The highlight of the road trip for me was hanging with Elizabeth. We were on a mission, which I still haven’t shared, but hanging with her was a big deal for me. If you ask her, she might say Talladega.
I’d been on the track at Michigan’s MIS a time or two, so I wasn’t surprised when we took in the Talladega scene. As we drove into the infield, I noted the different colored bleacher seats. They have a similar configuration at MIS. They use red, white, black and gray seats so when the TV cameras scan the stands they look like their filled with spectators even though several may be empty.
She road three laps around the track with a professional driver, approaching speeds of 200 miles per hour. I could have done the same, but I opted out before the trip started. You had to sign up in advance for a specific date and time, and once I saw the track, and the cars, I was glad I passed on the opportunity. We both could have chosen to drive a car if we wanted to and when we arrived there were about ten men waiting in line to do just that. We had to sign a release just to drive through the tunnel to get to the infield, so I imagine drivers had to sign a second release.
If you opted to drive, you were decked out in a fire suit and helmet. As a passenger, Elizabeth just got a helmet. Riders could opt for a three, six or nine lap experience. I’m not sure about drivers.
Neither one of us were strangers to the track experience. When David, Elizabeth and Michael were in high school, they all worked at Michigan’s track: Michigan International Speedway. David started first when he was fourteen. During his interview, the interviewer noted his name and asked if he was related to Addison’s elementary school principal. He said, “Yes, he’s my dad.”
The lady said, “My daughter’s in the first grade there. She loves your dad. I’ve got a good job for you.” She gave him the keys to a golf cart, and he drove members of the CBS television crew wherever they needed to go. It was a great introduction to the track experience and a pretty cushy job.
Elizabeth and Michael were both in Addison’s band. Band members and their parents volunteered to help the band boosters during the race season. The band ran a concession stand and received a share of the profits. Each volunteer got a cut. Ruth and I helped several summers. While David was making cash, the four of us were earning credit for band trips. The more we earned, the less we had to pay.
David worked there for ten years, eventually becoming the director of concessions and assigning BZ and Michael to leadership roles after they graduated high school. Pretty cool.
Elizabeth shared her MIS experience with the driver of her Talladega car, telling him she’d worked several summers there just after climbing into the passenger side window of her ride. Standing nearby, I could see her mix of excitement and nervousness as she settled in.
One paid option was a video of the ride, which BZ chose. One camera focused on her and another on the track. If you ever get the chance, ask her to see it. It captured her climbing through the window, chatting briefly with the driver, getting hooked up to the safety gear, and the ride itself. I’m not sure what she paid, but the video covered all six and a half minutes.
If you get a look, just watch her eyes. Eyes don’t lie.
TBC