Yes, the body burns the alcohol first. So it will burn it before it burns the fat. Your rate of weight loss seems right on track. Everybody is different. Different heights, different rates of metabolism, different total amount of weight to lose. I only had about 25 pounds to lose, I lost about 18 of them in the first four months. The remaining 7 were lost at a crawl, but after the first 18, I pretty much considered myself at maintenance because this is a WOL and I knew the last 7 would eventually come off, slowly but surely.

Don't beat yourself up if you are not near goal by January, you've already lost 24 pounds and you said you were happy to have lost that. You'll still be lighter in January (no matter what weight you are). Between now and January, you'll probably continue to lose a good portion of the weight you want to lose, but as you near goal, your weight loss will slow to an imperceptible crawl. Good luck on your LC journey!!!

EDIT:
Your aim while attending the NASCAR race should be not to gain any weight. Situations out of the house like that make it very difficult to lose weight, but I'm glad you're trying to have enough good foods to eat while there, because too many times, people would use the occasion as an excuse to fall off the WOE. Just don't go too crazy with the Miller Lites!