Boogity, boogity, boogity... Let's go racin' boys and girls!

[RVGal]

You asked for a trip report, I'm a good homie... I'll give you a Trip Report...

This was a planned weekend away for just DH & me (DH = Brad & me = Tricia). We both enjoy racing and have for many, many years. I attended my first Nascar race in the late 80s and Brad went to his first race in the late 70s. Since we didn't start dating until 1998, it is safe to say that this is something we both enjoyed long before we were a couple. This isn't a "he was a fan and she's just humoring him" thing or a "she was a fan and dragged him along" thing. We are both avid fans. We don't cheer for the same driver, but that doesn't stop us from having a good time. We haven't come to blows over the outcome of a race... yet... ;)

We wound up getting tickets to this race as part of a "participation package" that was offered to us months ago. We own a small RV dealership and we were very involved in an RV show that was at the Atlanta Motor Speedway in April. Because we spent money showing RVs at the track, they offered a special deal on the premium grandstand seats and on the luxury suite seats. I've never sat in what could be considered a "luxury seat" in my life, but we decided that we would splurge this one time.

I know that most of you are not race fans. I know when the average non-race fan flips by a race on tv, all they see is cars driving around in a circle. Maybe if they crash, that might be interesting, but other than that... why would you watch guys driving in a circle for 3 hours? There is a basic gladiator-like appeal to watching men battle it out in an arena-type setting. Boiling it down, that's what almost all sports are. The people involved in the battle are doing different things in the arena, but the draw is the same as it has been for thousands of years. Who's strongest, fastest, smartest, most skilled, and/or luckiest.

And it's a heckuvalot of fun to watch. :thumbsup2

Did that cover the background stuff? I hope so. I worried in the weeks leading up to the weekend. Would everyone stay healthy? Would the weather cooperate? So many variables, but the weekend finally arrived with no problems.

We live in the northeast corner of Georgia. Atlanta Motor Speedway is south of Atlanta (Hampton, to be specific). It is about a 2.5 hour drive for us. We weren't sure we would make it to the race on Saturday at all, but since it was a Craftsman Truck Race we really wanted to try. Brad's parents agreed to come over and help us get out at a reasonable time. We had our stuff packed up and kissed the kids goodbye and were off by 9:30 am. For us, that's not bad at all.

We made good time heading down around Atlanta. About 11:30, I mentioned that I hadn't had breakfast and we should probably stop somewhere before the peak lunch crowds hit. We didn't want to wait until we were on the racetrack exit because number 1, there isn't much there and number 2, everyone else headed that way would probably be doing the same thing. We found a Golden Corral and decided that would do. It's a buffet, lots to choose from, decent, filling... we're good to go.

We arrived at the track and turn into the main entrance.

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There is a long line of cars being funneled into an outlying parking area. The guy directing traffic is screaming at everyone that the lots up front are full. We get to the front of the line and he sees the Club One parking pass in our window and waves us through. Woo HOO! Perk number 1 of having luxury suite seats!

We parked in front of the Winners Grandstand and waited for our Club One shuttle.

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff248/MooMonsters/Sat3.jpg

Yes, we luxury people aren't expected to actually walk from our car to the gate. In fact, they swiped our tickets while we were still sitting in the golf cart and the guy drove us right up to the door. We did have to walk through the door. :rolleyes: An elevator took us straight up from the ground level to Club One, which sits on top of the Winners Grandstand.

My first stop was the bathroom. I'm a girl. It's part of the package. I have never been in a bathroom in a stadium like this one.

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Perk number 2, a nice bathroom, close to our seats, that didn't have a line EVER. There was also a bathroom attendant, but she waited outside the door and just went in when nobody else was there to tidy up. I can't stand having a bathroom attendant that waits in the bathroom, turns on your water faucet, hands you a towel, offers you a mint, etc. then expects a tip. What is up with that? They aren't providing a service. I can turn on my own water and if I want a mint, I'll carry them in my purse. So, I was glad that this setup was a "keep it clean" lady, not a "hulk over my shoulder for a tip" lady.

I met up with Brad and mentioned how nice the bathroom was. I said that they had everything I could want or need (in regards to the bathroom) right there. He made some smart comment about feminine hygene products and I laughed and said, "Yep. Those too... and not in a vending maching either..." I told him to wait and I'd be right back. I ran in the bathroom and snapped this picture:

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff248/MooMonsters/Sat6.jpg

AFTER I took the picture and was on my way back out, I heard a toilet flush. :eek: OMG! I thought I was the only one in the room! There is probably some woman running around out there now worried that some pervert snapped a picture of her on the can. Note to self: Check under the stalls before using the flash in public restrooms. :rotfl2:

Okay, I've got us to the track and I've marveled at the bathroom... sounds like a good time to take a break! I'll try to make it back and update some more later today...

[bubba's mom]

... why would you watch guys driving in a circle for 3 hours?

Yep....that's me :lmao: :blush: sorry!!! Sounds like the weekend is off to an awesome start!!! Ya didn't even have to walk to the gate....step aside please.... :woohoo: Only YOU would take pix of the bathroom for us :rotfl2: ...but I agree...very nice bathroom. I think in places where you get those "luxury" seats, they commonly have bathrooms like that..... When the current arena the Flyers play in opened, we went to 2 games...(only) both in club box seats. Waitress service from your seat, private bar, private bathroom...with the famous, NO lines EVER. You could potty on commercial break and not miss anything..... :rolleyes: Ah, the "good" potties.....

