Race Week

From the roof of the Daytona Track Tower

Yup Big Week in the Daytona Beach area. The Daytona 500 Race Week is in full swing.
Yesterday I attended the Budweiser Duel with 65,000 other Race Fans. These two 60 lap races determine the starting positions for the Daytona 500 Sunday race so they are for the most part balls to the wall racing.
The day started real early for us because friend Teresa won a Fan appreciation package which she shared with us. It included turn 1 parking (no busing for us), access to the Budweiser 1876 Club (free booze and food, hard to beat), access to the Fan Zone and a lot of walking around. Friend Lenny also had a friend at the track who was able to get us to the top of the tower where the TV cameras and race spotters hang out.
To get to this ultimate vantage point we were toured through the car owners suite along with the track owners suite. Man it is all about the money, what great place to view the race these suites would be, you can see the entire track in comfort, oh yes we also were able to see the NASCAR control room, very neat. This track and NASCAR Organization are one big Money fueled Machine.
After the tower tour we shuttled over to the infield Fan Zone. In the Fan Zone were a great band, viewing of the Race Car Tech inspections all underway before the races, views of the garage area and as close as the public would get to the race cars.
By this time we had done a lot of walking around and the Race start time of 2pm was closing in. Back to the grandstand to our reserved seats, great view from these seats but not the owner suites view (oh well maybe next year). All of the preamble took place and race 1 had started. As the cars roar by for the first time the hair on the back of my neck stands straight out, it is a thill you just don't experience on TV.
Danica Patrick had the pole 1 spot for the start of race 1. She held the number 1 spot for a couple of laps and later dropped to the back of the pack. Here is the deal, Danica had already won the pole position for the start of the Daytona 500 by posting the fastest lap in Qualifying. In order to keep the pole position she is required to drive the same car in the 500 that she qualified with, had she wrecked in the Duel and the car was not repairable forcing her to a back-up car she would start from the back of the pack. Danica has brought a lot of press and hype to this years 500 so I am sure the boys were told to leave her along in the duel and I am sure her car manager told her to fall to the back of the pack and protect the car. Like I said earlier, this NASCAR organization is a big machine.
Between races the men's washroom looked like a typical women's washroom with big lines, what are you going to do, had to get ride of some beer.
Race tow starts, not sure I like the new cars. They look great but drafting looks to be difficult if not impossible. Whats this makes is kind of dull racing, not much passing. Guess time will tell.
Before the second race ended we headed back to the Budweiser tent for a few free adult beverages and what turned out to be our dinner (once again for free). Now we were an hour after the race was over before we left the track and the traffic was still semi heavy. The Police were out in full colors and they force the flow of traffic, you can't just go where you want to go until you are miles away from the track.
Man it was a great day but I am whipped this morning.

   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qEmPBSR1m0&feature=youtu.be