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

Sunday, October 13, 2013

How to meet NASCAR drivers, Episode #5: Regan Smith, Bubba Wallace (and Samantha Busch!)

       The more you read this blog, the more you will hear me say this: Go to the NATIONWIDE races! Yes, I do agree that NASCAR steps it up a notch for their sprint races, but there are a number of reasons you should take the time to go the race that usually precedes the "main event." 
"How many girlfriends do you have?"

Joey Coulter
         There's the obvious one: affordability. For the value, Nationwide races have unusually affordable tickets and you still great seats!
They usually have free kids tickets, and you can usually get a great seat in the grandstands with an amazing view of the huge screen that Charlotte Motor Speedway put in a few years back. You also don't have to fight crazy crowds. There are not as many people for these events, so you can stock up on free stuff given out in the fan area and you have less chance of losing your kids in the massive crowds on Sprint cup days.

Parker Kligerman &
Chad Hackenbracht
Bubba Wallace
Samantha Busch
Secondly, and the reason for this post, is that you have much more access to drivers on these days. On a random walk through the fan area at Charlotte motor speedway we noticed a line forming (a key tip off) and we jumped in the line of maybe ten people. We didn't know who was in the line until we got up front, and were pleasantly surprised! There was Parker Kligerman, Chad Hackenbracht, Joey Coulter, Darrell "Bubba" Wallace Jr., and Samantha Busch; they were all signing 8x10 cards, and were willing to sign whatever we wanted. After we got through the line, my boys were frustrated that we didn't have anything for them to sign. I said, "Why didn't you just get them to sign your hat?" (We had picked up a bright yellow hat from the Sprint tent.) They agreed, but were frustrated that they hadn't thought of that, but we just got back in line! In three minutes, the boys had their hats signed. The second time through my 7 year old had a detailed conversation with Bubba and Samantha about a) how many girlfriends he had, and b) Playing paintball with Kyle Busch (from a few weeks back here). It was one of my favorite memories from our weekend: watching him hang out with these two very pleasant ambassadors of the sport. 

Brad Sweet (right) Regan Smith (left)
 
Brad signs for the boys!
            Literally ten minutes later, we wandered over to the merchandise trailers and notcied another line forming. This time it was at the JR motor sports trailer with Regan Smith and Brad Sweet. We got there just in time as they shut the line behind us as we walked in! Them men were very gracious with my boys and happily signed their hats and even gave them high-fives. 

For the price, the great seats, leisurely stroll with hardly any crowds, and the access to the drivers, Nationwide days are a great value!






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