Daytona Xfinity 300 Series – Diana’s Story

On February 21, 2015, it was overcast and looked like it was going to rain regardless of the weather, the day would hold many firsts for me. This unseasonable weather didn’t stop the Daytona International Speedway Xfinity 300 Series from getting underway.

First off, let me say I am not a follower or was interested in NASCAR. I have not had any ideas of going to the races. As a Tour de Cure Champions, though, I suddenly had an opportunity to spend the day at the Daytona International Speedway, check out the NASCAR Xfinity Series Garage, and see the Daytona 300 Xfinity Series (and a couple of crashes… more on that in a minute).

The Orlando ADA Office had been offered a few slots for Champions to see the race. The invitation had been extended by Lilly Corporation in support of the driver they sponsor, Ryan Reed. Ryan is a young man that had been diagnosed with diabetes. He was told he would never be able to drive in NASCAR. Wow … guess he proved that doctor wrong. Here I was getting to see him drive.

We got to sit in the pits. I had no idea what to expect. Was it loud … YES! Even with the standard headphones and ear protection, it was still loud. Sitting in the pits was a wonderful experience. Through the headset, we could hear the drivers talking.

The race was exciting … several car crashes. One of the cars crashed so close to us that for a few moments there was the worry it wouldn’t stop before it reached us. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured that day. Two cars were even completely rebuilt in a matter of hours. The pit crews were furiously pulling parts off the damaged car to put into the soon-to-be new one. Never having seen the inside of a race car, I had the surprise of finding out there is not much to the car beyond the essentials. No luxuries here. Just metal, a seat, and protection. The decals were the final touch on these cars — that was extraordinary to see how the team put the stickers on and then applied heat to make them appear seamless. When the cars were done, you couldn’t even tell they had just been built in a short time.

As the race was getting closer to the finish, it was neck and neck. We had no idea who would win. Then the finale: our driver, Ryan, won!! My fellow team member called the win, in a word, “Epic”! We were lucky enough to even be in the Winner’s Circle with the pit crew and him. How is that for simply riding a bike and supporting the ADA by participating in the Tour de Cure.