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Macaroni Kid Goes to NASCAR

Our Contest Winners Go Behind the Scenes with Driver Michael Annett

By Eric Cohen - Macaroni Dad October 6, 2015
Not only had I never been to a NASCAR race, I’d never even watched one on TV. Sure, I’d surfed past a broadcast on a Saturday afternoon, but sit and watch a race…never. So when Charlotte, our Macaroni Mom in Cedar Rapids, told us all about this exciting young local driver she was working with, Brody Willett, I was skeptical. And when she proposed a grand prize giveaway with NASCAR driver Michael Annett and his team, I was incredulous. Despite knowing nothing about the entire sport, I didn't think we could get a family behind the scenes at a major race.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1zBO2-CZIE

But Charlotte was persistent and as the Bunn family can attest, we delivered an experience of a lifetime. After announcing the contest last spring, we received thousands of entries for a family four-pack to go in beyond the pits and into the garage of up and coming driver Michael Annett and his Pilot Flying J team. 

Richmond International Raceway is a few miles outside of the city, and on race weekend, it’s like a city of its own. Pulling in, it’s hard to judge the scale of the track and the stands…they are massive. Winding our way through vendors and crowds we finally arrived at the infield and the pits, only to be greeted by a severe weather warning. Would the race be cancelled? It was going to be close. The officials cleared the stands and it made for a unique view as we walked among the racecars surrounded by empty stands.

Being in the pits and infield is a bit surreal. Cars are being prepped, pit crews are stacking tires and filling gas cans, and you are in the middle of it all. Watching the machinations of the behind-the-scenes action was fascinating as the mood went from calm to a flurry of action all in a blink of an eye, depending on the task at hand.

And there we were in the midst of it all. The highlight of the afternoon was an autograph session with driver Michael Annett. The winners of the contest had a picture taken with Michael and he graciously signed several autographs. His team was a great host to our Macaroni Kid readers and they even got to eat dinner with the crew from the private caterer.  

Amazingly the weather cleared just in time for the race and fans were treated to a spectacular sunset as the National Anthem was sung. The drivers were introduced and took to their cars for the few pace laps and then they were off. While the cars look pretty fast on TV, you don’t quite get the impression of speed you do when you see it live. They are a blur. The first few laps when they are bunched together are fascinating as the roar builds as they approach, then tapers off as they reach the far side of the track and then builds again. As the cars stretch out, the hum is constant as the cars race by.

Driver of the number 20 car, Matt Kenseth, won the race that night in exciting fashion. But the things that will always stand out will be the excitement of the kids meeting a real NASCAR driver in person and the hospitality of the number 46 team and Michael Annett.