We did go to Ford v Ferrari yesterday, so it was a great “Matinee Monday.” It was raining so we took the car, and I made the stupid mistake of not buying tickets in advance. Most Mondays, there is no one at the theater but it turned out to be a near-full house, forcing us to choose a front row seat. I was in trouble for not thinking ahead, but we decided to stay for the show. There was a predictable adjustment period for these old eyes with those giant images staring us in the face. However, once we got through the previews the story far exceeded the eye strain. 

There are times when it’s exciting to sit in the front row, especially for a concert where you can see what’s happening on stage. That is not the case with movies or racing and especially not for a racing movie. You want to sit up high where the cars aren’t a blur and the noise is tolerable, even if it’s on the big screen. I experienced this year after year, attending the Indianapolis 500. The first year I had a combination of general admission and grandstand tickets, rotating my group from the infield to the seats at various stages of the race. The infield was an eye-opening experience, especially since my son was along. The actual seats were too low to see anything but the parade lap. The combination of rocket-launch-like sounds and dazzling speed was overwhelming, much like watching a movie in the front row.   

As the years went by, I made sure that I had three things on race day: a parking pass, credentials, and upper level seats. I also spent a few years with the Machinists Union Racing Team, traveling from track-to-track across the United States. This typically involved entertaining sponsors in a suite or luxury motor-coach and watching the race from the pits. Clients love the up-close experience of being on the track, but all you can see is the pit-crew action. The suite always provided a quieter, aerial view of the race with the assistance of television coverage to fully monitor the action. Not to mention the food spread and friendly bar tender. In the process of following the circuit, I got my fill of racing. Everything from getting close to the drivers to being part of their support crew. It seems glamorous from the outside, but turns out to be just a job for those involved. The movie accurately portrays the frustrations, hard work, high-risk, and danger associated with the sport.  

The movie also incorporates the story of Lee Iacocca and the Mustang. This brought back memories of the 64 1/2 year model that served me well on my driver’s test. As I think about it, even my conservative father surprisingly fell for the hype when Ford got in the racing business. He traded in his Country Squire station wagon on a Mustang convertible. It was the closest thing to the Cobra that Carroll Shelby helped Henry Ford II develop to win LeMans. My dad’s mid-life crisis was to my benefit throughout high school. I felt like a race car driver every time I got behind the wheel, until I took out that mailbox. I considered buying the 50th anniversary addition a few years back.

All you have to do is get stuck in race-day traffic one time to learn to plan ahead. I certainly didn’t plan ahead for our racing movie, electing to save a few bucks on Fandango fees by purchasing at the box office. I paid the penalty with a front row seat and my wife’s obvious glare. There’s usually only about 3 other people in seats for a “Monday Matinee,” but the combination of a popular movie and a rainy day have taught me a lesson. The bottom line is that my lack of planning did not earn the Checkered Flag!