July 24, 2008 - Planes, Trains And Baseball Games

For those readers who have the misconception that crew members and crew chiefs always fly like royalty in the lap of luxury, do I have a couple of stories for you!  Actually, I will be the first to admit that I tease my husband endlessly about “princess flying” and how easy they have it.

However, I have to admit that the horror stories I have heard from the Chicago NASCAR race alone were enough to make me glad the FAA regulates the flights I take.

First, the Gillett Evernham plane carrying the No. 9 and No. 19 crews had to turn around mid-flight to Chicago and come home because the cabin pressure would not stabilize and oxygen masks were needed. Now, I said these were needed, but unfortunately, the guys didn’t think that they were necessary and refused to put them on because they were dirty. As filthy as crew guys get at the track, and they were afraid of a little mold on an oxygen mask? Please!

Second, they Roush-Yates flight home sounds like a scene from John Candy’s movie, “Planes, Trains and Automobiles.” These poor guys worked all day in the heat, busted their rears for a whole NASCAR race, loaded up the haulers, jumped in their rental cars, raced to the airport, only to find out once they had returned their rentals cars and boarded the plane that there was a noise ordinance and they would be unable to take off until 6:30 a.m. At this point, it was supposedly a little after 12:30 a.m.

So, these poor, sweaty, smelly, tired guys had to sit on a plane all night and try and get some sleep in the little airlplane seats because they were not even allowed to de-board the plane. Six hours locked on a plane with grumpy crew members, glad I fly commercial!

Luckily though, this past weekend NASCAR Sprint Cup members were off and the guys were able to spend time with their families.  My husband was even able to join all of the NSSN staffers at the Kannapolis Intimidators baseball game.

Everyone from the office ventured out to the ballpark for food, fun and a lot of laughs!  Our own Bill Oursler even caught a foul ball in the stands and gave it to my son Chase.  If you all could have seen my son’s eyes light up at that ball.  He even made us stay until after the 11th inning when the game finally ended, so he could have a couple of the Intimidators sign his ball.

Growing up in the pits of NASCAR and NHRA tracks, he has never before been impressed or in awe enough of anyone to get an autograph or photo. So, imagine my surprise that these farm league baseball players have his eternal admiration.

I finally know how all those children’s parents standing behind the gates trying to get a NASCAR driver’s autograph feels.  It is amazing how much someone taking a moment to sign their name for a child means to a parent. Thanks to all of you who do!

July 10, 2008 - Cheers, Jeers, and Congratulations

Stepping away from my normal blog, I am doling out praise where it is due, criticism where I think it is needed, and a little congratulations here and there.

•    Cheers to TNT for their fantastic coverage of the July 5th Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway.  I wish every NASCAR race would be shown with minimal commercial interruption. 

•    Cheers to Kyle Petty for his insight, wit, and otherwise entertaining commentaries of the Daytona race.  It is great to finally be able to watch a race without having to mute out the commentators’ comments on a race car they have never driven, how they used to do things when they raced, and phrases like “boogity, boogity, boogity.”

•    Jeers to the other TNT NASCAR commentators who continuously and rudely cut Kyle Petty off when he is talking. No names need to be given. You know who you are.

•    Cheers to Elliott Sadler for finally popping the question to his girlfriend Amanda Prince.  Anyone who has met Amanda knows Elliott was smart to grab hold of her!

•    Jeers to Mother Nature for reeking havoc on all the tracks and series in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and many other states.  Come on woman, give them a break!

In Baby News, the NASCAR stork has been very busy preparing to drop off bundles of joy around the racetrack.

•    Congratulations to Rodney Childers, crew chief on the GEM No.19 car driven by Elliott Sadler, and his wife Katrina on the impending birth of their twins.

•    Congratulations to Casey Mears, driver of the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports car, and his girlfriend Trisha Grablander on their pregnancy.

•    Congratulations are also in order to Hendrick Motorsports No.48 rear tire changer Jeremy West and his wife Lisa on their soon-to-be-born baby girl.

July 2, 2008 - Supporting Our Troops

With the upcoming Fourth of July holiday, and my big brother serving our country in Iraq, I would like to take a moment to thank all the race teams and sanctioning bodies who stand behind our military troops. The media outlets are always so full of complaints about how NASCAR and other series do everything wrong, I want to point out what they do right.

What they do right is support and glorify our U.S. Armed Forces. One cannot visit a NASCAR race without bumping into hundreds, or thousands of military personnel taking tours of the garages, haulers and pit lane at tracks like Lowe’s Motor Speedway. The spectacular pre-race shows with flyovers, military-maneuver demonstrations, and sky divers carrying our flags are enough to give you goose bumps even in 100-degree weather.

Also, I would like to thank the drivers and crew members who take extra time with the troops to explain procedures, sign autographs and take photos. It only takes a few moments from the drivers to give these troops a lifetime memory. I even happen to know that I am not the only one who has quickly and secretly paid the bill at a high-priced track concession stand for these troops. When you see them pooling their money to pay for a couple of $7 burgers and $5 drinks, it tears your heart out that they are willing to give their lives for us and get paid so little.

So, thank you NASCAR, NHRA and all of the other series and tracks Nationwide that remember to start their races with a salute to the troops and the men and women overseas who are risking their lives every day for us.