BfloGirlTravel: Watkins Glen International – 8/7/16

NASCAR track No. 2 in a 10-day span was my “home” track, Watkins Glen International in the Finger Lakes region. The Glen on Sunday is a madhouse – tons of people all over the place, vendors, sponsor booths, driver appearances – but making it even crazier was the announcement of a new team for 2017, as Erik Jones jumps into a second car at Furniture Row Racing with 5-Hour Energy as a sponsor. Here are a few of my photos from the weekend – more can be found at paulathompsonfreelance.com and its associated Facebook page.

Ferris wheel at Toyota display 

The new No. 77 for Erik Jones and Furniture Row Racing

Martin Truex Jr.

Michael McDowell

Joey Logano and Ryan Newman

The flyover

My sentiments exactly!

Aric Almirola

Smoke

Watkins Glen International in pictures

Toyota's cool ferris wheel

Matt Kenseth

I don’t care what some people say – road courses are freakin’ awesome! Especially when there’s one in your “backyard” (i.e. – a couple hours away). Watkins Glen International is that track for me, and the best way to get there – unless you’re staying there – is on a bus trip: dropped off right in front of the grandstand gate, with lots of time to go explore the midway area (but still never enough!). Here are a few pictures from this year’s event.

Newman!

Casey Mears

Clint Bowyer

on pit road

mmmm...M&Ms!

on the starting grid

heading to the green flag

random tire rolling along (yes, the frontstretch was cheering on the tire!)

Joey Logano on fire! (literally)

all photos: paulathompsonfreelance.com

**note – Mom and I went with D&F Travel – all travel was paid for by me, and all opinions are my own.**

A Kurt, A Casey and Two Kyles: Look Who I Found at Watkins Glen International!

Walking around the infield “Fan Fair” area at Watkins Glen International on Sunday morning before the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race in August, it felt like being at a festival somewhere in Buffalo: food, beverages, freebies, food sampling, race car drivers…OK, maybe that last thing won’t be found at a Buffalo festival…

The atmosphere is electric – there are thousands of people walking around, checking out the souvenir haulers and sponsor displays, like Target, GEICO and Toyota. These were some of the places where I found a few drivers hanging out:

• Kyle Larson

Casey Mears

Kurt Busch

Kyle Busch

I also found Madison, one of the Miss Sprint Cups, but she didn’t fit into the “kuh” theme I had going there…

all photos: paulathompsonfreelance.com