Getting vaccinated against the novel coronavirus certainly has its perks, starting with an almost certain escape from hospitalization and death if exposed to COVID-19. But there are other benefits to getting the jab, and for race fans in Alabama on Saturday, one of those perks was pretty spectacular.
Talladega Superspeedway, the legendary NASCAR track where restrictor plates do very little to prevent people flying three wide at more than 200 miles per hour, let vaccinated race fans take their own cars out onto the track to get in some laps after taking a COVID test. Or, better yet, you could get the jab and then celebrate with a few spins around the 2.5-mile behemoth.
The #RaceToEndCOVID vaccination and testing event is underway! 👍
Stop by today before 5:00 PM CT to get your FREE vaccine or test and then enjoy two laps on track ➡️ https://t.co/s6dc5t05Ih @HHSGov | @CDCFound | @AlabamaNG pic.twitter.com/h56Hd0GQ4w
— Talladega Superspeedway (@TALLADEGA) May 15, 2021
There’s getting a free beer in Buffalo for getting a jab, and then there’s experiencing a 33-degree bank in the corners of a superspeedway with your street-ready Subaru.
As several people experienced for themselves and then tweeted about, the experience looks cool as hell.
https://twitter.com/TWEsq/status/1393569997042200581
https://twitter.com/TWEsq/status/1393635697869955080
https://twitter.com/TWEsq/status/1393596475607863300
Even pro drivers understood the experience would be one-in-a-lifetime for many fans, which is why guys like Jeff Gordon seemed just as excited about the offer as anyone.
This is very cool! Well done @TALLADEGA. I hope to see other @NASCAR tracks follow your lead. https://t.co/T9Ni2nAnIc
— Jeff Gordon (@JeffGordonWeb) May 14, 2021
Hopefully everyone was as safe on the track as they were in getting vaccinated and helping us get closer to ending the pandemic once and for all. And at the very least, they got a very cool experience at one of the fastest tracks in America.