Nitro Nationals at the RaceWay

Back in June I mentioned that Banana won some tickets at Good Things Utah.

Well, I'm finally posting what the tickets were for. The Nitro Funny Cars National Races. I probably just got that all wrong but you get the idea.

Warning a whole 'load' of pictures in this post.

So I'll share the highlights of our memorable night.

We got to the raceway and I'd packed dinner for us, we picked up our tickets at will-call and proceeded to try and enter the raceway with our 5 kids blankets cooler(dinner) backpack/diaperbag, jackets --- basically quite the crew. The lady at the gate stops us and asks us what's in the cooler "Beer?" she says. I thinking really, do you think we're going to be drinking with this many kids? We answer no it's our dinner. She says, "NO FOOD OR DRINK ALLOWED YOU"VE GOT TO GET THAT OUT OF HERE." So we decided to lay our blanket down by the fence a little distance from the gate and eat our dinner and then put the cooler in the car and then go in. While we're eating "security" comes to check us out. I think they were going to kick us even more to the curb but then they felt sorry for us and let us eat our little hoagie sandwiches in peace.

After we finally entered and found seats in the "Family" section and made the people behind us get up and move because they didn't want to set by people with so many kids we quickly realized that we really did need the earplugs that I forgot at home. OH MY was it LOUD!!! We thought we'd tough it out and just plug our ears because we didn't want to pay $2 a pair for 7 when we have a whole bucket full sitting at home that we got for $2. Needless to say we bought the earplugs. and we had some given to us by a man that felt sorry for us.

Right now all of this is sounding really negative and bad but let me assure you it's going to sound much worse before the end of the post but we really, really, really did have a good time. And we made some great memories and isn't that what this life is all about?

Yeah...it was really loud.

First they raced the street legal cars. They were fun.

Then we saw the clouds moving in and we just hoped they'd blow over.

Doesn't she look like she's having a great time?

The storm kept a comin'.

And then just as they were to start another race they stopped everything because of water on the track. They announced we should all look for shelter and they were going to wait out the storm and race again after it was over.

We ran to the top of the bleachers where there was a covered area. They were having a meet and greet the drivers w/autograph signing. By the time we got there the rain was pouring and the wind was howling and it was way too late to make a break for the car.

We held a blanket around the kids and tried to keep them warm and dry but the wind blew the rain right under the pavillion and onto us. Finally MDH had the kids climb under the table where the drivers were and he made a tent out of our blanket for them.....it was quite an adventure. One of the officials thought that was so cute she took quite a few pictures of the kids.

Needless to say we were a little wet by the time the storm ended.

But then the sun broke free and they broke out the blowers.

This little ones above and the big jet engine ones.

And we waited for the track to be dry and conditioned...It took a while....but it was sooooo worth it.

When the track was ready they broke out the nitro cars....

Great Polyester Pants Nina those are some powerful cars. You can feel it in your bones and if you had a pace maker I'm sure it'd throw it off.

We're talkin 0-585mph in 6 seconds. CRAZY! WE LOVED IT!

We have some great videos I'll post tomorrow. I'm too tired to do it tonight.