As a new original article I will highlight each day of that race week the week after I go to a race. Here's a recap of August 19th, 2015.
I woke up at 7:30 from my air mattress in Earhart Camp Ground and began to make my way to the Bristol Motor Speedway Credential Office where I would receive my first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series hot pass. The theme of the day had to be Day One by Matthew West because I was about to start the next chapter of my life and I felt like truly this was the first day of the rest of my life. I'd walk into the building they had set up for Writers and People like me. I took my hot pass, signed my name, and walked over to the NASCAR Hauler to pick up one of my credential holders they had. After that I went into the track for the first time as a Journalist and even more important the first time I had ever went into the track on my own as I turned eighteen back in June.
The Whelen Modified Series was in town and to notice how small those cars were compared to what I had seen in the grandstands over the past three years. I honestly love the Modified's, NASCAR's only open wheeled series or The Mighty Modified's as they are called. Rain had been all over the area and it had rained the night before. The Air Titans do their jobs and we got NASCAR Whelen Modified Series practice underway, The rumble of these cars are what I absolutely love about them and that rumble was even more noticeable in the garage, They practiced and I headed over to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series garage to prepare for their first practice of the day. That was when I had the opportunity to meet David Hoots and Robin Pemberton, No interview but just enjoyed getting to meet top officials in NASCAR. As I walked away I saw Ben Kennedy who was happy to get interviewed! The trucks would head on track for their first practice. Toward the end of practice rain would come and I would take shelter underneath Matt Crafton and Thor Sport Racing's tent when I saw Erik Jones, a driver I had personally never got an autograph from so I went and got his autograph.
Whelen Modified's would go on and Qualify and I went back to camp and grab something to eat before both races and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Qualifying. As I walked toward the tunnel I met Ryan Ellis a driver who I had attempted to get sponsorship. I can say later in the week we became pretty good friends which in this business is great to find.
I'd head back in with NASCAR Camping World Truck Qualifying on the slate to begin. While walking around the garage I saw my buddy Ray Black Jr. who I had ate lunch with in Daytona earlier this year. I'd also see my other pal I met from Daytona and that was Nealie who is the PR person for my good friend Michael McDowell and I had found out my Buddy Ray Black Jr. Kyle Busch would win the pole, coming to no surprise. The Bush's Best 150 would get ready to begin. but with Dark Clouds in the distance I had a feeling we were about to get wet.
The Race would only go 3 laps when Burt Myers got wrecked and at Bristol when one modified gets wrecked there is bound to be more involved. Red Flag would come out to clean up the fluids all over the track. The garage was slippery too with oil. The wreck was cleaned up and the cars were put on under yellow conditions but Mother Nature had other ideas.
Rain began to fell as the cars were preparing to go to green. needless to say no green flag was shown the yellow went back to red. Rain would pick up and slow for about 30 minutes. The Whelen Modified Series race would be pushed to after the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race.
The truck race would begin with me saying good luck to drivers like Tyler Reddick, Timothy Peters, and others, The green would fly and I would set up station at the start finish line. I would write down anything I thought would be good to know but when we got to 30 laps to go rain came back. They waited and did not make the call to call the race. I walked up to Ryan Blaney and I gave him an autographed copy of Ryan Blaney - The New Kid On The Block, He would go onto win the UNOH 200 presented by Zloop which made me think that my article was good luck. With a line of severe weather on its way I decided to head back to the Campsite.
Tomorrow we have the Food City Race Night and Hauler Parade to Recap!
Comments
Post a Comment