The way it's raining, the River part will be 100% accurate.

 

We went to the IRL (Indy Racing League) (AKA Indy Car) race at the Richmond International Raceway. I have wanted to go to this race since it's inception as the drivers claim it is like flying an F-18 in a high school gymnasium as this track ia an .75 mile tri-oval.

It was pretty amazing. Although I am not a big oval track fan, as I am a road racer at heart. I have to state that it was pretty amazing seeing them turn under 17 second lap times at speeds approaching 170 MPH averages.

As I have long said to friends that have never been to a race that ask how we can sit and watch cars go around. One cannot truely appreciate top tier racing unless one goes to a race in person. The long telephoto lenses on TV do not do it justice.

Here are a few photos that I took:

First off: The Racing Gods must have been happy. As we sat in the stands and through the support race we could see stormy weather all around us with lightning strikes every few seconds. We never got a drop of rain. It all moved from the west of us to the north. :-)



For you Danica Patrick fans. Here she is chatting with her husband in the pits before the race on the grid. It was not a good night for her. As she started 15th and finished 15th.



This was just before the start coming out of turn four.


Go! Go! Go! Just after the green flag waved!


The race was just a blur.


I am happy that we decided to rent a race scanner with a splitter for two sets of head phones. Not only did it make the event more enjoyable listening to Race Control before during and after the race, but also the radio and TV broadcast feeds as well as the drivers. The big plus was that the head phones did a better job of reducing the noise level than the ear plugs that we took. And as you can see the IRL race does not draw anywhere near the sell out crowd that the NASCAR race does. Thank goodness, as it took us just under an hour to get out of the parking lot. I understand from talking to people both at the track and friends that have been to the NASCAR race there that it takes about three hours to get out of the parking lot at the end of the race. :-(

 

If I've told you once, I've told you a million times; don't exagerate!

It takes two hours to get to the Nor'ester from your house.

 

Went surfing yesterday and scuba today all on Maui. Mahi Mahi sandwich with a Mai Tai for lunch and steak and prawns for dinner with Blue Hawaiian coolers. Pretty much your perfect weekend.

 

Watch it, Catherine. I'll have you know, I was born in beautiful downtown Burbank!

 

Sounds heavenly...I really want to get back there soon!! I miss all the wonderful fish and mangoes. One time, I even had a case of mangoes shipped to me from Kauai. It was expensive but worth every penny. Yum...

 

Did you dive Molokini or "Turtle Town"?

 

Black Rock yesterday, Molikini next week. We did see two turtles at Black Rock.

 

Watch for the Moray eels at Molokini.

We want pictures

 

Saturday, we're hauling a load down to NC to begin setting up a cabin we just purchased. I'll have a lot to do but my wife has promised me ample time run the Dragon and other area roads.

The new home is in Hendersonville, which I am figuring is 90 minutes from Deals Gap. First time on the Dragon and I'm really looking forward to it!