MERRY Christmas! Column: Give the gift of racing
AUCKLAND, NZ—Whether you were naughty or nice this year, there’s still time to give or get the perfect gift for the holidays—the gift of racing.
Sure, some people have the talent and budget to climb behind the wheel, purchase a simulator to iRace or even participate in the Petty Driving Experience. For the average Joe or Josephine, the closest encounter with motorsports will come as a spectator and nothing beats the at-track experience.
To truly appreciate racing, one must take in the sights, the sounds, the smells and the feels. When the 40-car field comes roaring down the frontstretch at Talladega Superspeedway or Daytona International Speedway, yes, you feel it. And there is no way TV can duplicate the sensory overload of a trackside seat.
Limited funds? Start with your local short track—asphalt or dirt. That’s where most of today’s stars honed their skills. The Greatest Show on Dirt—the World of Outlaws—will run over 70 shows from Florida to Washington State starting in February. So it’s easy to find a race within driving distance. USAC Midgets also start in the Sunshine State in February and travel coast-to-coast.
NASCAR’s starter divisions—K&N Pro Series and the recently added ARCA tour—will run a total 48 races. For the younger race fan, these shorter events offer the perfect opportunity to acclimate to the process. Like dirt racing, there are meet and greets with the drivers so enthusiasts can invest in the athletes before the show begins. The smaller venues are easily accessible and reasonably priced. Hopefully, in the near future, the sanctioning body will consider running a 14-race schedule for all three series with the best drivers from each division competing in a six-race showdown for a national title.
In stock cars' top three tours—Gander Outdoors, Xfinity and Cup—the truck series definitely offers the most bang for the buck. Again, it's an excellent gateway for the younger set looking for a lot of action in a short amount of time. The Xfinity Series offers more Midwest stops than the Cup tour, and in the same vein as trucks, an up-close look at future stars.
With the recent announcement of Speedway Motorsports working with Formosa Productions to bring the Trucks and Xfinity Series to the Nashville Fairgrounds, this is a gentle reminder to fans to support local venues to both attract marquee events. Both Nashville and Gateway Motorsports Park (St. Louis) are in metropolitan areas that could easily support a weeknight show. But if fans want to retain local racing, they have to turn out at the track.
If money is not an object, Cup is still home to the best stock car racers in the world. In smaller towns such as Bristol and Darlington, be prepared to fork out big bucks for hotels. Camping is always an alternative and certainly provides a communal adventure with fellow fans.
Here are my top 10 U.S. events for the racing bucket list:
- Indianapolis 500—There’s only one Greatest Spectacle in Racing.
- Daytona 500/Talladega Superspeedway—Not traditional racing, but it’s always a show and some of the most unpredictable events in racing.
- Chili Bowl Nationals—Six full days of midget racing culminating with Saturday’s alphabet soup that leads into the main event.
- Knoxville Nationals—The sprint car extravaganza features must-see racing.
- Watkins Glen International—Consistently provides down-to-the-wire racing at one of the most iconic settings in motorsports.
- The Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway—When it comes to racing, the Last Great Coliseum delivers with Trucks, Xfinity and Cup.
- The Roval—Charlotte Motor Speedway would not have sniffed the list without Marcus Smith’s delightful innovations.
- The Bommarito 500 at Gateway—Yes, this might be a homer call, but the last two IndyCar races at GMP have been spectacular.
- Martinsville Speedway—NASCAR’s version of Fenway Park--except there’s not a bad seat in the house.
- Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway—Three titles decided in three days—and probably the least predictable racing of the season.
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