Lookie forward to more....of course.....


(Waitin' for the jacuzzi and booze to factor in to the story :rolleyes1 )

[keishashadow]

lump me in the :confused3 pile as to racing; I say go for it if it's your "thang" though:thumbsup2

any public bathroom that has toiletries in a wicker basket on the floor is top notch in my book. Most are so bad @ sporting venues that you wouldn't dream of putting your purse down & wish your feet didn't have to touch either.

I'm thinking of a certain senator's behaviour in the can:rotfl: , think people are sorta paranoid now - you're lucky that lady didn't go running for security ;)

[AlexandNessa]

Racing in style. :thumbsup2 Have to admit that, on most days, I would rather swim naked in sewage than watch a car race, but I might swing the other direction if we did it in style like you! Think that bathroom might be nicer than my downstairs loo! It must be ... I light a candle when guests come, but I've never put out mints. :rolleyes1

Can't wait to hear the rest. :goodvibes

[loribell]

Yippie! Sounds great so far. I am loving the pics. Can't wait to hear more!!!!

[Motherfletcher]

I'm fond of swimming naked in sewage,too!

[JawsCPA]

Tricia - great report and love the pictures.:)

It is nice that you and hubby have a strong common interest.

NASCAR is HUGE here in West Virginia. But my husband and I aren't big fans. Our DS12 is starting to get interested and wants to watch the races on Sundays.

My brother-in-law who lives near Orlando, has gotten to attend the Daytona races several times.

Can't wait to read more.


-Jennifer-

[RVGal]

Thanks for reading what I've got so far. I'm glad you're enjoying it. :goodvibes

I know that racing isn't for everyone. No sport is. Personally, I don't get the appeal of basketball. Group of guys run to one end of the court and (probably) score a basket. Group of guys run to other end of the court and (probably) score a basket. Repeat for 2.5 hours. Oh, and the last 2 minutes on the game clock lasts about 30 minutes. NOT my idea of a good time. Football, love it. Hockey, love it. Baseball, like it. Basketball, just don't get it. :confused3

I am also aware of the stereotype attached to racing fans. I'm not saying you guys (I know you guys don't stereotype), but Lori can probably back me up as another Nascar fan that we often get a *ahem* certain attitude from others when we mention that we like racing. I'm the only one in my family that watches it. We get the eye roll/smirk combo whenever we talk about it. :rolleyes:

Let's see, I've heard that it is the "dumb man's sport" 'cause we's too stoopid to keep up with all them rules in player sports so we just watch cars drive around. It's a "southern sport" (other than Daytona, the most popular and best attended races are in California, Nevada & Michigan... not to mention Indianapolis). It's a "redneck sport" and only beer swillin' daddy-was-a-farmer hillbillies watch it. It's a "poor man's sport" (oh, if they only knew the ticket prices). AND, it's "not even a sport" at all because the guys drive a car instead of running around the track (that's debatable, but if you've ever heard the statistics about how much weight a driver loses during a race and the physical conditioning they have to undergo prior to a race, you'd be hard pressed not to consider them an athelete).

Sigh. Didn't mean to climb on my soapbox. I'm just venting because I know you guys will understand.

Okay, I'm going to TRY to get some more reporting done today. I've got Halloween to un-do and Thanksgiving decor to find, but I'm still going to try. :thumbsup2

[AlexandNessa]

So, what are you saying, Tricia? Would you rather swim naked in sewage than watch basketball? :lmao:

Basketball is about the only sport I do like. :laughing:

[RVGal]

It's probably more along the lines of I'd rather have a root canal than watch basketball. At least then, I'd be given some good drugs to numb the pain and pass the time. :rolleyes1

[RVGal]

Okay, so where was I? Oh, yeah... just leaving the nice bathroom...

So, after my personal pit stop, we decided to go up to the rooftop "Sight and Sound Observation Deck".

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One of the many uniformed workers noticed me taking a picture and asked if we would like a picture of the two of us. Perk number 3 of the luxury suite, polite employees waiting to help.

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After she snapped our pic, we headed upstairs. When you are at a race, it's like being at any other sport live, the sights and sounds (and in racing, the smells) add to the experience. We wanted to be outside for the start of the race.

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We walked out and found a spot along the rail. This is not the place to be if you are afraid of heights. The opening ceremonies were just underway.

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They don't last long for the Truck Races. They save the big stuff for the Sunday Nextel Race. Pretty soon, we had honored our nation with the pledge of allegiance, the national anthem, and a military fly-by. Don't ask me what planes they were. There were three of them grouped together and they were hauling butt. I didn't get a picture. After the invocation and the driver announcements, it was time to crank them up and go. I've been cheering for the same driver for over 20 years. Mark Martin. That's him in the number 21 truck.

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They take their pace laps, the green flag waves, and they are off and running.

