Eager to leave our life behind we travel to the track, as we do we see a few random haulers along the way. Numbers upon haulers not for hire and a list of crew members who work on the car and of course the driver's name etched in italics.

We try to imagine an outcome of that car during that night or day and when we pass the passengers either wave or are trying to get into the turn lane guiding their 45 foot trailer and hauler around the steep turns. If all went well, there are no flat tires or engine problems with dually hauler. The other motorists offered no challenges and no construction delays eithers, both drivers and fans and track workers arrive at their jobs.

We park our cars in little rows, using two by two in multiple rows while racing cars doing the same more or less, in the pits. There they find 'their spot' and the preparations that followed registration where the rules are spelled out for people in the pit area in general.

As fans we see the work on the track with graters, watering trucks and big-tired cars packing in the track, we hear the revving of engines and cars backing out of their rigs. We see crew members with their uniform T-Shirts and more roars from big-block V-8s, sportsman division cars and the throttling chirps of mini-stock engines with front wheel drive.

As the first cars enter upon the virgin clay, the crowds become more numerous and many getting back from the food lines, bathrooms and souvenir trailers. You hear the squish of tires and see the sliding sleds circle the track and the subsequent hot laps that bring the cars up to speed.

Calls for 50/50 tickets, programs and popcorn resonate as they do at any sporting event. And just before the start of the show we have the Track Chaplain and Star-Spangled Banner. Sometimes the anthem is sung out of key but always it is to the respect of this nation and the people and drivers who come to the track, week in and week out.