For your invitations, you could use a commercial one like the ones available for “Cars.” Or, make your own from black and white checkered paper and write the details of the party on a vellum insert. You can add wording like “Let's get together to welcome the newest member of the pit crew, (baby's name).”
This is a perfect black, white, and red party. Purchase black and white balloons and arrange them in bunches all around the party area. Embellish the balloons with a red curling ribbon collar and use red ribbons instead or string. Suspend black, white, and red Chinese paper lanterns over the party area and use a large, traffic light pinata as the highlight. Fill the pinata with chocolate race cars, candies, and confetti.
Cover each table in white and use a black and white checkered topper over each one. In the center of the table, place a cylindrical vase filled with red water and arrange red flowers in it. Top the flowers with two crossed checkered flags. Use white plates here and cinch the napkins with red ribbon.
Cover the buffet table with a dark gray (asphalt) or silvery chrome colored fabric. Lay out the food on metal platters and use black rounds of construction paper as place mats so it simulates tires. Hang a big sign over the table decorated with red streamers that says, “Pit Stop Cafeteria” in NASCAR style lettering.
The center of attention should be the cake, of course. There are many ideas for a NASCAR themed cake, like make a cake of the car itself, or create a race track and put new toy cars on it. Be sure to elevate this cake above all the food to make sure it gets the attention that it deserves.
Serve typical concession food for your snack. A Hotdog and Hamburger make-it-yourself bar is a great way to go. Just prepare the bread and the fillings and then put all the toppings in little bowls. Put labels in front of the bowls so no one mistakenly gets chili sauce instead of ketchup or horseradish instead of mayonnaise. A good selection would include mustard, pickle relish, dill spears, pickled jalapenos, grated cheese, and chili. Serve that with a green salad with beer, juice, and soda for drinks, and you're ok.
A great game to play is the NASCAR baby shower race. Map out a race course in your backyard (don't do this inside the house) and make sure it's wide enough for a stroller to fit. Strap a baby doll into a stroller and have each one take his turn on the course, clocking to see who has the fastest time. If they bump something, they get two seconds added to their time for every bump. If the stroller tips over, that's an added five points. If the baby falls out, they get disqualified. You'll want to record this and give the winner a bottle of brake fluid.
For favors, hand out little chocolate cars. And be sure to have
the TV around if the qualifying races are on. You'll be having a
riot on your hands otherwise!