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I can't begin to describe what it is like to be in the stands (or, in our case, on top of the stands) and hear the roar of the engines. Conditioned men driving powerful machines as fast as they can, feeling the vibrations through your entire body as they rev the motors, hearing the whoosh as they pass and the unique zipping sound as the tires grip the asphault... it's all very, VERY exciting.

Okay, enough of that. I'm starting to sweat.

We watched a few laps of the race, but we decided to head back downstairs to our seats (and the bar). Before we left, Brad took a pic of me showing off my Club One credentials.

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Here is the setup for the seating in the luxury suite:

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And our seats were here:

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But one of my favorite things was that just a few feet behind our seats sat this lovely bar:

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When you get your Club One pass, you also get Perk number 4, which is a ticket good for 5 alcoholic beverages per seat. If you don't want to do the math, that would be 10 drinks between the 2 of us.

Here's a shot of me after we had our ticket punched a few times...

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To soak up the alcohol they are serving you, you also get to enjoy Perk number 5, which is the buffet. Everything from hotdogs and hamburgers to seared tuna and standing rib roast.

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Things start to get a little blurry as we continued to get our ticket punched, but I know for sure this is the almost-required-burnout celebrating the checkered flag...

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That is Kyle Busch headed to Victory Lane...

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Thank goodness for the cushion of alcohol. I can't stand either of the Busch brothers (Kyle OR Kurt). Eh, whatever. He DID have the fastest truck. It was obvious from the beginning. Sometimes the jerks come out on top.

We decided to stick around and maybe sober up a little and watched the Legends Race.

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When they finally ran out of munchies... they were serving "snacks" at that point (popcorn, nuts, chips, etc.)... we decided we had better go. At least we were only going across the street to our hotel because I don't think we had sobered up all that much...

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... judging by the dopey Fonz-like pose that Brad was giving me on the way out. :rolleyes1

That takes us through the first race. Up next will be our hotel and race number 2.

[Sharon G]

Sounds like you both are having a great time! :thumbsup2 The seats you had are awesome. 5 drinks a piece? You'd have to carry me out. :rotfl2: That red shirt must be Brad's favorite, he's wearing it in your siggie too. :rotfl:

[RVGal]

Sounds like you both are having a great time! :thumbsup2 The seats you had are awesome. 5 drinks a piece? You'd have to carry me out. :rotfl2: That red shirt must be Brad's favorite, he's wearing it in your siggie too. :rotfl:

Brad and his shirts... where do I begin...

This is from the "travel and special occasion" collection. Not to be confused with the "church" collection or the "work" collection or the "hanging out at home" collection or the "lawn and home maintanence" collection or the "it's so ratty it can't even still be considered a shirt so why are we keeping it" collection.

Most shirts begin in either the "church" or "special" collection and then work their way down. All shirts must be polo style with NO pocket on them. Solids are preferred, but simple stripes are acceptable.

Yeah, he's a pure joy to shop for. :rolleyes:

[bubba's mom]

Off to a great start...what views!!! Ya know....even tho I am one who doesn't "get" the whole "excitement" of the "cars riding around in circles" thing...I could really go for it doing it in this style :thumbsup2 What's NOT to love? Great seats, great food/booze, bathroom, VIP treatment..... Ya dun good girl!!! :thumbsup2 Looking forward to pix of the hotel..... popcorn::

[dsmom]

I am loving this report!! We live one hour from Daytona and love Nascar! You were so lucky to be in the luxery suite! Love the pictures.

I'm with you- I love football and hockey- baseball so-so but hate basketball( I had a root canal last week and it was much better than sitting through a game of basketball).

Who is your favorite driver? I also do not care for the Busch brothers- my husband is still in mourning over Bill Elliot. I like Ward Burton, Elliot Sadler and McMurray.

[RVGal]

I am loving this report!! We live one hour from Daytona and love Nascar! You were so lucky to be in the luxery suite! Love the pictures.

I'm with you- I love football and hockey- baseball so-so but hate basketball( I had a root canal last week and it was much better than sitting through a game of basketball).

Who is your favorite driver? I also do not care for the Busch brothers- my husband is still in mourning over Bill Elliot. I like Ward Burton, Elliot Sadler and McMurray.

We'll be in Daytona in February. We just couldn't miss the 50th anniversary of the Great American Race. :thumbsup2

My favorite driver is in the slow and painful process of retiring... Mark Martin. I've rooted for him since, oh, 1986 or so. I remember the old Winn Dixie car he drove. I met him in a Winn Dixie parking lot back in days before Nascar was a big, huge money-making sport and drivers still did general public type personal appearances to keep the sponsers happy.

For awhile here in Georgia, we were practically required to cheer for Awesome Bill From Dawsonville. I enjoyed watching him race. He didn't have a good day in Atlanta, but then Mark had a worse one. :rolleyes: Poor Mark. Always the bridesmaid, never the bride. It was painful to see him edged out in the last second at Daytona.

I'll have to pick a new driver now that Mark is running a limited schedule. Sigh.

[JawsCPA]

Tricia - Wow - what a great view. And 5 drinks a piece plus food.:banana: :banana: :banana:

Did you get the suite only for the truck race - or did you also get it for the main event?

Oh and Mark Martin - my nephew (who is now 15) dressed up as him one Halloween, when he was about 5-7years old. (I told you NASCAR was huge here!)

