My First "Wordless Wednesday!"

Well, okay, so it's not completely wordless, but it is freakin' awesome beyond words...

The annual trip to Springfield is usually fascinating (with the exception of that one year that I got sick from that restaurant). Clay goes on Thursday afternoon and I leave outta here about mid-day on Saturday and take my time gettin' there, which usually involves stops at multiple Hobby Lobby stores.

I always enjoy walkin' a pass through "The Car Corral," and I shoot random pictures of the stuff I like...









The weekend in Springfield also always includes a trip to the Dirt Track -- I know I've mentioned Springfield before, but it bears repeating: The place is impressive. Even this close to the end of the season, the cars are still straight and shiny 'cause they don't have anywhere near the rough-driving problem we have around here. The pre-race prayer before the National Anthem always makes me cry too.

Some of my pictures turn out kinda cool;


And some turn out kinda blurry;


But still moderately interesting;


Interesting, as in using a Front-Wheel Drive body on an obviously Rear-Wheel Drive car:


Ah, but the most interesting car in the whole bunch was this one, the two-seater Modified:


And Clay surprised me with a ride in it at intermission.


In the shotgun seat with Jerry Hoffman his-own-self;


And Clay took lots of pictures:


Along with a video of the experience:


In the interest of honesty, I showed up in Springfield with a monster of a headache. I took a teensy nap when I got to the hotel, and I took Tylenol with dinner, but it didn't completely go away 'til the first time Jerry hit the gas; and then I forgot all about it.

The two-seater Modified is an incredible experience, and if you ever get the chance to ride in one, by all means, do it!

I can't say I ever worried for my actual safety, 'cause hey, it's only one car out there, so ya know it's already safer than any Pure Stock A Feature I ever pulled out with. The only thing I really worried about was crammin' my ass into a racing seat that was visibly smaller than any of the ones I've had in my own race cars; but it worked out alright. The shotgun seat even has it's own free-spinning steering wheel; which I'd just as soon hand off to somebody who'd get a kick out of holding it, 'cause I didn't put my hands on it once we were out on the track. All I could really think about with a steering wheel that doesn't do anything was the kid mashin' all the buttons on the video game even though he hadn't put a quarter in -- it's not responding, but he's pushin' all those buttons just like he's playin' like crazy 'cause he's not smart enough to know the difference...

I'd kinda hoped it would be a bit of a learning experience, especially since the track had dried out and slicked off some -- I don't seem to do as well on a dry/slick track, so I thought it would be great to see how somebody else drove it. The whole car is boxed-in on both sides, so I didn't really get to see what he was doin', but getting a feel for it was Amazing and four laps is really just not enough when it comes right down to it.

The State Fair wouldn't know a Thrill Ride if it bit 'em...

Full Flickr Set from the whole weekend: Here.

More later. _\,,/