SunTrust Indy Challenge (June 27, 2009)

Got to let you guys in on a secret; the IndyCar race last night at Richmond International Raceway was a blast. It was a perfect evening (not too hot, and no rain) and the breeze the cars kicked up at something like 167 mph on the 3/4 mile track was really nice. Had really good access to the drivers (thats Helio Castroneves signing an autograph on his way to the race), and I also saw Ryan Briscoe and Danica Patrick (some more race photos are on my Flickr Page) in the garage area. There was a lot of things to see and do, and really enjoyed the whole event. I am already making plans to return to this race next year.

It was amazing how fast the cars are, having been to some NASCAR races over the years (though mostly at Lowes Motor Speedway in Charlotte, NC) I was amazed how quick they could fly the IndyCars around Richmond International Raceway. I also was very happy with the seats, having a good view of the entire track as well as pit road. That is just a first rate facility and as my son had told me (who had been here when he worked with Richard Petty) just a first rate track. For sure it was just around 1/3 full, but that made it really easy to see the drivers and also to get out at the end of the race. I was back home in no time .
As I noted, saw Danica Patrick, and also got a close look at her race car seen here in the garage. Indy Cars are technological marvels. All of them use Honda engines and make a remarkable sound when they go around the track. There were also a great many booths to visit, and a whole lot of things to watch. I had gone to Indy a few years ago (actually many years ago now) and have to say this was my favorite Indy Car event. Looking forward to their return in 2010!

Race Shop Touring (Concord, NC)

I am planning to attend the upcoming IndyCar race in Richmond, VA. When I lived in Louisville, Kentucky went to a few Indianapolis 500's and am looking very forward to this race. I live currently both here in Richmond, and have a home in Concord, NC. There I took a motorcycle ride on Monday June 22 to visit the museums and shops of some of the local race teams. One that I saw was Earnhardt-Ganassi near the Concord Regional Airport. The airport has been the focus of many of the local races teams (in fact all three here are near it). This is a view of the race shop where the cars are built for Earnhardt-Ganassi.


The crashed car seen here (a video of the crash is seen on the monitor next to it) was seen at Roush Racing. As with the other shops, many race cars are available for viewing, along with many other race items. The shops also have items available for purchase (shirts, hats, etc). Though a few shops in the area do charge admission, these three at least are free to wander through and offer an interesting look at the cars. All are in very modern buildings; the era of backyard race shops is long gone in NASCAR. In fact all of these are in huge buildings, if not multi-building complexes.


The largest of the museums in the Concord area, is Hendrick Motorsports. This is Dale Earnhardt, Jr's car one of the many on display. The shops are in a large multi-building area, and the museum has a number of cars on display from many drivers, and including some past drivers. As with the other shops you can see the teams working from viewing areas, and get a real feel for how the cars are built. I posted a few more photos from all the shops on my Flickr Page if you would like to look at a few more photos. There are also a number of race teams located in nearby Mooresville, NC and of course the Richard Childress operation is located in Welcome, NC with a great collection of Dale Earnhardt, Sr. cars (that is one of the shops I previously mentioned that charges admission). With three great tracks clustered together (Lowe's Motor Speedway, The Dirt Track, and the Z-Max Dragway) the area offers a lot of big time racing action, as well as some fine local racetracks. If you like racing, its a fun place to be.
However...so does Richmond and as I noted will be making the next post on the upcoming IndyCar race. It will be fun to get back to that, and to see that race live.