[loribell]

Lovin' the report Tricia. What amazing seats. You know, you describe it all so well as to why race fans love it. Thanks so much for the trippie. Can't wait to hear & see more.

[loribell]

Oh yeah, you can join me and cheer for the Hendricks clan. I can say that now that the stinkin' Busch brother has been dumped!!!!

Seing as how we have three race fans on here and we all despise the Busch brothers I'm wondering if anyone actually likes them!:rolleyes1

[RVGal]

Tricia - Wow - what a great view. And 5 drinks a piece plus food.:banana: :banana: :banana:

Did you get the suite only for the truck race - or did you also get it for the main event?

Oh and Mark Martin - my nephew (who is now 15) dressed up as him one Halloween, when he was about 5-7years old. (I told you NASCAR was huge here!)

We had the same seats for the whole weekend. I sold off the Friday night qualifying tickets on eBay since we couldn't make it for that one.

Wow! If he dressed up like Mark Martin for Halloween, it must be HUGE where you are. There are some areas that he would have been asked, "And who are you suppose to be?" at every house! :laughing:

Oh yeah, you can join me and cheer for the Hendricks clan. I can say that now that the stinkin' Busch brother has been dumped!!!!

Seing as how we have three race fans on here and we all despise the Busch brothers I'm wondering if anyone actually likes them!:rolleyes1

Brad already cheers for Jeff Gordon. I don't have anything against Gordon and I think he's gotten a raw deal from a lot of race fans for "selling out" as a member of Hendricks... and from the Junior fans for his tribute lap to Dale Sr... but I don't know if I want to cheer for the same guy hubby is. It's been fun all these years to keep up with where HIS driver is and where MY driver is.

Joshua cheers for Tony Stewart. Why? Because his favorite color is orange! (For those of you non-race fans, Tony Stewart drives the bright orange Home Depot car.) Sometimes he cheers for Jeff Burton (the orange AT&T/Cingular car) or Greg Biffle. Biffle is because sometimes he has the Wii paint scheme on his hood and Joshua is not missing any opportunity to remind us that he wants one. :rolleyes:

I know there must be Busch fans out there, but I haven't met one yet. :confused3

[bubba's mom]

[SIZE="3"][COLOR="darkred"]Brad already cheers for Jeff Gordon.

A very dear friend of mine (he's like a brother to me), actually met Jeff Gordon in his early days....and my friend was a big fan of his! Wore his hat and everything....however, let's just say from the conversation he had with him, and what he overheard Jeff & his manager discussing, he chucked his hat in the trash on the way out the door and has NOT been a fan since :rolleyes1


Joshua cheers for Tony Stewart. Why? Because his favorite color is orange! Sometimes he cheers for Jeff Burton (the orange AT&T/Cingular car) or Greg Biffle. Biffle is because sometimes he has the Wii paint scheme on his hood and Joshua is not missing any opportunity to remind us that he wants one. :rolleyes:


:rotfl2: Wellllll....you gotta 1) love his logic and 2) appreciate his consistancy ;)

[RVGal]

[QUOTE=bubba's mom;21602378]A very dear friend of mine (he's like a brother to me), actually met Jeff Gordon in his early days....and my friend was a big fan of his! Wore his hat and everything....however, let's just say from the conversation he had with him, and what he overheard Jeff & his manager discussing, he chucked his hat in the trash on the way out the door and has NOT been a fan since :rolleyes1

Oh, there have been rumors and such swirling around Jeff Gordon for years. The old "rainbow warrior" (a nickname started because of the paint scheme on his car) joke about how he is gay is the most common. Maybe he is. He certainly has picked two very obvious trophy wives. I, personally, couldn't care less what his sexual preference is. If he is gay, I say just come on out of the closet and deal with it. If he's not, I hope his wife and new baby can handle the headlines. They'll have to deal with the rumors either way.

[JawsCPA]

Yes - NASCAR is huge here in the heart of West Virginia. You hear about many folks getting tickets to Charlotte and Bristol as these are only about a 6-hour drive.

Jeff Gordon - I have never heard any man in WV say they like Gordon. Most repeat the "rainbow" rumor. About 95% of folks here root for Gordon to lose!

Most folks are big Dale Sr. fans. You see the #3 sticker everywhere. My nephew had is bedroom done in NASCAR for many years, and just changed it this year to WVU.

My brother likes Tony Stewart as well - I also think for the color orange. I purchased some Tony Stewart stuff for him for Christmas a few years ago.

I don't know that much about NASCAR. I only thought it was a big race on Sunday. I didn't know they had truck races and others all leading up to Sunday's race.

Are you children NASCAR fans as well?

[RVGal]

Back to the report...

We left parking lot and started through the spiderweb of roads leading back out to the highway. We passed the broadcast spot for the Speed Channel.

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff248/MooMonsters/Sat25.jpg

After seeing the live broadcast so many times during pre-race coverage, it was kinda neat to see the real thing.

Just a short traffic light across the main road and we arrived at our hotel.

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The reason for our choice of hotels was simple. It was the ONLY hotel within sight of the racetrack. Standing in the parking lot of the hotel and looking back toward the track:

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff248/MooMonsters/Sat34.jpg

They built the track in the middle of nowhere, but Atlanta is slowly creeping south and it's not quite the boonies that it once was.

