racewriter's Blog

The 50th Daytona 500 has come and gone…but wow, did it leave a big impression on everyone that caught a glimpse of it.  The race had moments that for a casual fan may have seemed a little dull, as we had lots and lots of laps without cautions to interrupt the rpm’s.  Listening to the scanner provided many moments that told us our driver’s cars were either so tight they couldn’t turn, or so loose they thought they’d end up in someone’s lap.

Perhaps the most entertaining was when Dale Earnhardt, Jr. came on his radio and laughingly said that the shifter knob had let loose…the threads that allow it to screw on the shifter had given out and the knob just took a flying leap off its post.  This prompted a hurry scurry atmosphere to become very apparent in the pit area, as the fellows that are well skilled in their crafts started to hunt up something that just might work as a temporary knob.  The TV crews jumped on it and pulled a knob from somewhere, explaining to the millions of viewers what it was and where it went.  Umm…do I look that ignorant that I don’t know what a gear shift knob goes? Oh well….no harm done. The fellows explained and the world of racing listened.  And I listened to Dale, Jr. to see what was up with the shifter. The next time he pitted, his crew attempted to patch up the gear shift knob.  Ah, but try as they might, whatever they came up with proved to do nothing more than agitate the man.  He fussed and fumed, and told them that what they tried would have worked well if it hadn’t slipped all the way down to the transmission.  Nothing much more was said, so either they got it right later, or Jr. gave up, either way, it had been entertaining for those of us listening.

The last 70 laps or so began to take shape as the fellows all realized the end was nearing. They started jockeying around, pushing each other, passing and bumping….and that’s when we had us a race.  It was great. Nail biting, pace the floor, throw your remote control kind of racing.  When the dust settled and Ryan Newman had been crowned winner of the 50th Daytona 500, things around the track changed very quickly. The grandstands emptied as quickly as if the folks themselves were cats caught in a rainstorm. One minute I looked out the window and they were all there, the next …gone, quick as that.

Just where they thought they might be going I wasn’t sure. It’s not unusual to get caught in traffic for an easy 3 hours or so…and depending on which way out you’re going, it can be more.  I think they all think they’re going to beat each other out of the track…they walk fast and drag their spouses along…”Come on honey, we can beat the traffic if you’ll just get a move on!”.  Yeah, right…unless you leave about half way through the race you might as well plan on being here for a few more hours. Me? I decided to just hang out and write for a few hours, and then tackle the exit roads.

Tomorrow we’ll talk about the racing details and the what if’s and how comes, but for now, I think I’m just going to pack it up and head on home. My dogs have forgotten who I am and my cats could care less, my husband spent our wedding anniversary by himself, and I think my kids are wondering if they still have a Mom…I’m so tired I could sleep for a week, but I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything…nothing, absolutely nothing. It’s been awesome to be able to touch my dream.  And with that, I’m going to go out and fight the traffic, and love every minute of it.