A Sweet Gift cont., NASCAR Style
I've never been a NASCAR fan. Sorry folks, I just don't see the fun in it all. But, now I live within minutes of the raceway idol, Lowes Motor Speedway. And whether I want to know about it or not, when one hundred thousand people descend upon your town for a weekend, you find yourself wondering what all this excitement is about. I don't find fault with anyone who is into though. To each there own, as far as I am concerned!
So, the Jones family wanted to visit NASCAR country and go on the tour there. This sounded lively and fun to me. And the one thing my kids are into is cars. Oh, my do they ever play with cars. We piled all 7 of us into the van (poor CJ, he missed out on all the fun and went to a team meeting - sorry babe) and headed over.
It was the weekend before the next big race. Don't even ask, which one it is people, I couldn't tell you if I tried. So the place seemed to be hoppin a bit. The tour was done in one of their vans. As we drove around the facilities, I learned that it takes 2 weeks to fill up the water tower. And two days to go through it all. I saw the new hospital that is on site, that houses 2 doctors, daily. And looked at monster trucks. We also experienced a lap around the track. Much to my relief at a lesser speed then normal. The Jones and my boys were disappointed.
Towards the end, we stopped at the winners circle and pit row. Feeling as though it was only appropriate to get pictures of the boys standing in the winners circle (cuz everyone else was doing it!), I had my kids pose and I began to snap away.
It wasn't too long after, I realized that someone was standing rather close to me. And he was holding up a much bigger camera then I had in my own hands. I turned to find a news camera filming me. Slowly and kindly, I asked what they were doing.
Their response, "We are just filming all the people getting ready for the big race, next weekend, ma'm."
Okay... so, I resumed my photography session with the kids. Then realizing that maybe where I had them just wasn't perfect enough, I went across the winners circle to the side where the winner actually stands and begged my children to stand still long enough for more portraits. (heavens knows why!)
The camera man, followed me (or as Mrs. Jones said... stalked me). He captured me in action as I continued to "get ready for the BIG race next weekend, " by taking pics of the kiddos.
It's too bad, I haven't been able to find the footage. I wasn't home that evening to see it on the news. And I can't seem to locate it online. Oh well. I was close....so close... to NASCAR celebrity status.
Shortly there after, the Jones family flew back home. And our weekend of friends, conversations, and laughter came to an end. It was one of the sweetest gifts from the Lord, that weekend. It filled me up to overflowing.
Posted in: Giving Thanks, Smiles on Monday, October 15, 2007 at at 2:28 PM
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I find it humorous that they filmed the only person within a 100-mile radius of the speedway that could care less about Nascar!
I used to like it before it went so mainstream and the drivers started changing sponsors like they change socks and made all my t-shirts outdated! Elliot Sadler leaving MnMs pushed me over the edge.
This is such a great and funny story! I really was not into NASCAR until my BIL got into it and explained that there was actually strategy in the whole thing - they are not just driving around and around. So, probably within the past year, I have gotten into it more - we even taped it last week b/c we were going to be out while the race was on! I think that I got into it even more after seeing a live race.
We were thinking about you when we were watching the race that was by where you live! That was a great race - and Jeff Gordon won - who is my favorite!
Anyway, I am glad that you had fun on your tour! :)
LOL!
We occasionally have the race on in our home. We call it Nap-Car. Great time to take a nap. My siblings however are totally into it. Complete with fantasy leagues.
Thanks for sharing your moment in the winners circle.