We went into the lobby and checked in. The girl at the desk said, "You guys here for the races?" Ummm... we're both clearly inebriated and are still wearing our creditials... so, of course, I have to be a smart @ss and say, "What races?" She proceeded to explain to me that Nascar was in town for the weekend. My humor is lost on many. :rolleyes1

The lobby... a term I use loosely...

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff248/MooMonsters/Sat28.jpg

Now, the one good thing about this hotel is that it is the same hotel that we booked for the RV Show back in April. Since we had booked several rooms back then (at off-peak time), they put us in the best room this hotel has to offer. Remember, this is not what you'd call a deluxe establishment... but it was clean, safe, and close.

Our room...

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We enjoyed the jacuzzi and didn't drown, so that was a good thing. :woohoo:

I got a call from an old friend who now lives in the area of the track. He told me he was going to hang out with some of his buddies who had some rvs parked in the unreserved campground... and would we like to meet up with them? Sure!

Let me see if I can describe the different campgrounds. Once upon a time, the infield was party central. You could see anything and/or participate in anything you can imagine for the duration of race weekend. Then, as racing became more popular, the prices for a campsite on the infield started to climb... and climb... and climb... until finally, the party crowd was outpriced. The party moved outside the track to the side view (straightaway) campground. Well, since those are some sites with a view of the track, those prices went up too.

Let's fast forward to present day, where the party is now in the only cheap spot left. The unreserved campground. It didn't take long to realize that I am too old to hang out in party central anymore. I have fond memories of those days, but... well, we didn't stay long. We saw my friend, enjoyed the band that was playing (yes, they had a group of guys set up in the middle of their trailers), and said our goodbyes.

We made it back to our hotel and realized that we smelled of campfire smoke and heaven only knows what else, so we showered off before collapsing.

It was a long, but wonderfully fun day. We'll be ready for another round the next day!

[RVGal]

Yes - NASCAR is huge here in the heart of West Virginia. You hear about many folks getting tickets to Charlotte and Bristol as these are only about a 6-hour drive.

Jeff Gordon - I have never heard any man in WV say they like Gordon. Most repeat the "rainbow" rumor. About 95% of folks here root for Gordon to lose!

Most folks are big Dale Sr. fans. You see the #3 sticker everywhere. My nephew had is bedroom done in NASCAR for many years, and just changed it this year to WVU.

My brother likes Tony Stewart as well - I also think for the color orange. I purchased some Tony Stewart stuff for him for Christmas a few years ago.

I don't know that much about NASCAR. I only thought it was a big race on Sunday. I didn't know they had truck races and others all leading up to Sunday's race.

Are you children NASCAR fans as well?

My oldest is not quite 6 and he enjoys the races. My youngest, at 2, doesn't care. He thinks it's fun to clap and yell when we watch the race on tv. We haven't taken the kids to a race yet. That'll be a few years and even then, we'll be in the family (no alcohol) section. There are some things they need to be a little older to handle.

Usually, the Craftsman Truck Races are on Friday, the Busch Series Races are on Saturday (think top tier minor league, cars one step below the Nextel), and the Nextel Cup Races are on Sunday. The Busch Races have, for me, become extremely boring. A lot of Nextel drivers race the Busch race if it is on the same track (which it usually is) as a way of getting a feel for what they should do on Sunday. So, the Busch race has, in effect, become a "test race" for the Nextel drivers. I think that Nascar needs to do something to restrict the number of crossover races that drivers can compete in or something. Fortunately, the weekend we were in Atlanta, the Busch Race was in a different city... so, we just got the good stuff!

[AlexandNessa]

Wow, I have no idea what you guys are talking about for the most part.

But, I will say that you hit the bathroom jackpot that weekend!

[bubba's mom]

Uhhhh...are you able to sit IN the tub AND watch tv at the same time??? ....or am I looking at the picture wrong? :confused3 Looks like a beautiful room...good thing you booked it waaaay back in the year! Looks like a popular place to stay!

Oh, and the thing about Gordon and my friend....it wasn't about the "gay" thing....more of an "I'm better than you, what do you want?" attitude from him....my friend pretty much told him to f*** off and deposited his hat in the trash on the way out (and ya haveta know my friend [who is a truck driver] NEVER does NOT wear a hat....and he didn't have a spare in his truck! Felt THAT strongly about it....)

Oh, and speaking of the whole NASCAR thing....today I was watching Herbie Fully Loaded on tv....(AND the end of Jurassic Park 3 and now Jaws....must be "vacation tv" today :lmao: ) now....there is NO way NASCAR would let a VW bug in a race :rolleyes: :rotfl2: .....there just isn't that kind of "loophole" like they state in the movie :sad2: Nonetheless.....a great movie and finish :banana: Way to go Herbie!!!! :woohoo:

[RVGal]

Uhhhh...are you able to sit IN the tub AND watch tv at the same time??? ....or am I looking at the picture wrong? :confused3 Looks like a beautiful room...good thing you booked it waaaay back in the year! Looks like a popular place to stay!

