Aug 29 2007
8 ways to get NASCAR autographs
Jeanette, my wife, peeked into my office while I was setting it up for the RaceBud adventure. I was hanging a framed piece Jack Roush had signed. “You sure have a lot of autographs in here,” she observed.
Well, yes, there’s a few – and it took quite a bit of time to come by them.
Among NASCAR’s many claims is that its fans have better access to its stars (drivers, owners, crew chiefs and the like) than any other sport. While that’s probably true, the average fan should not expect to see drivers and owners roaming the stands looking for something to sign. But, there are ways to get that treasured autograph, if that’s the goal.
Just how easy, or difficult, is it to get the autographs you want? Here are eight ways: Continue Reading »
It was a few years ago the observation came to me: There’s a big difference between a race fan and driver fan.
At first, it seemed a little iffy. The cars were sliding back and forth on the dirt road, barely missing the ditches. But once he felt the big Buick get traction on the paved county road, Joe didn’t need the rear view mirror to know he was pulling away from the cops. The siren didn’t last long as he quickly outdistanced the flashing light.
A really wide swing of the racing pendulum took me from the Turn 3 Race Team’s palatial campsite at Texas Motor Speedway last April. Off I went to a city park in Fort Worth to lend a hand as a coach at a Soap Box Derby car-building workshop. It seemed like it would be a meaningful experience with the added hook of a rumored appearance by Jimmie Johnson, winner of the 2006 NASCAR Nextel Cup Championship.I should explain that my invitation didn’t come because I am a seasoned veteran of Soap Box Derby construction. I was just expected to follow instructions and pass on the basics of mechanical theory – lefty-loosey, righty-tighty – to a teenager whose background had not included a parent to share this basic knowledge.
The Turn 3 Race Team had descended on Ponder, Texas for the annual Pre-Race Steak Night outing. Ranchman’s Steakhouse is the nearest sit-down dining to the Texas Motor Speedway, and enjoys a fairly heavy crowd of speedway diners during race weekends. It’s a place you have to call ahead if you want a baked potato. A day earlier than the normal race crowd, we were the only group in the place wearing typical race attire.