Two weeks in Richmond

Coming near the end of a two week period in Richmond, VA. Work has been a real slog lately, with a lot of problems with equipment, and long hours. Friday nights tend to go into the early Saturday hours.....yeah, I am grateful to have a job, but sure would not mind a little less of it. Over the weekend just stuck close to the apartment. Interesting place, saw a car towed the other night. Owners and passengers came running out of their apartment (saw this as I was pulling up at 11pm after work) and talked to the tow truck driver. Looked like some money changed hands, the pickup truck was lowered from the lift, and they all drove away. Anyhow, visited the pool some, gave the DVD player a workout (watched The Dark Knight....yeah, its been out a while, but sure glad I saw that one, best of the Batman movies), and mostly relaxed. Good thing, as this is shaping up to be another wild week.
Probably will head back to NC this afternoon. Did see that there is a Motorcycle show at Hooters of Chesterfield this Saturday from noon to ? (ad did not say ending time). Depending on when I head out, will be possibly roll out there. Course, have my motorcycle in North Carolina and the only thing better than looking at motorcycles is riding them. In fact, due to the bike being there, and me being often here, looking at getting a PC Motorcycle game. As a former flight crewman on a Navy plane miss flying, and enjoy my flight simulators. Think it might be fun checking out a motorcycle sim (and as a bonus, get to ride a MotoGP sportbike at least virtually). Amazing how real the flight sims are; after many hours of Microsoft Flight Simulator, doing the real thing in a "Discovery Flight" had that been there/done that feeling.
Have also been reading some local blogs. One of note that really made me smile when I needed it was "Working Stiff" which is about working in Richmond, VA. I really enjoyed that blog. I also have enjoyed reading "Journey to Ironman" which is about bicycling, but some good stuff in there. Makes me want to put some new tires on the old Huffy and get out for a bit on that (plus with the rising fuel prices, be a cheap way to get out in the wind).
Next post will be on the weekend in North Carolina, looking forward to being back with family and friends there.

Riding NC on a Three Day Weekend (June 6-8)

Pretty wild Friday night at work. With so many out of work; don't want to sound ungrateful, but it was a LONG night. Came in at 3PM Friday left at 4AM on Saturday morning. Needless to say the drive back to North Carolina at 8am was quite an epic journey. Had a big barbeque and bike event called the Hog Happenin, but thought a ride on four hours sleep after a close to five hour drive was a really bad idea. So will head to that next year.
I did get out on Sunday, for a change of late beautiful weather all weekend. Rode around some of the two lane routes, and also visited some friends for a while. Great time of course with the wife and my son and the dogs. I even got out the lawn mower and cut the yard (my son usually does it, but I gave him the weekend off from lawn care). I enjoyed doing it frankly....no yard work in the apartment, but its fun. Monday (had a vacation day) rode with my friend Steve around the area. Steve knows some great routes and we took a roundabout way to Salisbury, Nc for a good lunch and a visit to Tilley's HD. Steve is in the photo above, has the red Harley Ultra Classic (thats my Vulcan next to it). That blew away some of the disapointment from Saturday.
Ride back to Richmond was nice; again great weather (the rains apparently held off till I got here). Will be in Richmond this weekend since the Curtailment Day we had scheduled at work for Friday was cancelled (yeah I know....days off without pay and overtime...go figure) and we will be working Friday and maybe Saturday now.
Still have been checking some of the blogs for weekend events, and do enjoy exploring the area which I will do some of this weekend (whatever the weekend actually turns out to be with work).

Exploring Richmond; Bikes and Air

Very interesting day in Richmond today. Up early this morning to see off the "Child Savers Charity Ride" at the abandoned Cloverleaf Mall in Richmond, Va. It happens to be fairly close to the apartment and as a motorcycle rider (with his bike at his house in Concord, NC) thought it would be fun to check out. Had a really good turnout on a perfect Richmond day for the Tuskegee Airman Motorcycle Club and a few hundred of their friends. I enjoyed the rumble and roar of all those bikes, and met some interesting people before they headed down the road at 10am.


My next stop today was at the Virginia Aviation Museum for the Air Fair. I have been there before, but really enjoy the museum and thought it would be fun to come back for a visit. Had a lot of groups there and some interesting new displays due to that. VCU had a hover craft they were working on, there were some police dogs, police displays, airport fire department vehicles, and that remarkable collection of aircraft in the museum. It was well worth the visit, even for a second time around.