Oh, and the thing about Gordon and my friend....it wasn't about the "gay" thing....more of an "I'm better than you, what do you want?" attitude from him....my friend pretty much told him to f*** off and deposited his hat in the trash on the way out (and ya haveta know my friend [who is a truck driver] NEVER does NOT wear a hat....and he didn't have a spare in his truck! Felt THAT strongly about it....)

Oh, and speaking of the whole NASCAR thing....today I was watching Herbie Fully Loaded on tv....(AND the end of Jurassic Park 3 and now Jaws....must be "vacation tv" today :lmao: ) now....there is NO way NASCAR would let a VW bug in a race :rolleyes: :rotfl2: .....there just isn't that kind of "loophole" like they state in the movie :sad2: Nonetheless.....a great movie and finish :banana: Way to go Herbie!!!! :woohoo:



Yep. You are seeing correctly. We could (and did) lounge in the tub for two and watch tv. You had to crank it up to hear it over the jets, but we didn't care. ;)

I don't doubt that your friend got the "attitude" from Gordon in his early days. Jeff didn't know how to put on the "company face" for awhile. He has either gotten mellow in his older years, or he has learned how to play the game, but you won't see the "attitude" from him anymore.

I think that's why I enjoy Tony Stewart. He's aggressive, he's loud, he can be a jerk... and he doesn't usually turn that off just because the cameras are rolling. He has been slapped down a few times in past couple of years, so he does try to do the PR thing. I just hope they never tame him completely.

And the Herbie thing? Oh, yeah... would never happen. The "s" and "c" in NASCAR stands for "stock car"... meaning that everyone's car must meet standard pre-set specs before and after every race. But it was still a fun movie to watch! :cheer2:

[RVGal]

Wow, I have no idea what you guys are talking about for the most part.

But, I will say that you hit the bathroom jackpot that weekend!

It's okay. Like with any sport or job or whatever, there is a lot of language that only makes sense to those that follow it. Just nod and pretend like you care. :laughing:

The bathroom set up was great. The shower and toilet were closed off by themselves, with a huge counter and sink out where I could get ready while Brad was showering. And the jetted tub for two was fabulous! :cool1:

[loribell]

Now don't going talking bad about my guy!:eek:

Anyway, lovin' the report. The room looked pretty nice to me. Can't wait to hear more.

[RVGal]

Now don't going talking bad about my guy!:eek:

Anyway, lovin' the report. The room looked pretty nice to me. Can't wait to hear more.

Nope. No bad talk. Like I said before, I don't have a problem with Jeff Gordon. I've heard from a lot of people that he used to have an ego the size of Texas and an attitude to match. Maybe he did... or maybe he was just young and foolish and thought that he needed to talk big to make it in Nascar. At one time, all the big guys (Dale Sr, Richard Petty, etc.) had the attitude. It was the "trash talking" that made the soap opera off the track almost as much fun to keep up with as the "tradin' paint" on the track. He has NOT been like that in public for years. Either the attitude back then was an act... or the polite face now is an act... or he grew up and got over himself. Either way, I think he is a great driver who races clean and fair. He owns up to his mistakes and he always gives credit to his crew when things go well. You gotta respect that. :thumbsup2

[RVGal]

Saturday was a good day, but I had the spins about half the night. I just don't get really drunk like that much anymore.

We were still up at a decent time on Sunday morning. Brad drank the tiny pot of coffee that we could brew in the automatic maker in our room, then went to the lobby to drink theirs as well. I opted for a can of Coke and some OJ (not at the same time). The free "continental breakfast" at the hotel is not much. Vending machine type individually wrapped honey buns and cinnamon rolls, bagels, toast, muffins... coffee and juice... that's pretty much it. We grabbed a couple of carbs and got ready to head to the track.

Gates opened at 10 am, and we were there shortly after that. We drove past the screaming parking lot attendants with our magic pass...

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff248/MooMonsters/Sun1.jpg

Yes, note the new mom-mobile. :sad2:

We got our golf cart ride to the door and asked at the check-in desk about pit road hours. Yes, perk number... heck, I've lost count... anyway, another perk of our luxury suite tickets is that they are good for pre-race pit access. We weren't sure if there were specific tours or if we could just go whenever. He told us they close pit road about 1 hour prior to race time, but other than that, we were free to head over anytime we wanted. He stopped us and said, "Oh, but we have a special visitor upstairs, so you might want to head up there first."

Okay, we'll take the elevator ride up and see who they've booked. Another perk, right? We get to meet somebody important, right?

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff248/MooMonsters/Sun2.jpg

Did I mention that I can't stand Kurt Busch?

Great. They send us a driver and we are one of maybe 50 people standing there with him and it has to be a stinkin' Busch brother. :headache:

However, getting us upstairs to the Club One level did help us to discover that they were serving brunch already. That nice spread of food now included french toast, huevos rancheros, eggs benedict, hash browns, bacon, sausage fresh fruit, and just about anything else you could want. Woo hoo! :woohoo: Let me tell you, I like to feed my hangovers and this was heaven!

After we made complete pigs of ourselves, we decided to walk down to pit road so that we could justify the amout of food we consumed. Our seats are at the Turn 1 end of the grandstands. The pedestrian tunnel to get to pit road is on the Turn 4 end of the grandstands. That is quite a walk. We flashed our Club One passes and were allowed through the chain link fence along with thousands of other pass holders.

