Visit to Charlotte gave behind-the-scenes look at race weekend
Students are encouraged to work as active media members at the race track and ultimately tell the story of their unique experience at a NASCAR event. Following each immersion, students will have the chance to see their work published on NASCAR.com. Last month, Logan Rice, a student from the University of South Carolina, attended the Sprint All-Star Race and Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway and filed this story. Follow Logan on Twitter here.
Racing has always been in my blood. My uncle and cousin raced at local short tracks in North Carolina, and my cousin was eventually a pit crew member for various Sprint Cup teams from 2000-2011. While I never got behind the wheel to race, I picked up right where they left off in NASCAR fandom. Even as a young 4-year-old, I had a favorite driver to root for every Sunday. I remember my father taking me to the local short track and watching races there, imagining myself watching a live Cup race. I would circle the dates on the schedule when the (then) Winston Cup teams would race at Martinsville and Bristol, because I knew the teams would practice at Greenville-Pickens Speedway. I would stand and stare through the chain link fence in awe, watching the teams practice on a Wednesday afternoon. I was hooked on NASCAR.
As I grew up, I never grew out of my love for Stock Car Racing. Sundays after church were designated for relaxing and watching the race that week. In 2009, I attended my very first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Braving the cold, I took everything in. The smell of the rubber and exhaust, the roar of the engines, and being in the midst of the action. That was the first of six NASCAR races I would attend. However, the next two NASCAR races I would attend in Charlotte would give me an entirely new perspective on NASCAR racing.
As a sophomore at the University of South Carolina, I began studying Sport and Entertainment Management. Through a research paper on a career in the NASCAR industry, I was invited to attend the two May races at Charlotte Motor Speedway: the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race and the Coca-Cola 600.
The moment I arrived in Charlotte for the Sprint All-Star Race, I was escorted to the infield and placed in a pace car for a 110 mph trip around Charlotte Motor Speedway. From there, I had a one-on-one interview with Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton. We discussed the positive effects of social media in NASCAR, and he explained his upbringing in NASCAR. I was then taken to the media center and debriefed on what I would be doing that day. I would be shadowing the Public Relations team, which dealt directly with NASCAR media. From directing photographers during qualifying, to corralling fans to their proper locations, and acting as a liaison between drivers and the media, the day was action packed. As a fan, I thought putting on a NASCAR race was simple. However, once brought behind the scenes, I realized that it is everything but.
After making sure all of the drivers were available for Driver Introductions, and brushing shoulders with some of my childhood heroes, it was time for the race to begin. Once the race ended, the victor, second-place driver, and top story line driver were brought into the media center for post-race interviews. I carefully took notes as Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, and even the Coach himself, Joe Gibbs, spoke about the Sprint All-Star Race. After the Coca-Cola 600 concluded, I was ushered to Victory Lane and watched in amazement as Carl Edwards exited his car in excitement with a downpour of confetti around us.
While all of these events were exhilarating, the experience behind the scenes of being a spectator opened my eyes to the incredible amount of work it takes to put on a NASCAR race. Every member of every team played a role in executing the event to perfection. I took careful mental notes to watch and see how each employee worked and interacted with one another to have team success. Every detail mattered at every second.
As someone who grew up watching NASCAR, and someone who looks to hopefully begin his career in the industry, this experience truly gave me a 360-degree look at the sport. From the stands, to pit road, to the press box, to the media center, I was able to understand exactly how a NASCAR spectacle is put on.
This experience was truly incredible.