychology to sports, and more specifically in this case, taking in a sporting event. When my Buccaneers won, I would be really excited, but when they lost I would get depressed, sometimes for days on end. I'd wallow in pity with my fellow Bucs fans, and wonder if the Bucs would ever make it back to the Superbowl.
        But with Nascar, at least for me, it's a completely different experience. First, and I'd love some commentary on this, but I don't have only ONE driver that I follow and salute. So, while Trevor Bayne may have a bad week, maybe Smoke will be in the chase for the win.  Thus, while I may be disappointed in a specific driver's performance, I'm not depressed because I don't watch the race for only one driver. I also don't get depressed if one of my drivers doesn't win, because with over 40 drivers, I should be surprised if they won!  Plus, no matter what, you get the perks of any Nascar race: fast driving, awesome restarts, the drama of the race, and even an occasional wreck. (I included a video of a Travis Pastrana wreck above. While I didn't get much of his skid in the grass- notice the driver go into pit road to avoid Travis' debacle.)
        So the result of a Nascar race in my experience has never been depression, and it has the potential for as much more excitement and adulation than any NFL, NBA, or MLB game.

If you liked what you've read, and you want to know more about our family experiences and tips for Nascar Newbs - follow this feed or my twitter account @DeanHardy23