Movie Review: Talladega Nights, The Legend of Ricky Bobby

(Val) When I got home last night, I had totally decided not to review this movie because I'm almost embarrassed to admit that I saw it, let alone that I actually laughed. More than once. Then I got to thinking about my reasoning, and I found it ridiculous to hide behind a fear of what others might think. I have never been labled politically correct, and that's not about to happen anytime soon. Besides, Talladega Nights is a racing movie, so logic says the review belongs on a racing web site. So here goes nothing...

Spring and I had been trying to work out a night with our hubbies so we could go see this as a "double date" and last night it finally came together. We had the giggles before we even got to the theater, so once the movie started, there was really no stopping us. Yes, we found some parts highly amusing, and we laughed a lot, but there were times, especially those parts with the two annoyingly crude kids, and the guy-on-guy kissing scenes, that I felt really uncomfortable watching it. Fortunately, there was some good music, and delicious eye candy in the form of a totally sweet Chevelle, and even moments where crude and nasty took a back seat to really funny. It totally lacked in real racing action though. Even the ridiculous Days of Thunder did a better job of that. Heck, come to think of it, Cars had far better racing scenes!

First of all, let me say that a couple of weeks ago, my 13-year-old son was invited to go see this movie with some of his friends, and he was not happy with me when I cited the family rule that says, PG-13 movies are only acceptable after we, as parents, have seen and approved of them first, unless we are going together as a family. As the credits rolled for Talladega Nights, I was incredibly thankful that I had stuck to my guns. My son is still not happy with me, citing the fact that he hears that stuff, or worse, on the bus ride to and from school every day. My reply is that while that may be true, it doesn't mean I approve of it, and it certainly doesn't mean that I'm going to pay to let him hear and see more of the same.

With all of that said, my comments about the movie itself will be brief. While I knew that with Will Ferrell in the starring role, anything could, and probably would, happen, I have to say that I was disappointed that he sunk to a level that I had formerly associated with "acting" lowlifes like Rob Schneider. Ferrell can be incredibly funny at times, and completely boorish at others. He was both in this film.

While the story itself was funny, silly and definitely irreverant, and to this day, certain lines and scenes randomly pop into my head and make me laugh, still, I have to wonder: Why did NASCAR endorse this? Wasn't it just a couple of years ago that they denied Derrike Cope a sponsorship deal with website Redneckjunk.com because they "didn't feel like that projected the proper image of our sport?" They disapproved of a sponsor because they didn't want NASCAR to be interpreted as a "redneck" sport, yet they gave Talladega Nights two thumbs up? So the fact that some race fans enjoy trucks and hunting might have a negative impact on the perception of NASCAR as a wholesome, family sport, but perceiving a driver as womanizing, eccentric, rude, cocky, selfish, egotistical and crude shines a more positive light? The irony is unbelievable!

So in my opinion, while Talladega Nights has its funny moments, it's not worth the admission price. If you haven't already seen it, wait for the DVD, do the $1 per night Redbox deal, and make sure the kids are asleep and the door is closed. Better yet, watch it when they're not home.

My rating: One spark plug

Book Review: The 2006 Reedy Series, Tony Stewart

(Val) As a kid, I absolutely loved pop-up books. Turning the pages and waiting for the next surprise to jump out was always very entertaining. Those books, especially one called The Pop-Up Book of Trucks, (which belonged to my brother) never got old, no matter how many times I raised and lowered the ladder on the fire truck, bulldozed the pile of dirt or hooked up a disabled car with the wrecker.

Now that I am older, books tend to be more about the written word, and less about color and surprise, at least until last week, when a completely new type of book arrived in my mailbox.

Tony Stewart is one of five drivers highlighted by a new series of unique books from Reedy Press. The books are small in size, but big on entertainment. Each is packed full of wonderful pictures by NASCAR Nextel Cup photographers Nigel Kinrade and Brian Czobat, and the format is fresh and new. Each page folds out in a different way, revealing new images and more of the story, bringing the racing action to life right to the palm of your hands.

These amazing photographs are accompanied by the story of the driver and the outline of the season they experienced in 2005. In the case of the Tony Stewart edition, his quest for the Championship comes alive through the words and pictures. As each page unfolds, we see the passion and determination that NASCAR fans have come to love and appreciate, and we experience the thrill of winning right along with the team.

