I had been raised around all types of racing. Everything from local stock cars to supercross. My Dad took me to about everything but it was mostly drag racing or motorcycle racing. Then one summer, he took me to my first sprintcar race. We were visiting relatives in Springfield, IL and said hey let's go to the races. We went to a little bullring right on the edge of town located next to the Kmart. It was Little Springfield and the first sprintcar I saw was an All Star race. I'll never forget the first hot lap session. Cars had these big right rear tires and wings. Wasn't sure what to think of them. They dropped the green and I was hooked. All of a sudden they were flying around the track, pulling wheelies off of the corner and leaving rooster tails behind them. . My dad even snuck us into the pits and I got to see them up close and personal. Come to find out later, as a kid my dad would sneak out and head over to the track and climb a tree outside of turns 3/4 to watch the races. After that night, the only races I asked to go to were sprint cars. I appreciate all types of motorsports and love getting out and seeing something different but none of them hold a candle to sprintcars.

My moment was my first race. My dad took me to Ascot. I was 10 or so and we were sitting in the south turn.
It was when they threw the green flag for that 1st hot lap. Seeing the cars wiggle down that straight away, coming right at us. Then they just threw the cars sideways and threw mud at us. Oooooh that did me in right there.

When I got a lil older I remember watching a driver.....oh what was his name? Tim somebody.........Clauson maybe?
I remember watching him wheel a sprint car around Ernie Purcell Speedway. Man that cat was smooth and always up front.

I'm 51 years old - been going to the races for 44 of those years. Sounds stupid, I know, but I still feel "the moment" every time I'm in the pits and a sprint car is idling or driving by, or the 1st lap in the first hot lap session as a car throws into the turn sideways, the wave to the fans on the pace lap of an A-main, the smell of the methanol, the rumble from the pits after the cars have been started and are warming, the smile on my face as I see my favorite driver and rig pull in to the pits, the anticipation you feel when you walk the pits and count cars. I could go on forever - we all could!

My moment is every time I go to the races....it's what keeps me going back! Can't imagine the day I can no longer go!

I can't remember exactly when the moment was,but it's safe to say it was a long time ago !!!