NASCAR: My First Experience

A few months ago, some friends, James and Dixie, invited David and I to the Duck Commander 500 NASCAR race at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, TX.  I had never been to anything like a NASCAR race before.  Since I loving experiencing new things, we said we would love to join them.

With friends James and Dixie

My Experience at the Duck Commander 500

I had no idea what I was getting into…Our friends are seasoned fans and had been many times before.  The whole day was new to me: the rules, the culture and the full sensory experience.  It amazed me that we actually felt the vibration of the cars go by, which was so cool!  The race was unique because it was an evening race.  The cooler temperature was great appreciated by everyone!  The time of the day also affects the tires and how they grip the road due to the temperature of the asphalt.  The cheap seats we purchased were just a few rows from the bottom at the first turn as the cars exited pit row.  So when the cars entered back into the race, they accelerated right in front of us!

If you are a NASCAR novice like me, here are some tips for those who have never been before.

Opening Ceremony

7 Things to Know if you have never been to NASCAR:

1. You can bring in your own snacks, drinks and even beer.  You have to pack it all in a 14”x14”x14” cooler or smaller.  No glass.  You can purchase food and drink from the concessions as well.
2. When purchasing tickets, the cheap seats are down low and close to the action and the noise.  The most coveted and expensive seats are up high so you can see the whole track.  By sitting closer to the track, you might lose visibility of the cars around a turn or straightaway.  When seated lower, I noticed that the exhaust smell is stronger than up high as well.  Also by the end of the night, I had a bit of residue on my skin, hair and clothing from the exhaust and other debris.
3. No matter where you sit to enjoy the race, if not in a box seat, you need some type of ear protection.  It is so ridiculously LOUD!  I went with extra protection and wore ear plugs like you use for sleeping at night in addition to head phones like you use when chainsawing.  That kept my ears safe and sound.
4. You can rent a radio scanners called FanVision, that have a screen on them so you can watch the race from a different angle than your seat.  They also connect to noise reduction headphones so you can hear the announcers and commentators, while protecting your hearing.
5. Usually when you go to a sporting event, most people in the stadium are united, cheering for the home team.  But in NASCAR, each fan has a driver/team they are cheering for.  So the fans are spread out amongst a couple of dozen drivers.  No matter what is happening in the pit or on the track, there are always fans being encouraged and bummed out by what they are viewing.
6. The other thing that was unique, was that you cannot talk almost the entire race.  I have made it through quite a few baseball and football games only watching a few minutes of the game while mostly talking to my friends.  It is too loud to hear anything and especially once you get your protective ear gear on you are really limited.  We had to text each other to share thoughts or when I had questions.  When a yellow caution flag is flown, you can remove your headphones and talk again.  When the yellow flag comes out, all cars must follow a pace car and wait for the danger to be eliminated.  They move at a much slower speed, therefore decreasing the sound of the engine and increasing your ability to hear.
   

   A Retired NASCAR

7. The fans were great!  My perception was that the fans were pretty rowdy, perhaps unruly.  But as soon as we got out of our car, everyone was chill, relaxed and excited to be there.  We did not meet a stranger.  Everyone was talking to everyone, just happy to be there.   People drove hours from all over the state, from other states and even from other countries to attend.  NASCAR fans are some dedicated people!

I had no idea if I would enjoy the race, but it was a blast and I’d love to go back again!  The next race, AAA Texas 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is November 8, 2015.  Check out Texas Motor Speedway for tickets and other racing events.