While the holiday season was wonderful, with January 1st came all the things that make me grumpy. Christmas bills, cold weather and tax season to name just a few.
Fortunately I had booked a mini trip to Daytona for the weekend of January 24th for a 5K and the Rolex 24 race. That helped ease the "first of the year blues" I was feeling.
On Friday, January 16th while working shoulders at the gym I tweaked something in my neck/shoulder area. By the next day I was in major pain and this continued for three whole LONG weeks. I knew it was definitely a muscle thing and it had to heal. Any workout person knows this can happen and it would work itself out. I was convinced it would be better within one week before my 5k and race. I tried resting, stretching, ice, heat, ibuprofen and massage therapy. Nothing was helping and sleep was non-existent as after a couple hours of sleep, it would stiffen up worse. Pain coupled with lack of sleep made me a very cranky person.
Our campsite was booked and our tickets were bought so I was determined to head to Daytona despite my injury.
Mason is always ready!
The two hour drive was miserable but we made it to the KOA
Since it was just Trevor, me and Mason, we were doing minimal set up. No decorations, no back bunk dropped, no screen room or even awning.
We have stayed at this KOA many times when attending races. It's the perfect location for that...and not much else. It's a small campground, right on a VERY busy road but less than 2 miles from the speedway.
There was a lot of downtime on this trip. If I wasn't at the track, I was laying down and icing my shoulder. Not the best time I've ever had but I was determined to make the best of it.
After we relaxed a bit, Trevor and I drove down to the track to get our race packets and pick up some take-out for dinner.
Daytona Speedway is undergoing some major overhauling. This would be our first glimpse at the work that had been done.
More than half of the front parking lot is closed because of construction, so our first challenge was finding out where we could enter.
We finally found a place to park and made our way into the office where we picked up our packets last trip.
Even in excruciating pain, I had to stop for Jimmie!
As soon as we entered the office I knew we were in the wrong place. Grrrrrrrr!
They directed us to the backstretch to another building. Yes, that meant more circles around the speedway, more challenges on where to park. We finally found where we were supposed to be and picked up our stuff.
As we left the track you can see by the sky that it was cold and rainy which didn't do much for my mood. Thank God I have a loving husband! Looking back now, I KNOW I was a bear.
The race organizers were nice enough to give us long sleeve dri-fit shirts for the chilly temps.
Trevor's walker shirt was the same design, but a short sleeved tee.
We brought home some Krystal burgers for dinner and relaxed in the warm camper for the evening.
Around 2:00 am I woke up to the sound of pouring rain and winds. Since we would be leaving for the track at 5:00 I decided that I would eat the cost of my 5K if the nasty weather stuck around. As stubborn as I am, even I knew that wouldn't be the best thing for my body.
Lo and behold when I woke up at 4:30 it was still cold and windy but the rains were at a slight drizzle. I was doing this!!!
We arrived at the track and made our way to the shuttle that would take us to pit lane.
Here's a couple (scary) flash heavy, shuttle pics.
One of the coolest things about being at the speedway at 5 in the morning is the freedom to roam around an empty track.
For a race fan, just standing on pit lane is an awesome feeling.
It sprinkled here and there and the butterflies in my stomach started fluttering. As many times as I've run I've never done it in the wind and rain with an injury. I was petrified that I would be one of those people picked up because they couldn't finish.
About 10 minutes before the starting gun was fired, it poured rain again! Trevor actually gave me a kiss and said he was foregoing his fun walk and going to shelter up. It stopped raining as the race started and we were off.
I was now soaking wet and having difficulties staying on my feet with the 30 mph wind gusts. Fortunately, my mind is much stronger than my body and I kept at it.
Coming down the backstretch I came up on Trevor. The walkers started 5 minutes after the runners so he came out of hiding and walked the track. It gave me enough oomph to finish the last 2 miles.
I finished a bit slower than I would have liked, but due to the circumstances, I was happy to finish!!
After some water and banana celebration, I couldn't wait to go back to the RV for a hot shower and dry clothes.
We lounged at camp for a while and spent some time with Mason. Around 11:00, we headed back to the track for some infield activities.
We found a place to park and walked through the tunnels.
