My First NASCAR Experience

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July 25, 2012

I never imagined my first NASCAR experience would be in Columbus, Ohio; I always thought it would be one of the big venues, like Daytona, Charlotte, or Indianapolis.

Well, my assumptions were wrong, and I’m happy they were.

The K&N Pro Series East visited Columbus Motor Speedway Saturday night, which is only an hour and a half away from my house. So, my parents and I loaded up and drove down. Honestly, I had no idea what to expect. I’ve only been to one other track, and that was Attica. Nothing would be the same, I knew.

This was completely different. This was asphalt.

As the woman behind the Pit Pass counter made me sign a waiver, my signature went wayward; hand trembling, I could hardly contain myself. I received a weird look from the lady as she put my wrist band on, possibly wondering if I was going to pass out. With a smile and a nod, I was asking myself the same thing.

We claimed our seats with Sharpie-marked masking tape, then we traveled to the pits. Being in the pits is my favorite part of each trip to a track. The crews make everything possible. Even better, you got to see the drivers up close, how they presented themselves outside of the car. To me, that’s an important aspect of a racer, what they’re like away from the track. Seeing these hopefuls relax and laugh was refreshing. Eye-opening.

After a blur of pictures and chatting, qualifying for the main event began. We ran to turns one and two, where an old chainlink fence separated everyone from the catch fence for safety. I shut my eyes and listened.

The car’s growl grew louder and hungrier as it neared, searching for the speed it needed. Since I wasn’t visually taking it in, my body panicked, that heart in my chest smashing against its chamber. In an instant, the noise was all I could hear, feel, taste. The air vibrated with something I couldn’t recognize. A wall of sudden wind hit me, wanting to push me away from this sheet metal-wrapped monster.

Everything died as the growl weakened with distance. With my eyes back open, I couldn’t believe what I had faced in a few seconds. To some, it was just a qualifying session. For me, my curiosity, my passion, it was much, much more than that.

The times shook out to put Ben Kennedy on the pole, Cale Conley starting second. My mom and I dove into the pits again while my dad went to get something to drink. (He had a close encounter with Bill Elliott, who was standing next to him during qualifying, and he needed to calm down a bit. Honestly, I have never seen him freak out so much in my life, but I completely understood.) Everyone was so calm, laidback. Whatever possessed them to chill was what I needed; my nerves were all jumpy, heart rate sky-high.

All the roaming stopped, and we ended up back in our seats to watch the Columbus Modifieds duke it out for 30 laps. It was the perfect pre-show to the main event, getting everyone in the stands anxious. When that carnage cleared, the K&N drivers lined their cars on the frontstretch, and fans got to jump into the arena and receive an autograph from their favorite driver. This was perfect for those who couldn’t afford a pit pass. The venue got points for fan-friendliness in my book.

Everyone settled in the stands, and the pace laps began. This was going to be 150 laps of great racing and a dash of magic. The fans around me sensed it, also. My stomach clenched uneasily.

Anticipation thickened the air. It smelled like burning tires and sounded like thunder.

The track caught a spark and cracked into flames when the green flag waved. An announcer’s livid commentary faded to the back of my mind. All I wanted was to take this in. This was my first asphalt race. It will be impressed into my skull forever.

Cale Conley dominated and captured the win, and there were a few cautions. I heard a few people mention afterwards that the race lacked excitement. They could say whatever they wanted; I thought the total opposite. Sides were scraped, donuts were imprinted, and dents were made. Just because the event didn’t have eight cautions didn’t mean it was boring; real racing happened. That’s what mattered to me.

We watched the crews take cars apart for a bit, but it was time to go. Buckling up, I let out a sigh. For a small town girl, it was a long, thrilling day.

All the connections I made. Every heart attack I nearly had watching the drivers come out of turn four. Each picture I snapped. I loved how it made me feel.

It might not have been the Daytona 500 or The Brickyard 400, but it was my first NASCAR experience. I wouldn’t want it any other way.

SRT Motorsports – Sprint Cup Advance – Indianapolis

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July 25, 2012

Grammy Nominated Country Music Artist Buddy Jewell Teams with Venturini Motorsports & Brennan Poole at Lucas Oil Raceway; Performing National Anthem

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July 25, 2012

A.J. Allmendinger agrees to take part in NASCAR’s Road To Recovery Program

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SM Staff

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July 25, 2012

[media-credit id=18 align=”alignright” width=”321″][/media-credit]Under 24 hours from the announcement that A.J. Allmendinger was suspended for being inviolation of NASCAR’s substance abuse policy, it has been announced by Allmendinger’s business manager Tara Ragan that he would be taking part in NASCAR’s Road To Recovery Program.

“While we await further information from testing to determine the cause [of the positive test], we have notified NASCAR that AJ will participate in the Road to Recovery program starting immediately,” Ragan said in a statement released. “As we have stated earlier, we respect NASCAR’s drug testing policies. They are first and foremost in place to protect drivers and AJ being among those.

“We fully support the program, and as more details become available we will share them.”

The program has been designed to help a driver get back into a race car, through a series of steps. The program can take up to five months, if not more.

“That’s a reasonable amount of time,” David Black, who heads Aegis Sciences Corporation, told ESPN.com of the five months. “Certainly, there is a substantial amount of follow-up testing to ensure the individual did not engage in any drug usage that was in violation of the program. There also has to be some elapsed time to ensure the driver is in compliance.”

Allmendinger will first report to Black, before being recommended for either treatment, counselling or rehabilitation

“Anybody who is dealing with a drug use issue has to really want to address the issue,” Black said. “They have to cooperate, comply to the recommended treatment. Really, it’s up more to the individual than anybody else.

“People can assist and help put the person back in competition, but it’s always up to the individual to be committed to the program.”

Allmendinger was first tested positive earlier this month, and then his “B” sample tested positive yesterday. Allmendinger claims through Ragan the positive test was due to a stimulant. A stimulant is defined in NASCAR’s drug policy as “amphetamine, methamphetamine, Ecstasy (MDMA), Eve (MDEA), MDA, PMA, Phentermine, and other amphetamine derivatives and related compounds.”

The claim by Allmendinger and Ragan is that the positive came as a result of a supplement or over-the-counter drug he was using. Dr. David Black, who tested both samples, told ESPN.com it is unlikely that is what occured.

“Certainly, if that had been a possibility that would have been ruled out before any action was taken,” Black told ESPN.com. ” On every positive test we have, we look to rule out the possibility of a supplement being involved. Of course, we have not identified the drug. But I’m not aware of any commercial products that would have influenced the test outcome.”

According to Ragan, the laboratory has yet to tell Allmendinger exaxtly what he tested positive for beyond a stimulant. Some drugs have been ruled out, but nothing exact has been said. However, NASCAR spokesman David Higdon says Allmendinger was told what he tested positive for.

“The MRO would have given the exact substance as part of the process,” NASCAR spokesman David Higdon said. “They know exactly what the single substance is that AJ tested positive for.”

For now, Sam Hornish Jr. has been announced of the driver of the No. 22 Pennzoil Dodge for this weekend at Indianapolis and next weekend at Pocono. Allmendinger is in a one-year contract with Penske Racing so he may be without a ride for 2013, even if he completes the program, depending on the decision made by Roger Penske. Team president Tim Cindric told ESPN.com that it’s too early to speculate on Allmendinger’s future with the organization.

“There’s a huge amount of complexities to the overall situation,” Cindric said. “They facts are, when you look at the overall situation, we all agree as far as the rules within NASCAR to participate within those rules. There are consequences when you don’t.”