HOSTILE TERRITORY: Nationwide Arena

I attended my first two NHL games of the 2022-23 season in Columbus on November 10th & 15th when YOUR Philadelphia Flyers were in town. Of course, I recorded a podcast to discuss my experiences, which you can listen to here if you haven't already:

Entering the arena from the east, you're greeted with some rather large portraits of Blue Jackets players. There's a notable face on here that feels like it doesn't belong:

My girlfriend tagged along with me for the first game, and even dressed the part despite not being a Flyers fan:

It's probably her fault that we lost. :P

A common display I've noticed on the concourses at hockey arenas is the hat trick display, which includes hats thrown whenever a player scores three goals in one game. Nationwide Arena is no exception to this tradition:

There were even a few former Philadelphia Flyers players who scored hat tricks after arriving in Columbus:

The arena also dedicated some concourse space to showcase high school hockey programs throughout the state:

I've seen similar displays in other arenas as well. I not only appreciate seeing all of the different uniform designs, but also that they dedicate space to exposing younger levels of hockey. It's nice to see that the sport is gaining a larger foothold in the USA.

If you look closely in the photo above, you can see some table hockey tables in the background. Here's a closer view that includes the Blue Jackets practice rink in the background:

As a Flyers fan, I'm not used to the practice facility being connected directly to the arena. I think that's pretty cool.

I spotted the Blue Jackets pre-game TV set before we headed up to our seats:

No arena visit would be complete without some food, right? Before the game my girlfriend found this Beyond Bratwurst sandwich on a pretzel bun topped with street corn at the West Side Grille. It was a $5 upcharge for the vegetarian option (not thrilled about that) but at least it was tasty:

As is the case with most newer arenas, there's not a bad seat in the house, even in the upper levels (which I prefer, to be honest):

In addition to food, I always try to get an arena-specific beer. You can find this at local retailers around the Columbus area as well:

Did Johnny Hockey score the first goal of the game against the team that snubbed him in the offseason? OF COURSE he did:

Seriously. Three minutes into the game. Poetry in motion:

I'll never get over Flyers management deciding not to sign him or even make him an offer. The merchandise sales alone would have been worth it for their investment:

Anyway, the arena gave out these neat looking spectrum goggles before the game:

The effect looks like this when worn at an appropriate time:

There's not much use for them otherwise, but it was still pretty neat.

The Jackets won the first game 5-2, and of course Johnny Hockey got the first star of the game:

You literally can't make this shit up.

On to Tuesday, which was a much rainier and colder evening. Although not necessarily great attire for moist conditions, the onesie I chose to rock that evening was plenty warm:

I have no idea what the Blue Zone is but some urinal patron wants it brought back:

I mentioned on the pod that the surrounding Arena District is full of shops, bars, and restaurants. On a nicer day, this area would be full of people. That evening, not so much, but at least you can get the idea of the atmosphere:

It was Hockey Fights Cancer Night that evening, which is always an emotional affair. Part of the experience is supporting those close to you who have been affected by cancer by writing their names on these posters:

The arena was also decorated with purple towels that we waved during a TV break in the national broadcast:

Those are microfiber towels, by the way. Not a cheap investment on the part of the Jackets.

Nationwide Arena is perhaps most well-known for the obnoxiously loud cannon on the concourse overlooking the ice, which is fired whenever the Jackets score a goal or win. Fans also line up to have their pictures taken with it before games:

Yea, fuck that thing. Anyway...Veterans Day had also passed by recently, and one of my favourite local breweries in CBC made a beer to support veterans that just so happened to be on sale at the arena that evening:

I took in some pre-game warmups before heading up to my seat:

Kevin Hayes spotted some fans who had a poster saying he is their favourite player. He paused to take some selfies with them thru the glass:

Some recent additions to the squad in Lukas Sedlak and Kieffer Bellows:

I always LOL when I see a Brandon Dubinsky jersey. Look I get it, you support the guys on your team, but this guy is seriously in my top 10 most hated players of all-time. He also spoke out against the hiring of John Tortorella, which confirms (for me) that it was a solid hire:

There have been more notable commonalities among the Jackets and Flyers than I realize sometimes. One notable player that I often forget was a productive part of our franchise was Columbus rookie sensation Steve Mason, who holds high marks among several Flyers franchise goaltending categories:

The Jackets scored more than three goals for the second straight game, which means everyone can get a free cup of chili from Rooster's the following day:

The Jackets ended up winning the 2nd game in OT 5-4. Overall it's not a bad place to see a hockey game. I just wish my team had played a little better...

