NASCAR Race @ Loudon, NH

If cyclocross is the NASCAR of racing, then I’ve kicked off the season in fine form! While many of my future competitors were lining up at the first ‘cross race in the region, I was in line at the Dupont tent getting a beer!
My co-worker P-Diddy and I headed south on 95 at 5am, destination: Loudon,NH. A former hockey player of mine runs a tire/car repair business on the Cape and his dad always has 2 tickets and tent passes for me at the 2 Loudon races. I skipped the summer race due to an mtb race conflict, but I couldn’t miss 2 in a year! Besides, this is the first race of the Chase and the competition is intense.
Pat and I arrived at 7:30am, strolled through the merchandise trailers, bought gifts for Babs and the kids, and headed for the tent. Breakfast was being served so we found a spot and hung out with the Klucevseks and waited for Jeff Gordon to show up. Because of the size of the crowd, there aren’t any autograph signings or 1 on 1’s with Jeff. They do allow you to write down a question though and select 5 people to come up, shake hands with Jeff, and ask him your question in front of the entire crowd. As luck would have it, I got picked for the 2nd year in a row. It’s all about coming up with an entertaining question. I said “Everyone knows you can drive a stock car fast on a race track, but can you resurface the ice in less than 10 minutes driving a Zamboni 9mph?” He and the crowd got a kick out of it and we had a couple of back and forths when he said he was concerned the ice would be slippery and I said you have to stay off the boards! I told him he had a job when he was done racing and he said that pays what, $8,000,000?
Then the turkey dinner was served and Pat had his 6th beer while I eased into my 3rd. It’s unique starting drinking at 10am!
The race was entertaining for sure. It was hot as Hades as you would sweat just sitting there. There were a few crashes and some good side by side racing. But there were also some long green flag runs and that’s when the turkey and heat and no more beers took effect. The finish was exciting with a crash near the end, resulting in a 5-lap sprint finish which my boy Kevin Harvick ran away with.
So, while some guys were actually on their bikes racing, I was sweating my ass off, sucking down beers and inhaling fumes. That is excellent ‘cross preparation as far as I’m concerned! Bring on the green flag!