West Lebanon, NY and the Valley of Speed!

After a long week at work I was extremely grateful that I had a 3 day weekend for hanging with the family and enjoying some much deserved rest and relaxation. Saturday afternoon Rebecca, Alex and I packed up a cooler with cold drinks and salty snacks and headed off to Lebanon Valley Speedway for an evening of 1/2 mile, high banked oval, dirt track racing! We arrived at 5 PM and were immediately greeted with the roar of engines buzzing around the track and the smell of high octane fuel in the air. The action was non stop five and a half hours, well worth the $22.00 we spent for admission (adult admission $10 and Kids are $2.) The food at the track is a bargain compared to most outdoor events. There is a family section towards the entrance of turn #1 but from what we experienced I think it's safe to sit in any of the grandstand sections, we spent most of the evening sitting in the stands closest to turn #4 and the crowd was friendly and respectful throughout the speedway during our visit. Now I know many of my readers may have no interest in racing but I honestly think that anyone who goes to a dirt track will not only enjoy themselves they will go again. The pictures and video's don't do justice to the action of the speedway. The cars are fast down the straightaways and the action is amazing. I am always mesmerized watching multiple cars slide sideways through the corners in different grooves in what can only be described as synchronized chaos. Just when your are about to fall off the edge of your seat the vehicles come out of the corner with the drivers mashing the gas pedals to the floor and your body shakes as the pack goes blasting by you down the straightaway into the next set of corners. Unlike NASCAR the races at the local short tracks are usually between 5 - 40 laps and the excitement is non-stop. We may not know all the local racers at each track we visit but Alex and I always have a great time picking a car we like, sometimes because of their lap speeds, but more often because of their car number or cool looking paint scheme!
It was a great evening spent with my wife and my son and as always we will have memories from this evening that will last a lifetime!