LMS' quarter-mile cookout a sight to behold
Jeff Owens
Jeff Owens has been covering NASCAR since 1991 and began covering the circuit full time in 1993. He has been with Street & Smith's Sports Group since 1998.
Think NASCAR and its tracks don’t do enough for fans?
Check out what Lowe’s Motor Speedway did on Friday.
With the help of Coca-Cola, Kingsford Charcoal and other sponsors, the track created an enormous grill that stretched all the way around its quarter-mile oval on the frontstretch.
It used the grill to cook burgers, hot dogs and steaks for anyone with a ticket or credentials to the weekend races.
Thousands of fans attended for free, eating lunch at tables set up on the frontstretch at the track. Some even dined right next to the start/finish line, taking photos of each other and posing on the track banking and on the finish line.
It was a great event and a great atmosphere.
The track must have cooked tens of thousands of burgers and dogs while celebrity chefs, including Kyle Petty, grilled steaks and cooked other delicacies.
Music blared from a sound system, giving it a party atmosphere.
It was like a Memorial Day cookout – three days early.
At a time when fans are having a hard time finding the money to attend races and enjoy their favorite sport, it’s good to see a track such as LMS give something back.