Fun for race fans of all ages, the 2006 series includes drivers Greg Biffle, Mark Martin, Jimmie Johnson and Carl Edwards, in addition to Stewart. The books measure only about 5 x 7 inches, which makes them the perfect size for packing in a purse or backpack.

If you never outgrew your love of pop-up books, or you just want to enjoy some brilliant photography and read about your favorite driver, be sure to check out the full line of books from Reedy Press. For more information, and to order any of the books in The Reedy Series please visit Reedy Press.

Standing Room Only

A standing room only crowd for the Ron Shuman Classic at Lakeside? No bull!

(Val) When is the last time you heard those words used to describe a non-winged Sprint Car race, or any other Sprint or Midget race, for that matter? Maybe over the years it has happened at Knoxville, or Eldora, and yes it happens consistently at the perfectly-timed Chili Bowl, but at a Sprint Bandits event held at a dirt track in eastern Kansas? Get real!

Well happen it did last night at the Ron Shuman Classic at Lakeside Speedway in Wyandotte County, Kansas and I have to say that I was totally amazed. They announced a sellout, then began selling SRO tickets, and for all I know, judging by the number of bodies in that place, they may have sold those out too. The only thing that even comes close in my mind was the final night of racing at St. Charles Speedway in my home town, where folks were packed in like sardines becaue they knew they were witnessing the end of an era.

Sure, the rainout at nearby I-70 Speedway probably contributed to the crowd, but only to a degree. Do asphalt Stock Car fans normally head for the dirt tracks when their regular event is cancelled? I don't think so. From the t-shirts I saw, these folks love their Sprint Cars, and the racing at Lakeside gave them plenty to love. Though the car count was pretty low, around 24 or so, the track was fast as lightning thanks in part to all the rain that fell in the area overnight. So much rain, in fact, that a moat formed between the first row of seats and the wall, forcing the flag man to climb to his perch from inside the track rather than taking the stairs up at the bottom of the bleachers.

The moat in front of the bleachers at Lakeside Speedway.

We arrived at the track at around 4 o'clock after making the 200 mile drive in good time. Arriving early enough to spend a few minutes in the pits before everyone was shooed out, I managed to try out the new camera on some simple, stationary shots. I love the color and clarity I'm getting, but I still have a lot to learn about the tools on the new Pentax, especially when it comes to shooting with the zoom. But I digress... (How unusual!)

My brother tries to prove that he can walk on water.

The great part about this annual event at Lakeside is that they don't throw a lot of filler into the mix. Fans pay for special events to see special events, and no one wants to be stuck at a track until midnight (especially with a four hour drive ahead of you) because some bomber class can't quit bringing out the cautions. We want to see what we paid to see, and that's it. At the Ron Shuman Classic, they run just the O'Reilly Sprint Bandits Series and the Good Old Time Racers Association classic cars. Both are entertaining, get the show on the road and are well worth the price of admission. The GOTRA cars beat the daylights out of the Micro Sprints that so many tracks insist on running with any Sprint Car race they put on. In fact, I'd be willing to pay extra for my ticket if tracks would run just the Sprint Cars and something like the GOTRA cars, and NOTHING ELSE. Let me see what I came to see and then let me go home, and I'm one happy race fan.

With that said, the racing was spectacular in both classes. The heavy rainfall from the night before, plus whatever prep work the crew did made for a perfect, multi-groove surface that the drivers were able to put to good use. There were several incidents in turn one, but I don't really think it had anything to do with the track, it was mostly because the drivers were just racing so darned hard! There was everything a race fan could ask for last night, lots of passing, sid-by-side, wheel-to-wheel action, drama and showmanship. And while what happened on the track was the highlight of the evening, it certainly would not have been the same without such a great facility as host. Lakeside Speedway has wonderful concessions, decent prices, clean restrooms and the race crowd was great. You would think that with that many people packed in, it might get a little too close for comfort, but I saw a lot of graciousness and comaraderie, and would place very few marks in the negative column.

It took us a while to get out of the parking lot, and the drive home was long, but it was well-worth getting home at 3am. What the heck, there's a NASCAR race on this afternoon, so it should be easy to get a nap in. (Ok, a little jibe to the NASCAR fans, I know, but hey, there's just nothing in the world that compares to dirt track racing!)

