On the street

So, I have to admit this was my first time ever at Hawkeye Downs. Well, except for that time I covered a fair there. But, Friday night at the Keith Fleck Miller 100 Race was the first time I came for the races. Which brings me to my second and third confession. I don't know much about racing and I was actually surprised by how loud it really is there.

But, my two-year-old, who is a big fan of the Disney Pixar movie "Cars" couldn't have been more excited to see real live racing cars. We bought him a checkered flag and he was dancing around waving it when he saw the race officials do the same. So, it wasn't long before his excitement and that of the other fans rubbed off on me. At events like this, the adrenaline is catching.

It was a nice night to be at the speedway with cool breezes and clear skies. I was impressed by the fan's too. They were there for the long haul. A few people were already milling around when I went to check things out at 4:30 p.m., five hours before the main event even started. And, when we came back two and a half hours before the 9:30 p.m. start time, the stands were nearly full.

And with a lot of local favorites as well as locals out on the tracks, it was an appropriate night to ask fans what they thought makes being a race car driver such a cool job? I was expecting a lot of answers about how fast you get to drive. But, people surprised me. My favorite was the woman who pointed out that the camraderie in the stands and on the tracks was the coolest part of the jobs. Whether you drive stock cars or hobby cars, all the drivers treat each other with respect, she said. What's not to love about that?

Next week, co-host Nicole Riehl will be on the Ped Mall in Iowa City for the free summer concert series asking people what the best or most memorable thing was about their summer in Iowa City. Euforquestra, an eclectic world-beat ensemble from Iowa City, will take the stage for one of the last concerts of the summer series. Go check it out.