2019 is a monumental year as my father will be turning 75. Growing up, spontaneity was not in our vocabulary. Don’t get me wrong, we did a ton of fun stuff but everything was carefully planned and budgeted. As my wife and I sat and thought about what it meant to turn 75, we wanted to start the year off by doing something that my dad wouldn’t be compelled to do by himself. The choice became quite apparent as we considered my dads passions. If anyone know Dennis, he loves all things fast and loud, namely cars.
Jane and I frequent Las Vegas and as we watched the rain fall one dreary Seattle morning, inspiration struck. A quick Google search revealed that Nascar was due to make a stop at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the coming months. We had our plan!
Fast forward several months later as we watch my dads eye swell in excitement as he sees Vegas for the first time in 20 years. Having lived there back in the early ‘80’s, the only thing familiar were the surrounding mountain ranges. It was fun watching him relive memories and soak in the urban sprawl that now spans the entire valley.
Race day was an overwhelming experience. The Las Vegas Motor Speedway is a massive but very fan friendly facility. Pit passes provided and unprecedented experience and in the grandstands, you’d be hard pressed to find a bad seat.
The memories of watching my dad and wife bond were priceless.
I traveled light and only came armed with a Canon 7d with an 30mm 1.4 Sigma lens.
The weather was absolutely perfect for great photos and a competitive and wreck-free race!
Later that evening, Dad had enough energy to walk Fremont Street with us and pay witness to multiple forms of debauchery and shenanigans.
The trip was a huge success and helped continue to shape how we appreciate life and all the blessings it brings.