Day one of my trip was pretty uneventful. I left Wisconsin around 8am and stopped in Cadiz, Kentucky around 8pm. The next morning I headed for Atlanta around 7am. Going over Mount Eagle was rather scary for this young lady who is used to the flatlands of the midwest. Especially since it was raining and everyone still seemed to think going 80mph down a mountain with winding roads in the rain was cool. I thankfully arrived in Atlanta somewhere around 1:30 pm and right away seemed to get lost. I found my way to my parents friends house to stay there for the night. But first I had some business to take care of. I had to meet some of the drivers.

I got to the Kmart around 4pm and stood in line for two hours to meet Michael and Darrell Waltrip, and Jimmy Spencer. Around 6:15 we finally heard someone was there. It was DW and Shawna Robinson. Mikey and Jimmy were still stuck in traffic. The line was started but many of us at the beginning of the line were mad because we had come to see Mikey. Security finally started another line for those of us who wanted to wait for Mikey and Jimmy to arrive. Finally around 6:40 Michael had arrived and our line got to merge in with the other line. Still no Jimmy Spencer though (he finally arrived about 10 minutes after Mikey). Finally my turn had come to see the drivers. Shawna was first. She was asking everyone�s name so she could personalize the autograph. I learned the next day why she does that. Next up was Mr. Excitement and then Mikey. He just signed a bunch of the driver handouts and had a big pile sitting there. He didn�t seem as friendly as I thought he would be. He just seemed like he just wanted to get out of there. Next up was DW. He was pretty good but the only one who seemed to be fan friendly that night was Shawna. They might have gotten better as the line went on but that was my take on them while I was there.

Day three was a little more eventful. This day includes a Clayton County police officer. No I did nothing wrong. I just got a little sidetracked heading to the track. I ended up going in the wrong direction and I realized the right way I was supposed to go so I turned off a little side road and was going to make a U-turn when I realized a cop was behind me. I couldn�t make a U-turn with him behind me or I probably would have gotten a ticket. At least you do in Wisconsin. So I pulled off to the side and he stopped behind me and let traffic go by then he pulled up next to me and rolled down his window to see what was going on and I told him I was lost. His response was �I kind of figured that.� hehe. He saw the Wisconsin plates and probably all the racing stuff on my truck so he assumed I was going to the track and knew I was lost. He assumed right. So he pulled up in front of me and walked over to my truck and he gave me directions. Then he stopped oncoming traffic so I could make a U-turn and start heading in the right direction.

I finally arrived at the track and walked around for a bit and bought some souvenirs then I went inside for the WC practice that had already started. My driver, Jeff Gordon, ended the practice session fastest. Next up was a little break until qualifying. Ricky Rudd ended up putting his car in the wall, while Jeff Gordon blistered the track with a speed of 194.274, but not enough for a record speed, but enough to win the pole.

After qualifying I walked around the souvenir trailers for a bit and saw that Buckshot Jones was to be signing. I just couldn�t resist the fun I could have with my co-workers if I met Buckshot. So I waited in line and finally he arrived. I got an 8X10 picture signed and then had my picture taken with him. I met some really nice people as I stood in line. One guy from Brooklyn, NY and two young women around my age who were from Illinois. After taking a few pictures of Buckshot, I called it a day and headed to my hotel.

On Saturday I got to the track about 11am and just missed Jerry Nadeau who was signing at his souvenir trailer. A little disappointed about that but as I walked around I saw someone even better who was to be signing autographs. That would be Steve Park. I got a poster signed by him and also had my picture taken with him. This totally made my day. Even as the rain started, I wouldn�t let nothing get me down now. Next up I saw Ward Burton was signing so I headed to his line but it was cut off about seven people in front of me so I got a few pictures of Ward. I was a little disappointed but I felt it better to meet Steve than Ward. Even though every time I walked around Steve was still signing. He must have been there for a good hour and a half. I figured most guys would have limited it to an hour. Especially with the rain and cold. Anyways I walked around and found a tent where I wanted to try and stay dry. As I walked up I saw the sign that said Michael Waltrip would be signing autographs until 12:30. So I looked at my watch and it was 12:25. I went in and saw the line and got in it and got his autograph again. He stayed for about 15 more minutes until there was nobody else getting in line. I wanted to meet Rusty Wallace who was to be signing after Happy Hour, but they weren�t sure if he would because of the rain. They said if Happy Hour was called there was a good chance he wouldn�t sign so I gave up. I was cold and wet and catching a cold so I didn�t want to wait around any longer and left. The next day I learned he did sign but it was about three hours after I left so I guess I made a good choice.

