Monday, October 08, 2007

Manic Monday - Track(s)

MM Graphic by Janna
This Week's Theme: Track(s)
MM Headquarters ~ Previous MMs

Many years ago, on any given Friday night during the season, you would find our family at one place. The race track. My step father was an avid race fan and many years he raced a car himself, when he wasn't working as a spotter or various positions on the track. I remember so vividly the smell of the cars as they rounded the track. The fuel, the dirt, the roar of the engines, the rumble of the ground. It was amazing! We knew most of the drivers and many times had our pictures made with them and even got to ride around with them as they "packed the track". That was the process of riding around the track to pack the mud down after the track had been watered.

Our family usually sat down at the bottom of the stands near the fence. I have a twin brother and sister who would bring toys and sit in the dirt and play with cars. There were other small kids who would sit with them and enjoy the company while we watched the race. One night I will never forget, a car crashed into the stands. It crashed RIGHT where we were sitting. It was the scariest feeling that I have ever felt. My little brother was sitting right in front of me and I just remember seeing that car in the air and grabbing him. I ran. I ran for our lives. I remember turning around and seeing the car in the stands right were we had been sitting seconds before! It had climbed a ten foot concrete wall and crashed right through a 15 foot fence and went right into the stands. I looked around for the rest of my family and I spotted my mother, and my other two sisters and remember the looks of fear on their faces. The car did land on a man and a young child. I don't remember their fate. It's been so long ago, but I do remember the irony of the story was that the driver of the car crashed into HIS own family. He landed on his father and his daughter.

The race Track is part of my history and I am proud of it. In fact, I actually miss it!

What memories do you have of your childhood that you remember so vividly that when you speak of it, you can actually feel yourself there...the sounds, the smells, etc?!

Happy Monday y'all!
I hope that our Manic Monday fearless leader is enjoying himself!!


Manic Monday Participants
1. Jamie
2. Idaho Daily Photo
3. And Miles To Go...
4. Jhoaniquing
5. Ian
6. Casdok
7. SargeCharlie
8. maryt/theteach
9. Alison
10. empress bee (of the high sea)
11. Matt-Man
12. Blog That Mommy!
13. katherine.
14. Travis
15. problems with parenting

Learn more about Manic Monday here.

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19 comments, add yours here:

Durward Discussion said...

I have a memory about a Track, but in my case it was horse racing and going to Hollywood Park and Santa Anita with my parents. The crowds, the screams as the horses approached the finish line, the paddock with all the smells and the sheer beauty of the animals.

Nice MM

RW said...

thats ironic sad about the race car driver crashing into his family

Anonymous said...

wow, that was really scary!! But I bet you have great memories otherwise of the time at the racetrack! I enjoyed that Tish. Have a great Monday

Ian said...

There's a local racetrack here that my father-in-law's vocal quartet sings the national anthem for a few times a season. When they do, we all get tickets to go. It's usually a lot of fun, although the kids get pretty tired of it after about an hour, so we all take turns sitting with them in the camper trailer.

Ian

Anonymous said...

that really shocking incident..though have fun during friday night...happy MM!
mine is up now.

Casdok said...

Yes sounds really scarey!

Sarge Charlie said...

dirt track racing, did that in the 50's

maryt/theteach said...

Gee, a marvelous, scary story! Loved it! Glad everything turned out all right for you.

Stop by my posts for MM.

Unknown said...

It's interesting...I hear track and I think of horse racing!

What a scary story and an incredible memory! Thanks for sharing!

Posting my first MM today

Empress Bee (of the high sea) said...

sounds like fun! i never got to go, my dad went with some guys and they didn't take kids! *sniff*

smiles, bee

Schmoop said...

I miss all of the parents whining about their kids as we played Little league. My mom would sit silently in the stands laughing at all of the whiners.

Akelamalu said...

What great memories. x

Odat said...

My best memories are Sunday afternoon baseball games...Once in a while my Dad would take my brother and I to a game....otherwise it was the whole family sitting in front of the TV, drinking beer and yelling....lol..yeah it was a nice memory...
Peace

Becky L said...

I've never been. I guess I'm missing out

Mike Minzes said...

Very cool MM, CWM!!

Tawnya Shields said...

My father loved car races too. We use to go every Sunday night to dirt track racing. I liked the little sprints too. I was particulary fond of the Demolition Derbies. And oh yeah, the pizza and hot dogs at the races was the bomb!


Do you recall Jerry Chitwood? They had a great stunt show. :o)

Neila said...

Wow! That is a scary story! I have actually never been to the race track. We never had one near us when I was growing up, so I never went. Now we have a huge race track where I live, but I still haven't been yet.

katherine. said...

oh MY...I can not imagine how scary that must have been for you....but that he hit his own father and daughter....

wow.

Travis Cody said...

What a fun and scary memory. I've been to the race track once. It was fun, but after awhile it was just too loud.

Happy belated MM.