Well, this is the first time I have written about something that happened in my life, in a long time. It has been forever since I have had a happy experience.
This is about my first ever experience of going to a Nascar race. It is one of my happiest experiences in my life, probably the most happy so far, better even then my wedding. Why? Because this included my daughter also, and she was not allowed at my wedding (not my decision). Special thanks to my husband for introducing me to car racing years ago and making it possible for us to go enjoy this weekend of September 5-6, 2003. Though I doubt he will read this, sometimes I think he forgets I exist.
This race weekend really was a birthday gift for our daughter's 12th birthday, but I enjoyed it as much as she did.
Well, Friday September 5 did not look good at first. I suffer from Migraines and sure enough I had one that started the day before. This always happens when I have plans and sure enough I had one. I treid everything to get rid of it, and so it was we got a late start. Thankfully we live in the same town as the race was, so did not have that far to go. We had parking reserved in someones front yard about half a mile from the track. We also reserved Busch and Winston tickets, because the Bush tickets got us in to watch Winston Cup qualifiyng and practice.
We got into the stadium shortly after 3, carrying our obligatory see through bags and favorite driver gear. My daughter with her #24 cooler (of course loaded with Pepsi) and Jeff Gordon Ball Cap; my husband sporting his Dale Earnhart Sr ball cap. Me? Just carrying snacks, but more to that later....
Qualifying was already underway but mine and my daughters favorite drivers had not went through yet. We arrived as a car was headed down the straight away (I can't remember which driver was up) and remember thinking that it was the loudest noise I heard in my life! Oh but the sweetness of that sound of this lone engine! Don't forget I still had a lingering headache. I remember also thinking how can I handle listening to 43 of these at the same time?
We sat down by turn 3 (we did not know better at the time). As we slowly got used to the noise, my daughter and I anxiously awaited her favorite driver. He did well and set the 4th fastest time at that point. Then I waited for my favorite driver (#12 Ryan Newman). He was scheduled to qualify last - how nerve wrecking!
Finally, the Alltell Dodge came down the straight away headed towards me. I listened carefully to this engine, as I knew that would be my only chance to ever do that. First lap his time was 35th or so, but I thought oh that's okay, at least I know I will see him race tomorrow. As Ryan came down for his second lap, I tried to get a glimpse at him inside the car, but of course everything was dark. All of a sudden he showed up 4th on the score board! My daughter said oh man, he bumped Jeff Gordon! I felt a little sad for her, but our favorites starting back to back in top 5, that was not bad.
Then we got smart and moved to the front by the pit road and sat down to watch the practice sessions. I was hoping to get my ears (and head) used to the noise of half the drivers on the track at the same time, and graduate up to hearing them all at the same time later at the actual race.
Alltell 12 Dodge spent a lot of time adjusting, it seemed to me, and not much time on the track, but by the time Happy Hour was over, I was satisfied that I had already gotten my moneys worth.
We stayed in that section for the Busch Race and my husband enjoyed watching #29 Kevin Harvick finish second. I also tried out my ear plugs and found them to work satisfactory. It was cold though and made a mental note to bring layered clothing the next day.
We drove home after the race and warmed up and went to sleep.
The next day we left early enough to beat most of the traffice, and thanks to my husbands knowledge of the area we avoided the worst traffice. When we got there he insisted I stop by Newman's souvenir trailer to buy myself a shirt for the race! So I did and while standing in line waiting for my daugher to add to her #24 memorabilia (this time a Dupont sit-upon) I put it on, now proudly displaying who I came to see!
The funny thing is our reserved seats were 09 09, 09 10, 09 11. My daughters birthday is 09-10, that was strange. We got to our assigned seats way early and sat down. We thought at first they sucked, but it turned out to be not that bad (more later on that!)
Unfortunately we had the rudest fans in front of us occupying just about a whole row and another row of 8's (not so rude) with a couple 24's thrown in in the back. Rusty fans next to me and 24 to the side. One other lone and quiet 12 fan at the bottome end. What an arrangement! We spent the 2 hours waiting checking everyones fan gear and commenting on it.
When it was time for the drivers to be drove around the track in the Chevy pick-ups, I ran to the fence waiting for ours (we sat 2 rows away from the fence in turn 3). I don't remember too much (I was to hyped up), but my daughter says I was plastered against the fence like a madwoman waving at Ryan and shouting his name. He turned towards me and waved I think, but I am sure every fan thinks that. My daughter brought a whistle and when Jeff came by she blew it at him and I waved at him and shouted his name. Again, we had sume rude and by this time drunk fans to deal with at the fence. Then I ran back to my seat.