Trevor and I had commented that morning how rough it had to have been for all the infield campers. The ground was soaked and muddy and the winds had been crazy! As we made our way in, we could see just how miserable it had been for them.
I only took those two photos of tents upside down and ez-up awnings destroyed, but they were everywhere!!
We strolled past the infield care center where all drivers are required to go after a crash.
We are finally in the infield where the lines have already formed for the driver autograph sessions.
My plan (as always) is to stroll around until the drivers come out and get some 'stalker' photos. No way I would stand in line for an autograph.
Without a lot of commentary, here are some photos from our stroll.
From the fan deck, looking down the garages.
If you're reading this and have ever drove a trailer, you HAVE to be impressed by Ganassi's side by side park job. Literally there couldn't have been 6 inches between them.
One of my favorite photos from the trip....RACE FUEL!!
Only turn 1's new seats are opened, this photo shows the ones that are still a work in progress.
My opinion on that? We'll get to that later....
The cars all started to come back to the garage
While the drivers started to make their way to the autograph sessions.
Once they all got seated I started to cut in and out to snap a couple of photos of the "need to see drivers"
Max Papis
The Ganassi tables were LOADED with people trying to get autographs. Not only are they always a top contender in the Rolex series, they had a young driver that everyone was trying to get to.
Driving the 01 car was Joey Hand, Charlie Kimball, Sage Karem and Scott Pruett
Better shot of Scott Pruett
The 02 car table was NUTS!! As good as my stalker skills are, this one gave me a run for my money.
Jamie McMurray, Scott Dixon
Next to Scott Dixon was Tony Kanaan (which I couldn't get a shot of) and last but not least, Kyle Larson, which is why I couldn't get a clear shot of all of them.
It took me 10 minutes and a lot of finagling to get this
Kyle Larson was Nascars 2014 Rookie of the year. He's a popular young man!!
This team would be wearing their new Rolex watches in victory lane just 26 hours later. I doubt his popularity will be declining.
Since this table was the only must-get for me, we strolled around and peeked at other drivers. I always feel bad for the guys that no one knows, nor wants an autograph from.
As the drivers got ready for a long 24 hours, Trevor and I went after a Daytona dog. It's a must!!
Please don't judge me.
My shoulder was killing me at this point and it had been a long day. We decided to forgo the start of the race, go back to camp and come back later for some night racing.
Mason was glad to have company. The sun was shining and the temps had warmed slightly.
We took Mason for a walk while I got some camp photos.
There was some napping involved.
After some relaxation we decided to go to one of our favorite places for dinner, then head to the track.
Kerr's Wing House
Where we can still watch the race
AND they have fried pickles.....DELISH
I ordered a blackened chicken ceasar, while Trevor had some sort of a burger.
With our bellies full and our jackets tied tight, we got back to the track.
We tested out the new escalator
And checked out the new wider concourses
Because it was so windy and cold we opted to sit in the old, lower seats.
It was about an hour in and we looked like this
FREEZING!!!
We were back in the warm RV by 10:00pm.
Even Mason enjoys the heated mattresses
Sunday morning, I started coffee and enjoyed the sunrise (and the roaring sound of motors, which we can hear all night from our site)
Mid morning we knew it was time to go back to the track and see who had survived the last 18 hours of racing.
We took the tunnel into the infield.
Here is some construction debris along with some old seats.
The infield campers were still cold and muddy. Yuck.
The garages were much emptier. A lot of teams had broke or crashed and had left. The remaining cars on track were winding down. Only a few hours to go.
Now that the autograph tables were cleared, you could walk right up to the garage windows and see some inner workings.
There was a lot of carnage!
This was a Lambo that everyone was photographing the previous day. At this point we weren't sure what had happened to put him out.
Until we walked to the next stall and got a better look.
Yep, that'll mess up your aerodynamics.
One other great thing about the Rolex is the relaxed security. No one really tells you where you should or shouldn't be. We followed some officials into another parking area.
There was more money parked in that garage than I'll ever see in my lifetime. While there was an occasional pickup truck, we also saw some really nice daily drivers.
Like I've said many times before, the Rolex race brings in a much different crowd than the Nascar races.
Since we had skipped breakfast and it was now 11:00, we opted for some nachos to share for lunch.