The next morning was supposed to be race day. I wanted to make sure I beat the traffic and everything so I left for the track around 5am and got there at 5:30. I would have stayed at my hotel knowing the race would be postponed, but Michael Waltrip was signing that morning and I wanted my picture with him. So I sat in my truck until 8:30 when Mikey was to be signing. Then I stood in line and got his autograph again and finally got my picture taken with him. This time he seemed to be the Mikey we all know. The laughing, smiling, having fun Mikey. The first two times I saw him he just seemed like since he�s driving for DEI next year, that his head had gotten too big for him. But this time he was having fun and more talkative, despite the dreary day. While I stood in line for Mikey, I had met a really nice couple from Florida. They also got behind me in line for Chad Little�s autograph so we got to talking some more. Really nice people I was surrounded by. I ended up getting my picture taken with Chad too.

After that I was pretty much ready to call it a day but thought by some chance maybe the race would go on that day. I sat in my truck and listened to the radio. At noon a decision was made to try and get the race going that there was some clear skies heading towards the track. So I kind of dozed off in my truck and about 1:30 noticed that some cars were leaving. So I turned my truck on and they said the race was postponed until the next morning. I don�t think I have seen so much traffic in my life. It took me about an hour and a half to two hours to get back to my hotel when normally it should have taken a half hour.

Finally the next morning we should get this race finished. I arrived at the track about 6am this time and sat in my truck until 8:30am when I headed towards the souvenir trailers. I bought a couple more things then headed for the gates and up into the stands. I bought one of the tracks million dollar burgers (ok so they�re not quite that expensive) and then headed to my seat. I sat for a while watching some of the pre-race activities until it was time for driver introductions. I waited patiently for Dale Earnhardt Jr. to be introduced so I could get a picture of him when all of a sudden chaos. A big group of people (there was 14 of them) started walking right in front of me to get to their seats. Half of them next to me and some of them in front of me. At about the point Dale Jr. was to be introduced, this one very annoying lady stopped about in front of me to cheer for each driver as they were introduced. Well next up was Dale Jr. So she�s going past me but then there was a big guy that needed to get through. I have my camera up trying to take a picture and he knows it but he walks right in front of me. So no picture of Dale Earnhardt Jr. for me. Believe me I was mad. I was trying to push the guy along but nope. Its almost like they did it on purpose. I don�t even think they were in the right row because the guy said his seat was 15 when my seat was 15 but I wasn�t going to argue. I just wanted to sit (or stand at times) and watch the race.

After driver introductions the drivers headed to their cars and the national anthem was sung by Billy Ray Cyrus. Then Darrell Waltrip was honored as it would be his final race. His two daughters announced for daddy to start his engine. Then they announced for the rest of the field to start their engines. After that DW went around the track a couple times by himself and then joined the rest of the field. All this left me kind of teary eyed.

Finally the race began. It seemed like there were quite a few cautions at the beginning then it settled down a little bit and I kind of started getting bored. Around lap 40 though, the people in the seats behind me finally arrived. They must have started drinking quite early that morning because they were quite loud and obnoxious and u could just smell the alcohol on them. They wouldn�t sit down and it seemed like they were constantly screaming in my ear. They were about as bad as the guys that sat near me for qualifying. Very drunk and very loud and very obnoxious. Of course the guys at qualifying were Earnhardt fans so that seems pretty normal for them. The guys behind me at the race were Bobby Labonte fans. Anyways we all pretty much know how the race ended, with a first time winner in Jerry Nadeau. It was great to see his first win. Then I hung around for a bit to watch the championship celebration for Bobby Labonte. And then it was time to head home. A stop for the night in Cadiz, Kentucky again and the next morning it was off for home. Finally. I had gotten very homesick.

All and all I guess you could say I had a good time. I met some of the drivers and saw my first Winston Cup race. The weather and the traffic is what put a damper on this trip. The experience was great though and I will think about attending another race in the future but this time I have to get someone to go along with me. Its too lonely and boring going by yourself. And that concludes how I spent my vacation. I know I left a few things out but this is long enough.