In 2004, I became a fan of a sport that I never thought I would pay attention to- NASCAR. I grew up puzzled over why anyone would want to spend hours watching cars turn left. I knew who Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt were, and that was about it. One Sunday in 2004, I was watching with my in-laws, and something happened that caught my attention. It was a race at Talladega, and it was nearing the last few laps. There was a crash, and the yellow M&M’s car went airborne, then rolled several times before coming to rest in the grass. I was horrified, since I was pretty sure I had just seen Elliot Sadler die on live television. But before I could really grasp that thought, the driver was not only out of the car, but WALKING AWAY!
I have been hooked ever since, amazed at the athleticism of the drivers, the ingenuity of the crew chiefs, and the teamwork that takes place. However, in 8 years of being a fan, I have only ever watched a race on TV. I’ve lived in Boone, NC, for almost two years, a stone’s throw from several major tracks-Charlotte, Bristol, Martinsville-but have not had the opportunity to attend.
That is about to change, thanks to a Twitter contest sponsored by Richard Childress Racing Truck Series #2 team. I won four tickets to the Camping World Truck Series race this Sunday at Rockingham Motor Speedway. This is a very exciting opportunity, not just because it’s my first race, but also because it is the first major series race being held at Rockingham (aka The Rock) since 2004.
Since I was a fairly new fan when The Rock closed, I am fuzzy on the details of what exactly contributed to the closure. I have been paying a little more attention as this race draws closer, and I sense that many people are very drawn to the track. This adds to my sense of excitement, and I am honored that I will get to be there for this part in NASCAR history.
As a side note, I drove from my parents’ home in Ohio back to Boone today, and the seven hour drive gave me time to think. I turned off the radio, and wrote my own song (ok, well, I wrote a chorus), as a tribute to The Rock. If you’re a country music fan, you may realize that it’s set to the tune of Tracy Lawrence’s “Paint Me a Birmingham”. Maybe once I’ve gotten the race under my belt, I can write the verses:
Let’s go racing at Rockingham
I hope it looks just the way I planned
Lot’s of folks spread all over town
Trucks racing all the way around
Put me there in a front row seat
Lot’s of action, won’t that be neat?
For awhile we’ll be young again
While we’re racing at Rockingham…
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