This recent photo of Wythe Raceway reminds me of when we were racing at Concord Motorsport Park with Ricky Hendrick in the NASCAR Winston Late Model series in the late ’90’s. We couldn’t race in the rain, yet the track always seemed reluctant to call the event and send everyone home. You’d even be sitting in the infield in the pouring rain and call the track pretending to be a fan on your way, and asking about the weather with, “Is it raining there?” The track would tell you it wasn’t raining and to come on down. We’d just laugh, and say “Ooooookay!” They would stay open way past the time we knew they could get the race in before they’d finally call the race and let us go home. We never could figure out why they seemed so intent on not calling it off and letting everyone go home.

One night, we stayed there ridiculously late waiting for them to call the race, and we noticed as soon as the concession stands closed, the concession workers called someone in the office, the track then called the race, and we could finally go home. We’d stumbled across the key! Clearly, we weren’t going home until all the food in the concession stands was sold. The next time it rained early in the night, Ricky wanted to get out of there ASAP, so armed with our newly found wisdom, we dipped in our petty cash account and bought all the hotdogs and hamburgers. They quickly closed the concession stands and immediately called the race. We went through the pits and grandstand handing out the free food and telling everybody they were welcome! Ha-ha-ha! Good times!