On our way back to catch the tram, we walked across the road to the chicane to watch from there. (This would NEVER be allowed at a Nascar event.)
From there we hopped back onto the tram to go back to the front stretch.
(Cool photo of a billboard on the way out)
Since the sun was shining, we decided to check out the new seats
On level 2 or 3 we stopped for a pee break and noticed a seating area they had built at the end.
Nice, new, clean ladies room.
Since we would never pay (a small fortune) for these new seats at a Nascar event, we were going up...
We ended up sitting 7 rows from the tippy top. For someone like me, who is deathly afraid of heights, I got very woozy and lightheaded. They are extremely steep!!!
The good news is, you can see the entire track from these seats. Hell, you can even see the ocean!
Now, here's my opinion on "Daytona Rising"....whether you like it or not.
The good:
The wider concourses are great. Plenty of room to wait out the rains, get a break from the sun, or get a refill on your beer. All without getting trampled from the hoards of people.
The new bathrooms are roomy and clean (at least at this race)
The little seating areas at the end are a nice place to enjoy your hot dog and still be able to see the track.
The escalators are great, especially for those less mobile people.
The view from the new seats is amazing! Never before could you see the entire 2 &1/2 mile track.
The not-so-good:
This is an extremely expensive renovation. Who's ultimately paying for this? We, the fans, that's who. I found a cute Jimmie sweatshirt I would have liked to own, until I saw the price tag of $75.
When we returned home I looked at the cost of the seats that we sat in. For the Daytona 500, they were $230 each. I feel like I'm not the only one who cannot afford $460 just for seats for a couple to enjoy the race. Add in your travel expenses, food & beer and you're talking major money.
Because of our economy (not to mention the changes and rules made to Nascar) they cannot fill the stands they currently have......why would it make sense to build more stands and raise the prices?
I have been to many Daytona races, including the 400 which takes place in July. If you've ever been to Florida in July you know that it's scorching hot. Dangerously hot. I took my son's girlfriend (at the time) to the July race and we had to sit her in the shade with a wet towel on her head before she passed out.
Heat index of 110, UV index of 10+, surrounded by asphalt = DANGER
Now, let's add in alcohol.....a lot of alcohol for race fans and super steep grandstands. In my opinion, it's an accident waiting to happen. If you're one to watch the July 4th race on TV, watch for the paramedics to be treating some heat strokes, or face plants in those upper grandstands.
Alas, you take the good with the bad I guess.
If you've never been and get the opportunity, GO. It's a great experience. If you've been before, save a boatload of money and aggravation and watch it at home. Beer is also not $7 each at home, that's a big plus!
If you can make it to the Rolex or the few other events they have at the track, do that! You can experience the track at a much more leisurely pace.
Now where were we?
Before the race was over, we left. At this point it's extremely hard to know who is on the lead lap and we didn't really care who won.
Before the race was over, we left. At this point it's extremely hard to know who is on the lead lap and we didn't really care who won.
We wanted to go back to camp, walk the dog and go to the flea market.
There is a giant flea market across the street from the KOA. So big that you can't really see it all in one day. We knew what we wanted so we did one loop around the outside perimeter and ended up with this.
Hot boiled peanuts, mixed candied nuts and gummy bears.
I've told you before, I'm easy to please.
After Ganassi team won the race, the city quieted down and we hung around camp until dinner. We went to Red Lobster that night though no pictures are involved. I was hurting so bad I threatened to stick the steak knife in my shoulder just to take my mind off the pain. After dinner we went back to camp where it started raining again. It always seems to rain the night before we have to pack up and go home. Ugh.
Cleanup Monday morning was super easy and we were out of there by 9:00 am.
It rained all the way home, my shoulder was killing me and I just wanted to be back in my bed with an ice pack.
Monday afternoon I got another massage. I was so sore on Tuesday, I could hardly move. I rested that whole week. No lifting weights, no running, barely walking the treadmill at a slow speed.
I booked another massage on Friday. This time my massage therapist went a bit lighter as she didn't want me that sore on Saturday.
Why? Because we were headed back to Daytona.
I know, I'm bat-shit crazy.
