Our schedule originally told us our Regional Learning day in Orlando would consist of going to an orange farm. I thought it sounded pretty cool, but then one day, our education team announced that instead, we would be headed to Daytona Beach to see a preliminary race for the Daytona 500. I will admit that my initial reaction was, "Oh...ok..." but then I stopped to think a moment and realized I was being offered an opportunity to see an event I'd never attend on my own, so why not be excited about it?
We piled into our buses the next day and took off for Daytona! We pulled up to a MASSIVE racetrack and filed into the seats. We were there early so we had plenty of time to explore. Sage, Tara, and I walked around by the food vendors and happened upon like 5-6 different Kettle Corn stands handing out samples. We pretended to be new to the experience every time and willingly accepted their handout! Then we managed to do the exact same thing on our walk back. Hooray for free kettle corn samples and lots of exercise! haha
Then the race began. It was interesting to see it in person, but honestly, watching cars go round and round isn't that exciting, unless something bad happens....which it did. About lap 45-50, one car got too close and clipped another car, causing a spin out. Luckily it was on the other side of the track, so it wasn't close, and most of the other cars managed to avoid the collision, but it still did some damage to the other cars. They resumed the race eventually, and then it was over!
It was neat getting to be in the same place as famous names like Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Danica Patrick, but other than that, it was a pretty low key [LOUD] day at the race track!
I slept the whole way home, and before we knew it, it was time for host family pick up! I giggled when so many of the non-US students were like, "Yeah...this is what I think of when I think American!" Oh my dear cast mates, PLEASE don't think the people who attend the Daytona 500 are an accurate representation of what an American is! haha
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| Chip, my bus date to and from Daytona! |
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| With my girl Sage, ready to go in! |
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| The Budweiser Clydesdale Horses |
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| All the pit crews lined up for the National Anthem |
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| Danica Patrick stops for a pit stop! |
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| Part of the crash |
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