NASCAR fans kick off 'Race Month' in North Carolina
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By Tammie Souza, FOX 32 News Weekend Meteorologist - bio
It's the number one spectator sport in America and it has the fastest growing group of fans. It isn't football, baseball, basketball or hockey. I'm talking about NASCAR. It's also the number one sport watched by women. To find out why, I took a turn behind the wheel at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in North Carolina.
More than a 100 thousand fans pack the stands on race days and nearly half are female. From advertisers to the clothing, NASCAR is welcoming women with open arms. The attraction is high energy and high speed combined with the clean cut, handsome and well spoken drivers. But, Fox Racing Analyst Larry McReynolds says it's a woman that may now be the biggest draw of all.
"I think she has brought another set of eyeballs watching our sport. We're excited to have her," McReynolds said.
She is Wisconsin born Danica Patrick, who left formula one racing to join NASCAR last year.
Patrick isn't NASCAR's first female driver, she's actually the 16th. Back in the day common wisdom said women couldn't handle a big stock car. But, Sara Christian proved them all wrong when she raced her husbands Ford in the 1940s.
So, these Queens of the speedway inspired me to take my own turn at the wheel. And after a short briefing I'm off to the track.
The rules are no burn outs: do what the pit chief says on headset and at all cost avoid the track where the flat apron meets the 33 degree bank.
After a thumbs up, I hit it. It takes a few laps to get used to the track and the car. I shy from of pouring on speed in the turns and really focused on driving the middle of the track, but my crew chief tells me to go faster and I do. But here I put the petal to the metal and sail past 130. The car handles great. Confidence up, I'm ready to go faster, but they gave me the checkered flag.
Some of the biggest NASCAR races are coming up later this month right here on Fox including the Coca Cola 600 from Charlotte Motor Speedway on Memorial Day weekend. If you are interested in NASCAR driving, there will be opportunities this summer at the Chicagoland Motor Speedway in Joliet. And part two of my NASCAR adventure including the brand new NASCAR Hall of Fame is coming up next weekend.
Tuesday, May 21 2013 10:41 PM EDT2013-05-22 02:41:10 GMT
Jenn Gibbons embarked on a two month trip around the perimeter of Lake Michigan to raise money for the non-profit organization she founded for breast cancer survivors called Recovery on Water, or ROW.
Jenn Gibbons embarked on a two month trip around the perimeter of Lake Michigan to raise money for the non-profit organization she founded for breast cancer survivors called Recovery on Water, or ROW.
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Chicago Bears' linebacker Brian Urlacher will be out for three weeks and possibly the remainder of the season from a hamstring injury incurred from Sunday's game against Seattle, he told FOX 32 News.
Chicago Bears' linebacker Brian Urlacher will be out for three weeks and possibly the remainder of the season from a hamstring injury incurred from Sunday's game against Seattle, he told FOX 32 News.
The senior culinary arts students at Simeon Career Academy came in third at the statewide cooking competition last year. As they work on the mouth-watering concoction they hope will place first this year, the dish itself is...
The senior culinary arts students at Simeon Career Academy came in third at the statewide cooking competition last year. As they work on the mouth-watering concoction they hope will place first this year, the dish itself is...
Since the Old Joliet Prison closed its doors in 2002, cameras crews have come to capture the compound for film, but FOX Chicago News went beyond the glamor and the wrought iron.
Since the Old Joliet Prison closed its doors in 2002, cameras crews have come to capture the compound for film, but FOX Chicago News went beyond the glamor and the wrought iron.
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Suffolk County police arrested a man who was driving drunk with his daughter in the car after he caused a three-car crash on Long Island Friday afternoon.
Suffolk County police arrested a man who was driving drunk with his daughter in the car after he caused a three-car crash on Long Island Friday afternoon.
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While some business may be have been dismal at the beaches, a lot of people who needed to venture out and keep busy Saturday found things to do – and stay dry.
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Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel congratulated the cadets at West Point's commencement ceremony Saturday, but warned them they have a tough road ahead. He praised how far the military has come
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel congratulated the cadets at West Point's commencement ceremony Saturday, but warned them they have a tough road ahead. He praised how far the military has come
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New Yorkers that have visited City Island in the summer know it gets really busy, especially on Memorial Day weekend. Saturday, it was pretty much a ghost town thanks to the cold, rainy weather.
New Yorkers that have visited City Island in the summer know it gets really busy, especially on Memorial Day weekend. Saturday, it was pretty much a ghost town thanks to the cold, rainy weather.
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New Yorkers know that finding street parking is not easy. Drivers can circle for a minute or even an hour – and even then you still may not find that parking spot.
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Saturday, May 25 2013 8:49 PM EDT2013-05-26 00:49:32 GMT
AAA Mid-Atlantic says the average price of a gallon of regular gasoline in New Jersey on Friday was $3.42, up 3 cents from last week. But that's still lower than the price from a year ago
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Internal Affairs officers on Saturday were looking into allegations made by actress Amanda Bynes that NYPD officers sexually assaulted her when she was charged with heaving a marijuana bong out the window
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It once was an accepted tactic as old as policing itself and, according to the NYPD, a key to the city's dramatic drop in crime: patrol officers stopping young men on the street to see if they're up to no good.
It once was an accepted tactic as old as policing itself and, according to the NYPD, a key to the city's dramatic drop in crime: patrol officers stopping young men on the street to see if they're up to no good.
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Members of the American Legion Post 1 honored their own this Memorial Day. The veterans association decorated the graves of veterans at the Cemetery of the Madonna in Leonia Saturday morning.
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Authorities are investigating the death of a 4-week old baby in the Bronx Saturday morning. Police say they were contacted by officials from North Central Bronx Hospital around 9:50 a.m.
Authorities are investigating the death of a 4-week old baby in the Bronx Saturday morning. Police say they were contacted by officials from North Central Bronx Hospital around 9:50 a.m.
