Rainy Weather Not Deterring Race Fans Outside TMS
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FORT WORTH (CBS11) - When outsiders see NASCAR fans camping out days before the Texas Motor Speedway race despite wet, cold conditions the first response might be, "they must be crazy!"
Actually they have a pretty smart reason for being here that the rest of us can learn from it.
"This is the first one I've ever been to," Keg Sharp from Oklahoma said as he set up a small tent outside the track. "I'm damned excited!"
Don Young was working on an elaborate set up outside his RV including BBQ pits and tiki torches.
"I've been (coming here) between 18 and 20 years," he said.
Whether a tent-sheltered rookie or a veteran race fan who's graduated to a more refined camping style all of them know some core rules. One: rain is not going to affect turnout.
"That rain don't hurt anything," Sharp said. "I go hunting in the rain so why not the races?"
And you're talking about 40,000 tight-knit campers before the races.
Oh yeah! We know most everybody around here," Young said. "We get together and talk a little bit."
So add 40,000 campers to up to 90,000 cars that will show up race day on Sunday and you'll understand why rookie and veteran fans alike arrive a day early and will leave a day late.
"We'll leave Monday morning," Sharp said. "We'll let the traffic go and all that stuff."
"We'll wait 'til Monday to leave and that way everybody will be gone and we can just sit back and leave on Monday afternoon," Young said.
It's a lesson even law enforcement is trying to get out to drivers - Friday through Sunday, it's best just to stay away from TMS unless you're trying to get to the track.
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