As we roll on with the Chase, the Nextel Cup Chasers rule the DirecTV airwaves tomorrow, for the running of the Subway 500 from Martinsville VA. And the lineup looks like:
795 – Carl Edwards, #99
796 – Kevin Harvick, #29
797 – Martin Truex Jr, #1
798 – Denny Hamlin, #11
799 – Tony Stewart, #20
My little bride and I are safely in Roanoke, preparing to head a little further south tomorrow.
-k-
[stags]NASCAR,DirecTV,HotPass,Martinsville[/stags]
[tags]NASCAR,DirecTV,HotPass[/tags]
Tomorrow, my little bride and I make the trek to Roanoke VA, where we’ll spend tomorrow night, and head to historic old Martinsville Speedway for the NASCAR Nextel Cup Subway 500 on Sunday.
For short trips, packing clothing, etc, is easy. Black chinos, Harvick t-shirts, a racin’ hat or two, some extra skivvies and toiletries.
No matter the trip, though, the electronic devices are the same: cell phone and charger, laptop with all its cables, cards, and accessories. Additionally, for a race event, one needs his Racing Electronics scanner, two headsets, the Bostaroo splitter, and batteries for all the foregoing. Throw in binoculars, digital camera and batteries. In the non-digital realm, we have two clear plastic Racing Electronics bags, into which we put our seat cushions, neck lanyards for ticket stubs, a few snacks, slickers in case of rain, sunblock if there’s no rain, and hopefully leave enough room for some claptrap we inevitably purchase from souvenir trailers.
An hour to pack electronics and race related items, check and recheck that everything is present. 15 minutes for the rest of the stuff.
Man, this is great.
-k-
[stags]Martinsville,NASCAR,RacingElectronics[/stags]
[tags]martinsvillespeedway, NASCAR[/tags]
Update: Oops, about forgot to mention Diana the GPS device. We’ll take her along as well.
The NASCAR Nextel Cup traveling circus and road show comes to Martinsville Speedway for the running of the Goody’s Cool Orange 500 this afternoon. They’ll be returning there in the fall for another race.
SWMBO and I love Martinsville, we like the travel down, the track, and nearly everything about the experience. We’d leave on Saturday and take the Skyline Drive or the Blue Ridge Parkway on our way down, and sometimes coming back. Speed limit 35-45. Two lane winding roads. Awesome views of mountains, trees and valleys. Plenty of observation areas and scenic overlooks, where we could gaze out over majestic valleys, and contemplate our individual smallness in the grand scheme of things. Overall, the Blue Ridge Parkway has more historical markers, so I think we like that segment best. But they’re both beautiful. In any event, we seemed to meander into Roanoke, and our hotel, about the time the bar opened for happy hour. Timing is everything. We’d spend Saturday night with a few Bud Longnecks, some pub grub, oftentimes in the company of other race fans who happened to be staying there.
Sunday, up early, by 6AM, and on to Martinsville, about an hour’s drive1 Breakfast, grabbed to go, from the Collinsville McDonalds. Sitting in race day traffic. Parking at the track is free, but the wait in traffic got worse, so we found a place for 20 bucks who would park your car, and not block you in. Made for easier egress from the track, too. Thence, to the Racing Electronics Trailer, where they will program your scanner with the current day’s driver channels. And a few stops by our favorite driver’s trailers, to verify our race day wardrobe is complete.
Then, to the grandstand, for pre-race ceremonies, the prayer, the Anthem, and the fly over. Then, 500 laps of beatin’ and bangin’ on a half-mile track. After the checkered flag falls, to the car, where SWMBO navigates the post-race traffic, and takes us back to Roanoke. A nice steak, back to the hotel bar for a nightcap, and to bed.
Head home on Monday. A Cracker Barrel breakfast, and a stop or two at some farmer’s markets on the way back.
Damn, that’s fun. So much fun that I took a break from writing this post, and bought tickets to the fall race. Se ya’ there!
-k-
[tags]martinsvillespeedway, NASCAR[/tags]
1
Tonight, the Dodge Charger 500 from Darlington SC. Darlington is the last track from the roots of NASCAR racing, other than Martinsville. And the high-dollar NASCAR suits from Daytona have tried to squeeze them both out. They’ll probably win. Darlington is highest on my “must visit before it’s gone” list. At one race per year, I’d better plan on 2007.
Fantasy race team updates: Dale JR out, Kasey Kahne in. Green flag in 45 minutes or so.
-k-
Technorati Tags: NASCAR, darlingtonraceway