Afterthoughts On NASCAR Weekend At TMS

{fshare id=2476}

Now that the dust has settled on the weekend that was NASCAR at Texas Motor Speedway, I want to look back and reflect on the big event.  TMS was the site of the NASCAR Nationwide Series O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 race on Friday and the main event, the Samsung Mobile 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Saturday. 

The Good – Arguably the star of the show, Texas Motor Speedway never fails to impress visitors.  With a quarter of a million people coming through the gates during the weekend, TMS is one of the biggest venues in all of sports.  Track president Eddie Gossage and staff make sure everything runs smoothly, and with a big helping of fun for everyone.  

In addition to the races, the Speedway hosts huge camping areas, from premium RV pads to primitive sites for tents.  TMS makes sure all their needs are met, from shower facilities to, in some areas, wifi access.  Each race week, Brookshire’s even opens a grocery store on TMS grounds.

Along the front stretch of the speedway, NASCAR sponsors set up a midway, larger than at the State Fair of Texas.  Along the midway, fans can buy souvenirs, play games, get food, or just people-watch.  

The season ticket holders are treated to a garage party on race day at Texas Motor Speedway.  This week the party had live music, games for the kids, roaming performers, MMA fighting, and sumo wrestling.

A TMS tradition is the pre-race concert.  The classic band Foreigner played this week.  They even

have a special version of their hit song, “Hot Blooded”, rewritten as “No Limits” to match the speedway slogan.

The race itself was good also.  Setting records for fewest cautions and highest average mph, the Samsung Mobile 500 showcased speed.  The cars approached 200 miles per hour before “slowing” to 170 in the turns.  With some drivers choosing the low line and others the high line, fans were treated to side-by-side action on every lap.  

The Bad – Frankly, it is hard to find anything bad at Texas Motor Speedway.  This week the biggest (only?) complaint heard was about the wind.  A constant wind was whipping through the area over the weekend.  So much that even the winning race driver, Greg Biffle, pointed out that the wind may have been the reason there were no on-track incidents during the race.  The drivers were so concerned about controlling their cars in the buffeting winds that they were not taking chances by racing close.

The Ugly – There is no way around it, some fans just drink too much.  If drunken behavior isn’t bad enough, some insist on driving home after the race.  The roads become extremely hazardous after the race.  When you leave the track, expect delays, and be extra vigil of the cars around you.  Some drivers may insist on going “3-wide” all by themselves. 

If you have never been to a race at Texas Motor Speedway, you owe it to yourself to visit.  A NASCAR race is not something you watch, it is something you experience, and Texas Motor Speedway provides the best experience in the business.

Be sure to visit our photo galleries from the Samsung Mobile 500 and O’Reilly Auto Parts 300.

Share and Enjoy !

Shares