CULTURE SHOCK

Gotta go fast

Spring is for new beginnings, and in the South, spring is also for the races.

The Talladega 500 is on Sunday, April 24, and the first Saturday in May is always reserved for the Kentucky Derby. Both are full of horsepower, fashion and bourbon and make joyful thundering noise.

I have had the distinct pleasure of attending both of these events. Southern people, for all their slow talking, love things that go fast. Horses and cars both fit that bill.

I have only been to the Talladega 500 once, about 10 years ago. I do not remember who won, but I remember the sea of cars when we pulled up that bright sunny day. It was like landing on another planet. Everyone was dressed in favorite drivers’ gear and colors.

We tailgated out in the parking area and played cornhole. We ate cherries soaked in Everclear. We sat in the grandstands, ate jumbo turkey legs fit for Fred Flintstone and had a great view of everything. It was loud, and I liked it.

I probably would have thrived in the infield with a few more people watching, but I’m long overdue for another visit (and it’s less than one hour’s drive from the lake). There are a lot of new features at the track, including The Garage Experience, where spectators get to watch the cars get prepped for the race.

Horse racing is called ‘The Sport of Kings’ and the Derby is dubbed ‘The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports.’ The Kentucky Derby, also known as ‘The Run for the Roses,’ is run on the first Saturday of May. It’s the longest, most continually held sporting event in America. Only 3-year-old thoroughbreds compete in the 1-1/4 mile race. The colts/geldings (males) carry 126 pounds, and fillies (females) carry 121 pounds. The prize is $2 million.

Twenty horses qualify for the race. There are 35 races throughout the country that act as qualifiers, and it’s on a point system where the top 20 high point winners get a spot.

My first memory of watching the Kentucky Derby was on live television in the ’90s at my grandparents’ house.

During that same time period, my family was driving north through Louisville, and I begged my parents to stop and tour historic Churchill Downs and the museum. What a sight it was with its famous twin spires. In 2018, Chad and Danah Gilliland of TowBoatUs called and had an extra ticket. And not just any ticket; it was front row at the finish line for both the Derby and the Kentucky Oaks, which is a fillies-only race on the Friday Culture Shock before the Derby. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience to have a front row seat at the finish line and watch Justify win in the rain. He went on to be the 13th winner of the Triple Crown. The Triple Crown is awarded to a horse that wins the three-part series that consists of the Kentucky Derby, followed by the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes. Justify is also the only Triple Crown winner to retire undefeated. Derby style is something to behold. The men wear bright pastel colors and seersucker suits with fedoras. The women are dolled Lacey Howell up in sundresses and elaborate hats piled up with flowers and all kinds of flair and trinkets. The vendors walk around selling commemorative glass jars of mint juleps, and of course, you buy one. There are races all day long before the big end-of-day races. The most fun thing to do is to get the program and really bet on the whole day. You can do $2 minimum bets, and that was the most fun to me. It was exhilarating to be right and win $10 to pay for the next drink. I went back the following year in 2019 and had a completely different experience on “The Backside” with a friend who is a local. The Backside is the stables, home base for the champions. It was more casual, had the feel of tailgating, and we were right there, close enough to reach out and touch the horses. All the jockeys and trainers walked by on their way to the start gate. It was incredible. It was supposed to rain, and I was prepared this time. I started out in a cute dress but had a Frogg suit in my backpack, just in case. I ended up in the Frogg suit and traded the sunhat for a Derby ball cap. I have yet to have the really great Derby fashion moment. Put these two events on your bucket list if you have never been. And if you have been, go again. There’s always a new experience to be had. Visit the websites at kentuckyderby.com and talladegasuperspeedway. com to plan your trips.

~ Lacey Howell is a recovering English major from Auburn who now lives on Lake Martin, sells real estate, rides horses and loves good wine. Follow her on Instagram @LaceyHowell and on her Facebook page.