Chase for the Cup

So as I have mentioned Joe won tickets for us to go see the practice and qualifying for the Pepsi 500 at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana. It's so exciting to have the Chase for the Cup come here to the west coast! Our whole family is NASCAR fans but we have been reluctant to try and go to an actual race because a) the cost, especially since the kids each need their own ticket and b) we are not sure the kids (especially Jadyn, but even superfan Jake) would actually enjoy sitting through an entire race. However, going to see them practice is a whole other story.

The minute we pull into the parking lot and hear the telltale signs of cars racing around the track at high speeds, my adrenaline starts pumping. There is just nothing more exciting then that sound. When you actually get into the stands, the deafening buzz as the cars zoom past is second to none.

It is kind of ironic that Jake is so into this sport, being that he has an aversion to loud noises. But as soon as you put those ear plugs in, he is happy as a clam and good to go. The look on his face as he watches those cars and rattles off the name and number of all the more well-known drivers is simply priceless.

Here is Jake and the kids in the stands:

Some of Jake's favorites as they make their way to the pits -

Jake and I leaving the stands:

But as much as we enjoy it, after awhile it does get old. And that is when we take a stroll through the various vendors set up behind the stands at Opportunity California FanZone. This is every race fan's dream come true with NASCAR merchandise galore, freebies and contests, as well as some pretty cool little toys like these super fun remote control vehicles, which we spent a good amount of time watching:

Pretty cool that is until you start to look at their $1000+ price tags. Ouch!

Once we were done at the track, we hopped on over to Ontario Mills mall for some shopping, a delightful dinner at the Rainforest Cafe, which the kids really enjoyed and capped off with a trip to the Lego Factory Store. What happens when you set two children and one big-kid Daddy free in this store is a marathon build and shop-a-thon. I think Legos are such a wonderful toy. They inspire creativity and imagination as well as utilizing critical thinking skills and I am so glad that Joe's love of Legos has rubbed off on not only Jake, but Jadyn as well. As everyone saw from the Wordless Wednesday picture, we have quite the collection of Legos, especially when you combine Joe's sets from growing up, our existing sets and the purchases from our trip on Friday (which were Joe's, yes Joe's birthday gifts by HIS choice). Yes, our cup runneth over.