All the lessons you’ll learn at a drag race in Thunder Valley

It’s no secret my parents like fast cars. They named me after Carroll Shelby, designer of the Shelby Mustang and the Shelby Cobra. With that in mind, we can’t just go anywhere for Father’s Day, especially when the drag races in Bristol happen to fall on that weekend.

My family has spent the past two Father’s Day weekends in Bristol for the races. I’ve learned quite a few lessons in Thunder Valley, namely the importance of sunscreen.

It’s crazy sunny

Y’all, I can’t reiterate enough how important sunscreen is. Believe it or not, my entire family coated each other in sunscreen when we got to the track. The thing is, we forgot to reapply it a few hours later. Now I look like that sunburned man from Lilo and Stitch.

It’s crazy hot

Don’t be fooled by your Snapchat filters – it is much hotter when you’re sitting in the grandstands, watching cars blow past you at 300mph. At one point, the announcer told us the track temperature was 132 degrees. With this in mind, water is your best friend. I drank about five bottles of water and still felt like I was dying of thirst. So when you’re packing your car for a day at the track, do not hesitate to bring extra water.

It’s crazy loud

You can always pick the new fans from the seasoned ones when a car starts up. The new fans always jump at the noise, while the seasoned ones casually turn their attention to the starting line. That being said, everyone needs ear protection at these events. If you’re smart, you’ll buy something ahead of time, instead of paying $3 for a set of earbuds at the souvenir stand.

Get there early

This place fills up. Unless you want to hike a mile to get to the track (I’m not kidding), you need to get there early and find a spot in the parking lot. Otherwise, you’re lined up on the side of the road.

The drivers are the coolest

In all my years of going to sporting events, I’ve never experienced anything like driver meet and greets at drag races. You don’t have to purchase an additional ticket package to wander through the pits. The dragsters are all lined up and the drivers are usually there to meet with fans before they race. It’s not uncommon to see kids running around with fistfuls of autographs or see someone posing with the Force sisters. I’ve never waited longer than five minutes to get an autograph.

Buy something really cool, then get it signed

Sure, most of the drivers provide photos to sign, but they’ll sign anything you hand them. Most of the souvenir tents sell dragster parts, like crankshafts and blower belts. Every year, we buy a blower belt for $20 and take it around with a silver Sharpie to the drivers and get them to sign it. In addition to that, this year we bought dad a used parachute that was signed by Cruz Pedregon. These end up being a thousand times cooler than signed photos and hats.

Go through the tunnel

At Bristol, there are two tunnels which allow you to go under the track. Everyone has to experience being under a roaring dragster at least once, feeling the Earth rumble around you for just a few seconds. Your heart feels like it has stopped and your bones vibrate. It’s one of the coolest feelings in the world. It’s a rite of passage – it’s also the passage to the grandstands.

This isn’t just for men

Erica Enders-Stevens has been my hero since I was about eight years old. She and her sister were the subjects of a Disney Channel Original Movie called Right on Track about their start in junior drag racing. Erica is arguably this generation’s Shirley Muldowney. She’s joined by Courtney and Brittany Force, Alexis DeJoria and Leah Pritchett as the more prominent ladies in the NHRA. We’ve come a long way from Muldowney and I can’t wait to see what the next generation of drivers has to offer.

There are fans from all walks of life

It’s easy to see the Confederate flags and the Trump stickers and think, “This is just a gathering of rednecks.” But there are more to fans than what meets the eye. You have your Rebel Flag Wavers, your Fast and Furious Wannabes and your Trump Supporters. But you also have young girls carrying around pink dragsters. You have teenagers with blue hair. You have old couples who have been following the sport since Don Garlits.

We’re all united for one reason: we love the smell of Nitro in the morning.