NHRA Vs. NASCAR National Events....

By George Klass (2-24-10)

Racing is Racing...Right?  Anyone that likes racing can't help but like both drag and stock car racing.  Noise, color, excitement, girls with big t....well, noise, color and excitement at least.

As drag racers, we tend to focus on the actual drag racing, the cars pairing up and running down the track.  There is an extra advantage for spectators at a drag race and that is that the pits are generally open.  The spectators can walk around, look at the cars, talk to the drivers, etc.  You can't do that at a NASCAR event.  The garage area is off-limits to the fans.  But NASCAR does offer the fans something that they never see at a big NHRA National event.  NASCAR has an area that is called the "Fanzone".  NHRA National events and most drag racing events have a "manufacturer's midway" but the NASCAR Fanzone is a "whole nother deal" as one red neck told me.

There are 43 drivers that run in a NASCAR Sprint Cup race and I would say that 40 of them have 18-wheelers in the Fanzone offering goodies and souvenirs to the fans, for money.  I'm talking big money.  It seems like 50% of the fans were wearing a jacket supporting their favorite driver.  The jackets were between $250 and $400 a pop. 

Some of the more popular drivers (like Dale Jr.) had two 18-wheelers in attendance, and people lined up six deep with cash in their hands ready to purchase anything that had Dale's name on it or the number 88.  Danica Patrick, who had competed in only one NASCAR race before Fontana had an 18-wheeler there too, cranking out Danica goodies.  Dale Sr. had his own 18-wheeler there, selling everything that had a number 3 on it, and Dale Sr. has been in stock car heaven now for about ten years.  I'm surprised that Elvis didn't have a souvenir trailer there, selling jelly donuts in the shape of a guitar.

Then there were the companies promoting other products.  I was at the Fontana event with PSCA's Mel Roth and he spent much of the time at the "Extenze" trailer.  I don't know if he was looking for some free product or admiring the nearly naked ladies that were giving away free hats (since I gave up women a few years back, I scarcely noticed them myself).

Finally, the free concerts.  NASCAR hires big name bands to perform for the fans in the Fanzone.  I'm not talking about some no-name band but bands that folks have heard of, and these are full-on concerts.  It's big time all the way.

A comparison of an NHRA National event and a NASCAR race would not be complete without talking about the fans.  This is going to be a little ticklish for me, since I'm so sensitive about offending anyone, but an NHRA National event fan seems to me to be like everyone else that I come into contact with in my life.  They are regular people, like you and me.  NASCAR fans, on the other hand, well how can I say this?  They are a mix of "good ol' boys" (including the women) and rednecks.  I have never seen so many folks that needed teeth before.  These folks must have been bused in from someplace in the south eastern part of the country, although I didn't see that many busses in the parking lots.  Could it be that these folks actually live in the SoCal area? 

The gates opened up early in the morning and folks showed up with a glass of Jack Daniels IN BOTH HANDS, ready to watch some racin'.  Now I understand where that "boogity, boogity, boogity" stuff comes from, these people understand that language.  I hadn't seen that much drinking since my last Jimmy Buffett concert and I never did make it to the infield from what I heard is where all "The Real Drinkin" takes place!!

All in all, going to the NASCAR show at Fontana was a fun way to spend a weekend.  Noise, color, excitement, girls with big T... err..... and how 'bout that Jimmy Johnson?

GK

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