One last thing about Lakeside. If you get the chance to go there, and I highly recommend it, especially for the Ron Shuman Classic, be sure to check out the high water mark and photograph from the Great Flood of '93 in the concession area. Amazing how all but the upper level of that building were underwater 13 years ago!

I will be posting a few of my pictures on the site, but for actual race results and better photos than I can take,visit the following:

Race Results on WhoWon.com
Lakeside Speedway
O'Reilly Sprint Bandits Series

Watching and Waiting...

(Val) Busy week here on the home front! Right now I'm busy toggling between the Kansas City area news sites, NOAA and the Lakeside Speedway forum to see if there will be racing at Lakeside tonight. My Dad, brother and I are looking to head up there for their big Midget event, and our window closes at noon. Things weren't looking too good but now it seems as if the rain clouds in the area are starting to dry up. It is so hard to try and make the call to go or stay when the track is 200 miles away and gas is over $2.70/gallon!

In other news, the kids went back to school this week, which has been nice, but slightly chaotic as my oldest is driving herself every day. She's doing fine, but as a Mom, I can't help but worry a little bit. We are blessed that our kids do well in school and have been extremely easy to raise, so far.

We bought a new digital camera this week, a Pentax K100 SLR which I am really enjoying. The photo of Brenden and Frisco on here was taken with that camera yesterday morning and I just love it! I'm hoping to get to try it out at the track tonight, but we'll just have to see. This camera is incredibly easy to use and the pictures beat the daylights out of our little point and shoot. Some of the other great features on this 6.1 megapixel baby are that it is compact and lightweight, has an anti-shake feature, uses 4 AA batteries and takes SD cards, which fit in my laptop. What a sweet deal!

In other photographic news, Jesse got word Tuesday that she took second place in a contest sponsored by the Missouri Department of Tourism. Her picture of the inside of the rotunda of the Old Court House in St. Louis will be used in the upcoming edition of the Missouri Travel Planner. One of the nicest parts is the $500 prize! She also got a third place ribbon at a local photo show, and honorable mention in a pet photo contest. It is so fun to see her pursuing something she loves and being recognized for her work. I am one proud Mama.

Well, I need to charge my cell phone and the batteries for the camera as well as make a run to the bank for cash. Hopefully, I will have some racing news and photos to post tomorrow afternoon.

The Road to Success

(Val) Because of my unusual job, I "meet" a lot of people via email. The majority just have a question, and I answer it or take care of it in whatever way needs to be done. Others involve lengthier conversations and may last for years. I love that part of the job, and I especially appreciate it when someone takes note of the verse in my signature (Phil. 4:4) and comments or shares their own verse.

Below is something a new online friend shared with me this morning and I thought I would pass it along to our readers. It's pretty cool how someone took this verse and used a car-related analogy to get the point across. Enjoy!

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

The road to success is not straight. There is a curve called Failure, a loop called Confusion, speed bumps called Friends, red lights called Enemies, caution lights called Family. You will have flats called Jobs. But, if you have a spare called Determination, an engine called Perseverance, insurance called Faith, a driver called Jesus, you will make it to a place called Success (Heaven).

Thursday Night Ramblin'

(Val) The weekend is almost here again, and although I have no plans to attend any races in person, I will be watching the big Knoxville Nationals finale on SPEED Saturday night. That's one race I would love to be viewing up close and personal, as it's been a few years since my last trek across the cornfields of Iowa to the Sprint Car Capital of the World that is Knoxville. It's my opinion that you're not a true Sprint Car fan if you haven't made that trip at least once. There's just nothing to compare with the week of racing that starts out with the Front Row Challenge at Southern Iowa Speedway, and ends up with the greatest spectacle of them all, night number four of the Nationals at Knoxville. I've been fortunate enough to go there several times and to watch from many different locations, including the front stretch, back stretch, pits and one of the suites in the Hall of Fame. Now that's a heck of a way to watch Sprint Car racing!

Speaking of the The National Sprint Car Hall of Fame, be sure to drop in if you do get to Knoxville. It's a wonderful place full of awesome displays of all kinds of racing memorabilia. They are doing a great job of preserving the sport for generations to come. And for very little money, you can become a member and help the cause. It's something I've been doing for the last six or seven years, and it's well worth the cost of dues.

