Weekend trip proves memorable for Mariana Fikse

Drivers, start your engines! In the distance we could hear the roar of engines come to life as drivers fired up their race cars. As the pace car led the cars onto the track we rose to our feet. Finally, the moment we were waiting for all weekend was about to come. However, it was the days leading up to this that proved to be just as memorable as the race.

I love NASCAR. For as long as I can remember I have been cheering on my favorite driver, however the cheering is normally done in front of my television at home. When my grandparents offered to take me with them to spend the weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (LVMS) for a total of three NASCAR races that were occurring there, I knew I could not pass up the chance.

For the first time in track history, there would be a triple header at LVMS that included the top three series in NASCAR racing. Friday would kick the weekend off with the Camping World Truck Series race, followed by the Xfinity Series race on Saturday and the Monster Energy Cup Series race on Sunday.

The six hour motor home drive from Madera, California, to Las Vegas, Nevada, went by in a flash for me as I thought of the experiences waiting once we arrived to the track. Traffic delayed our arrival until late Thursday and I slept right after we parked the motorhome.

The next morning I quickly got up and took in the view. From the front window of the motorhome, I could see the entire track. Soon the cars hit the track for practice.

Something that stood out to me was how accommodating the track was to fans. Spectators were able to watch teams prepare for the race in the Neon Garage or hang out behind the track where NASCAR and various sponsors hosted several events and pre-race parties.

After gaining access to the Neon Garage, I walked around the massive haulers with my grandpa. There, crew members wheeled out race cars from their trailers and pushed them into the garage.

I was so excited to see the crews work on the cars that I almost did not notice my favorite driver, Chase Elliott, walking right behind me. Without thinking I grabbed my phone and asked if I could take a picture with him. I was elated when he smiled and agreed, while also taking the time to autograph the hat I had on.

I absolutely could not believe I had just seen my favorite driver. My hands shook from excitement as I sent the picture I took to my friends and family members. We continued to walk around the garage until cars began to roll out for practice. After telling my family I had seen Elliott, we challenged each other to see how many drivers we could meet during the weekend, resulting in the most exciting scavenger hunt I have ever been a part of.

The Truck Series race was to be a night race, and before it began my cousins and their friends arrived at the track. The race itself was amazing. After intense laps of tight three wide racing and pack drafting, Kyle Busch took the checkered flag, his 50th in the Truck Series.

While the race was a blast, walking around the track after the race that was most exciting. LVMS is unique allowing fans to join drivers in victory lane after the race. My cousins and I rushed to victory lane after the race to try and get an autograph from the winner, but there were so many people there by the time we got there. We decided to look for other drivers. 

My cousin Joey Iest, who is working his way up through the ranks of midget racing, knew where we might be able to find drivers exiting the track. We waited by a gate behind the garage, trying to peer past the security guards. Just as we were about to give up and head back to the motor home, we saw drivers begin to head towards us.

We quickly pulled out our cameras to snap pictures, expecting them to quickly walk by us and get into the cars that were waiting for them, but to our surprise, they took the time to talk with us and sign a couple of autographs. Noah Gragson, driver of the #18 truck, who also happened to race against my cousin Joey before he made it to NASCAR, even took the time to take a photo with us.

The next day before the Xfinity Series race we planned to do the same thing after the race. Our race tickets and hats already had autographs on them, but we were determined to get more. Once again, the drivers put on an amazing race, with Kyle Larson taking the win. This time, we got to victory lane earlier and were able to get an autograph. We also got several more autographs by waiting next to the same gate we had the night before. Daniel Hemric, driver of the #21 car, also took the time to take a picture, and even responded to me on Twitter after I posted the image.

I was happy to, y’all enjoy the rest of the weekend 👍 https://t.co/LeycaY0oXM

— Daniel Hemric (@DanielHemric) March 4, 2018

That night we stayed in the garage until it closed, but in our fun, we did not realize they locked the gates, leaving us “trapped” inside. Although to me, this was the equivalent of being stuck inside Disneyland all alone with the exception of my friends. We quickly checked the gates, scared of being reprimanded by security if we got caught walking around the garage.

Inevitably we ran into a security guard, who, rather than kicking us out or yelling at us for being in the garage after it closed, offered to take us out on the track. In what was probably my favorite memory of the trip, the guard opened the gate that let us walk onto the track itself. Thrilled, we ran across the front stretch to the finish line, where we posed for pictures and knelt to the ground to kiss the finish line, as some drivers do after winning races such as the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The rest of the weekend, including the Cup Series race, flew by as quick as the cars did on the track. We also met several drivers after the Cup race, including race winner Kevin Harvick. However, that night when we ran out on the track stands out to me the most. I will never forget the shine of the lights on the track or the security guard who offered to take our picture by the finish line.

The entire experience was memorable for me and I am extremely thankful my grandparents took me with them on the trip. Despite the accommodating feel that NASCAR provides for fans, it is no secret that attendance has been steadily declining in recent years. Some blame this on the rise in ticket prices and others on the retirements of several popular drivers including Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Carl Edwards and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

I would highly recommend attending a NASCAR race to anyone who is interested in sports or simply wants to have a good time. Now is the perfect time to begin watching NASCAR as multiple young drivers have reached the top series including Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney, Austin Dillon and Chase Elliott.

For more columns, check out COLUMN: The power of a positive attitude and COLUMN: Golden Knights’ mindset impresses Alexander Rurik.

Mariana Fikse can be reached via Twitter @marianafikse and via email.