Checking off another of the 100 Places

About noon Sunday, Linda called and asked if I had any ideas for the afternoon. A few minutes later, we were on the road again; this time heading for the Iowa Speedway near Newton. The NASCAR Featherlite Coaches 200 race was going to be starting at two o'clock. Neither of us had been to the track and it is on The List so this was about as good a time as any. While this race is to be between drivers trying to make it to the Nextel Cup level, Kevin Harvick, winner of this year's Daytona 500, was going to be a featured driver.

It was very easy to get to the track and tickets were still available. There were only a handful of sections with seats available to it was going to be a good crowd. Outside the track, there were the normal displays of cars and sponsor's products, just not as many as at a Cup event. Also missing were the driver's merchandise haulers; probably a little early for that yet.

We found our seats in time for the introductions and learned that at least one of the drivers was only sixteen years old... and he would be starting in the front row, next to Harvick. Not bad!

The race started and Kevin took the the lead in a white number thirty-three. Several people in the stands were wearing shirts and caps with his name and Cup number. He got off to a good start but didn't get away from The Kid. As the laps clicked off, the two traded the lead back and forth fifteen times! While much of the crowd was there to see Harvick, The Kid was building a fan base of his own. In the end, Joey Logano, The Kid, prevailed and actually won by the comfortable margin of over two seconds! Quite a feather in his cap.

The racing was excellent. The facility is quite comfortable. Traffic control on the way out will improve. It was a great day for racing. Nice to check another item off the list.