I'm just hanging out here at home tonight, channel surfing and messing around on the computer in between loads of laundry. Managed to catch the end of one of my favorite CMT concerts: Crossroads with Bon Jovi and Sugarland. I have no idea how many times I've seen that, but whoever put those two groups together is brilliant! Tomorrow night is the premier of a new CMT concert with Randy Travis and Josh Turner, which looks like another hit.

Yesterday, for no reason except the fact that my mind wanders when I work too long, I got to thinking about racing and sponsorship and how it all works. My thoughts moved along the lines of the question: Just how loyal are fans when it comes to the sponsors of their favorite drivers? I have made no bones about the fact that I'm a big fan of Tony Stewart, and anybody who knows anything about racing knows who his biggest sponsor is. Well, here in our house, we've definitely given our share of support to Home Depot this year. After the infamous dryer fire, we replaced not only the dryer, but the washer as well, with brand new LG appliances from Homer's. Not too many weeks later, we replaced our failing dishwasher with yet another LG model. It's amazing to me how clean our laundry and dishes are now! I am still curious as to how much all of these purchases, plus the other, smaller items, equal out to when it comes to parts on the #20 car. Have we spent enough to claim a bumper? A shock? Or maybe just a piece of that film they rip off the front window? I have no idea, but it's kind of fun to think about. As I said, my mind wanders down some pretty strange roads. I take comfort in the fact that I can't be the only one with that problem.

You might say that I am one of those people who is easily entertained. In fact, I can have fun with just a screwdriver, an allen wrench and some of that wonderful furniture that comes in a box. As a matter of fact, I put together two pieces in the last two days for my son. Unfortunately, it wasn't until I was almost finished that my husband handed me the power screwdriver. Boy, are my shoulders tired!

The next race on our schedule will probably be at Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City. I'm still working on those plans though, and I think Spring has a wedding to shoot, but there will be an update here sometime in the next few days. We're still trying to figure out a night when we can get together to watch one of the last night time Cup races too. Since this whole thing started with us watching the Daytona 500 at Spring's house, we figured it would be appropriate to wind up the season with another one here. Tentative plans were for the August 26 Sharpie 500 at Bristol, but it looks like we may have my Father-in-law's 70th birthday to celebrate that night so it's likely that we're going to have to opt for either the California or Richmond race. We'll just have to see how it goes.

My daughter informed me a few minutes ago that she read on a local radio site that our friends at Grand Prix Speedways will be hosting the St. Louis auditions for the next season of American Idol. I won't claim to be an Idol fan, in fact I think I have managed to watch a total of ten minutes of the show, tuning in the last two seasons just in time to catch the results, but I still think it's pretty cool that GPS will be one of the audition sites. That ought to be absolutely crazy!

Well, you've probably had about enough of me for one evening so I'll call it a night. Thanks for checking in again!

Observations from the Infield

(Val) Last night found us back over at Tri-City Speedway for the USAC Sprints, POWERi Midgets and 600cc Mini Sprints. The weather was slightly cooler, with the temps around the mid-nineties instead of the blistering 100+ that we experienced for the Lucas Oil Late Model race. We also arrived several hours later this week, which helped a lot. The heat of the day was over, and it wasn’t too bad outside.

This week it was more than just Spring and I out for adventure. My Dad came along, as well as my hubby who was celebrating his 44th birthday. Spring brought her Mom and Caleb too, so the Ol’ Blue was just about full.

We started off with a quick trip through the pits, where we met up with Brent Nausley, who had two cars that would be raced over the course of the evening. Lucky Caleb got the chance to sit in one of Brent’s cars, and it’s easy to see by the grin on his face that he enjoyed the opportunity. (Thanks, Brent!)

After a quick round of the pits, and several stops for photos of the Tony Stewart Mopar cars driven by Josh Wise and Levi Jones, (more on them later) we went on over to the infield so Spring could figure out where she wanted to shoot qualifying. This week, we headed over to turn two, which turned out to be a pretty good choice. Spring managed to catch the cars lifting through the turns, and was standing uncomfortably close by when Brady Short sent his ride slamming into the guardrail, causing it to go end-over-end. It was only the first of many times that I would warn Spring about watching out for flying cars!

