Nascar

Thanks to the relatively new phenomenon known as LivingSocial Deals and Groupon, Jake and I had the pleasure of attending a real-life Nascar race at Elko Speedway on Saturday night. For only ten dollars we scored two tickets, two beers, a tub of popcorn, permanently damaged hearing, some intense rural-midwestern culture, lots of really bad hair and several thrilling moments where we were almost struck by lightning. IT WAS AWESOME!

Ironically it was also Lighting Safety Awareness Week

Despite the fact that we were sitting in giant metal stands in the middle of a field, nobody seemed too concerned. After watching the bolts of lightning very clearly strike ground three separate times in the distance, we decided to move to a lower seating area made of less-conductive wood. After all, these were the same people who had shaved racing stripes into their children's mullets and were seated with their infants next to cars flying by at an ear-splitting 100+ MPH. I was not real keen on following their example. Finally when a few raindrops started to fall the announcer let us know that there was "a little weather coming in from the north and the west... and, well... yeeeahhhh..." No mention of possible electrocution. No suggestion to GET OFF THE GIANT METAL LIGHTING ROD IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FIELD. All they told us was that they would keep going until the track was too wet for safe driving. Um... hello!?!? I was unaware that car racing was ever safe... AND I would have much rather been sitting on rubber tires with a helmet on.

Here is the radar image of the "weather" that engulfed the track moments later. We were in the red zone. Red=bad.

We left just as it started to pour. Lucky we brought an umbrella. Unluckily, Nascar fans think umbrellas are lame and they are not afraid to let you know.

On a related note, Brett Michaels is coming to Elko Speedway on August 20th for his Roses and Thorns tour. You know... just in case the Nascar isn't enough for ya.