My Second Live Race Experience

Hello to all my readers and fellow race fans first off I want to apologize for another long gap between posts I see that you guys are still reading and it means the world to me. So here is my next post this one is about my experience. So this past Sunday I was able to go to my second live race at Michigan International Speedway. Both races I have gone to have been at Michigan International Speedway and it's a beautiful facility. The grounds are so pretty and you hear about the beauty of the Irish Hills of Michigan it truly is beautiful and tranquil it is amazing and something I'm not sure I could ever put into words. I was blessed to share my first race with my younger sister, my two best friends (who are like my sisters) and their parents (who truly have become my second parents). Sadly those of you who have followed my blog know that we lost the women who truly became my second mother this past January. This race was different without her to think that the last time I was there she also was and now she wasn't there with me. Much like I've felt many times since her death although the moment was wonderful it felt incomplete. Her favorite driver was Jimmie Johnson and I know her husband, her brother who came with us this time and her daughters desperately wanted Jimmie to do well in honor of her memory even though he never knew her. I had mixed feelings about it I felt it would be perfect if he won the race we were going to see since her death. However I have my favorite drivers and I wanted to see them win. I also knew that Mom 2 was my NASCAR buddy the one I talked everything NASCAR with and I know we teased whose driver was going to do better each race so I felt that she wouldn't be mad that I was once again cheering against Jimmie. In my first live race back in 2010 Denny Hamlin won the race and my driver toped hers, once again this past Sunday all of my drivers beat hers which was a very bittersweet feeling for me I was thrilled to see my drivers running so well and yet it almost didn't seem right that both times my drivers beat hers. Since Mom 2's death I lost my NASCAR buddy I am able to share a little with both my Dad and my Dad 2 and now my sister who has really become a diehard Trevor Bayne fan and is wanting to learn something's about the sport so that she understands those when they relate to Trevor. However it will never be the same I can't ever get that back and it's one of the things I miss the most about her. However despite all the sadness about her loss I wasn't thinking about that while I was at the race that sadness came in my reflection of the race and remembering my first. At the race I was just thrilled to be going to my second live NASCAR race. I'm sure that I drove my sisters and my Dad 2 crazy with my excitement while we were 3 hours away from the race on our drive up because I was excited before we even started our 3 hour drive and the closer we got the greater my excitement. We rode the trams into the track and the people on the tram were very nice and welcoming and it showed what a great place MIS is. Our first stop was to head over to the new Merch tent I had seen the pictures and I was excited to see the tent for myself in person. It was amazing to be able to see the merchandise clearly and be able to pick it up was nice. Overall I was pretty pleased the tent was well organized and it was easy to find your drivers gear and checking out was real easy. The only downsides that I found experiencing the tent in comparison to the trailer was that at the trailer you could take pictures next to the picture of your favorite driver which you aren't able to do as easily in the tent because their pictures are up high and you would be blocking people who wanted in or out of that section. The other thing that I didn't like was it seemed like the prices had gone up a lot (now part of that could be it had been 5 yrs since my last live race any of my fellow race fans who went to a race before the new merch tent and want to share if it was just the tent or the 5 yrs since feel free) After going to the merch tent we went to sit under the grandstands and to eat our lunch. After lunch it was time to head into the stands and watch driver introductions. At my first race we didn't leave enough time and we missed all of driver introductions and pre race ceremonies. So for this race I really wanted to experience that and I'm glad to say that I did. Our seats were in the turn 2 end of the grandstands (my first race we sat at the opposite end of the grandstands in turn 4) so we couldn't see the driver introduction stage however thanks to the TV right at the end of pit road we were able to see what was happening up there. Seeing the drivers ride around in the trucks so close to us was amazing to see I know my sister said it made her really want to meet Trevor Bayne and I loved seeing the drivers up close even though we were separated by a fence. I was glad that I got to see all those drivers up close and experience driver introductions and my sister captured some pics so we can always remember that day. On TV you can never tell who gets a lot of cheers or boos and so it was kind of cool to experience that in person and to see what the reaction from the crowd is. The pre race ceremonies was amazing to be a part of to always here on TV ladies and gentleman please stand and remove your hats to hear what I had always heard on TV live was very cool and pretty hard to describe. Having Buddy Baker die a week ago today and to be able to take part in a moment of silence for such a legion of this sport was incredible and really showed the community that NASCAR is. It also worked out that in a way it allowed me, my sister and my best friend's family to honor their mom and it was almost like our moment of silence for her as well. Hearing the national anthem anytime gives me great pleasure to be a part of this amazing country and to share that moment with a bunch of fellow race fans is really neat. The flyover was amazing and that's the one part we saw my last race their only we saw it while checking in at the gate. The race command was awesome to hear those famous words in real life and hear the engines roar to life which amazingly is a lot quieter than I expected on TV they make it sound really loud and once the cars are rolling full throttle it's really loud but the start up was quieter than I expected it to be. My sister talked about how she loved doing the wave at MIS with all the fans and how cool that was and I have to agree it is so cool to be doing a wave with a bunch of other race fans. It's a cool tradition that MIS has and it's a lot of fun to be a part of to watch the wave come out and you and then stand with your section of fans in perfect unison and watch the