Kit Turner’s Guide to Race Weekends (Ahead of the Pack Preview)
So my big project lately has been working hard on my first novel Ahead of the Pack.
If you've read Heat 15 from Sofawolf Press, you've already met the main characters and seen the antics they've gotten into. This novel will give the whole story of how they got there and what happened after.
But, since many people might not have a firm idea of how stock car racing works, here's veteran ferret driver David "Kit" Turner's take on what happens during a race weekend.
Art by Merystic of FA for SofaWolf Press' Heat 15
36 weeks--that's how long the SCRA season is. And each week we go race somewhere in America. Tracks, for the most part are oval in shape--insert turn left joke here--though we do go to a pair of road courses where we turn right as well. Most tracks are between one and half and two miles in length, though the road courses are longer, plus two massive 2.5-mile superspeedways, and a pair of half mile short tracks. In the Cup series, races are endurance races--running 300 to 500 miles (with one 600-mile race thrown in for good measure). This means that stock car racing isn't so much about slamming your paw to the floorboard and keeping it there, but not slowing down. Staying fast over the long haul is more important than highest top speed in a race. There's a lot of things to consider in that time, because you are going to have to refuel at least three to four times in 500 miles and your tires will get worn out in that time. So, you make a pit stop to put gas and change tires. There're also certain adjustments you can make to the car on a pit stop. This adds a lot of strategy to a race. But the race itself is only the main event of a three-day weekend and as drivers, we're busy for most of it.
A typical race weekend starts on Friday with practice so we can see how the track feels that particular weekend. During and after that you make adjustments to the car. Then we decide the starting order for the race on Sunday, though this can happen on Saturday. Each of the 43 drivers takes their car out for three laps by themselves. First lap is so you can get your car up to speed, last two are for you to lay down a fast lap. Fastest time starts first, slowest time starts last. If Trucks or Grand National are at the same track as a Cup race, they're doing all this too. And maybe you, the driver, are doing double or even triple duty and participating in all of this. This happens a lot, especially when sponsors are willing to shell out for a more experienced driver to try and get their vehicle a win. Or if a team thinks a driver needs more track time for whatever reason. If all three series are at the same track, Trucks will have their race on Friday.
Saturday is more practice, qualifying if it wasn't on Friday, and the Grand National race if they're in town. Depending on the track, SCRA has started introducing what they call "Impound Races". These mess with that schedule a bit, because they have all the practice before qualifying, and once qualifying is over, you don't touch the car again until race time. The idea is that it saves the teams money on tires and fuel by cutting practice to just two sessions and making you use the same motor all weekend.
On Sunday, it's down to business. Race Day. Cup races start at noon local time, but that doesn't mean that we get a lazy morning to lounge around. Depending on what track we're at, there's a whole bunch of interviews with the media, autograph sessions at the souvenir trailers, appearances for your sponsor, and a driver safety meeting. Then, there's the whole prerace spectacle. Drivers are introduced to the crowd, then we ride around the track in the back of a truck so the crowd can get pictures. Then there's the national anthem, and a ceremonial command to start engines. Finally, we strap into our car for three to four hours of sustained tension. But the rewards are worth it. Especially if you do well, because for one day at least you're the best in the world.
After the race, there's more talking to the media if you did well and then you head home to start preparing for the next one. And you do that 36 times a year.
Best job in the world.