SIDELINES: Daytona International Speedway

The family and I recently took a vacation to Florida. I had a couple free days during the trip and decided to use one of those to pay a visit to a motorsports mecca, if you will, in Daytona International Speedway. I talked about my experience on a podcast I posted earlier this week, which you can listen to here if you haven't already:

The excursion included a tour of the speedway followed by a visit to the Motorsports Hall of Fame, both included for only $25 - a real bargain if you ask me. Despite a brief shower just before my arrival, it was a beautiful early November morning in Daytona Beach:

The tour utilizes tram cars towed by a pickup truck (not pictured) and begins appropriately by passing by the front entrance of the grandstands. In recent years, the speedway has modernized the grandstands and facilities. They look truly impressive compared to the scaffolding and bleachers I was used to when I used to go to races with my Dad as a youth:

The holiday season provided a unique sight only seen at this time of year, a drive-thru light display set up in the front parking area. Obviously with it being daytime, the lights weren't turned on when we passed by:

There were many more of these spread across about a mile of parking lots. We continued past these and made our way to the tunnel to head to the infield of the track:

We could hear cars speeding around from outside, but once inside we could actually see them turning laps:

I can't recall the series that was using the speedway off the top of my head, but I remember the tour guide saying it was a local independent series. It's tough to see in the second photo, but there were a wide variety of cars participating in several different classes. They certainly weren't going slow, either!

I'd visited this speedway on this tour with my Dad back in 2006, and had attended a couple Summer races with him a few years later, but it had been at least 10 years since then. In that time, I'd forgotten just how massive of a speedway Daytona is. This panorama of the main grandstand should give you a pretty good idea:

And here's another angle from closer to turns 3 & 4 on the east side of the track, The green space would be filled with RV's and campers during a normal race weekend:

For an even better representation of the scale, here's a pic of a graphic displayed in the entrance to the box office that shows 15 other Florida sports venues that could comfortably fit inside the track, with room to spare:

Here's something I didn't know: you don't need a camper to camp in the infield at Daytona. They allow tent camping as well. Pretty neat:

After spending about 30 minutes or so in the infield (and watching some laps), we headed back to the main grandstand and went up to the main concourse area. It's very wide with plenty of concessions, and there's open space to watch the action without needing to be in a seat:

We stopped right near the start/finish line. Here are a couple views from the top of the lower bowl:

I mentioned on the podcast that the front row seat in this area may NOT be the best seat in the house. Here's why:

As you can see, the view from a few rows up provides significantly more viewable area of the track. However, if you can snag a spot right near the fence and are willing to take the risk, you can get some pretty great shots when the cars come around:

During NASCAR sanctioned events, I think they block off the 10 feet closest to the fence for safety reasons.

From there, we headed back to the starting point of the tour and entered the Motorsports Hall of Fame. This entrance greets you with the wall of Daytona 500 winners along with other memorabilia and history from the speedway:

This is also where the Harley J. Earl Trophy and most recent Daytona 500 winning car are displayed. In this case, Austin Cindric was the driver, winning in February of 2022:

The car is presented just as it was when it crossed the finish line, complete with confetti and other racing mementos (read: scuffs):

From there, I headed into the remainder of the museum for a self-guided tour. You are allowed to go at your own pace to check out the things you find most interesting.

For those of you who didn't know, the original Daytona races were actually held a few miles down the road, or beach depending on how you think of it. Here's a picture and some info on that piece of Daytona lore:

Some pics of the speedway we know now under construction in 1958:

A fire suit from Paula Murphy, one of the pioneer female racers:

Bill Simpson's first fire suit, one of many revolutionary safety improvements in a very dangerous sport:

An illustration of the 31-degree banked turns, packed with some of the many series featured throughout the hall:

Richard Petty's famous "Racer's Edge" Plymouth, complete with peace sign headrest:

There's so much more to see, that I could probably have filled up my entire phone with pictures. These are just some of the exhibits that were most interesting to me. If you are interested in motorsports at all, a visit here is highly worth the small investment in time and money.

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the statue out front (seen above) of the winningest driver in track history, one Ralph Dale Earnhardt:

I always hated him while he was driving, but at the same time, I respected the heck out of the guy. It's sick irony that the track where he experienced so much glory was ultimately the one that took his life in 2001. The sport hasn't been the same since. But I digress.

I mentioned on the pod that I finished out my adventure with a leisurely bike ride to a brewery just down the road a few miles. I'd never really spent time in Daytona Beach other than the speedway, so I took advantage of this brief opportunity to enjoy some subtropical weather in November:

Dunes Brewery was my destination. A small brewery, definitely worth a visit as well if you happen to be in the area:

The space is eclectic, as you can see, and includes some vintage arcade games and even a shuffleboard table:

On the return trip to the car, I rode north on A1A, which is a historic coastal road that extends the entire length of the state of Florida on the east coast:

When I returned to my car, I didn't drive on the beach, but it is something that you can do, and I'd suggest it if you've never done it. It's a different feeling. Just make sure you air down your tires a bit:

I'm not sure when I'll be back in this area, so I'm very glad I had the opportunity to take a trip down memory lane AND learn some new things in the process. I'm thinking I need to get back to a race next year, too...