Fan Commentary

Ain't Nothing Like Your First Time

by Grandstand Bob

Many loyal NASCAR fans experienced their first race years, perhaps even decades ago. For me, it's only been about six years since I first heard the roar of the engines. Even then, I went grudgingly, believing many of the stereotypes of the fans, and believing that racing was "watching a bunch of cars going around in circles."

After that first race, I was hooked. Everything about the experience appealed to me. The screaming of the engines as they sped under the green flag. The rumble as they rolled around under caution. The pungent smell of fuel, rubber and adrenaline. The vibration in my skin as 43 packages of 700 horsepower circled the track. It was all pretty damned cool.

Then, I kind of overdid it. I watched every kind of racing I could. I went to the track as often as I could. Though it was still thrilling, I could just never regain the magic of that first experience. There's nothing like your first time, and it comes only once. Sound familiar?

As frustrating as that can be, I found a way to regain some of the lost magic: take someone to their first race and do everything you can to make it as memorable and enjoyable as possible.

I've been fortunate the past two weekends to guide NASCAR virgins on their first speedway experience. None of them were race fans before attending the race, and all of them left talking about how we are going to repeat the experience next year. Through their eyes, I've been able to regain my appreciation of the fan experience.

Two weekends ago at Charlotte, I watched my friends Candice and Heath looked at each other wide-eyed as the Cup cars sped past at the first green flag. Their eyes said it all, which was a good thing, because there was no way in hell I would have been able to hear them. Later, they confirmed what I heard through their eyes: they were simply amazed by the sensual experience of a race. The noise, smell, sight and feel of 43 highly tuned energy speeding past instantaneously turned them into race fans.

That's not even mentioning the adrenaline rush of watching a B-52 lumber directly over our heads before the command to fire engines. Three hours of rain-delay drinking couldn't numb the emotions we felt as this massive airplane, which is so vitally important to our national security, cruised over us like a mother hawk watching her young. You can't find that experience just anywhere.

Unfortunately, I think that I had lost my enthusiasm somewhere along the way. Instead of a giddy schoolboy, I was all business as I checked my scanner frequencies during the pre-race ceremonies. I began approaching each race in such a matter-of-fact way that you would think that I was working instead of enjoying the sport I loved. I had lost my perspective.

Taking new fans to the track gave me the opportunity to reflect on how cool a race experience can be. In the hours leading up to the race, I described my favorite parts of attending a race and some of the memorable moments I've enjoyed. I talked about green-flag restarts, the deafening noise of the engines and the scanner conversations I've enjoyed. Veteran fans are unimpressed with such nostalgia, so we rarely blabber on among ourselves of what the race experience means to us. New fans give us the opportunity to put into words the reasons that we're fans.

Perhaps my favorite part of taking a new fan to a race is hearing about the experience after the checkered flag has fallen. Most talk as excitedly as kindergartners on their first day of school. No, it's not as fulfilling as the first time I sat in the seventh row at Charlotte on a hot May day and breathed exhaust as I hurriedly stuffed in earplugs, but it's probably as close as I'll ever come again.

Grandstand Bob Profile and Past Columns

note: This opinions expressed in this column are those of writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or positions of ARS Racing Outlet or its parent company, amI, Inc.