I also made a stop at the nearby Richmond International Airport. Course you can't see it all due to the security checkpoints, but did get inside to see the building. It really is a fine looking building that brings a feeling of flight when you go inside. It has a few places to eat (with the usual airport prices) and got to see a few planes flying around the airport, and I enjoy that. Not 100% sure but very possible that I will be using that airport in the future in some of my travels. One thing that was nice, parking for the first hour was free, and that was the time I spent looking around at the facility.

After that, made a couple of stops. I went to the site of the Confederate Chimborazo Hospital, which was where some 76,000 Confederates were treated in the Civil War. Some 20% died there, which was considered remarkable success back in that day for medical care. Amazingly the ride which I saw earlier take off, ended there...so I ran into them again. I also made a stop (n the sun vs the rainy day I saw it last time) at St. John's Church and looked around there before making my final stop in Shockoe Bottom for a bit of refreshment before heading back to the apartment.
Certainly Richmond is a very interesting town with a great deal to offer. I enjoyed my travels around the area today, even the "repeats" that I did in the course of the day.

Five Forks and the Memorial Day Weekend

Blessed with a four day weekend away from work, took off from Virginia on a Friday morning after a long (9.5) hour night at work, and a bit of sleep. I rode to Five Forks Battlefield which was an important part of the Civil War. Petersburg and Richmond had been under siege which would be the longest in US history. Grant sent forces to take the Five Forks area which offered a route to the South Side Railroad; Lee's last supply line for his army. Grant's 22,000 troops faced 10,000 Confederate forces under George Pickett on April 1, 1865. The battle turned out to be a rout with 1/3 off the Confederates killed, injured or captured with a loss to the Union of some 800 troops. Petersburg was assaulted the next day, and the city fell with Richmond falling shortly after. Less than a week after that, Lee surrendered his army.
The battlefield is much changed over time; what was fields in 1865 is now mostly covered by trees, though this is the center of the Confederate line. I spent about an hour there, with some of the sites along the way to see, and also checked out the visitor center.
Got to Concord, NC later that afternoon. I-85 was backed up with race traffic, took an early exit and hit some of the back routes to get home. Got in a motorcycle ride to see some of the race track displays, and also visited some friends. At the end of the ride, got pounded in one of the weekend downpours; but it did a good job (after I dried it) of washing the bike, plus my jeans, shirt, shoes, and helmet. That is one of the "joys" of motorcycling. The rains prevented further rides, also greatly impacted the race which was cancelled for Sunday night, and shortened for the Monday running.
I did get oil changed on the car also a fantastic tire balance. For the ride back to Richmond, the car felt like it was on rails.....really good job at Sears in Concord, NC. Good to be back and I will be here till June 6. I also have a big day planned (hopefully the weather will change soon) at the Hog Happenin in Lincolnton, NC that day. That has been a favorite motorcycle event of mine for some years, but will save that for a future post.

Hollywood Cemetery/Monument Avenue

This is one amazing town; with a history to match. The more I explore it, the more I see that, and really enjoyed the journey today. First stop today was the Hollywood Cemetery which has a lot of history buried in its graves. Saw the graves of James Monroe, as well as President Tyler, also the graves of J.E.B Stewart, and George Pickett. Jefferson Davis is also buried there, plus a whole lot more of the people who made Richmond's history. Not to mention that its a beautiful place to explore with a great view of the James River thrown in at no charge. I could spend a lot more time there, and will again in the future.

As for Monument Avenue, sure its been photographed a few zillion times, but those statues are something to see, as are the buildings that are along the street. Place was alive with people, and some really interesting places to see along the roads. On a beautiful Sunday afternoon it made for a really nice walk. Richmond certainly did things in a big way, and seems to still think that way from the impression I have been getting of the city. All in all, an outstanding day!