The AMA Pro Flat Track Race was going on yesterday evening at the Calistoga Speedway Half Mile. This was the first flat track race this raceway has hosted in over a decade and proved to be some good redneck fun. Well, only partially redneck. After all, I was there and I’m not a redneck.
An hour before the race commenced, the grandstands and infield were packed with race fans who traveled to bear witness of this event from all over the country. Many out-of-towners had traveled to watch their son or nephew or friend compete, and my guess is that some of them coupled the race-going with day tripping through wine country – since both Sonoma and Napa Counties have so much to offer.
The standard “fair” of food vendors were present; steaming hot corn on the cob, wood fired pizza by the slice, BBQ ribs, BBQ pulled pork sandwiches with coleslaw, pina colada and raspberry flavored snow cone sugary goodness, vanilla or chocolate ice cream in a waffle cone, grilled hamburgers (that were reported to have the same taste and feel of hockey pucks), baked beans, chili cheese fries, cotton candy and kettle corn. Ah ‘lest I forget – there were also corn dogs and veggie corn dogs.The veggie dogs were a surprise offering, and not surprisingly the vendor said they were not a popular item on the menu.
I had to order one to revisit my vegetarian past and the verdict was … not bad. When you get a budget dog and dress it in a corn jacket and then deep fry it – I’m not sure it matters really what’s inside. A plastic grenade or ankle sock might taste the same.
Despite the event being located smack dab in the middle of “Wine Country,” there were zero wine vendors pouring. Granted motorsports events like the AMA Pro Flat Track race are more aligned with beer drinkers – it’s still wine country and most of the fans were from the surrounding Napa and Sonoma counties. There must have been some method to the madness of why one of the 400 + Napa Valley wineries were not present … anywhere.
I could have used some chilled Sauvignon Blanc to compliment my veggie corn dog and Dijon mustard.
Oenophyte 