Off-Topic Forum

... in about 10 hours. Don't expect to see me on this site for most of Sunday, if at all. I've been waiting for this "ROVAL race" (road course that's mostly using an oval track) for about a year. I didn't get my tickets until about a month or so back, but I had to make sure not to get too many tickets and have people not make it. This race should be fantastic! It's the 1st new course on the NASCAR circuit since the Kentucky Speedway oval race was added a few years ago. AND it's a Playoff cutoff race! At the end of the race, the bottom 4 in points will be eliminated from the playoffs and have no chance to win the Championship. The race is airing nationally on all NBC stations. Check it out if you can (even if you aren't a racing fan)! It's going to be fun to watch.

I decided not to make my usual trip to the Martinsville race (10/28 this year) so that I coud go to this one instead. 2 races in about a month is a bit much. But this race was my 1st chance to get to Charlotte Motor Speedway b/c all previous races were at night on Saturday or Sunday. I can't wait and am still so excited to go to this race. I'll certainly post some pics and maybe a video or 2 after I return from the race. The timing couldn't have been more perfect since my Carolina Panthers have a BYE this week! I won't miss a football game while I'm at the race and even better is that I won't have that football game ruined for me by scores being announced at the track.

I hope everyone enjoys their Sunday of sports, but I doubt that many here will have as much fun as I expect to have!

Have a great time. I'll be in Charlotte next weekend. Going to see the Panthers and the Giants.

I did have a great time! That was insanely fun!!! More info (and pictures) to come later.

I hope you have a great time at the football game as well! The Panthers better whoop NYG. I'll be watching on TV. It was really lucky for me that this NASCAR race happened the same weekend the Panthers had a BYE week. That doesn't usually happen together.

Didn't see the race, but were you in the main stands or the infield? This sounds like the unique opportunity that you could see a whole "Road Course" from the seats.

I was in the stands in Turn #1. I was on the front row, so I couldn't see all of the course. Higher up and I would have been able to see everything. Races are the opposite of other sporting events. The higher up you are, the more expensive the tickets. I like being close to the track though. Out of 17 turns, I couldn't see #'s 3-5, the back straightaway and Turns 11-12. I could see everything else. The elevation of Turns 2, 6 and 7 were the reason I couldn't see over them to Turns 3-5 and the straightaway. The garages blocked 11 & 12. The biggest wreck happened right in front of me though! THAT is why I wanted that seat. I knew there would be chaos in Turn 1. I got great pictures.

This is a video of a single lap of the race from my seat with the cars spaced out some.

https://youtu.be/sqJylBcrarI

Ryan Blaney waving to the fans after he won the race.

Here's a screenshot from the NBC broadcast showing me when I took the previous picture.

Glad you had such a good time.

I don't really follow NASCAR much anymore, but nice to see a Ford win, and for them to take 3 out of the top 5. First On Race Day.

Those are some really great shots Adam. Way cool!

Thanks Doc and Billy. I ended up with 104 good photos of the race. I could have gotten much better pics without the darn fence there. Too bad that I couldn't jump down onto the sidewalk b/t me and the track. That's where the NBC and NASCAR photographers were roaming. They have several "flip-down windows" in the fence. The guys would come over and open the one right below me and set up right there for a while. They'd take pics for a few minutes and then move on to another one somewhere else. And maybe come back to that one again. I know that no one was at that window when the big wreck happened.