11/7/1999 NASCAR Dura Lube 500, Phoenix International Raceway, Avondale, AZ


 21 years ago yesterday...

November 7, 1999 - Avondale, AZ

The Dura Lube 500 NASCAR race was run at Phoenix International Raceway.
Tony Stewart led 154 of 312 laps and took the checkered flag.
We got to ride a few laps around the track in the pace car, a standard Chevy Camaro. The driver only went around 60 MPH, but you did get a sense of the banking of the track. We also walked around the pits and watched the crews do their prep.
We are not racing fans. Once the race started, the sound was deafening. Patrons must wear ear plugs or the headphones that allow listening in to the drivers' communication. We couldn't have been more bored. Fortunately we had access to VIP hospitality tents and retreated there to get out of the noise, grab comp cocktails and watch NFL games on monitors.

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