Atlanta NNS experience

[Chris]

after several years of being on  CWTS team, pitting, spotting, etc.
then also being a race official of some sort, since 1990...
 
Had a NEW experience at the track yesterday.
I'm sure nothing much different than BB has had with her frequesnt trips and tie-ins..,.. but I had a great time

Went with a long time friend of mine who's group sponsors one of the Braun racing cars from time to time.
He told me he COULD get passes and the "experience" like we had every NNS race, but of course time, money and logistics just don't permit it.
We had the normal garage passes.  Free run on the garage, (and took lots of pics).  The teams supplied us with all we wanted to eat and drink all day, and went out of their way to see that any question, need or desire was met.
Me being a past NASCAR crewman, I didn't ask much from them, but was impressed with their hospitality none the less.
I was glad my girlfriend got to go (she is a new race fan)... on the other hand, everything else from now on will be a disappointment compared to this.. (you know just going and watching, etc)  Just was taken care of that well.

In any event, we were there soon after NNS practice started at 8 am, spent the day checking out the crews, I showed my gal about the cars, inspection process, we watched NNS and CUP practice, etc.  We took in all the pre-race stuff, chatted with the drivers while they were waiting for driver intros, etc
When it came time for tha race we set in the teams pit box.  Braun racing has some GREAT pit boxes (never watched to see if all the teams in CUP have the same thing)... but in any event they have the "main" pit box where the crew chief, etc sit and call the shots, and in front of that (like sitting the next row down in the bleachers...  the row was wide enough to seat 5 comfortably) We could turn around and talk to the crew chief, was just right there in the middle of everything.  Of course the pit box was right there in the pit stall, and we were probably 7 feet or so off the ground, so watching the pit stops was great.  I took several pits of the action so you'll get a better idea.

another "bonus" was that the team provided each of us with our own race scanner and head sets.  As all of you know it's nice being able to listen to the crew chatter.  another item on the pit box... where we sat in the pit box, we had three large TV screens, spaced across so the 5 of us could see them easily..  I'd say they were probably like a 30 inch TV type deal.  ON the screen was the constant running order of the race.  Every time the cars crossed the start-finish line, the transponders reported the info to NASCAR (and we got to see what they see). It showed the running order, driver, car #, laps completed, time behind leader, last lap time, etc. 
The screen also had the three "Braun" cars highlighted so we could keep up with them easily. (Kahne, Leffer, and Vickers)
Pretty cool to be able to see all the up to date info.  It also had part of the screen that showed the race feed from TV.
I took a pic of it just because it's hard to explain what all it had, how it was set up, etc.  Meant to take of pic of our pit box just so I'd have it... when the race ended I got down and totally forgot.

Anyway... it was cool and it was nice to be surprised with all the hospitality and 'extras'... especiality after being involved in racing in some way for so long.
Also nice to be able to go be in the pits,.. and not doing all the work, just get to watch and take it all in...

[CodeBlueEMT]

 Chris, thanks fo the great story on your experience at Atlanta. I've seen all that stuff on TV , but have never been able to see it up close. Yes, I'm jealous.

 Shayne

[Chris]

Glad you enjoyed it.
hey... even for a guy thats been around and involved with racing as long as I have... it was a treat.
I gotta find out how BB posts all these pics on line so i can do mine also, and you folks can check it all out
Chris

PS.. hope you get to go do it some day.  just can't say how cool it was.

[DougS]

Can't wait to see the pics. My first NASCAR expience was much like yours and your girlfriend's when Robert Yates invited my and my wife to Phoenix in 07.

[skool]

.. on the other hand, everything else from now on will be a disappointment compared to this.. (you know just going and watching, etc)  Just was taken care of that well.

Oh not necessarily Chris.  I have found that, what with my access as a media member and all the hecticness that comes with it, it is nice just to be a spectator now and then and enjoy it all from the normal fan's point of view. (all the while smug in the knowledge that I've seen the puppets and the strings up close  )

[Busch Babe 899]

Braggers!! One day I'll get to watch a race from that vantage point....LOL Seriously, Good one, Chris, and thanks for sharing the experience. I'm envious.

I upload all my photos to my photobucket account (it's free up to a certain limit, and that limit's high...I only recently had to start removing old photos because I maxed the free limit out, after several years worth of photos) and post the link to the album...also, to post individual photos from photobucket, each photo will have links pop up below them when you put the cursor over it, I just copy and paste the link with "[IMG]" at the start of it into whatever message on a board I'm posting to...no need to even mess with the "photo" button at the top of the message. (the little "picture" icon second from the left in the 2 rows of icons at the top of a message when you are creating it.), doing that allows you to skip that step.

Hope that helps.