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff248/MooMonsters/Sun3.jpg

I made my way to Mark Martin's pit box and a very nice gentleman offered to take our picture.

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff248/MooMonsters/Sun4.jpg

We walked all the way down past all the pit boxes and watched some of the pre-race prep stuff, but it wasn't nearly the thrill that I thought it would be. I guess what struck me as off is that here were all these guys trying to do their job and here we were gawking at them like they were zoo exhibits or something. All I could think was that they must hate it... having all these fans clamboring for any view that brings them closer to whomever their favorite driver is and clicking away with their cameras and bugging them with questions... but with all that going on, they are trying to get things ready for the race. I don't know. I just didn't feel right.

I did make Brad pose on Victory Lane on our way out...

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff248/MooMonsters/Sun5.jpg

We made the trek back to our seats and *ahem* we might have had another little snack from the brunch buffet. I don't really remember. :rolleyes1

When it started getting close to race time, we headed back up to the Observation Deck to enjoy the opening festivities outside. They started with a parachute guy trailing a HUGE American flag...

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff248/MooMonsters/Sun6.jpg

Then they had some stuff on the stage. Don't ask me what. We weren't really paying attention.

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff248/MooMonsters/Sun7.jpg

Next came the driver introductions. They drive the guys around the track so that they can wave and smile and you can take pictures like this...

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff248/MooMonsters/Sun8.jpg

The guy in the black & yellow firesuit with his knee up on the side of the truck is Mark Martin. He drives the 01 Army car.

This is for Lori...

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff248/MooMonsters/Sun9.jpg

The guy in the red & blue firesuit is Jeff Gordon. He drives the 24 Dupont car. He was being interviewed during his trip around the track.

This is just because he is the most popular driver in Nascar...

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff248/MooMonsters/Sun10.jpg

The guy on the far side of the truck is Dale Earnhardt Jr. He drives the 8 Budweiser car. With him is Kasey Kahne. He drives the 9 Dodge car. I guess he is considered something of a hottie. I dunno. He's too young and too "cute" for me. :confused3

The opening ceremonies continued with the invocation, the pledge of allegiance, and the national anthem. There was another military fly-by and I got a picture this time...

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff248/MooMonsters/Sun11.jpg

Then it was time for the most famous words in motor sports. There is always some celebrity or some big wig from a major company (sponsor) that gets to say the big line, but this time was a complete surprise. The guy comes on and says it's time for the announcement, but they are doing things a little differently. There was a crackle over the loudspeakers and then Jeff Gordon gave the call, "Gentlemen, start your engines!" over the radio from inside his race car. He sounded like a kid that had been given a new toy for Christmas. I mean that. He sounded genuinely thrilled to be given the honor of starting the race.

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff248/MooMonsters/Sun12.jpg

A couple of pace laps and then the green flag waved and it was race time again.

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff248/MooMonsters/Sun13.jpg

My guy did not have a good day. There was a spinout early that he couldn't avoid and, BAM! Mark Martin was out of the race.

Oh, well. Time to hit the bar. Here's where we got an unexpected bonus. We had the same bartenders as the day before. They remembered us. I don't know if they don't get many tips or if it is because Saturday was a slow day or what, but they took care of us very well on Sunday. The first time I went up to get our drinks, the girl looked at me and smiled and said, "Capt & Coke and a Heineken, right?" I said, "I'm sticking with Capt & Coke, but my husband wants a Bloody Mary." She said, "You got it." and started mixing our drinks. I handed my coupon to her and she punched it. Once. I started to say something to her when she handed it back because I didn't want her to get in trouble, but she winked at me and stuffed it in my hand. The next pair of drinks, same thing. Two drinks, one punch. Well, it was a longer day, so the drinking was spread out more, but boy, oh, boy were we feeling no pain by the end of the race. :rolleyes1

Brad's guy (Jeff Gordon) had an okay day, but he was struggling with his car all day. Every pit stop they were adjusting something.

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff248/MooMonsters/Sun14.jpg

There were several caution flags late in the race that caused the top 10 to shuffle. Who decided to pit, who didn't... it really mattered in this race.

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff248/MooMonsters/Sun15.jpg

The race ended under caution (I hate that) and Jimmie Johnson took the checkered flag. He celebrated with the usual burnout...

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff248/MooMonsters/Sun16.jpg

... and then off to Victory Lane...

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff248/MooMonsters/Sun17.jpg

We headed out of the track and where we were parked, we got to watch a little of the "race after the race". Almost all the drivers, corporate sponsor big wigs, etc. have their own private planes. They all take off running for the airfield beside the track to get off the ground as quickly as possible.

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff248/MooMonsters/Sun18.jpg

While we were sitting in our car, trying to get out of the parking lot, I counted 42 planes taking off from that little runway. I remember hearing once that by the time the average race fan makes it out of parking lot, most of the drivers are home and watching a replay of the race. I believe it.

It took almost an hour for us to make it the very short distance from the racetrack to the hotel. If we do it again, we'll probably just walk. Seriously, unless the weather is unbearably cold or something, I would rather walk than just sit in the car.

