I've always had a penchant for unique (some might say random) date ideas: dining on made-to-order sandwiches ringside at a local wrestling match; immersing yourself in whatever lies on the other side of the doors to holes-in-the-wall with names like Paddy's or The Rusty Duck; making a music video together on the streets of Chattanooga. So when the opportunity arose to check one off my list - a visit to Boyd's Speedway - my hand enthusiastically shot up.
Located on the Georgia/Tennessee line just outside of East Ridge, Boyd's is a storied place. It's one of the few spots in town where you can watch live racing, its clay track providing an all-American outlet for testosterone and the teenager still in all of us. I'll admit, even in my fascination, I thought that's all it was.
Dust hovered over the parking lot as a steady stream of vehicles entered for the week's Saturday evening races. My Chevy Sonic was dwarfed by the ranks of pickup trucks and SUVs that dominated the lot. As we lined up to pay the nominal entrance fee and receive our included raffle tickets, Creedence Clearwater came on over the loudspeaker, adding to the downhome approachability and nostalgia of the place.
My boyfriend and I chose to sit near the far turn of the track. As we took our seats in the bleachers, I thanked God that I'd bought a memory foam cushion for my car's driver seat, which was now providing much-needed support and protection from the dusty, weathered wood. In my infinite wisdom, I'd worn white jeans.
Open since 1952, Boyd's has seen some upgrades in recent years, including new air-conditioned restrooms, a VIP and hospitality area and a simulator video game room. It looked like they were in the process of updating the grandstand bleachers, but we'd chosen one of the few sections reminiscent of driftwood, worn and weathered by use and the sun. It was, in fact, the sun that had played into our choice, as we sought a spot that meant we wouldn't have to stare directly into its burning face until it had finally dipped behind the tree line. I looked longingly at the small section of seating on the east-facing side of the track as I tried to calculate my likelihood of getting a sunburn in the 1-2 hours before the sun would set. I'd also neglected to bring sunscreen. Infinite wisdom, I told you. But those bleachers, I later learned, are reserved for those who come with the evening's racers.
The 2,500-capacity grandstand was largely full that evening, which offered the added benefit of being Fan Appreciation Night, granting a reduced entry fee ($5 compared to the usual $10) and a host of giveaways for racing memorabilia. For the most part, it looked like families made up the crowd, with small children racing about on the shallow lawn in front of the track as their older siblings, parents and even grandparents watched from the stands. A family atmosphere is one thing Boyd's prides itself on.
"We're just trying to be a fan-friendly and family-friendly atmosphere for people to come out and enjoy some good old-fashioned racing," says operator and promotions director Kathie Coulter, granddaughter of the track's founder, E.A. Boyd. "I like to say that, 'I have a family, but more of my family I actually met through the dirt.'"
It was a sentiment I heard expressed that evening, in the welcoming announcement that followed the patriotic prayer shared over the loudspeaker. And it was something I felt. There was a familiar ease about the place, and I wondered how many families did in fact make it a weekly ritual. Plenty, I'd venture to guess, yet as I looked around, I saw only a few people - kids included - with smartphones in their hands.
I've never been fascinated (or had a true appreciation) for sporting events, and I'd generally lump racing under that umbrella. Yet I found myself giddy as the Frankensteined cars spit dirt into the stands (particularly at the turn, so be warned). They swarmed around the track like a hoard of angry wasps, their roar filling everything within earshot. It was like a concert of chain-saws, and it was exhilarating. There was a rawness to the whole experience, from the tamped-down clay of the track, split open by the sun in places, to the smell of sweat and gasoline. The undercurrent of danger and excitement bubbled over as the handful of drivers in each heat slingshotted around the turns, skidding sideways in a way I've never been able to recover from when playing the classic arcade game Cruis'n USA. One did end up backwards, but there were no serious mishaps. Though you never know with racing. The crowd collectively held its breath, heads craned forward in anticipation, as two Dodge Neons played cat and mouse on the straightaway, the back racer seemingly inches away from a passing opportunity that kept narrowly avoiding him as the lead driver strategically swerved. Later, Coulter told me the drivers' average speed is somewhere in the 80s, though some have been clocked barreling down the back stretch of the 1/3-mile track at up to 110 mph.
The races go till 11 or so, with qualifying heats for seven divisions of cars, defined by their frame and horsepower, leading up to the grand finale. Afterwards, fans have the opportunity to meet the racers, and there are often other engagement opportunities, like the kids' Power Wheels race held the evening I went.
There's something unifying about racing, a "sport" that, while skill is definitely needed, doesn't require extraordinary natural abilities. "I have a lawyer, factory workers, mechanics, police officers, locksmiths, dump truck dirvers - I have all types that race with me out there," Coulter says. "It may be the guy that changes your oil on Tuesday, but you're out there cheering for him on Saturday night."
But perhaps the allure goes deeper. Perhaps it stems from humans' need to push ourselves, from the desire to live on the edge, teetering in the narrow space between life and death. For it is there that you feel most alive.
If You Go
Boyd's hosts races most Saturday nights and some Fridays. General admission is $10 per person, though service members and kids are free. Pets (and camping!) are allowed, and concessions, including beer, are available via cash or credit. To learn more, visit boydsspeedway.net.