Racing Virginia and the Kids
High speeds, sharp turns and the adrenaline rush of watching drivers compete against each other is quite a thrilling experience. If you have never been to a race, there isn’t anything else quite like it. Sure other sports have the excitement of last second scoring but photo finishes, sights, sounds and smells that come from a big race are unlike any other sporting event. How was I exposed to this exciting world of burning rubber?
The answer is simple:
I was raised in the sport of car racing.
Racing with a Family Tradition
Growing up in the rural parts of Franklin County in the 80’s, I can remember playing on the porch while my uncles and older cousins leaned on a truck hood listening to the NASCAR® race broadcast on the radio. Back then, televised events we scarce but, I can fondly remember Dale Earnhardt winning Daytona and watching the few other televised races with my Dad. He wasn’t much on stick and ball sports. But that was just fine with us!
Whenever we could, we would watch races on the television, but our favorite family outing was a visit to the Franklin County Speedway every Saturday night! I am especially fond of the times that we would just hang around the local service station that housed one of the race teams. It was great getting to see the team up close, and see how they fine tuned the car to race against the best competition in the area.
Passing the Checkered Flag to Younger a Generation
Recently, I had the opportunity to attend Richmond Raceway’s season launch event and be on site as they revealed their new, fan favorite, racing simulator.
I took this as an opportunity to bond with my 8-year-old son. He was able to race against the other attendees on the simulators, interact with the Racing Virginia drivers, and get his picture taken with numerous racing history treasures. He was smiling ear to ear the whole time.
Thinking on the way home I simply asked the question, “Why do you like racing?”
The well thought out response was simple “Because you do Dad.”
Racing Fun for the Whole Family
Although youngsters are a little early for driving, getting them hooked early doesn’t take much. The loud cars and the generally happy atmosphere can have incredible drawing power for both kids and adults alike.
It is great to see places like Martinsville Speedway, Richmond Speedway, and a host of other Racing Virginia tracks have rolled out tons of family-friendly pricing. This often includes special ticket prices for kids and even special “kids free” with paying adults to select events. This can make the whole adventure affordable for the family so that no one is left out and the excitement can be enjoyed week in and week out!
Our friends at Virginia International Raceway offer some of the best fan access I’ve experienced in the sport of racing, and it’s all with the price of admission.
Don’t be afraid to take the kids racing! Grab some earplugs and make your way to a race track near you. Take advantage of the pricing the larger tracks are offering, because you never know, the excitement you build today could someday lead to your son or daughter behind the wheel of a high performance racing machine. When that day comes, Proline Trailers will be there with custom race trailers to help along the way!
Enjoy racing season, and we’ll see you soon!