A Day At The Races

What a day! It’s been a while since I’ve been to a race in Las Vegas and even longer since I’ve experienced anything like today. It was loud, with the smell of fuel, WD40, burnt rubber in the air, and gritty dust in the wind. And that was just on the track. Overhead, amazing U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds F-16 Fighter Falcons fighter jets were practicing their moves with a few flyovers. The Thunderbirds perform for people worldwide, displaying the pride, precision, and professionalism that the U.S. Air Force represents. And although it was a bit chilly, it was a picture-perfect day for a little sun and play!

The RISKON 360! Open Wheel Showdown was the main event at the Bullring, Las Vegas Motor Speedway’s 3/8-mile paved oval track just off Las Vegas Blvd., about fifteen miles north of the Strip. The cars at this race are crazy cool, or more super hot! The winged sprint cars, midgets, and supermodifieds are bold and loud, sporting around eight hundred horsepower with modest exhaust and weighing about half of what a small car weighs. You can only imagine how powerfully loud six or eight of these beasts are when furiously racing the short track. The only thing more deafening is the afterburners from the low-flying jets taking off and landing at Nellis Air Force Base about a mile east of us and flying low directly overhead.

While most readers know me for my art, few know that I also do graphic design projects for print and the Internet. Aside from my website (ADCook.com), I also design/manage the website, collateral materials, and brand for the Wings And Wheels Foundation, a 501c charitable organization dedicated to helping drivers develop the business and social skills necessary for procuring and retaining valuable associations, partnerships, and sponsorships that make motorsports possible.

Today, I was at the track on a mission to meet and support the team’s driver, Trey Burke, and his team and learn more about the sport of open-wheel racing first-hand.

A 2023 Silver Crown Driver, Trey is a fourth-generation racer who grew up on the dirt track and has been strapping in behind the wheel since the ripe age of nine.

With dirt in his veins and Indycar ladder system experience, Trey is now pivoting to the NASCAR series’ of ARCA and Truck racing. His ability to handle 800-horsepower open-wheel cars and intelligently adapt to any racing environment will continue to push him to victory when competing in the NASCAR series. Trey remains one of the country’s most exciting, young, top drivers. There are no other drivers in the circuit with this combination of generational industry DNA, hands-on track experience, and unparalleled relentless commitment to excellence at such a young age, making Trey Burke one of the most talented, fan-supported, and most exciting race car drivers to follow. Read his bio here.