• Home
  • About Us
  • Work With Us
  • Social Media News
  • Privacy & Terms
  • Thunderbolt Social Media
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Dangerous Cupcake Lifestyle

  • Entertainment
  • Travel
  • Food & Wine
    • Wine
    • Cupcakes
  • Disney & Marvel
    • Disney
    • Marvel
  • Crafts, Cars & Cool Things
    • Crafts
    • Cars
    • Dogs
    • Cool Things
    • Technology
  • Home & Life
You are here: Home / Cars / Goodyear Tire Test California: NASCAR at Auto Club Speedway

Goodyear Tire Test California: NASCAR at Auto Club Speedway

January 16, 2019 By Donna Biroczky Leave a Comment

Tweet
Share
Pin2
2 Shares

Last week, as I sat in my office, I heard the distinct sound of fast cars….not just any fast cars, but the sounds of cars on the track at Auto Club Speedway. NASCAR was back in town by way of Goodyear tire test California-style.

I live only about a mile from the track, so every time there’s an event going on, we get to hear it before we see it. As major NASCAR fans, it’ s a really cool bonus to living where we do. (No, we didn’t move here because of that, to answer a very popular question.) It’s like total immersion.

Last week, Goodyear Tire Testing was taking place at the speedway, and I was invited as media to attend. The event was also open to hard card holders and those who already had purchased tickets for the 2019 Auto Club 400. Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Team Penske car, was holding a Q&A and Daniel Suarez held a press conference. That all took place after they tested the tires out on the track, along with the new driver of the #19 Joe Gibbs Racing car, Martin Truex, Jr. (Daniel Suarez moved away from the #19 and is now in the Stewart-Haas #41, a seat vacated by the departure of Kurt Busch.)

nascar race at auto club speedway

Just being at the track was a pre-season treat, listening to the sounds of the engines and smelling the burnt rubber.  (This guy waxes poetic here about the true smell of NASCAR, and his list is hilarious!) As I walked around with my media vest on, I got asked a lot of questions: what are they here for? who do you think will win? where is the rest room? can you find out when I can buy a new hat? Walking amongst NASCAR fans at any race or infield weekend is always an experience. You haven’t really watched NASCAR until you’ve seen it firsthand at least once. You’ll understand then why I say that the NASCAR fan base is like no other. We share stories, make beer runs for strangers, tailgate like nobody’s business and make friends in the parking lot that we maintain for decades. Nothing compares, and I’ve been to a lot of sports events throughout the years.

I’ll pick NASCAR and its left turns ANY day.

nascar auto club speedway

I am so ready for the season to start! Have you bought your tickets yet? If not, head over here to the Auto Club Speedway website and look at your options. If you’re new, throw in a pit pass. Okay, buy it even if you aren’t new. Wandering pit road on the Saturday before the big race is a teaser for the big day. Wander by all the pit boxes, check out the war wagons and listen to the chatter as the crew preps. Tires are lined up, and if they’re not too busy, often the crew members will take photos with you. (There’s been several times I was invited up into the box — some of my best memories were made at Auto Club Speedway and other race tracks, courtesy of friendly fan-friendly teams! I may or may not have climbed into the tower at Charlotte Motor Speedway years ago while taking a very loose self-guided ‘tour’ of the track.)

Watching the teams participating in the Goodyear tire testing was very interesting for a race geek like me. I sat along the front edge of the rooftop boxes, undercover from the bright sun on a day that quickly turned chilly, observing what lines the drivers were choosing and how the cars were responding through various parts of the track. There was even a little drafting going on, which as any diehard fan will tell you, can either be very interesting or very bad. (Think train wreck at Talledega.)

daniel suarez

Last year, we started watching Daniel Suarez more closely. As an up-and-coming driver, we were seeing more action from him on the track. When the commentators start mentioning his name more, you know they’re onto something. In Mexican-born Daniel’s case, he was breaking new ground by bringing a new fan base. He was XFinity Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year in 2015. Daniel’s starting his third season in the Monster Energy Series and already, he seems to be at home at Stewart-Haas. We got to spend a few minutes with him after the end of the first day of tire testing, which happened to be his birthday. I got to wish him happy birthday, and ask him a question my husband was dying to know: did Carl Edwards give you any advice back when you began driving the #19, and if yes, what it was and is it relevant today?

daniel suarez 19 nascar

Short answer: yes, but no, not relevant today.

Long answer: Carl is a good friend, a great guy, and he gave Daniel a lot of advice. The team back then (with the #19) was extremely strong, and Carl was very very helpful, but “all the advice and everything he taught me back then, especially with this new package, pretty much doesn’t apply now.” I expected this to be the answer, as we’d had the pleasure of meeting Carl more than once, and he was nothing but kind. Above all, he was professional so for him to help someone stepping into the car as he did was not a surprise.

