How old were you when you went to your first race?

[t3r3e3]

5 years old at the World 100

[CIRF]

This really is a good thread. Apropos to the Christmas Season.

It wasn't my first race but it is the most special to me. My folks took me to the Springfield Mile during the Illinois State Fair when I was 12 years old. My Dad was a stock car guy so it was the ARCA race on the last day of the fair.

I'd NEVER seen anything like a 1 mile dirt track. Everything about it was bigger than life to a farm kid from a tiny hick town in Illinois. The biggest tracks I'd ever seen at that time was Peoria & Fairbury. I remember every detail of the track, grandstands and especially the race. My Dad & I have had several conversations about that race in the years following that day and, ironically, he remembers very little.

People ask me why the Springfield Mile is so special to me and that day is the reason!!

It's been said that, as a parent, you don't know when, where or why a moment in your child's history will be a seminal moment in their lives. My parents had no idea that day at Springfield was going to be so special to me for the rest of my life.

Very odd how these things fall in place.

[Pennsboro32]

I'm not even sure on the age. I had to have been anywhere from 1 to 1.5 years old. It was early 90's at Tyler County Speedway when my dad raced street stocks.

[EvelB7]

First race I remember was at West Liberty Ia, mid 70's. My dad was 'partners' in a car with a buddy of his and they would take turns driving (that was short lived). I remember sitting with my mom and grandparents weeks later when he bought his first car (Canadian Stock car Products car), Sportsman division; he would hit the turn 1 wall every week! I remember him telling me that Larry Eckrich was pitted next to him and after the umpteenth time of him knocking the right front off came over and offered some help.... I still feel very lucky may parents got me into racing, although there are times that I wished they had given me a crack habit- at least they have treatment programs for that!

[muddy mike]

mid 70s at Tri City or Belle Clair speedway maybe Lake Hill also but probably one of the first two.

[Billy_the_kid]

i think i was about 6. sante fe speedway. hooked ever since

[HoosierDirtFan]

6 year old

Fall of 1987
My first 4 tracks all with in a couple of weeks going for the first time.

Southlake Speedway / Crown Point Speedway - Indiana
Kankakee Speedway - Illinois
Santa Fe Speedway - Illinois
Shadyhill Speedway - Indiana

Been hooked on racing ever since.

[3 wide]

I was about 8 when the old coupes an skeeter use to race the skeeter was the start of sprints.

[grumfan]

The dates are fuzzy. I was 5 or 6 when my brother (who is 7 years older than me) was "helping" Tom Foust. He got to ride in the 49 Chevy coupe (#57) while being towed to and from the tracks by Tom's wife's sparkling new 55 Buick convertible. Supposedly he was in there in case the car came loose. I think the first track I went to was Ebensburg at the Fairgrounds, but it could've been Johnstown or Jennerstown. I was too cool for words to describe, riding in the back seat of the Buick with the top down and big brother riding behind in a race car. I remember Tom would take the race car to the local Chevy dealer (D.P. Luther's, my hangout) if he wrecked and for tune ups. I just assumed that was what everyone did.

[smokin19]

My story is a little different. Grew up in the mx racing world and didn't even really look at dirt car races until I was asked to help crew in 1986 now I'm 25. But got an opportunity to drive a couple lm races in 87' and that was it! So in 1988 went and bought all new equipment and finished national UMP ROY.

[BHinBC]

Not sure about the first but I do know (or at least have always been told) I went to the first Gaston Co. Shrine 100 in 1973 just shy of 4 years old. Next one will be the 50th and I haven’t missed one yet. Drove back from vacation & back to the beach (4 hours each way) the same night on 2 separate occasions.

[KDCHRLMNGE]

I was 10 years old, July 1, 1990 at Motordrome Speedway in Smithton PA (first year it was asphalt). My dad and I went with family friends who were race fans. Harry Gant, Dale Jarrett, Michael Waltrip and Rick Wilson were there and did an autograph session and exhibition race in some of the locals late models. Steve Peles won the regular late model feature and there was a fight in the pits during the victory lane interview. Someone posted a video of that days events on YouTube not long ago and it was so cool, I was like "I remember that!" I was hooked after that day, crewed for my friend in the street stocks, pro trucks and eventually late models for 20 years. Racing is definitely a virus, once it gets into your blood there's no getting it out.