Ok, we live in a state that is suppose to be full of sunshine and all good things but right now Orlando SpeedWorld seems to be located in a very bad spot for racing or anything. For the last five weeks, a fire has raged underneath the earth causing smoke to take over this last week and actually cause numerous accidents and closings.

The smoke closed down Highway 50 yesterday from I-95 into Orlando. A Florida Highway Tropper greeted you if you even tried to go up 50 letting only a few chosen business owners and workers thru. Between the smoke and the fog, you literally could not see. A very scary ride for someone commuting between Orlando and Titusville, Cocoa, Cocoa Beach and Merritt Island.

Even when the smoke cleared and the roads were reopened, that smell of burning wood and burnt wood overtook the fresh Florida air. That smell always causes you to look around and see if you can see the fire but this one you cannot. The race tracks at Orlando were open last night, a few brave souls came to race at the round track, the drag strip and the dirt tracks. As the smoke would come in and then float back out, it was alittle scary.

The lightning began to surround the track and the races speeded up their pace to get everyone out. Then in the far off right of the track, a strange red glow began to appear, not some UFO landing but the glow of yet another fire starting up. Lightning was hitting hard and it was the kind that hits the ground and seems to stay forever but really doesn't. The kind that if you are smart here in Florida, you get out of.

Races lasted all of an hour and a half and then it was over, both heats and features. No partying afterwards, haulers and trailers loaded up right after the final lap and out of there. As my daughter and I went home, we tried to pick which road would be safest to go home on - 50 or 520. Now 50 is four laned and 520 is two laned so we went down 50. Both have smoke and fog so it was "either/or" choice.

Then as we came to this little church in Christmas, Florida, one that we have always thought how pretty the setting was, that strange red glow was shotting way above the little church and the homes right there. Fire engines surrounded this peaceful setting and cars were stopping just to see if they could help hose down anything. The fire was to the backdoor of these homes and the church. When we went to the track around 7:30 that night, there was no fire but just a few short hours later, it was there.

Racing went on last night and fans left happy because they did race but last night only proved to me that things change very fast at times and one person's happiness can be another's sorrow. I hope they saved that little church and the homes around it but I won't know until next week when we go on 50 to the racetrack.


-Jane Smith

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