Hey Everybody! Hope you’ve been having a great week! In getting ready for this week, I vaguely feel like this top-fuel dragster leaving the starting line! One too many 5 hour energy drinks for me?
I wanted to share with you all a little bit about my weekend trip to Phoenix this weekend. With all my love and respect to LA, it was so refreshing to make it out of LA for a few days for the first time in nearly 9 weeks, since the beginning of the semester.
As you all might or might not know, last week was week 8 here at USC. Okay, so what does that mean? Well basically, it means we’re in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean so to speak if you were to be on a trans-Atlantic flight. Seven and half weeks down, seven and a half to go! During this time, there were quite a few projects and one last mid-term to get on with- but trust me, if I can make it through there, so too can you!
Now then, I’m not here to go on about work anymore- I really want to share with you about my great time in Phoenix this weekend.
I left on Friday afternoon, with my good bud Alex driving me to the airport (LAX). When we got there (for you pilots out there): RVR was 1500 and they were doing CAT II ILS approaches. Thankfully, I got out on time, and in to PHX on time as well.
The purpose of my trip was two fold- 1) To see my family (Mom, Dad, Aunt, and Cousins) 2) To see some NHRA drag racing.
I’ll spare you the extended family history. 🙂 On to racing!
So I got in to NHRA drag races when I was a little kiddo! Check out the link for NHRA (National Hotrod Racing Association).
My favorite class in there is Top Fuel and Funny Car. It’ a sport, if you will, that is near and dear to my heat since I have been going to these races, which take place across the country, with my dad since I was six years old.
My favorite drivers: Top fuel- Tony Schumaker. Funny Car: Del Worsham.
What makes it so much fun is all the noise (you will need ear plugs)…the fuel (nitro…burns your eyes and nose..making you eyes tear up then you use your shirt to wipe your nose…but no, you have small chunks of rubber on that too and some more nitro 😉 ).
I’m going to be in Las Vegas next next week to go to the next race. Be sure to check out the schedule for NHRA to see if there’s a race near you.
While I’m talking about my trip to Vegas in two weeks, I want to pause to offer my condolences and my respect to Dan Wheldon, 2011 Indy 500 winner who died today in a 15 car pile up at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He was one of my favorite drivers (yes I am an Indy 500 fanatic). He was only 33 years old, and leaves behind a wife and two young sons. I send my thoughts and prayers his way, and wish his family peace during this difficult time for them.
RIP, Dan