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Posted on Jun 6, 2022
Crowds pack the St. Louis area for first NASCAR Cup Series Race — more likely to follow
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A sold-out crowd roared to life when fans saw the green flag marking the start of the Enjoy Illinois 300, the first NASCAR Cup Series race ever to come to the St. Louis area.
The shouts from nearly 60,000 people at World Wide Technology Raceway were instantly overwhelmed by 36 cars on the track, each speeding by at more than 130 mph.
It was the moment some local fans of the sport have waited decades to see.
“We’ve always wanted to have one here,” said Mark Noe of Glen Carbon. “We’ve all been NASCAR fans for 30-plus years, we’ve traveled all across the United States to watch races.”
Noe said he and the three friends who joined him at the raceway weren’t going to pass up a chance to see the inaugural event.
“This track is awesome to watch racing on, and we got really good seats to see all the action,” he said. “It’s been a lot better than some of the venues we’ve been to. The track itself is competitive, and that’s what really matters in racing.”
Other locals felt a similar draw when they heard NASCAR’s top-tier racers would be in their backyard.
The shouts from nearly 60,000 people at World Wide Technology Raceway were instantly overwhelmed by 36 cars on the track, each speeding by at more than 130 mph.
It was the moment some local fans of the sport have waited decades to see.
“We’ve always wanted to have one here,” said Mark Noe of Glen Carbon. “We’ve all been NASCAR fans for 30-plus years, we’ve traveled all across the United States to watch races.”
Noe said he and the three friends who joined him at the raceway weren’t going to pass up a chance to see the inaugural event.
“This track is awesome to watch racing on, and we got really good seats to see all the action,” he said. “It’s been a lot better than some of the venues we’ve been to. The track itself is competitive, and that’s what really matters in racing.”
Other locals felt a similar draw when they heard NASCAR’s top-tier racers would be in their backyard.
Crowds pack the St. Louis area for first NASCAR Cup Series Race — more likely to follow
Posted from news.stlpublicradio.org
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Posted 2 y ago
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Interesting Sports share PO1 William "Chip" Nagel ...! There's been NASCAR racing going on at the Kansas Speedway for many decades. Didn't know they hadn't seen a race on the other side of the state for a while.
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."Connecting with the local Latino community
The race was also significant for communities near the raceway beyond the dollars that flowed into them from it. On Friday, NASCAR’s only Latino driver, Daniel Suárez, visited Fairmont City to share his life experience with members of the majority-Latino community of 2,265.
“When it comes to kids, I’m always for it,” he said. “But when it’s about kids and about Hispanics, I want to be there because that’s my people, my community, and I’m the only one that can connect with them.”
Suárez, who is from Monterey, Mexico, said he immediately felt welcomed and expects he will return.
“Speaking Spanish to me, they made me feel at home, simple as that,” he said. “We go to many racetracks where I see a lot of Mexicans, we are everywhere. But to go to a place where the majority are Hispanics is quite special.”
The feeling was mutual for those in the small Metro East community, said Fairmont City Mayor Michael Suarez (no relation). He explained many children in the village can connect to Daniel Suárez’s story of leaving family in Mexico to seize a dream.
“They know that story from their household,” Mayor Suarez said. “Whether it’s mom or dad living here, sending money home to grandma and grandpa. Or grandma and grandpa coming here, working seasonally and going home to take care of family. They know this story.”
Friday’s event at the Fairmont City library demonstrated to Suarez how the local raceway and owner Francois have values beyond making money, he said.
“It was genuine,” Suarez said. “It was real.”
These are the kinds of interactions Francois wants and expects to have the next time a NASCAR race is in town, he said. He expects many more NASCAR races to come to the track.
Many of the attendees over the weekend were already thinking about returning, even before the marquee race began.
“We’re already making plans for next year and making our crew bigger that’s going to come down to the race,” said Kim Baumgartner, who flew in from Minneapolis. “As many that will chip in on a large motor home so we’re camping in the infield next year.”
..."Connecting with the local Latino community
The race was also significant for communities near the raceway beyond the dollars that flowed into them from it. On Friday, NASCAR’s only Latino driver, Daniel Suárez, visited Fairmont City to share his life experience with members of the majority-Latino community of 2,265.
“When it comes to kids, I’m always for it,” he said. “But when it’s about kids and about Hispanics, I want to be there because that’s my people, my community, and I’m the only one that can connect with them.”
Suárez, who is from Monterey, Mexico, said he immediately felt welcomed and expects he will return.
“Speaking Spanish to me, they made me feel at home, simple as that,” he said. “We go to many racetracks where I see a lot of Mexicans, we are everywhere. But to go to a place where the majority are Hispanics is quite special.”
The feeling was mutual for those in the small Metro East community, said Fairmont City Mayor Michael Suarez (no relation). He explained many children in the village can connect to Daniel Suárez’s story of leaving family in Mexico to seize a dream.
“They know that story from their household,” Mayor Suarez said. “Whether it’s mom or dad living here, sending money home to grandma and grandpa. Or grandma and grandpa coming here, working seasonally and going home to take care of family. They know this story.”
Friday’s event at the Fairmont City library demonstrated to Suarez how the local raceway and owner Francois have values beyond making money, he said.
“It was genuine,” Suarez said. “It was real.”
These are the kinds of interactions Francois wants and expects to have the next time a NASCAR race is in town, he said. He expects many more NASCAR races to come to the track.
Many of the attendees over the weekend were already thinking about returning, even before the marquee race began.
“We’re already making plans for next year and making our crew bigger that’s going to come down to the race,” said Kim Baumgartner, who flew in from Minneapolis. “As many that will chip in on a large motor home so we’re camping in the infield next year.”
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