My first Nascar experience

[Clark Griswald]

Today I went to Sears Point to watch a Nascar race, my first. Now understand, I normally associate Nascar with the Dukes of Hazard, but it sounded like fun so off we went. Unlike the typical Nascar, this one is on a road course, not an oval.

Me and my honey took the Sweet Pea up. 1.5 hour drive to get there from San Jose. It will be clear later why I tell you the drive time.

It was really a big spectacle. The crowd was huge. We positioned ourselves on a hillside overlooking a couple of the tightest turns and able to take in most of the track.


At $70 per ticket (and $5 per beer) it was not cheap. But they let you bring in coolers. I took full advantage of this and came equipped with plenty of my favorite libations.

Given that I am not a big Nascar fan, I couldn't tell you squat about the drivers. But it seems the real fans get into that aspect. Save for a few off track excursions, there was no real damage done.

Overall it was a good time. But then it was time to leave....and that's when things started to turn for the worse.

1.5 hours after beginning our journey home, we finally exited the Sears Point parking lot. The traffic continued unabated for the next several hours. Total drive time to get home - 5 hours.

My hun decided that I had partaken of the libations with mucho gusto, and that it would be best if she drove home. So I was on camera duty.

Here is a shot of my hun at the wheel approaching the Golden Gate.



She drives this car almost daily.

Then, as we are driving home down 101 we are passed by a late model Mustang doing about 100 mph, and being chased by a Camaro....Through traffic....In the dark. Great...good thinking.

About 2 minutes later we see brake lights up ahead and big cloud of smoke hovering over the highway. You guessed right.

The Mustang was sideways on the inside lane and was seriously smashed. Both driver side wheels had broken off the car. The rims had literally broken off the hubs and were laying in the road near the car.

The youthfull occupants had gotten out of the car and appeared to be okay. The driver was walking around waiving his arms as if he was in a state of shock.

He didn't realize it but he was one lucky puppy. No other cars were involved and it seems no one was hurt. Skid marks would indicate that he hit the concrete center divide.

Hopefully he learns his lesson, if he did he got off easy.

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Chuck Moreland '86 Cab - "Sparky", '77 Targa - "Sweet Pea"

[This message has been edited by Clark Griswald (edited 06-24-2001).]

[patalive]

Sounds like you had a good time, until it was time to leave!
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Actually, I watched this race on TV, surfing back and forth to the CART race. The latter, being run in the rain, had so many yellow flags because of drivers running off the circuit. I was lucky to see the best pass in each race-- in the CART, Fittipaldi got by rookie near the end, by swinging from wide left and ducking under to the right in Turn 1 to take third place- - a great move. And in the NASCAR race, Stuart's pass of both the rookie Harvick and Gordon to take the lead with about 10 laps to go. Great moves.
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Chuck, slug couch potato!

[TomV]

Tip -- if you go back next year -- D lot parking - extra $10 - but drops you straight onto 37, out the back of the lot.

[lsolon]

I also saw the race. Great time and not to hot like last year. About 3 weeks ago i attended a wedding in vegas. I went trough the richard petty race car experience at the vegas speedway. Drove a stock car around the track. All i can say is what a blast that was. They will only let you reach 145 in the straights. My ave speed was 138.6. Not bad for a beginner-2nd fastest out 0f 34 drivers. I would reccomend this to any one. Just starting up that 600hp beast and reving the engine was a rush. That car stuck like glue.

[Doug Zielke]

Chuck,
I'm watching the tape I made of it right now.
Great pictures you took! I love the Point, and if I lived as close as you do, I'd be there watching everything. Raced m/c's there a few times in the 70's, but.....

Too bad, but the new owner (Humpty Wheeler, who also owns other Nascar speedways)has taken the great track, and cut the nuts out of it. If you knew the old layout, you'll know what I mean.
One good thing...the horrible trafic jams you speak of will be addressed once the total renovation of the facility is finished. They are going to put in a new interchange.

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'81 SC Coupe (aka: "Blue Bomber")
Canada West Region PCA
The Blue Bomber's Website

[83 sc euro cab]

there's nothing sexier than a woman behind the wheel of a 911....great pic.

too bad my "hun" doesnt drive shift.

[emcon5]

Originally posted by Doug Zielke:
Too bad, but the new owner (Humpty Wheeler, who also owns other Nascar speedways)has taken the great track, and cut the nuts out of it.

I may be wrong, but I don't think they permantly changed the layout of the track. "The Chute" bypasses turns 4, 5 and 6, but according to the Sears Point web page, "the Chute" is NASCAR only. From the looks of things everyone else will still run the old way.

http://www.searspoint.com

Tom

[howie944]

Clark,

I live a bit closer than you. Only 80 miles from my front door to the track (Sacramento). I have two events a year that I make a point of catching. The Wine Country Classic (May) and the upcoming American LeMans series race in July. You should try to make it to the LeMans Series. Great race!

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Howie
79SC

[lsolon]

I have run on that track on about 10 different ocasions. Yes the chute was made for NASCAR but, you can run your car on both setups. Just depends on what event your at.I have done both. I like the old setup better for my 72 slug.

[Doug Zielke]

Tom,
I hope you are right. I have not visited the track since they started the renovations.
From the TV shots, it looked like they had removed the Carousel turn. To my eye that whole area of the track looked flattened. Say it ain't so!

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'81 SC Coupe (aka: "Blue Bomber")
Canada West Region PCA
The Blue Bomber's Website

[NickB]

Chuck,

Great pic. The one of the track looks okay too.

nick
'70 911 E

[wdarner]

I watched a NASCAR race last year at "The Glen" - Watkins Glen NY. I also am not a NASCAR fan. The sport just does not appeal to me because they always just drive in circles, and that makes it just plain boring. Even open wheel series like CART races bore me when they race on Ovals. But The Glen is also a road course (the spiritual home of Formula One racing in the US). And I actually enjoyed the race because of this.

[howie944]

I believe the "carousel" is still intact. At least it was in May when I attended the Wine Country Classic. I think they eliminated it for the NASCAR race but should be back in the mix for the American LeMans race in July. I think the web site gives a good layout of the track.

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Howie
79SC