Race Weekend

Happy Tuesday!

 

Hope you all had a wonderful holiday weekend!  There is nothing better than a 3 day weekend! 

 

Mark got out of work around 10:30 Friday morning and we jumped in the car and headed to Daytona!

 

 

So I LOVE my Shoreline Converse, but I would NOT recommend them for a day of walking!  We walked around quite a bit Friday late afternoon, into the evening, and my feet were KILLING me! 

 

The traffic through Orlando was AWFUL, so it took us like 4 1/2 hours to get there...so before we checked into the hotel, we went right over to the NASCAR credentials and picked up our passes for the weekend! 

 

We love these little passes and are so grateful that we are able to get them!  One of Mark's "people" met us at the credentials office and gave us a parking pass that allowed us to drive right in and park by the drivers! 

 

Hello Daytona!

 

I am a HUGE Martin Truex Jr. Fan!  I was lucky enough to get to meet him back in February!

 

 

Mark has a lot of connections, and each time we have been to Daytona we have been fortunate enough to get right into the driver's lot, this is where all the driver's motor homes are, and where they stay with their families during the race.  It never gets old, and I am star struck every single time I just see them walking around! 

 

Tony Stewart's motorhome!

 

 

One of Mark's friends, Sarge, drives the motorhome for Ty Dillon, and he brought with him two bottles of wine, autographed from Richard Childress, Mark was pretty pumped about that!

 

We spent the rest of Friday night watching the race from Ty Dillon's motorhome...how cool!!

 

 

We got back to our hotel around 10, and fell right to sleep! 

 

Saturday morning a few of Mark's coworkers were meeting us at the hotel for a ride into the race, so before they arrived we ran and got some breakfast.

 

I am really not sure if there is anything better than breakfast from Waffle House, it is pure greasy goodness!

 

After breakfast we met up with Mark's friends and headed to the track!  Y'all it was HOT, and then it rained for like 5 hours, and it was just hot, humid and gross!  But we made the best of it! 

 

 

Ready for some racing fun!  And as you can see I decided to NOT where my Shoreline Converse, thank GOD I packed my Nikes! 

 

Our passes allowed us to get into the track hours before it was open to the public, it was pretty neat to walk around in there with literally no one in there!  Trust me, just a few short hours later it was JAM PACKED in there!

 

 

The rain definitely sucked, but we were so glad it stopped, and they were able to get the track dry and have the race!

 

 

One of our friends drives the motorhome for Rusty Wallace, and well he needed to bring a car to the garage for him to take to the airport after the race, and asked Mark if we would follow him, driving Rusty Wallace's golfcart....ummmm.....OF COURSE!  It was really neat to be in this garage, there was security everywhere, and it was a pretty neat little experience.  And guys, his golf cart was the nicest I have ever seen!  It was definitely the highlight of Mark's weekend!

 

 

We had dinner at Germain Racing's coach, and the kitchen was nicer than the kitchen in my house! 

 

 

We went down and watched the driver introductions...it was a ton of fun!  Hello Kyle Busch!

 

 

I am a huge fan of Samantha Busch, at the last few races I have gotten some glimpses of her, and we have seen them by their motorhome in the driver's lot, but I had never had the opportunity to meet her.  So Friday night, I decided to send her an email, you know that typical I am a huge fan, but not a stalker, lol, kind of email.  Well, I sent it Friday night, and never in a million years did I expect a reply that night, or ever!  Well like an hour later sure enough an email from Samantha Busch comes in!  Y'all at that point I was so excited to hear back from her I didn't even care if I met her! 

 

Well after driver intros Saturday we were down on pit row, and Samantha Busch was walking down, she was stopping talking to fans, taking pics, well I walked up to her and said "Hi Samantha, I had sent you an email last night...", before I could say anything she else, she said...."oh yes....Kimm, I am so glad you emailed me and so glad we got to meet", and then she gave me a hug....you guys I was in HEAVEN.....we chatted for a few minutes, and she was super super sweet! 

 

My weekend was now complete!

 

 

We had the best time just hanging out watching the race.  Getting to meet Samantha Busch was definitely the highlight of the race for me, but a close second was getting able to sit right on the wall of pit row for the #46 car.  Mark knows one of the guys really well on the pit crew, and he let us go right up and sit on the wall for a few laps, and you guys it was so exciting.  I could have sat there all night!  I love seeing the cars coming in to pit, and I am always AMAZED how quick they change those tires and gas up the cars!

 

So much fun!

 

 

The night ended with the best fireworks show I have ever seen! 

 

We got to the track right before lunch and left right before midnight!  We did lots of walking, had the best time, and were completed wiped out by the end of the night.  We got back to our room, ordered a pizza, inhaled it, then fell asleep watching Shark Week.

 

I am really so grateful for all the perks that my hubby gets with his job, and I am so glad that we get to experience all these awesome things together!  We had a truly awesome little weekend, but come Sunday morning, we were ready to get in the car and head home to see our kiddos!

 

 

 

We spent Monday, just hanging out at home with the kids, took a nap, and just enjoyed lounging around all together! 

 

Thanks for stopping by today!