We took another spin in the jacuzzi, watched some tv, and got some much needed sleep. We were up and away by 9am the next morning and, after a brief stop for breakfast, we were back home by noon.

It was a wonderful weekend away and an experience that I fully enjoyed. Who knows, when we win the lottery, we might just do it again! ;)

[bubba's mom]

Sorry your guy didn't finish...but, at least you had a nice bartender that day :thumbsup2 (and "eats") :rolleyes1

Sounds like a first-class weekend :thumbsup2 And I would do it again like that....anyday!:thumbsup2

Thanks for sharing....loved the pix!!!!

[loribell]

Ahh, I know you weren't talkin' bad about my guy. I think the attitude was a show, he wanted to look like the big boys & he showed them he was as good, guess he felt he needed to act that way too!

Thanks so much for the report (and the special pics just for me!!!):cloud9:

The special access was great, but did you miss being closer to the cars during the race? Of course I have never been to one, maybe next year I can go to Dallas, but I think I would want to be right out there with the cars.

Thanks again!

[RVGal]

Sorry your guy didn't finish...but, at least you had a nice bartender that day :thumbsup2 (and "eats") :rolleyes1

Sounds like a first-class weekend :thumbsup2 And I would do it again like that....anyday!:thumbsup2

Thanks for sharing....loved the pix!!!!

Oh, yeah... first class all the way! I forgot to mention that they took up the brunch buffet about noon and brought out the lunch buffet about 12:30pm. It was the same spread as the day before (hotdogs, hamburgers, plus the more snooty food). Then they brought out dessert stuff (brownies, cake, cookies, eclairs, etc.). After that came the snack stuff (cheese popcorn, carmel popcorn, nuts, chips, dip, etc). We did NOT go hungry! :laughing:

Ahh, I know you weren't talkin' bad about my guy. I think the attitude was a show, he wanted to look like the big boys & he showed them he was as good, guess he felt he needed to act that way too!

Thanks so much for the report (and the special pics just for me!!!):cloud9:

The special access was great, but did you miss being closer to the cars during the race? Of course I have never been to one, maybe next year I can go to Dallas, but I think I would want to be right out there with the cars.

Thanks again!

I wouldn't want to be too close to the cars. If you are too low down, you can't see the whole track.

I don't mind the grandstands. Really. My only complaints about the grandstands are that you sit on a hard metal bench (ouch) and you have an assigned "space" on the bench. Get up to go to the bathroom and sometimes your "space" shrinks. :rolleyes:

[loribell]

See I told you I had never been and knew nothing. Now I know to go first class all the way!

[JawsCPA]

Great report. Sounds like you had a wonderful weekend with just you and hubby. (I know with two tykes, you don't get that alone time very much.)

This sounded really cool for big NASCAR fans.:cool1:

-Jennifer-

[Motherfletcher]

Brad's guy (Jeff Gordon)...


Now you're making Brad sound gay.:rainbow:

Didn't NASCAR evolve from moonshine runners?

Don't think I've watched more than a lap on TV:happytv:

I had a hard time making it through Ricky Bobby...

It beats watching golf!

[bubba's mom]

Hey....speakin' of....did I hear Jimmie Johnson won the cup?? He's ur guy, right T?

[loribell]

Nope Tricia's guy is Mark Martin. He doesn't race full season anymore but should, he's still got it goin!

Yes Jimmy did win the cup. He and Jeff are on the same team and next year will be even better cause JR will be on their team too!!!!

[RVGal]

Didn't NASCAR evolve from moonshine runners?



Yes. The roots of Nascar can be traced directly back to moonshine runners. It started when they would race the cars to see who had the fastest and, therefore, the best chance of out running the long arm of the law (if necessary).

Hey....speakin' of....did I hear Jimmie Johnson won the cup?? He's ur guy, right T?

Jimmie Johnson won the cup. Lori was hoping for Jeff Gordon, but was okay with Jimmie Johnson because they are team mates. Both drive for Hendrick Motorsports... and Jeff Gordon is part owner of Johnson's car... and you guys don't really want me to go into all this detail anyway, do you? :laughing:

I am currently without a driver. With Mark Martin running a limited schedule I am lost. I'll have to figure something out before February when the season starts again. Nascar has the longest season of ANY professional sport. A little *too* long in my opinion. Shorten the Chase and make it more exciting... and you guys don't really care, so I'll shut up now... :rolleyes1

[bubba's mom]

Sorry .... my bad...thot is was JJ...MM :headache:

I did think it was a long season....only 2 months it really doesn't run.... I'm actually glad it's not my 'thing'....would hate to spend beautiful spring/summer Sundays inside watchin' tv.... like to be outside while i can :rolleyes:

[loribell]

I care!

[RVGal]

I care!

Get's a little lonely being the only race fans in this bunch, doesn't it? :hug:

Maybe we should organize a DIS meet at a race. Show them what they are missing... :rolleyes1 :laughing:

[bubba's mom]

Maybe we should organize a DIS meet at a race. Show them what they are missing... :rolleyes1 :laughing:

If we can get that buffet and 5 drink coupons YOU did, I'm all in :woohoo: