The Truck Race (mostly)

We left the motel at 8:30 a.m. and headed for the track. We got back at 2:00 a.m. So if I blogged about the entire day, it'd be an even longer post than usual. So I'll TRY to stick to the highlights (I said TRY).

First, the most pressing question on everyone's mind seems to be, "What did the designer mean by SSK?" It is, "Slip one stitch to the right needle as if to knit. Slip that stitch back to the left needle. Knit the next two stitches through the back loop." That'll teach me not to read directions first, assumptions being what they are.

So, the highlights of the day. Well, if you know anything about my mom and I and I our track record at NASCAR (no pun intended - really), you KNEW it was going to rain. And, boy, did it ever. We managed to see the trucks final practice, the practice for the showdown cars, then left for the All-Stars practice, but came back in time for the showdown qualifying. Until the rain started. First it was a light sprinkle. Then a drizzle. Then a steady rain. Then a DELUGE. Then Mom and I regaled the folks around us with the tales of last year and her tales of the tornado and the hail that she's experienced at recent truck races. Then we wondered why no one wanted to sit with us. Which is when we got bored and started taking pics like this:

Another highlight, as a Sprint customer, I always make sure to visit "The Sprint Experience" to get my "free" goodies. I put free in quotation marks since I pay every month for my goodies. But boy did my loyalty pay off this year! I won two passes to Driver Intros at the All-Star race tonight!!!!! I had a choice between garage passes, driver intro passes, or victory lane passes, and I could take one guest (sorry, Dale). I didn't know what to do so I decided to consult with my guest, and then panicked when I couldn't find her. Found her, and then we decided. AND we found out that my prize also came with Sprint FanView for the entire weekend (okay, that part only makes sense to people who have been to the track before; sorry - and the alarm for Mom and Dale is going off as I type which means we're leaving soon so I don't time to explain).

Highlight #2 (for the Idol Knitters): We're sitting in the parking lot eating lunch (between practice and quals). I tell Mom (in no uncertain terms): I AM NOT ROOTING FOR BRETT BUTLER TONIGHT.

Mom: But I thought you decided three weeks ago he was your new favourite truck driver?
Me: I AM NOT ROOTING FOR HIM. You can't make me.
Mom: OH. Because every time you root for someone, they wreck out?
Me: That's right. So I'm NOT rooting for him.
Dale: Well, he'd probably say, "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn."
Mom: What the hell are you talking about?
Dale: Because Rhett Butler was the main guy in "Gone With the Wind."
Mom: We're talking about the TRUCK DRIVER BRETT Butler.
Dale: Oh.
Mom: God, we're dysfunctional.
Me: And you people wonder why I blog you.

Highlight #3: Meeting these guys: This is Scott (on the left) and his friend Rick. They're from Hendersonville, NC (and I do believe I've heard of that place!). They sat right in front of us the entire day. Scott is a Kasey Kahne fan, and Rick is a Tony Stewart fan. I'm not sure if yesterday was Rick's 54th birthday or if this was just his birthday week, but he was celebrating his birthday with his friends Scott and Jeff (not pictured because Jeff is not talkative). Scott, Rick, and Jeff all hate Kyle Busch. Rick likes Ron Hornaday but also likes Todd Bodine. So we had a LOT of good-natured trash talking going on all evening long. It was SO much fun, especially at the end with Hornaday, Bodine, and Busch all doing well. I won't spoil since the race ended in the wee hours and you may not have seen it yet, but we were all screaming and yelling. My voice is still froggy, and I don't regret a minute of it.

Highlight #4: During a particularly long caution: The announcer starts talking about the track walk to benefit charity on Friday morning. After the walk, you can get free hot dogs and hamburgers cooked on a quarter mile-long grill (yes, you read that correctly). I start telling Scott and Rick all about how Mom was SWEARING the night before that she'd read about it somewhere and we thought she was nuts. So I turn to her and ask if she wants to do it, but she says it will make for a long day since we have the World of Outlaws race Friday night. "And," I point out, "We have Scott Speed Fan Appreciation Day Friday afternoon at 2:00 p.m."

Mom: I NEVER said we would definitely go to that. I said we MIGHT.
Me: YOU SAID WE WOULD. I got the flyer for it! You put it in your bag!
Mom: Putting it in my bag does not mean I'm going!
Me: We're going to Scott Speed Appreciation Day!!! We appreciate Scott Speed!!
Mom: No. YOU appreciate Scott Speed. And if you make me go to that, then YOU have to go roller skating with Joey Logano. [Note: That's Joey's fan appreciation event - roller skating.]
Me: I am NOT roller skating with that man.
Mom: That's because you forgot how to roller skate!
Me: No, I didn't! Besides, I would PAY to see YOU roller skate!

At this point, I lean up to Rick. "Enjoying your birthday?" "Oh hell yeah! I love me a good family fight!" I told him, "I told her that when you pick a 10-year-old kid as your favourite driver, OF COURSE you have to go to roller skating rinks to see them."

And just for good measure, a pic of my mom gazing adoringly at Joey:

If you want to see all of my pics from yesterday, they are here. But be warned: they are not edited, they are not captioned, they may not make sense to you, and there ARE spoilers (of various kinds) from last night's/this morning's race.