wave move from your section and then send it back to the other end was amazing and a lot of fun. Standing for the green flag was so fun and it meant that I was about to see my second race live which made me so excited. There is nothing like seeing 43 cars come whizzing past you for the first time that day in a pack. I wore hearing protection most of the race but that first lap I went without and it was cool to hear the car engines up close as they raced around the track. I wouldn't want to listen to more than a lap without the hearing protection though as it becomes really loud and you can still hear the roar of the engines through the hearing protection while saving your ears. It's amazing how different the engines sound when they're coming of pit road after a pit stop and coming back up to speed. Noticing that difference myself it's easy to see how the drivers can tell when their engine is letting go just by the sound. Most people who aren't race fans always talk about I want to see a wreck they keep things exciting as a true race fan I don't like wrecks as much because I know it means a lot of work for that drivers crew and I don't want to see anyone hurt. I've watch two of my favorites Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch be injured in a racecar I've seen some bad wrecks that I know years ago could have been fatal and I've learned the NASCAR history and know how many drivers died and what a dangerous sport it still is even with the safety advancements. After Austin Dillon's wreck at Daytona this year when I truly thought he had died I have never been more thankful for NASCAR's safety implements (both for fans and drivers) then I am now seeing the catch fence live and in person makes his wreck that much more scary and incredible. To see how strong that fence is and to know that Austin's car went right through it makes you stop and think a little more. It makes it really sink in just how horrific that was as a fan I can't imagine sitting in the stands and seeing that come at you. As a race fan instead of wrecks I like to see restarts and passing which I got the chance to see a lot of if you have never seen Kyle Busch live on a restart let me tell you that the TV's don't do him justice. The speed and precision with which he flies around the other drivers is incredible. He has such skill and talent and he looks like he's going so much faster around them then he actually is and he makes it look effortless. Seeing a pit stop live and in person to always shows you just how quick 12 second pit stops are and the work the crew does live is incredible. Those pit crews are real athletes and I'm amazed at what they're able to do. One thing that I do find very hard to adjust to after watching so many races on TV is how fast things happen, and to figure things out on my own if a driver goes down pit road I have to figure out if it was scheduled or not, if there were mistakes, to figure out why the caution lights are on, to figure out who's on the lead lap and whose not and keep track of where everyone is when they've been green for a while and the leader is lapping the field. It gets very confusing and despite the pillar in the middle if you spend time looking at that to find positions you miss the racing so I tend to give up knowing where people are and just enjoy the racing and the passes wither there for position or not. Its also amazing how many little things you miss I had no idea till I came home that Kevin Harvick ran out of gas or that Jimmie Johnson missed his pit stall once yesterday. At one point my sisters and I went down to the fence and watched the cars go past it is amazing just how much vibration they make and the pounding in your chest it gives you. It's a feeling unlike any other we went down under caution (where I got to meet another Kyle Busch fan and we cheered for him) and watched the restart from their before we were asked to return to our seats by the usher. I had no problem with that as I know it was to keep us safe especially after Daytona this year. Seeing the cars up close it's cool to see just how much they look like the dicast cars and how shinny they are. I'm also always amazed at how vivid and bright the colors are in person that's something TV doesn't do justice either. I always love seeing just how bright Danica and the others cars are in person.  Meeting other NASCAR fans and seeing how despite the different drivers we cheer for we all don't want to see another driver hurt and just how friendly the fans are to each other is a neat experience. Were complete strangers and yet we feel that bond of cheering for the same driver and being a part of the NASCAR family despite the fact that we don't know each other. In the end Matt Kenseth lead a dominating race and no one was close to him except Austin Dillon which was cool to see him up front and I wouldn't have minded seeing him win if none of my favorites, Trevor, Kasey Kahne or Jimmie could win. I think it would have been cool to be their live for a first time winner but I was fine with Matt wining as a Gibbs fan I teased my family that apparently I bring Gibbs luck at MIS since the two races I've been there a Gibbs driver won. However I know this time I had little to do and it was more the incredible hot streak that they have been on recently. Having now been to another live race and having met Joey Logano I can now say that I have left on my NASCAR bucket list is to attend another live race at a different track so I can see a different track and the view that it brings, I also want to go see the NASCAR museum and the teams shops, I want to meet more drivers and I think it would be really cool to experience a few of the teams fan days. Wither or not that all happens will be left to seen but my love of NASCAR will continue to live on. I want to thank MIS for a great race weekend your facilities and staff were amazing the staff was all so friendly and I loved my time at MIS and it will always be special for me. I hope that all my readers get a chance to see a race live and experience it in person. I've tried to describe my race experience here but I know there are so many things that I can't describe and that just have to be experienced in person. If you haven't been to a race I encourage you to go and if you have I would love to hear your stories about your experience and the different race tracks you have attended. I would love to hear your differences between watching on TV and in person and what surprised you while being their live as well as what you liked best about seeing it live. Remember we may cheer for different drivers but we all belong to the NASCAR family. Have a great week fellow NASCAR fans and I hope everyone enjoys the race this weekend but especially those of you who are attending Bristol live.