Daniel also shared that the tire testing was a very productive day for him and that they learned a lot. As for his goal? “The goal is to continue to grow this team and learn from these guys.” My best is that he’s going to do it with ease.

daniel suarez 19 nascar

If you’re unsure of your interest in attending a race, head down to the track for one of these events. You won’t be dealing with a lot of crowds, so you’ll get to learn the lay of the land. You’ll get sucked in by the smells and the sounds, and once you choose a driver to root for, you’ll be personally invested. Buy that first hat and/or shirt and it’s a done deal. You’ll be down in Autograph Alley as the cars go on/off the track for practice sessions and you’ll work on scoring up-close photos of your driver and other favorites.

joey logano

Soon, you’ll be reciting stats and telling people how fast the drivers go on the back stretch and what a pound of wedge in the rear really means. Take it up a notch and rent a headset for race day, so you can listen to the driver communicate with his crew chief during the race. The terminology is interesting but easy to pick up, and you’ll get a laugh at the heated discussions as the race goes along.

martin Truex Jr.

Let me know if you go to the race, or if you’re a new convert to the sport. I could quote stats and convince you with a lot of numbers, but I write more to share my passion about the sport and to explain the WHY you need to attend. Give it a chance. NASCAR is a lot more than just left turns. It’s strategy, teamwork, athleticism and plain old competitive racing. Go see it at your home track, and for me, that’s Auto Club Speedway, nestled in the foothills of Southern California with miles of mountain views.

Want a brief primer on NASCAR and how it’s way more than  just left turns? Read this short post on the basics of NASCAR races. I also wrote this post about when NASCAR comes to the Auto Club Speedway and how following NASCAR really isn’t what you think!

nascar auto club speedway

The Speedway is easily accessible for several major freeways, such as the 10, 60, 15 and 210. Whatever direction you come from, you’ll enjoy the atmosphere, the food and the new friends you’ll make. Tailgating is at its finest, and if you don’t want to drive, the Metrolink offers packages to lessen the crowds in the lot, save you money and time, and allow people to indulge in adult beverages without drinking and driving.

I’ll see you at the races!

Tweet
Share
Pin2
2 Shares

Filed Under: Cars Tagged With: car, nascar, race

Previous Post: « Marvel’s New Captain Marvel Posters are Here!
Next Post: How to Complete FAFSA Online for Your Teenager’s College Tuition »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Follow Us

dangerous cupcake lifestyle club 33 profile
I’m Donna, and I’m not a mommy blogger.
I’m a Gen X mom of four, a Marvel geek and creator of Dangerous Cupcake, a Southern California lifestyle blog dedicated to life after the kids grow up. As my kids enter different stages of their lives, I get to do the same, having fun, loving Disney, watching Marvel, and not letting my age define anything. Phase 2 of life is pretty amazing, and midlife isn’t a bad word. Join me in changing focus and enjoying life during our next adventure, without totally starting over. However you do it, life is short, live a little dangerously.
Donna@DangerousCupcakeLifestyle.com

We are an Amazon affiliate, which means some Amazon links you click may be our affiliate links. In that case, we may make some money IF you purchase using those links or other affiliate links.
We appreciate you!

STUFF WE WRITE ABOUT

Footer

dangerouscupcakelifestyle

Gen X mom breaking the mold of midlife.
Travel. Food. Wine. 🥃 🐾
NASCAR. Disney. Marvel.
Fontana | DM to collab

Donna | Southern California Lifestyle Blogger
As we pulled up to our hotel in Paris, our driver As we pulled up to our hotel in Paris, our driver pulled over briefly on this bridge across the river Seine. She explained to us that it was a very popular place for people to take wedding and engagement photos. We got lucky, traffic cleared for a moment and I snapped this shot of a bride and groom in their honeymoon car, just about to drive away. It was a beautiful first real view of this city of romance. I want to go back again, just to wander and eat and try more wines, no real agenda beyond walking and taking it all in. 

#paris #parisfrance #eiffeltower #visitparis #france #visitfrance #travel #travelerlife #travelblog #travelblogger #midlife #midlifeblogger #cityofromance #cityoflight #riverseine #seineriver #pontdebirhakeim #parisbridge #parisskyline
Our Alaskan cruise was full of amazing memories, b Our Alaskan cruise was full of amazing memories, but this day spent kayaking on Chilkoot Lake was incredible. Cold, deep water. Snowy peaks. Glacier fed. Slightly terrifying but once we got in the groove, we kicked ass. 10/10 if you take an Alaskan passage cruise. 

