US Nationals Fanfest pickups

[ajwest92]

Last Wednesday was the annual fanfest held at Monument Circle in Indianapolis for the US Nationals held this past weekend. I got there early enough for a decent parking space and to take a few pics of the cars and drivers who made their way to the show. You got to love their interaction with the crowd.

They had the presser for the drivers and the Traxxas Shootout fan vote/lottery for the Top Fuel and Funny Car fields. Like last year, Brittany Force and Tim Wilkinson won and made the top vote getter in each field go 6-for-6 in getting the 8th spot for the three year event. Then they went straight to the autograph session.

The autograph session started a little late because: there was two drivers missing from the session at their seats; they were the first two drivers in the line; and they were Brittany and Courtney Force. It took their good ol' Dad to give them a holler to get them down there. There was nothing but a smashing success for me...

First, the diecast...

2013 Traxxas Funny Car signed by Courtney Force. She signs on the windshield now.




2008 US Army Salute the Troops Tony Schumacher





Some old John Force handouts



The bottom handout was a group handout from 2010 with the entire Force family. I got it signed by every family member other than Ashley, who was coming in later for the weekend.



Instead of handouts, Andrew Hines had posters he signed.



As for the few things of note:

I got 33 different handouts signed from 22 different drivers.

Tom "Mongoose" McEwen was there to do the Q&A session. Didn't have anything to sign of him and he left after the presser.

Got to meet Brandon Berstein. He is working for Al-Anabl Racing after being let go from Morgan Lucas after last year. He is not racing but if the right offer comes...

Every driver was walking around before the event mingling with the crowd. Antron Brown was playing with the Traxxas drones and giving the other drivers fits buzzing them over their heads was classic.

Three Top Fuel drivers left after the lottery draw and skipped the autograph session. No big names and I got their autographs last year, but still...

Tim Wilkinson remembered his handouts this year!!!

Bob Tasca III skipped the fanfest altogether. He was DQ'ed from the lottery draw...new rule put into effect after three drivers (one of them Tasca) did not show up last year.

Andrew Hines was the only non-nitro driver who was at the fanfest. Would have loved to see a few more Pro Stock and Motorcycle drivers as well.

Thanks for looking...Alex

[doniceage]

Nice haul!

Don