Wednesday, November 16, 2005

NASCAR in November



So this weekend was NASCAR out at PIR. Lindsey went with me on Saturday to the Busch race and Tracy went on Sunday to the Nextel race. We had a lot of fun both days. I picked Lindsey up at 10:30 and we headed over to Avondale to the race. We arrived about 11:30 and parked way out and headed to the track. Usually every year it rains so I took my jacket but it was a warm day so I wore my sleeveless Cat Racing shirt (Wimmer #22). As we were walking in I commented that I was really warm and Lindsey suggested stopping to take my jacket off. I said no, I'd wait till we got up to the merchandise trailers because I would have to pull off the bag I was wearing across my body. I'd just do it when we stopped at the first trailer. I had no more said that then, a couple of guys were merging onto the pavement next to us and one commented that I must really be hot in my jacket. I said yes, and being "Rose" (from golden girls) relayed that I was waiting till we reached the trailers. By this time he, his friend and the two of us were all walking together. I looked over (he was next to me), and noticed he was wearing a Tony Stewart lanyard. I commented that I liked Stewart. The guy said that most women thought he was cute- meaning Stewart (or something to that affect). I stated that I could just squeeze him (meaning Stewart). The guy said "well you can squeeze me." So.... I did!!! Then we exchanged names- his was Tony. He said I could tell everyone that I squeezed Tony. He and his friend were here from San Dieago. They ended up walking ahead of us but kept looking back a few times and then we bumped into them again at all the trailers and he asked if we were stalking him. We informed him that we were ahead of them so that meant they were stalking us! We all got a good laugh out of that. Lindsey was proud because I flirted with a cute boy!

We shopped a little and got a great deal on a couple of shirts and a ball cap that the Cat Racing team was selling since Wimmer isn't their driver next year. I also bought a Dale Jr. shirt (of course). We walked around a bit and then headed inside to walk around. We were passing by the Petty Driving school booth and Victory Junction Gang (great charity) area and I noticed there were a couple race cars sitting there. I didn't really pay that much attention till I noticed out of the corner of my eye that there was a red care with white writing on it. It was Jr.'s car! Then I was really excited. I was going to be able to really see one of his cars up close. This was going to be so cool! Being the observant one, I noticed that some people were climbing in the car, I found out that for a$5 donation to the Victory Junction Gang you could sit in the car and get your picture taken and for another $5 you could start the car. Well I paid $10 (would have paid even more). There was a mom and her little girl in front of me in line (a very short line surprisingly). I offered to take a picture of the both of them nex to the car. The little girl got in the car and mome stood next to it. The guy offered to start the car for the little girl but she couldn't reach the peddle so it flooded and then ran out of gas so even though I didn't get to start it I did get to sit in it. It's complicated getting in the car- you would think it was easier. It made my day. I was so excited to sit there that I was quivering and shaking (I know those two words mean the same). I had a permenent grin the entire day and even woke up with one the next morning. It was just the best day ever!

Carl Edwards won the race on Saturday. I was a little disappointed because there wasn't a lot of radio conversations but I did see Martin Truex because his car was the fourth one in line so he was right in front of us and his pit box was the second one so it was cool to see them up close in the pits. We even made it back to the East side in time for church. That is because we passed up some hotdogs from some really drunk guys sitting in the parking lot who wanted us to stay and hang out with them. We told them we had someplace we had to be.

Sunday, I picked up Tracy at 10 and we stopped for breakfast near PIR but the traffic was so bad that we parked even further out in the first spot we could find and walked over a mile to the track. We did get a great laugh out of one of the guys directing traffic because he was standing in the middle of the road with no shirt on, on the phone with his orange flag and drinking a beer. We got there with about an hour to spare. Thankfully I did all my shopping the day before because there was so many people at the trailers. We got inside in time to see the driver introductions and I got to see Dale Jr, Tony and Kasey Kahne drive by. I also saw Gordon and Johnson but I don't really like them. (Lindsey likes Johnson so I took a few photos of him for her). Once the race began and they were still clumped together, we called John and had him listen to them scream by as they passed. It was just so cool. I love the sound of the motors on the racecars. There is just something about them that does something for me.

We dialed into Dale Jr.'s radio frequency and we listened to him- he is definelty my favorite driver ever! (just a hint if you don't really know me) He did really good working his way up through the field and then he blew out a right front tire and wrecked. I was bummed but we then tunned into Jeremy Mayfield because Tracy decided she liked him. So we would jump around to whom ever was having radio conversations. Stewart and Kahne didn't really talk that much so we listened to Biffle and Gordon too (not my favorite). We also caught a little of Ryan Newman. The best conversation we listened to was with Brian Vickers when he got into it with someone because he called the other driver a dumb*ss. We laughed about that.

Kyle Busch ended up winning the race and we headed back out to the truck and quickly pulled into line (on the pavement) to leave where we stopped for an hour and 45 minutes before traffic moved again. We got home around 8. It was such a great day and I had so much fun that I can't wait for them to come back in April.

It's my birthday...and I'll nap if I want to!

Last friday was my birthday and it was also the second day of our annual convention. I had gotten very little sleep the previous two nights so as soon as I got home Friday afternoon, I took a nap. It was the only way that I would ever be able to make it through dinner that night. The day started off with me oversleeping. I had gotten to bed around 11 the night before and I set my alarm for 4:30 am to meet Peggy Jo to carpool for our meeting at 6. Well I woke up at 5:30 (the time I should be leaving to meet PJ. So I didn't have time to do my make up till I reached the hotel. While everyone sat down for breakfast I quickly ran to the bathroom to do my makeup. The rest of the morning went fine.

The best part about the morning was that, although I didn't hear my phone ringing, Dana called from England and her class sang Happy Birthday to me. It was so cute with all of their little english accents and they called me lizard. How sweet!!!

That evening some of us went to a new resturant near Tatum and 101 for dinner. It was called the Yardhouse. It was cool. But they forgot my food so I finally got it when everyone else had almost finished their dinner. The waitress felt so bad that she comped my meal. It was an early night because I was going to NASCAR the next day.