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The SHELBY AMERICAN
346 Fall 2015
Dinner was scheduled for Wednes-
day night. We knew we would need a
place large enough to seat about 500
people, and we also knew there was no
such facility within a half-hour’s drive
from the track. The answer was to
have the dinner under a large tent in-
side the track. It would be needed for
the vintage event anyway, so we were
able to have them put it up a day ear-
lier than they had planned and got a
reduction in the cost. We also had to
pay to rent tables and chairs, but
that’s normal in situations like this.
You have to pay to rent everything
from plates and silverware to napkins
and tablecloths, podium, lights, PA
system, wait staff and garbage re-
moval. While catered meals tend to
cost less than a banquet facility, hav-
ing to rent everything makes up for it.
The track manager’s wife also ran
a catering business and often provided
food at track events. It was a real
sweetheart relationship. We chose the
“Wisconsin picnic” buffet dinner: ham-
burgers and hot dogs, bratwurst, cole
slaw and potato salad.
Dinner was scheduled to start at 7
p.m. By the time everyone was seated
the skies had darkened and tornado
warnings were being posted. The
event organizers and the track man-
ager were trying to decide a course of
action: should we wait it out and hope
it would blow over or vacate the tent
and cancel the dinner? The county
sheriff stepped up to the podium and
relieved us of having to make the de-
cision.