This post is WAY overdue. But because I miss NASCAR so much, it has to be done.
Now, it's July 2012 and the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway IS ON. What am I going to do in the meantime? I could go to the race and listen to this (not my video):
Now that commercial's pretty funny (confession bear time) but NASCAR trumps all. This is my recount of the race (with pics using my new camera).
Like last time, the drive from Orlando to Daytona Beach is one hour. Me and my dad show up a few hours beforehand, looking around town for some place to park. We pay $20 to park in a Denny's parking lot about a mile from the track. Great, but that's the breaks--this standard town is filled to the brim on race day and I sure as hell wasn't going back to that grass field with the bus rides.
A few hours before the race, there's the pre-race show going on next to the track. You can walk around, check out some cars & drivers, the merchandise trucks, the Speed Channel booth, etc. It costs nothing to walk around so it's good to do if you have time to kill. I didn't carry a Sega sign with me this time, thank goodness. But I did wear my Sonic the Hedgehog hat. Rub two brain cells together...Fast Sonic = Sega = Daytona USA.
Got a picture next to Aric Almirola's #43 US Airforce car. Do the math why he's my favorite driver: the "43" blue car with (close to) my first name.
I saw Aric hanging out by the Air Force tent but he ducked away at the last second before I could shake his hand. Aric, I could've made you Super Sega famous (as opposed to Danica who's just overrated) but you missed your chance, man!
Hey it's Juan Pablo. Ask him what it's like to hit a jet dryer. Or race a donkey.
Tire Plinko from the Price is Right.
I should mention a main problem going to Daytona for me was always the weather. In February, the problem was rainy, chilly weather. In July...it is HOT. So by this time of walking around, I had to stop at Denny Hamlin's FedEx tent before I died. Those shirtless rednecks might be on to something...
There's the Hendrick Motorsports tent. And as you may have guessed, a very important person is there. Me just trying to get to shade, go over there as well.
Who's that over there?
Yeah, it's Junior. Answering personal questions like "Who's your best friend off the race track?" I think he said Martin Truex Jr. and Denny Hamlin though that was so long ago who cares.
Junior walks off stage, signs three things and runs away. I was just five feet away from him! Yeah he's probably pissed that everyone wants to bug him. I'd be too if I were that famous.
It's the new Ford Sprint Cup Car which looks nothing like an Aston Martin, I swear.
Nothin wrong with Ford trucks.
It's Greg Biffle's car SAWED IN HALF.
It's the Speed Center booth. People just waving their hands when the studio isn't even on air yet. But I don't want to be on TV so I just ran away!
Never mind this nonsense, let's go take our seats. It's near the same location I sat before--front row seats just before the entrance to pit lane.
There were a lot of people on the grass. You see, the band Train (the ones responsible for the elevator-tastic Drops of Jupiter) were performing on the in-field as people were walking in. Wait, what's with all these emo alternative bands like Coldplay doing in my NASCAR anyway? Where's the AC/DC, Motley Crue, etc? Whatever, so we're listening to music waiting for the race to begin.
Somewhere during the Train concert, we duck under the bleachers to catch some shade. It's here when I get a phone call from my future employer saying they're going to make me an offer (was later fired for tragic reasons but still, not bad). All of this with Train blaring in the background. So this is a good view for me.
So there's a Coke truck making the rounds.
An army of Ford trucks...
And a jet dryer OMFG stay away Juan. And about this time, Train plays Drops of Jupiter and leaves. Wow, about time, Train.
I have plenty more pics besides these but I'm going to conclude this post...later.
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