#alaska #alaskatravel #alaskancruise #cruisealaska #cruises #cruise #travelblogger #travelblog #adventure #chilkoot #chilkootlake #hainesalaska @royalcaribbean #royalcaribbeancruise #royalcaribbean #kayak #kayakalaska #kayaking #kayakers #lakekayaking #cruiselife
With the recent release of Guardians of the Galaxy With the recent release of Guardians of the Galaxy 3 in theaters, the Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure is even more relevant to me when I visit the park. Last week, the morning after I saw the movie, I was at my happy place and the first ride I went on was Mission Breakout. I got a kick out of the scene where Drax punches the animal in the face, and once you’ve seen GOTG3, you’ll get why. I considered going on it again, but I was on the Carthay wait list (highly recommended if you don’t have a reservation, particularly if there’s only 1-2 in your party) and I got my text to return within 15 minutes for my seat…and I really wanted the bao buns. I did head back later in the evening to watch a Marvel show with Black Widow by the Quinjet. Never saw Mantis though, was really hoping to get a picture with her. 

Don’t skip the gift store on your way off the ride. There’s a whole new batch of GOTGVol3 gear AND new Loki stuff! The purple Loki hoodie had just come out and I grabbed one before they sold out, even though I can’t imagine when I’ll wear it next here in SoCal. With the show coming out on October 6, I’ll wear it…with the a/c on if I need to. There’s also some new stuff in the Studio 17 store — if you haven’t visited it, it’s full of photo opps and gear for all your Marvel needs. 

@disneyland #disneyland #disneycaliforniaadventure #disneycalifornia #avengerscampus #gotgvol3 #gotg3 #gotg #guardiansofthegalaxyvol3 #guardiansofthegalaxy #marvel @marvelstudios @marvel @guardiansofthegalaxy #quinjet #disney #marvelstudios #rocket #missionbreakout #visitanaheim #anaheim #disneyblogger #disneyblog #disneycreators #marvelblog #starlord #peterquill #nebula #marvelmovies #marvelmovie
Disney’s Toontown has had a major redo recently, Disney’s Toontown has had a major redo recently, removing its iconic trolley — a photo opp of many memories with my Toontown-playing son — and adding a new ride, Mickey’s Runaway Railway. It’s a mix of animation, motion and music, and I LOVED it. Come along with me on a quick tour of the line-waiting area and part of the ride. Don’t worry, I didn’t share too much so you will still have plenty of surprises!  Say what you will about Disney-loving adults, I don’t care, I waited 35 minutes to ride this and I’ll do it again next time..and the next…and the next. Only warning: hold onto your hats, and ears! The ride is safe and smooth but there are some quick movements that may catch you off guard.

@disneyland #disneyland #disney #mickeymouse #toontown #disneytoontown #mickeystoontown #disneystoontown #disneyadult #disneyadults #disneyride #disneyrides #disneycalifornia #anaheim #anaheimcalifornia #magickey #disneymom #disneycreator
Getting a box from Melissa’s Produce is what I i Getting a box from Melissa’s Produce is what I imagine it would feel like when you’re a contestant on Chopped. What’s in the box? What can I make with it? Except without the pressure to get it all done in 45 minutes or less. Each box makes me be creative, and each item I’ve never tried pushes me a little out of my comfort zone to try new things. Whatever it is, we have so much fun! This box included Blue Potatoes, Baby Heirloom Tomatoes, Dragon Fruit (Yellow), Ojai Pixie Tangerines, Rhubarb, and a big bag of Fava Beans….which may be my favorite, because shelling them is relaxing and you can’t have too many fava beans and Chianti jokes.

Thank you @MelissasProduce! I’ll be sharing recipes soon. I’m thinking up ideas and will be making them all this week to post here in a reel or on my website. I’ll update later! 

@MelissasProduce #recipes #freshproduce #OjaiPixies #OjaiPixieTangerines #Dragonfruit #rhubarb #favabeans #chianti #heirloomtomatoes #springproduce #foodie #foodblogger #foodblog #recipe #recipes #fruitrecipes #bluepotatoes #potatorecipe #melissasproduce
Arrrrrrr attire was on point at yesterday’s Disn Arrrrrrr attire was on point at yesterday’s Disney-themed Kentucky Derby party. 

#kentuckyderby #kentuckyderbyfashion #derbyday #kentuckyderbyparty #kentuckyderbyparty2023 #disneythemed #pirates #disneypirates #disneypirate #piratesofthecaribbean #deadmentellnotales #derbyhats #derbyhat #derbyparty #disneyderby #kentuckyderbyhats #kentuckyderbystyle
Load More... Follow on Instagram
Life is short, so it should never be boring. Dangerous Cupcake Lifestyle is all about enjoying life, specifically midlife, finding yourself after your kids grow up and above all, keeping it real. Live dangerously. We'd love to hear from you -- let's work together!

Copyright © 2023 Dangerous Cupcake and Thunderbolt Social Media

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT