It is a gorgeous day at Phoenix International Raceway for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Kobalt Tools 500 Race. The skies are cloudless blue, the flags are starting to fly, and spf is definitely the order of the day for those who choose to bare more than is necessary. The grandstands and hillsides are starting to fill up after the folks have raided the souvenir areas.
Different people have different ways of handling the Pre-Race period. The teams line up their cars for Pre-Race Tech and then push onto the track in readiness for the race. For some it’s Hurry Up and Wait. The garage area isn’t that full, even though it’s ‘Cold’ instead of ‘Hot.’ Garage tours, large and small, are being herded about. The designated walk and gawk area on the front straight is packed with fans of all kinds peering and staring and taking the obligatory photos. Cameras are ubiquitous.
This is a photo essay. A picture is worth a thousand words.
It’s all about cubic dollars. Racing isn’t just for fun these days. It’s corporate America underwriting the teams and drivers, and it’s all about B2B these days. Times are such that next year the word is that no driver will have the same sponsor for all 38 races. The wealth, so to speak, is being spread around.
Teams and drivers find different ways to get bang for their buck, and it’s no where more obvious in the garage and pits. It’s all about who can be the most clever, obvious, in your face, iconic, colorful, etc. Here are some example from Sunday.
Seen on a fan’s TV shirt
What happens in the Ambulance stays in the Ambulance
Burton v Gordon
2010