It’s 10pm, you’re double shifting it at Windshear because the Daytona 500 is two months away, and you’ve got a good week’s worth of extra tunnel test time to use up before year’s end. Between a shit repeat and a change that’s too small to detect, your poor, college student tummy begins to make the rubblies. Just as you walk into the control room, a tech comes in:

“DINNER YALL!”

Sitting patiently for you are an assortment of labeled white boxes containing Concord NC’s finest catered grub. But wtf do you choose?

Fear not asshole, because not only do we have you covered for Windshear, but also Aerodyne/A2, and even manufacturer tunnels!

Ah Windshear, everyone’s favorite private, full scale, rolling road tunnel. But you know what’s more legendary than it’s price? It’s food. Without fail, the snacks and catering have been brought up in almost every conversation about this damn place.

Snacks are located in cabinet by the door to the offices. You’ll find all manner of almost stale things in there. Cereal, granola, cookies, chips… whatever your 3am heart craves. Drinks too, enough ice tea and Red Bull to give your kidneys a workout and make 5 hour energy look like a bitch.

But look, you dear reader and potential intern in Motorsports, you want – NAY YOU NEED – the good stuff.

Lunches and dinners are catered in. Almost any pasta dish slaps, grab it and indulge. HOWEVER, if you know you’ll be up past 12 am, expect to have to compensate with caffeine and sugar.

In a similar vain, the bbq pork nachos will hit that greasy hole in your heart and arteries, and you WILL feel it in two hours. Godbless if you’re got the nacho shits between runs, more so if you managed to finish the whole box.

Same goes for the fried chicken with Mac & Cheese, but you won’t feel as sick and get to taste high ranked tunnel food.

Sandwiches and wraps are also very common too. The burgers and Ruben’s are pretty good, tho sometimes the burgers and chicken sandwiches are a bit dry. For the chicken sandwiches and wraps, obviously the sauce is key. The caesar wrap is simple yet effective, but the quesadilla is way too dry. Chicken parm in bread or plate ranks top tier.

Sides are also really important here. With any sandwich you’re better off with the chips, since they’re “crafted by artisan hands” and have the right crunch to em’. Fries are mid to be honest. And then you have things like the fried Mac and cheese nuggets. To this day I’m unsure if I liked them for being good or for being cheaply good.

Then finally… the cookies. It should be self explanatory that you should grab while supplies last. Grab 5 actually, fuck it.

The portions are often enough to fill your stomach up and then some. However the best part is, after you’ve finished a late night shift, you can stack up on uneaten wind tunnel food and have dinner for the next week, something your intern ass will very much enjoy.

Tune in next time when we explore the culinary offerings of the Aerodyne complex, courtesy of a former staff member, current MSIMA writer, and casual consumer of aged glue.