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Michael says... Ladies and Gentlemen, Start Your Engines!

Auto racing continues to be the fastest growing sport in the USA. Smart marketing has something to do with it certainly, yet simply viewing a race is usually enough to add to the number of fans. This was the inaugural weekend at the Kansas Speedway not far from where I live. That, and viewing NASCAR's Coca Cola 600 on TV last week prompts a few observations. 

Although this is a sport where one person, the driver, appears to be the winner (or not), there is no doubt this is truly a team sport. If the pit crew is not on their game, the driver might as well give it up. The team consists of others as well. Sportsmanship - although fiercely competitive, there is an amazing respect for each other among drivers - and just think about the speeds they are going and how close (180 mph+ at times, and sometimes touching) - the trust is unbelievable!

I was at the practices and qualifying runs at the Kansas Speedway Friday, prior to the NASCAR Winston West Kansas 100 and the ARCA Re/Max BPU 200, my first time at a big track. It was a beautiful sunny day. Some fans use scanners to listen in on the communication from crew to driver, others tune into the radio broadcast of the race on headphones. The large headphones can also protect one's ears from the engine noise. The first of these that caught my eye was on the head of bald man, and I think he went home with some interesting tan lines.

In many sporting events, the seats up front are the most desired. For a good view of the entire track and of everything going on, seats up in "nosebleed country" are best.  The fans and atmosphere are great, the food and souvenirs are expensive.  

As in many sports, women participants are still a rarity, but less so than in most other sports. In auto racing, it seems women are men's equals in numbers and enthusiasm. Two women were scheduled to run in the ARCA race; car problems kept one from qualifying. Before starting a race with the traditional "Gentlemen, Start Your Engines," check that roster!  A good time was had by all.

Enjoy racing? See my Motorsports News page

posted June 4 - 28, 2001