We watched the Midget heats from the stands, then grabbed a quick bite to eat while the Minis did their thing, then it was back over to the inside for the Sprint heats, which were fun to watch from turns one and two. Spring makes me so nervous when she shoots that we had to develop a plan to hopefully keep her out of harm’s way. I grabbed a hold of her camera bag strap, and kept watch for any cars that appeared to stray from the clay, with the intention of a firm tug being the signal to haul butt out of the way. Fortunately, we never had to use the signal, and Spring only snuck off and got dangerous without me a couple of times.

It was a great night, and we enjoyed meeting a couple of other photographers, one from Sprint Car & Midget Magazine and another from an Aussie racing publication. Both are diehard Motorsports shooters, and each had something to contribute to the wealth of information that Spring has been acquiring about race photography since we started this venture. I think it’s awesome how other photographers are willing to give her tips, and share advice. I had kind of imagined it might be different, just because of competition, so it’s been a very pleasant surprise.

We got some great feedback on both the galleries and the blog last night, which was wonderful incentive to keep going (like we needed any!) and we are most appreciative. The whole idea in starting GGR was just to go out and observe this sport, and life in general, from a female point of view, see what role women play both as athletes and behind the scenes, and just have fun. So far, we have been able to do all of those things.

Spring got to have two fun and unique experiences last night which I know she enjoyed. The first was to ride in one of the push trucks as the Sprint Cars were pushed off, and the second was to ride in the back of the pace truck as the feature was readied. Both trips left her with big smiles, and I could tell she was having a great time. The pictures will back me up when we finally get them on the site. Not sure yet when that will be for this event, but hopefully it won’t take us too long. I have a couple of my own that I will post here if I can.

Speaking of pictures, and why there is a delay, this might be a good time to explain. Part of the reason is because Spring is very much a perfectionist when it comes to her work, and she refuses to just take what she’s done and throw it out there without first tweaking it to her satisfaction. That’s no slam on her by any means, because I think it’s great that she’s so picky about her work. It’s her art, and she has every right to make it the best it can be. Besides, our site isn’t about immediate results and next-day photos, it’s a much more casual deal that we hope folks will come to enjoy despite our little delays. Our priorities are God and family, and everything else has to fall in somewhere down the line, so I hope no one ever gets upset when we don’t have something up right away.

The rest of the reason is that Spring gets the photos to me either by zipping and emailing, or on a disk, which can be a challenge because we live about 30 minutes from each other. Once I get the photos, I watermark and re-size them, set up the new web pages and links, and finally upload the whole shebang. And I do all that after spending several hours a day posting news to WhoWon.com as my real job! Ever go home from work after a day on the computer only to have to spend the evening working on one too? I do that quite often, and since I work from home, sometimes the line between work and fun can get blurry. But hey, I’m really not complaining because I am so blessed to have a job I love and get to be home too. It’s the best deal in the world!

One last thing about why we do this, and that’s the whole discussion I’ve been hearing lately about “why do women love racing?” My Dad came up with his own theory last night after he overheard us discussing the good-looking Mopar duo, but honestly, it’s not all about hot guys! I can only speak for myself when I say that it is about a lot of things: Competition, speed, adrenaline rush and suspense. Beyond that, it’s about the spirit of community that I see among racers, fans, car owners and the people behind the scenes at tracks all across this great country. It’s seeing familiar faces, laughing about days gone by, or recalling the horror of the most frightening crash ever. It’s about tradition, friendships, celebrations and just hanging out at the track and having a good time. Finally, it’s about up close, dirt-in-your-face, ear splitting action.

You just can’t get any of that parked in front of the TV!

P.S. Don't miss Spring's review of Cars, a couple of posts back. It kind of got caught in the date trap because it was a draft that just got published. The pictures of Caleb are adorable!

Just the Facts, Ma'am

(Val) I know, I know, you were expecting a post from Spring, right? I mean, after all, it's been positively ages and she keeps promising, yet never delivers. Well, maybe the pictures below will give us a clue as to what has happened to our dear, sweet Spring...

What's this? An unmarked police car behind Ol' Blue? Whatever could he want?

