The Darlington weekend kicked off with the Royal Purple 200. I didn't know what it was either. Sports drink? Engine cleaner? Prince's new CD? Turns out it is a synthetic oil for gasoline engines. Anyway we got there just after noon and drove through the tunnel and into the infield. Our tix from Nationwide Insurance included 'infield suite passes'. At Darlington? I was imagining a tent. I was surprised by the actual suite, pictured down near the end of the post.
All of these pics are from Friday afternoon. After a three hour "scattered" shower, we had a couple hours to kill in the garages before the NW race.
Practice?! We talkin' 'bout practice?!
Rolling into pre-qualifying tech inspection.
The Black Mamba doesn't play well
with others.
The cars have to arrive and leave the track
with the grooved tires on. Keeps Jack
Rousch from duplicating all the
different compounds.
I'm guessing?
WTH is this JGR crewman doing?
Scanning tire inventory?
Yes, he is. Who knew the 'sticker'
had a bar code?
Nationwide's Suite included two magical words,
Free Beer!
The view from inside the suite wasn't bad
TVs inside helped keep up, too
Front lawn of the suite. That chain link fence
was only about 25' from the racing surface!
Another day in paradise!
I knew the stickers had a bar code! LOL
ReplyDeleteKeep em coming Gene! Great shots!!
Ah, Darlington... It won't be long until Darlington's greatest winner is inducted. That would be something to see... I caught a HoF show on Speed last week that was a biography on David Pearson. I like that fact that he still can't figure out why people fuss over him and want him to sign his autograph. He's just everday folks in his own mind. The end of the show had him sitting on the front porch of his house outside Spartanburg waving at somebody driving by. My kind of guy!
ReplyDeleteAny shots of DW? LOL!
Dwindy... I caught part of that during a replay on Sunday, I think. He was at Darlington on Saturday. The greatest driver ever!
ReplyDeleteHe usually drove for owners who only ran the biggest events. He raced enough races to go for the championship only 4 times, and he won it in 3 of those 4 years.