Amid all of the doom and gloom surrounding the country and racing community right now, as we work our way through the current coronavirus problems, I wanted this month’s column to be positive and focus on something I will be looking forward to when going back to the races.
Amid all of the doom and gloom surrounding the country and racing community right now, as we work our way through the current coronavirus problems, I wanted this month‘s column to be positive and focus on something I will be looking forward to when going back to the races.
I have realized that there are the obvious reasons we all love going to the track, and there are also small things we may not realize that add to the complete experience.
One of those things is the tracks‘ concession stand and the gourmet fare they serve from them.
Looking forward to, and getting, that special item at your favorite track‘s concession stand can put the cherry on top of your visit to the races. I will highlight some of my personal favorites from tracks across the country.
Eldora Speedway: It is hard to choose just one item from Eldora‘s concession stand, but a couple of my favorites are the legendary pizza burger and the chicken wings. Eldora not only has a wide variety of affordable items at their own concessions, but also has a large selection of food venders at their marquee events.
My favorite food vendor at the Big E, hands down, is the Farmer Brown Sandwich stand. The Farmer Brown is a tasty variation of a cheesesteak with their special sauce.
Knoxville Raceway: Variety is certainly the spice of life at the Knoxville Raceway when it comes to edible options, especially during the Nationals.
I personally do not agree with the hype of the Hawaiian chicken some love so much. I prefer a trip to the Cattlemen‘s Association tent for a steak sandwich paired with the real star, a roasted ear of corn dipped in melted butter.
Knoxville‘s Checkered Flag Concessions have stepped up their game in recent years and offer different specials every week. In the pits, however, I stick with my favorite: the taco salad.
Port Royal Speedway: The Speed Palace typically has a large number of outside vendors, especially for events like the Tuscarora 50, but the track‘s own offerings are very strong.
My personal favorite may seem a little odd, but I always get a scoop of chocolate chip cookie dough from their hand-dipped ice cream stand. In addition, like most tracks in Central PA, their fresh cut fries are excellent.
Port City Raceway: I definitely have some major bias towards this track and all of its concession food, because it takes me back to my childhood. Port City executes the Frito chili pie, a staple at many Oklahoma tracks, as good as any.
A bowl is filled with Fritos corn chips and topped with Chili Bowl-brand chili and cheese (pro tip: it’s better with the runny cheese). Combine that with an ice-cold fountain pop, and I feel like I‘m 12 years old again.
The Chili Bowl: While not a permanent racing facility, the Chili Bowl provides the same familiar atmosphere year after year.
The smell of the meat cooking on a flat-top grill for the Philly cheese steaks is a welcoming aroma that spreads through large sections of the pit area. Not only do they smell great, but they taste great too, and I usually have at least two during the week while in the Expo.
Perris Auto Speedway: With the pit area being in the infield at the PAS, I can only speak regarding my experience with the pit concession stand. They have one item that I get nearly every race night: street tacos.
These carne asada tacos are small but delicious, and the salsa has just the right amount of heat. They taste even better when All Coast Construction picks up the concession tab for all the teams. Thanks, Big Mike!
As tracks across the country slowly transition back into normal operations, I hope that something good comes out of all this mess, and we all might appreciate the little things that make us love racing even more.
We might all be so happy and thankful to get back to the track that it will get rid of all the negative people on the internet bashing tracks and series, but I won‘t hold my breath on that one.
Hope to see you all at a race track soon.