17 February, 2010
Guess what I heard?
"Gentlemen... start your engines!"
Yup... I spent the day of love, the day of chocolates, the day of flowers and fuzzy feelings...at a nascar race!! Not just any nascar race... the DAYTONA 500!! I have to admit... I wasn't very excited to go! I don't really even like to watch it on TV. I will watch the last 5 minutes to see the amazing finishes! (they rarely disappoint in that area!)
Over the past few years, Hubby has been on the logistics team for the race pre-show. So he leaves on Saturday and stays up there through the race to work. He usually gets a few tickets, but I have never taken him up on the offer to spend the day at the race w/ him. Until this year! The kids are old enough and really wanted to go, so what the heck!!
(monkey stayed w/ grandma!) We asked some friends to join us which was great because, I personally didn't feel the warm fuzzy feeling of driving home after the race by myself, trying to navigate the one-way roads and obnoxious race traffic trying to get out of Daytona Beach! Yeah, for friends!! :o) Thanks again BTW, C.W.!!
Okay so it usually takes us about 45 minutes to get to Daytona... not today! It took us 3 1/2 hours!! No potty stops, no gas stops... just traffic! Ugh... I honestly didn't think the traffic would be that bad. We left 4 hours prior to the race. We WERE hoping to get up there and take advantage of our infield passes/fan zone stuff. Nope... we got there pretty much right at race time! It was all good! We met up w/ daddy, grabbed some quick lunch, and made our way to our seats!
Okay...here is where I get real and admit some things that my hubby would be SO happy to hear! I had fun! I loved the race! I admit these guys got some talent-- you have to driving at 180- 3 deep - a quarter inch from each other's tail! WHOLY COW!!! You can't even begin to understand the "awesomeness" of the race and the whole experience until you are there in person!
So cool!! He spun out right in front of us and caught fire! I almost forgot I had the camera running! After that excitement, we were practically giggling like school girls walking to the fan zone for the rest of the race! We explored the garages of the drivers and went behind the pits!
Guess what... red flag... the hole opened up again. WHAT? Another delay!! I am sure these poor drivers were getting tired of this, but hey, they put up with it... It is the DAYTONA 500!
Race starts again! We are on the fan deck watching right above the driver's garages! Princess leans over and says, "I really wanna see Jimmy Johnson!" I told her I do too, but he is racing and it probably won't happen. (if we had gotten there on time, we may have been able to. They hang out in their garages and sign autographs sometimes!) She was bummed, but I told her maybe next year. DID I JUST SAY I WOULD COME BACK NEXT YEAR? I think I did!!
Then... like we spoke it into existence... sorry Jimmy... Jimmy J. blows a tire and pits w/ 10 laps to go. As we are standing above the garage on the fan deck... JIMMY JOHNSON drives his car right under us! He is going to his garage... GO GO!! We run down around to the garage front window and THERE HE IS!!! Princess is grinning from ear to ear. He pulled in , got out of his car, and went right into an interview right before her gazing eyes!! THANKS LORD!! I couldn't get her to stop smiling!!
WOW... what a LONG day! What a GREAT day! What a FUN day!
People have told me that seeing a race "under the lights" is a must experience. Guess what? I saw both in one trip!! Day and night race! Yikes!
After a brisk mile jog to our car... we headed home. Weary, but grateful for a great day!
It only took us an hour to get home!! THANKS AGAIN LORD!
Even though I had to drive to Daytona to spend Valentines day w/ my valentine...
it was a good day!!
Enjoy the pics from our day!!
Yup... I spent the day of love, the day of chocolates, the day of flowers and fuzzy feelings...at a nascar race!! Not just any nascar race... the DAYTONA 500!! I have to admit... I wasn't very excited to go! I don't really even like to watch it on TV. I will watch the last 5 minutes to see the amazing finishes! (they rarely disappoint in that area!)
Over the past few years, Hubby has been on the logistics team for the race pre-show. So he leaves on Saturday and stays up there through the race to work. He usually gets a few tickets, but I have never taken him up on the offer to spend the day at the race w/ him. Until this year! The kids are old enough and really wanted to go, so what the heck!!
(monkey stayed w/ grandma!) We asked some friends to join us which was great because, I personally didn't feel the warm fuzzy feeling of driving home after the race by myself, trying to navigate the one-way roads and obnoxious race traffic trying to get out of Daytona Beach! Yeah, for friends!! :o) Thanks again BTW, C.W.!!
Okay so it usually takes us about 45 minutes to get to Daytona... not today! It took us 3 1/2 hours!! No potty stops, no gas stops... just traffic! Ugh... I honestly didn't think the traffic would be that bad. We left 4 hours prior to the race. We WERE hoping to get up there and take advantage of our infield passes/fan zone stuff. Nope... we got there pretty much right at race time! It was all good! We met up w/ daddy, grabbed some quick lunch, and made our way to our seats!
Okay...here is where I get real and admit some things that my hubby would be SO happy to hear! I had fun! I loved the race! I admit these guys got some talent-- you have to driving at 180- 3 deep - a quarter inch from each other's tail! WHOLY COW!!! You can't even begin to understand the "awesomeness" of the race and the whole experience until you are there in person!
We were getting into the race, the kids were into it... we were rooting for our boy JIMMY JOHNSON!! Then it happened... a hole in the track? Are you kidding me. Just any hole... a hole that required a 2 hour race delay! Oh brother... For my first race... did I have to pick one that was the LONGEST in history!? After some creative time fillers and a couple potty breaks... we were go!! Start the race again... Going strong!! Getting back into it!! Now we decided to take the last half of the race from the fan zone! We were walking down the stairs to leave. We were right at the fence and spin out!!
So cool!! He spun out right in front of us and caught fire! I almost forgot I had the camera running! After that excitement, we were practically giggling like school girls walking to the fan zone for the rest of the race! We explored the garages of the drivers and went behind the pits!
Guess what... red flag... the hole opened up again. WHAT? Another delay!! I am sure these poor drivers were getting tired of this, but hey, they put up with it... It is the DAYTONA 500!
Race starts again! We are on the fan deck watching right above the driver's garages! Princess leans over and says, "I really wanna see Jimmy Johnson!" I told her I do too, but he is racing and it probably won't happen. (if we had gotten there on time, we may have been able to. They hang out in their garages and sign autographs sometimes!) She was bummed, but I told her maybe next year. DID I JUST SAY I WOULD COME BACK NEXT YEAR? I think I did!!
Then... like we spoke it into existence... sorry Jimmy... Jimmy J. blows a tire and pits w/ 10 laps to go. As we are standing above the garage on the fan deck... JIMMY JOHNSON drives his car right under us! He is going to his garage... GO GO!! We run down around to the garage front window and THERE HE IS!!! Princess is grinning from ear to ear. He pulled in , got out of his car, and went right into an interview right before her gazing eyes!! THANKS LORD!! I couldn't get her to stop smiling!!
WOW... what a LONG day! What a GREAT day! What a FUN day!
People have told me that seeing a race "under the lights" is a must experience. Guess what? I saw both in one trip!! Day and night race! Yikes!
After a brisk mile jog to our car... we headed home. Weary, but grateful for a great day!
It only took us an hour to get home!! THANKS AGAIN LORD!
Even though I had to drive to Daytona to spend Valentines day w/ my valentine...
it was a good day!!
Enjoy the pics from our day!!
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Glad you had so much fun!