The most fun is presenting Daytona through the view of a race fan. Leaving for the track, getting to parking, walking across to our seats, using the escalators because we are lazy and the 237 steps is too much as we have gotten older, enjoying the amenities of the track, to us this is the start of the racing season. This year thanks to our children, we will be at Homestead for the last race of the NASCAR season. We leave for the track 3.5 hours before race time and there are still crazy drivers everywhere. You have to be on your toes when driving in Daytona.

Seeing a bunch of people upset with the new NASCAR rules. Actually, saw racers competing at the breaks to ensure they get those bonus points, instead of strategy for an entire race, not they are strategizing to the breaks. Interesting… I don’t agree with the five-minute rule, we will see if it gets changed, but also like the fact once you go to garage you are done. Not fun watching patched up cars racing just for points and dropping debris on the track. With that said it is my understanding these rules came from the teams and drivers and were suggested to NASCAR.

The truck race, as normal, is one of the best races at Daytona. Spent most of the race listening to John Hunter Nemechek, who was involved in the early crash, or Christopher Bell, Chili Bowl Champion. Find it interesting Nemechek driving truck number 8 finished fourth and Bell driving truck number 4 finished eighth. Since Diana and I drove cars 84 and 48 respectively, found that quite the coincidence.

Nemechek coming out of the early crash was fast, amazingly fast, passing trucks in the lower groove without any assistance. The team was tracking the five minutes though only having 45 seconds left when they left pit road. Bell reported he was loose coming out of turn 4 before he got spun, got airborne, landed, kept driving it and even a late crash, he still brought it home. Comment of the night was from Bell’s spotter, “be patient just outpatient them”. Followed by, “hey didn’t you flip your midget once and come back and win?” Bell replied, “yeah but he had to have a push”.

The most exciting thing we witnessed was the families that showed up for this race. NASCAR and tracks please take notice. Numerous families were sitting around us, young couples with children, seeing this made my heart feel better about our sport. Children 12 and under got in free, just like most local tracks around the country, this allowed a family to be able to afford to come to the race. The crowd appeared to be larger than the night before! There is a future if the powers to be realize they cannot price out the families, especially the young people who have not reached the prime in their earning power.

Weather is perfect for racing down here. Today for the xfinity race a high around 80, shorts weather. Tomorrow, a dry cold front coming through with temperature high of 68, which will make for great racing.