My first race under the lights

Close to five years ago; in an October 2009 post,  I wrote about the racing time trials.  My only experience at the Kansas speedway.  Now, fast forward nearly five years later and I come to  my first race ever under the lights.  I had to remind myself  how loud these cars and trucks can be passing you through turn 4.   I went to see the truck race to see what it is all about, but before they raced the Nascar guys and gal (Danica Patrick) did their qualifying last night. Five years ago the race speeds were 175 mph. Last night a new track was set by Kevin Harvick  at 194 mph. My goodness has technology improve these machines or what. 

So, the truck race begins and I decided to give my opinions through a  famous movie title "The Good, The Bad & The Ugly.


The Good

The race is loud and obnoxious, but I expect that. You can smell smoke, rubber and maybe the occasional sausage.  I love the fact that this was first race under the lights.  Night racing  is really cool when you get to see actual sparks from underneath the car.  The weather cooperated making it a perfect evening.  Parking is free and you can bring your own food in a collapsible cooler....the people who run the speedway get it.

The Bad

When your ticket says 7:30 start time....I expect 7:30 start time.   I know there is the driver's introductions, the invocation, the star spangled banner and the most famous words "Driver's start your engines." However, you can move those things up a little bit...the real racing didn't start until 7:50.  C'mon Man.

The Ugly

Caution flags way too many.  As a casual race fan this why I don't watch too many races. There were 8 cautions before we had even hit 90 laps. The first came even before we even finish lap one.  Some people like this, me I can't stand it.  It did get better after lap 90, but that's only because there were few trucks to be tangled with.

Sincerely
Tim "racing under the lights is cool" Crippen