[UTRex]

I'm not a fan of NASCAR, but I am a fan of my wife. She loves this "sport" in spite of me showing her Rally racing where they turn right and left on unprepared surfaces. <sigh> There just doesn't seem to be any way to save her.
I found a great deal on tickets and bought them as a suprise. She is thrilled to be heading to Phoenix this weekend.
So... has anyone ever been to one of these things? Are you willing to admit it in a public forum? If so, what is there to do for four hours while these cars drive in circles? Should I take a book - Gameboy - Ipod?
The only thing I've thought of so far is to invent a game called, "Taunt the *******".

 

[Wasuri]

Lol Taunt The ******* may not be such a good idea because its almost 99.9% of them that go are that!

 

[downest]

My dad is really into it, I've been to Loudon a couple of times. Make her drive and you can drink some brews.
Although I didn't think it was very fun, my roommate's brother has had tickets through his job to see the race in the infield. He said it's basically a huge cook out, they drink a lot and watch the race when something fun happens (not very often).

I hear you on the rally stuff, I tried to show my dad some other racing but he doens't like anything but Indy Car. I think he only likes that because of Honda and Danica.

 

[jfish360]

err i like Nascar. its cool to watch some of the strategies and stuff they do with pit timing and the wrecks the fights its fun. But i also have never been to one. But i also live in mechanicsville and grew up with my dad being a die hart Mark Martin fan. So i like to watch the races and hear my dad scream at the tv telling him GO LOW GO LOW GO LOW. As if he can really hear you 8) . And i mean they run up to 10k rpms. Going 180 mph and your going to tell me thats not fun?

 

[ComposiMo]

My GF is really into it as well, so ive been getting involved by association ... i've been a couple of times though in person (how can you NOT when living so close to Daytona... haha!). It really isn't THAT bad... its a lot more intruiging to watch in person than it is on TV. The feeling and sound of the cars going by is awesome. I was impressed by it the first time i went.

But anyhoo, Just go to it with an open mind... its scary to admit, but you might actually enjoy yourself. If you go to it expecting to be dissapointed, well, you probably will be. Just have fun, and enjoy it with your wife 8)

 

[Baker]

Pack a PSP, some sort of music player of your choice and only look up to see a crash.

I don't think i could stand for 4 hrs watching cars go around in circles.
At least on TV, you can see the whole race.
But your going for the NASCAR experience and atmosphere

 

[UTRex]

Thanks for the advice. I don't drink a lot and I will be the one driving. It appears that the highlights of the event will be the crashes and the fights in the parking lots after the event. Drunk fights are always funny.
I do appreciate the speed, horsepower, and technical aspects of the race. Tire pressure/changes, fuel usage, suspension tuning, I still don't know how you can make a Ford 351, Chevy 350, and Dodge 360 all equal on the track. I think four hours is too long though.
I will let you know how it turns out.... or call you to post bail.

 

[azulito]

I'm not a fan of NASCAR because it robs me of all the other racing programming on Speed TV. BUT: I have seen them in person and if you are bored then I will be wrong as I had a great time. It's louder than anything I've ever heard besides Manowar in concert and they are travelling at a very fast rate with hardly any way of slowing down those 4000 pound monsters. Reving a V8 to 10K is madness, and if there's a crash it's like a demolition derby @ 180 MPH, yeha baby!

My face felt like I was getting pummeled with debris each time they went by.

...and don't forget to drink beer and check out the babes! :wink:

 

[jfish360]

Ya checka out dem babes

WAHOOOO GO DJ YAAAAAA

dude it took forever to find a ugly girl on the internet that looked redneckish. go figure.

 

[ComposiMo]

Yea... so.... i, uh think that may violate one of the rules.... somewhere... i mean, its gotta.... right?

uke:

 

[mattminerDOTcom]

ha maybe the common decency rule.

here i will counteract its effects with my friends

[email protected]

 

[daveb91]

Bristol is the best track to go to I try to go there once a year. Lots of action!! I have been a fan for many years and have great respect for it after driving a car at Charlotte with the Petty Driving Experience. Go fast turn left lot easier to say than do well at least doing it fast. Definately get a headset scanner or radio reciever because its so damn loud you wont know whats going on.

 

[azulito]

Trust me there will plenty to see that ain't toothless! :wink:

 

[ryan_long_01]

Since I work at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, I'm obviously an IndyCar Series fan first and foremost. But, we host a NASCAR event here (Allstate 400 at the Brickyard, formerly the Brickyard 400), so I've seen them in action a few times. I personally like oval racing when it comes to IndyCar, so that part doesn't bother me. It depends on the size/layout of the track and how much of it you can see, but it's not too bad.

Go to a merch trailer and get a set of headphones that double as hearing protection so you can listen to the radio broadcast (a scanner is even cooler, but the radio is better than nothing) -- that way, you know exactly what is going on. It gets a bit boring and confusing if you can't tell what's happening. Do NOT take a book or video game. You will look like a massive toolbag. Read the race program, listen to the radio broadcast, and enjoy yourself.

NASCAR isn't my favorite type of racing, but it's still auto racing...and, much like pizza and sex, even when it's bad, it's still pretty good.

Oh and Mark...yelling when a driver dies in a fiery crash? Ouch. I don't know if you've ever been around a racing community when a driver dies, but the reaction is anything but cheerful. Fans, team members, and drivers all know that a racer's death is yet another painful reminder of how damned dangerous driving race cars really is, but they aren't cheering.

 

[FooFighter]

Yea I don't much like Oval racing. I mostly watch Champcar racing and CASCAR.

 

[daveb91]

yell when one (or more) of the unfortunate drivers dies (or survives) in a fiery crash

What an a$$hole. I have been to a race when a wreck took a drivers life and you are out of line.

 

[rex2nr]

My dad and I went to a race down in Watkins Glen. I wasn't too excited to go since I had stopped watching races, but it was his father's day present from my mom, so I was roped into it. We went down for the entire weekend, and actually, I had a blast. We got to walk the pits on Friday, and watch qualifying and all that jazz, and watched about 4 race series run that weekend. The sound of those things blasting by you will make that 4 hours seem like 4 minutes.. it just doesn't get old.

I'd love to go to a short track race so you can actually see most of the track. The glen is among the worst tracks for spectators, since you can only see one straight/corner where ever you are.

 

[Dodo]

Bristol would be the track to go to. The shortest track in the Sereis.

Yes, i am a hard core fan. My driver is Kasey Khane. Now is not the time to get into it (if anyone was thinking about starting) because there's only two races left in the season. Feburary it will start up again and i'll be watching it once again. "I love nascar"

yell when one (or more) of the unfortunate drivers dies (or survives) in a fiery crash

What an a$$hole. I have been to a race not a nascar race but a dirt track race when a wreck took a drivers life and you are out of line.

Thats his feelings. Most people that dont watch and live racing will say the same thing. They dont know who the Earnhearts are or the pettys for that fect. The only thing they see is cars going in circles and maybe a car will hit the wall. Marks comment in no way is anything different then an other non nascar fans comment. No reason to call him an a$$hole for thinking differently then us.

Rant over

 

[daveb91]

Cheering for a death??? blahhhh

 

[daveb91]

crash him or kill him?