Pocono Raceway

You may be wondering why we chose to go to the Poconos if we weren't going to spend our time in one of those heart-shaped bathtubs at a resort.

Here's the reason. Pocono Raceway offered a chance for my husband to knock off a couple of items from his bucket list.

The entrance to the Pocono Raceway.



A rock with Richard Petty's
 name and racecar number.

The raceway offered a number of different affordable driving and/or riding experiences. He also was able to visit the race track, plus we were in the infield of a major race track even if the place was empty aside from us and other drivers or riders.
All of this is very thrilling if you have been a NASCAR fan for your entire life.

Wednesday was the day he was scheduled to take a ride in a stock car  at 165 mph around the 2.5 mile track. He decided not to drive because he determined he would get to go faster if a pro was at the wheel (and he was right - the guys who were driving crept along while he whizzed by them).



This is the infield.

 

These were the cars that would be used.

 


I don't know if these were Sprint cars or ARCA or what.

My husband had to put on a racing suit.



Then he waited.



He had a big smile on his face the whole time.

OK, he's not smiling here, but I love this picture of him.



This is my picture of a picture that the stock car people took.



This is the backside of him; I was taking this picture while the (ah hem) professional photograph was taking his picture.

 

Also my picture of their picture. I couldn't get over the infield railing to take a picture of him in the car from this side.
The driver's name was Steve.

This is my picture of him in the car, taken from the infield.



He's getting ready to go!

There he goes around the track at 165 mph. (And didn't I line that picture up well?)

And he's back, and shaking hands with one of the fellows who worked there.

Sometimes you go do things with the guy you love just because you love him. This is one of those major dreams - he's always wanted to ride in a stock car around a race track. I am glad we were able to go to Pocono so he could have this experience. It made the whole trip worth it.

But there was still something in Pennsylvania for me . . .