Not addicted to speed.

We went to Chicagoland Speedway to see some NASCAR cars in their qualifying heats. We though that if we liked it we'd stay for the race the next day. It's a very popular sport here in the States - nearly half a million people will turn up to see the Indianapolis 500 race. We wanted to get an idea of what it was all about.

You can see the whole track - so no surprises here then.

We sat for an hour and watched cars in the distance going very fast. They made a great deal of noise, especially as they passed underneath where we were sitting.

These cars are going very fast.

The drivers must have very strong neck muscles on one side, because the cars are steering left the whole time. They even turn left to leave the track.

This car's turning left to get on the track.

A small town existed in the centre of the track, where people sat on the tops of their trailers and watched the cars going round them.

The track is that band of grey at the back.

There were also garages where the cars were taken after going round and round.

The car in front isn't necessarily the fastest one.

 Some cars went round faster than others, which was very good for them.







Now we realise that it was only practice day, and that when the cars all go round and round together at the same time it would be much more interesting.

These seats will be full of people watching the spectacle.

To make things even more exciting - if that were possible - some people would wear headphones and receivers, so that the spectators could listen to the conversations between the pit crews and the drivers - presumably saying things like "Now take the left turn."

This is going past really fast - about 173mph. Wow!

These receivers could be rented for the day, and of course selling things is what it's really all about.

He's a NASCAR hero.

There was another town outside the entrance to the stadium, populated by itinerant associated industries, such as car sales and insurance. Also souvenir wagons, with tee shirts and hats at around 25 dollars apiece, just because they have a printed autograph on them. And of course it's all that which keeps the NASCAR roadshow going.

It's only qualifying, but it's enough to get a flavour.

 So we didn't stay for the race, having failed to be seduced by the charms of NASCAR.

Now this is interesting...

And to any NASCAR fan who accuses us of being ignorant, well, when they decide to learn the rules of cricket, we'll learn to love NASCAR.