Why were we headed back across the state just 4 days later? My mother thought buying us the Richard Petty driving experience for Christmas was a good idea. She knew I had wanted to build a dirt car to run at a local track so why not give me some seat time at Daytona's high banked, super speedway in 600 horsepower cup cars?!
(You see why I'm bat-shit crazy)
With all of our release forms in hand and butterflies in my stomach we made our way back to the track. My shoulder wasn't any better so we stopped at Target across the street and bought some therma care patches to just get me through a couple of hours.
I had read ALL the info on line including size restrictions.
"Must be under 6'5" under 250 lbs and able to climb through a window opening 15" high by 30" wide that sits 36" off the ground"
No problem. I did mention to Trevor that 4'10' to 6'5" is a huge size difference. He assured me that they would have different cars, different seat adjustments.
We were both about to drive 8 laps around Daytona International Speedway!!!
We checked into the office and were directed to take our truck into the infield.
We were then directed into the garage parking. It was pretty cool to park where just a week ago it was packed full of semi trucks.
There was an earlier class already on the track so we were able to see how it was about to go down.
At 11:45 we went into our classroom where we would meet our crew chief.
We were then sent out to get into our fire suits.
'
They did not have a fire suit for a tiny person, so I spent all morning hiking up my crotch which hung to my knees.
After watching a short video, we were schooled by our crew chief and allowed to ask questions. Everyone was getting a little nervous at this point. When all questions were answered, Matt (our crew chief) gave us a bathroom break before heading to pit lane. (He also advised us to gnaw our fingernails off if we were so inclined)
We all met up outside the classroom.
That's Matt in the black ball cap in the center.
Off to pit lane *hiking my crotch*
The cars were all lined up. We met our drivers that would be riding with us and fitted with helmets and radios.
Trevor and I were the first ones called!! I would be in the 43 (smallest fit, seat wise)
Trevor in the 62
I climbed in my car, met my passenger and reached for the clutch. Uh-Oh. One of the drivers for the ride along package was helping me and went to get another seat bolster. NOPE. With two seat bolsters behind me I could now reach the clutch and gas but couldn't press them more than an inch.
In the meantime, Trevor is out driving. The entire crew is scrambling on how to compensate me for the shit ton of money my mother had shelled out. Rusty (the ride along driver) asked if I wanted to take a ride instead and figure it out afterwards. I agreed of course!!! 3 laps at 180 mph is beyond description!! When you see the speedometer at 180 and you head into that turn (which is essentially a 3 story wall) every fiber of your being wants to hit the brakes. The feeling in your body is so discombobulated that I immediately wondered how the pros do this for hours on end. Any one that doesn't think Nascar drivers are athletes should be forced to take a ride along and get back to me on that.
By now Trevor has finished his 8 laps and found out that I wasn't able to drive. The crew even tried to give me one of the ride along cars that was set up for a shorter guy but it wasn't enough without creating a safety issue with too many cushions behind me.
Now I've been wearing this heavy ass helmet and climbing in and out of window openings and I'm hurting. Everyone was super nice and tried their very best to get me driving. It just wasn't happening. They offered to let Trevor go for another round to which I agreed. I wasn't leaving without some kind of compensation. So Trevor got to drive 16 laps and I got a free ride along.
Trevor loved it and did a great job!! Top speed for those cars is 170 and he came pretty damn close. If he were 30 years younger I'd have him working on a nascar license.
I was super bummed that I couldn't drive myself but shit happens. I mentioned to the Petty crew that they may want to change their size requirements as to avoid this in the future. Some folks may not be so understanding after shelling out that much money.
It was a great experience, even to ride along. Everyone in our class left with a huge smile on their face. Trevor left smiling ear to ear, yet slightly nauseated....the whole way home. The G-forces on your body really mess with your head. Imagine 3 straight hours of that?! Much respect to those drivers.....even Danica.
Another week of resting my shoulder and two more massages, my shoulder is finally on the mend!! I've been lucky to never have a lifting injury like this before nor do I ever hope to do it again.
Again, shit happens......
Speaking of shit....on Valentines Day I had to have my leach fields replaced.
So I hope you are all having a Happy New Year....so far it hasn't been so damn happy for me. I'll keep plugging away and know that it will get better soon. I have some upcoming trips planned and the Florida sunshine will bring much happiness.
Til next time......
