One of the many great things about living in Florida, getting the chance to go to a NASCAR race.  The great thing about it, you don’t even need to like or following racing.  It’s amazing from an event standpoint.  Such a great people watching opportunity, so much to do and there is no other sport that lets you get so close to the action.

The Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway is a 4th of July tradition.  This is the first race, however, that I’ve actually let my kids go to.  The Daytona 500 is just TOO busy.  This one is not as crazy, is a little shorter and at night – so it’s not too hot.

The race itself didn’t start until 7:30pm – but there’s just so much to do pre-race! We arrived at the track about 1:30 and explored all over the place, creating lots of memories I really hope my boys appreciate!

First stop, out to the track.  It’s really amazing that NASCAR let’s you not just walk, sit or even lay down on the track.  You can even write on it.  It’s a tradition I do at every race.  I write my name and a little shout-out to my favorite driver (Kevin Harvick) or a RIP #3 for the old-timers.

Obviously, Brendan has a thing for driver #99, Carl Edwards.

They were really amazed at the track.  They couldn’t believe how steep it is.  The banking of the track at the start/finish line is 18 degrees.  Pretty crazy stuff.  They kept having races seeing who could make it to the top first.

We had watched the end of the Nationwide race from the night before, the Subway Jalapeno 250.  They kids got to see Matt Kenseth win – and when he did, he did a few doughnuts near the start/finish line and then celebrated with a lap around the track.

So we were excited to actually stand in those tire marks!

We then took a trip to the outside of the track.  Outside Turn 4 is a hugh area set up with race sponsors, vendors and race teams.  There is so much to do – but it was pretty hot.  But we did get to see lots of cool stuff, got some great race swag and the boys loved this:

We call this Redneck Plinko! Based on the highly popular “Price is Right” game, a contestant climbs atop this structure, drops a Goodyear tire down the wall and the tire bounces to your price.  Prizes are much more lame then the game show.  Here you win a bracelet, sunglasses or a Goodyear shammy.  The kids loved to watched, while they colored in messages to send to the troops.  NASCAR is very patriotic.

We went back inside the track, ate some food, took a short nap in the car, played some football in the field near the car and then went back to the FanZone.  Now, the cars were out of inspection and positioned on the track to start the race.  Sheryl Crow was starting her pre-race concert (I do like her, but she sang her new song THREE times…REALLY?!?!?!).

Then we found our spot for the race atop of FanZone garages.  I think this is one of the best places to watch a race.  (Although, note to the track, you really need to get the speakers working atop the garages.  I saw them, they were in front of us.  But they didn’t work! We couldn’t hear a thing!!!!!)

I should mention at this point in the day, the boys were getting restless.  It was a long day to this point and they hadn’t seen a single car on the track.  Brendan had asked a few times if we had to stay for the whole race.  I answered, “we’ll see.”  More on this in a bit.

From our great spot we had a clear view of the start/finish line, a great view of the giant tv monitor (minus audio) and a spot to see cars coming into the garage area below if if there was a crash.  We got to see a number of drivers walking out of their haulers with their families on their way to the cars.  It was pretty awesome.

Then came the flyover…

And suddenly, we were racing.

There is just nothing like it and it’s hard to explain to someone who has never been.  But that first time the pace car pulls off the track, the caution lights go out and the green flag flies…it gives me goosebumps.  The car engines start revving up to full speed and off they go.  And just a short time later, it really gets going when the cars hit the start/finish line going full speed.  The boys were hooked from lap 1.

And then a car blew up.  Paul Menard’s car had some sort of issue (I didn’t know as I couldn’t hear anything!) and the wheel well of his car was on fire and he had to come to the garage.  And wouldn’t you know it – we were standing just on top of his garage stall, so we had front row seats.

I think it was about this point where I asked Brendan if he wasn’t to leave….he looked at me like I was nuts and said NO WAY.  OK, I win.  I knew they would love it.

The best part of the race was all the questions he and Patrick were asking.  What the pace car was doing, what the lights around the track meant, watching the teams trying to fix cars and go back out on the track, all about the points and the championship system.  It was all a fun experience and I think they learned a lot as well.  I think Brendan had a pretty solid “NASCAR is not a sport” idea before the race.  But once he saw what these drivers and teams have to go through, and how hot it was outside and the fact that these cars have no real A/C system, he changed his mind.

And we just loved seeing all the cars all smashed up.  Rubbing is Racing….

Another pretty exciting point for all of us was realizing that Richard Petty was watching the race from almost the same place we were! We saw him walk through the garage at the start of the race, and crawl atop one of the hauler’s right in front of us.

My kids didn’t know who he was, so I told him all about the Petty family.  Then, I referenced the Pixar movie, Cars.  You know, The King?? And then they were excited.  See him in front of the Sunoco sign??  ( have only ever seen him before with sunglasses and cowboy hat.  He still had the shades on all night – but had a ballcap on.)

The race ended with a spectacular finish and major crash.  As much as you don’t want anyone to get hurt and want everyone to finish the race, the crash is what makes my boys freak out.  They can to the giant monitor to watch the replays while the smell of burning rubber and oil blanketed the infield.

Only to be shortly mixed with smoke from a great (and long!) fireworks display.

It truly was a great time with the family and it was such a proud-mom/race girl moment with my boys.  I’m so happy I got the chance to take them to their first race and hope they will remember it forever.