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Last Friday I headed to Richmond right after work for the IndyCar race. It was great! Of course I knew it was going to be extremely hot, but I was prepared and didn't even get sunburn! By the way, the traffic on I-95 is crazy. I do a lot of highway driving, but the amount of traffic on that road is incredible. Anyways, I arrived at the track Friday afternoon and met up with my friend Theresa, her sisters Lynn and Andrea, and their parents. We had garage and pit passes, and it's a rule that you must wear a shirt that covers your shoulders and long pants with sneakers. So despite the temperature being well over 90 degrees, I put on my jeans (and grabbed a bottle of water). Before we went into the track, we visited the DownForce trailer. DownForce is the official IndyCar fan club. I met some very nice people who work for the club, and they asked me my opinion on the weather because there were storms in the area. And yes, there was a line of storms coming, so we decided to go walk around in the garage/pit area before it stormed. Richmond is a great track because you don't have to walk really far to get around. It's always fun to walk around in the garage area because you get to see the cars up close, plus you can see a lot of drivers. Here are some pictures.
   
As soon as we left the garage area, it started to get dark. The cars were practicing, so it was hard to hear the thunder, but sure enough it started to pour! Since it was lightning safety awareness week, I suggested we all go seek shelter in the women's restroom until the storm passed cause the last thing I wanted to do was get struck by lightning. It wasn't a really bad storm, but there was cloud-to-ground lightning. After the storm passed, we headed over to the building where the driver autograph session would be held. I think we waited in line over an hour, and it started raining again, but fortunately they let us go inside and wait in the air conditioning. It was very crowded, but I got to meet a lot of drivers, including the rookies who came over from Champ Car. Most of the drivers are very nice, but there are a few who looked a little awkward... maybe not used to all that attention. The picture of that longest line is people waiting for Danica Patrick's autograph.
Saturday was race day, and before the race we went to the DownForce party. If you are a member of the fan club, you can go to a private party and win prizes, meet other members, and even get up close to drivers and other celebrities. On this particular day, ESPN Pit Reporter Jack Arute (pictured with me below) came and spoke to us. He was very nice, and he was an entertaining speaker. Helio Castroneves and Ryan Briscoe also made an appearance, and Helio busted out a few dance moves.
The best part of the weekend though was when I got to go on the track for driver's introductions. I had earned enough points in the fan club to redeem them for a special pass to be able to do that. It was so awesome being on the track and looking up at the crowd! We were right in front of the stage where the drivers walked across. So thanks DownForce, I had a blast!
 
 
The race itself was interesting... I think maybe only half the cars were running at the end. There was a rumor going around that rain was on the way... but I had a feeling since the sun set anything that was out there would die off. It never rained, and congratulations to Tony Kanaan on winning the race! Helio came in second, followed by Scott Dixon. Dan Wheldon had been running a close third, but he ran out of fuel at the last minute allowing Dixon to pass him. The race was 300 laps, but those cars FLY, so the race didn't last too terribly long. Overall, I had a wonderful time!! If you watch racing on TV and are thinking about going, GO! It really is completely different in person. If you go I'd suggest having or renting a scanner so you know what is going on.
Now on to your racing forecasts: A cold front stalled out on the east coast will bring unsettled weather to many places.
IndyCar Series - Watkins Glen International, Sunday (7/6) at 3:30 p.m. ET RIGHT HERE ON TV3 (ABC)! Indy Lights race on Saturday. A cold front will push through the area Thursday and stall out south of upstate New York. High pressure will try to build in and bring some drier air for Friday and Saturday. It looks pretty good at this point for qualifying on Saturday with a mix of sun and clouds. There is a slight chance of a late day shower or thunderstorm though with a temperature in the upper 70's. Sunday will feature a mix of sun and clouds again, but there is a chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms. The timing and coverage of storm activity is difficult to pinpoint because it will depend on the location of the stalled out front and an upper level low moving into the region. The race time temperature will be around 84 degrees. In general, be prepared for the possibility of showers and storms popping up.
NASCAR Nationwide Series - Daytona International Speedway, Friday (7/4) at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2. Typical of summertime in Florida, there is a chance of showers and thunderstorms. It will be hot and humid under partly sunny skies. The temperature will near 86 degrees at race time with an easterly breeze at 5-10 mph.
NASCAR Sprint Cup - Daytona International Speedway, Saturday (7/5) at 6:30 p.m. ET on TNT. Qualifying is Friday at 4 p.m. In Florida, when you combine the sea breeze with daytime heating and an upper level disturbance, you have ingredients for showers and thunderstorms. There is a possibility of some storms on Friday for qualifying. On Saturday, expect a mix of sun and clouds with another chance of showers and thunderstorms. Hot and humid again with a high near 88 dropping to 85 at race time. It could be beneficial that the race is at night because a lot of times after the sun sets, thunderstorms tend to die out. It will be worth watching the radar this weekend in Daytona!
Grand-Am Rolex Series - Daytona International Speedway, Thursday (7/3) at 8 p.m. ET on SPEED. Lots of racing this holiday weekend in Daytona! Thursday will feature unsettled weather with a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Skies will be partly cloudy otherwise with hot and humid conditions. The temperature for the race will be near 86 degrees.
PA Hillclimb Association - Giants Despair near Wilkes-Barre, PA, Saturday (7/5) and Sunday (7/6). A cold front will slide across PA Thursday into Friday and stall out somewhere in the Mid-Atlantic (probably near the Mason-Dixon Line.) Skies will be mostly cloudy both days with a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Saturday's temperature will top out in the mid 70's, and Sunday will be a little warmer with a temperature near 80. Have an umbrella handy!
Winchester Speedway - Friday night (7/4) at 7 p.m. and Saturday night (7/5) at 7 p.m. Two nights of racing in Winchester this weekend (maybe)! Winchester may see some of nature's fireworks Friday as a cold front enters the region. Friday will be warm and humid with temperatures in the lower 80's. There is a chance of showers and thunderstorms as the front approaches. On Saturday, the front will stall near the region, and that will keep the threat of showers and storms in the forecast. The temperature on Saturday will be near 80. While it looks like a severe outbreak is unlikely, any storms that form could be slow moving and capable of heavy downpours.
Have a happy and safe Fourth of July!
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