HENRICO COUNTY, Va. -- One of Richmond's biggest races is now a favorite for some of NASCAR's tiniest fans.
Families from near and far came to the Richmond International Raceway Sunday for the Cook Out 400, bringing their children along with them.
It's the second time in roughly 30 years that the race has not been held at night, during the school year.
Now, hundreds of them are learning the lay of the land and getting creative to beat the heat.
“We have a pool in our Airbnb, so we got lucky on that,” said Ryland, a 9-year-old from Pennsylvania visiting the area for the race.
His family is one of many, like the Petersons from Long Island, New York, who traveled for hours to see their favorite race car drivers.
The Petersons named their 8-year-old son, who is autistic and nonverbal, after Chase Elliott.
“He likes the race car noises and everything," his mother said.
Fans like 10-year-olds Livy and Layla say they want to get behind the wheel one day, following the footsteps of female NASCAR drivers like Danica Patrick.
“There’s not many girl racers, and she just wanted to be one," Livy said.
Their families hope the family friendly culture will continue, to help the fandom last for years to come.
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