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We had a great time at the races in Bristol, Tennessee. Patrick Mead was right — there were “men driving billboards, turning left constantly…. large quantities of beer, mullets and tube tops…” (actually, we didn’t consume large quantities of beer and I only wore my tube top once).
The Busch race on Friday night was really good (too many wrecks, but an exciting finish). The Nextel Cup race on Saturday night was OK (it also had an exciting finish). But it seemed like too many drivers were just playing it safe, trying to get into the ten race playoff (The Chase for the Cup) instead of going for the win.
But overall, it was a good time with friends. We had great neighbors at the campground (Mike and Al), we ate some good food, and we got to see some genuine, in-the-flesh rednecks. And no, we did not attend (or participate in) the wet t-shirt contest at the campground.
More to come — including pictures of me in my tube top!
I am so jealous!!
and Jr. showed up, I don’t really think he was racing safe….he wanted to win!
I guess you didn’t get a photo of Tony crossing the finish line before everyone else…
Terri — No, but I think I got a few shots of him getting lapped by Jeff Gordon!
Actually, my son is a Tony Stewart fan, and I like him too. It would have been good to see him win.
Donna — Junior did good. The decision to stay out and get track position early was great. It almost won him the race. But it just seemed like everyone was playing it safe. There was little bumping and banging, and no one lost their temper and started throwing stuff at other drivers — the kind of thing that makes Bristol so appealing.
This is from ESPN.com:
NASCAR’s new Chase for the Nextel Cup format has dramatically changed the way drivers attack Bristol, proved in Saturday night’s watered-down version of the annual bumper-car race. What was supposed to be the wild-card event in the race to the Chase was instead a ho-hum affair that did little to shake up the standings.
“With the Chase and everybody being so close, there was a lot more respect out there on the track — a lot more than you have seen in the past,” third-place finisher Dale Earnhardt Jr. said. “When I caught guys, they moved over, and I did the same for others. You don’t normally see that here. You make people work for every spot. It seemed like everyone was being very respectful.”
That’s exactly what I noticed. The exception being that Jeff Gordon made Scptt Riggs earn that fourth place finish. And Riggs wasn’t too happy about it. That was fun to watch.
I don’t know whether or not to be curious about your tube top comments!
Hehe…
Looks like you guys had a lot of fun! I saw part of it on the TV but being there has got to be awesome. I was happy that Kenseth won but he was the only one I had in the top five so I didn’t do too well this week–even though he won!
Glad you had a good time!
I can see you in the photo of the crowd. You’re the one with the hat (and the tube top).
“I only wore my tube top once.” All right, Jeff, you owe me six pieces of paper. That’s how many were spoiled by my spitting Sierra Mist over them after reading that comment. Hilarious. Glad you’re back. Or, glad yawl’r back.