Despite being there in “unofficial” status, I still planned to shoot a few photos from the stands and later write up a brief race report, so after our trip through the pits I brought Robert with me to the tower, where I looked over the qualifying results. We came across Brian Cupp of ProModifieds.us, luxuriating in air-conditioned splendor as he posted round-by-round results to his site. Brian’s wife, Babs, also was up there and Robert took an immediate shine to her—as he also did to the air conditioning. An hour at the track and he was already getting pampered.
By this time the 7.0 index cars were rolling past our vantage point to make their first elimination passes and as each one came into sight Robert oohed and aahed, shouting “Look at that one! Look at that one!” It prompted me to observe those guys probably never had such an enthusiastic audience before.
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As a writer and photographer, I like to think I pay more attention than many to the details of my surroundings, but no one notices detail like a child. Everything’s fascinating to them, still new and mysterious, regardless of commonality or repetition. Robert’s powers of observation have certainly rubbed off on me, as I’ll automatically stop now to take notice of things like a brightly colored rock or an unusual bug or a bulldozer on a trailer. I find myself thinking, “Look, an ambulance!” or “That’s a big truck,” even while driving solo about town.
Anyway, Robert opened my eyes to a few neat things about the races that I guess I’ve just grown accustomed to and take for granted. He loved how the smoke from the burnouts would linger in the air, then waft gently above us and across the grandstand; he got a huge kick out of the drivers revving and clearing their engines with quick raps of the throttle before staging; he noticed how most crewmen would give a little pat to the car and a look to their driver as they stepped back for the final time before a run (“Look, Daddy, he just said good luck to the man.”); he wanted to know why a hose was spraying the track, what the colored lights were for and how the drivers knew when to go. It was a learning experience for both of us.
Before too long, though, Robert wanted to go back to the tower to play and stay with “the lady” (thanks, Babs!) and I was free for a few moments to take in the atmosphere on my own. Thanks to him I was able to do so with a new awareness and fresh perspective after experiencing drag racing, even if just for a little while, through the eyes of a child.
Race safe,
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