Uh oh, Spring looks a bit worried.

Oh my! Not the cuffs, officer! (She looks SO innocent!)

Ok, now we get it. Spring and Officer Max are friends. But still I wonder, just how did they meet in the first place? Hmmmmm...

Cars Review.... Spring

"Cars"!!! What a blast! The antics and animation combined with racing, speed, a love interest, and Paul Newman what more could a girl ask for? I loved it and my son, the quick and funny Caleb adored the show. He walked away with a new outlook on vehicles as well as a few choice phrases. His favorite is, "Come on mom, you know we're burning daylight." He is growing up so fast as you can see from the photo with Lightning at MGM. Caleb is the cute one, :) and my husband, Randy is the smiling one. These characters drove themselves and were fantastic. It was a thrill to see them before the movie and I would love to know the makings of these rigs.

The film was meant for kids and young adults but the story line entertains the adults taking them. Sally's Cozy Cone was delightful. Flo's V-8 adorable and the characters to each his own. I have my favorties and those of you that would like to take a stab at them and guess, please do so. I love details and to imagine myself sleeping in a safety cone with the car of my dreams, it was downright revvyyy. The many intricate details along with the correct racing jargon made it most pleasurable for those of us who are race fans. I almost cheered a few times but caught myself. Walking out of the theatre with Caleb's hand in mine I thought to myself, "This is something he will cherish and remember forever. It is also the thing that dreams are made of." Lots has happened to me this year that has and could dampen my spirit, but there is one thing that cannot be taken away from me and that is my dreams. Lightning had tunnel vision and no room for others, but he found out what living is all about.... and it is not speed. So Boogity Boogity Boogity race fans and if you have not seen the movie yet...Get on the highway and remember, it is not always about where you end up, but how you get there. Drive safely and I'll leave the lights on.

Feelin' hot, hot, hot!

(Val) Spring and I finally headed out on our very first girls-only Girls Gone Racin' trip yesterday to the Lucas Oil Dirt Late Model races over at Pontoon Beach, IL. This is probably the closest track, distance-wise, to my house but at $3 a gallon for gas, it's still not close enough. Ah well, enough of that, it's always worth the pain at the pump to get to go see some up close and personal racing.

Tammy Gundaker, promoter at Tri-City Speedway had asked Spring to come over and get some specific shots, and wanted her there early to take a walk around and get the lay of the land. We headed off right after church and got to the track around noonish. It was already steamy hot, with the temperature near the predicted 100 degree mark. We dressed as cool as we could, but there's only so much you can do when it's like that.

We met up with Tammy, who gave us a quick tour and described to Spring what she was looking for. We also got an update on the events of the day, including an autograph session with many of the drivers, a presentation to a former track champion, and a fundraiser for a seriously ill baby girl. The track was very wet, and in the process of being worked in, so we stayed on the outside, and just took a good look around. Currently, Tri-City is a quarter-mile dirt track surrounded by a half-mile dirt track, which share a common front straightaway. The plan is to turn it into a 3/8 mile track for next year, which ought to make for some very interesting and competitive racing.

Once we had taken the tour, met the girls in the office, and obtained our pit passes, we headed out to do one of our favorite things: Lunch at Applebee's! We took a left out of the track and headed into Granite City, where we passed just tons and tons of branches lying in the streets. This town was hit very hard by storms just over a week ago, and the evidence was everywhere. It wasn't hard to imagine why so many residents were out of electricity for a week or more.
When we pulled into the parking lot and put Spring's Lightning McQueen sun screen up in the front window, we noticed that the thermometer in her car read 120 degrees. While I know that wasn't the actual outside temperature, it would certainly feel close several times before our day was through.

We spent an hour or more inside the blissfully cool restaurant, sharing an appetizer and enjoying a couple of walnut apple chicken salads. (Note to self: I believe that if the word "apple" is in the title of the dish, and apples are shown in the picture on the menu, there really should be at least ONE apple in the salad. Indeed, my salad contained NONE! But hey, those walnuts were great.) Spring showed me the pics she had taken at Gateway the night before, and a few of those are up on the site now. She also showed me some beautiful shots she took on a trip out west. Wow!

We regretfully left our cool environment and made our way back to the track, after picking up a few snacks that we thought would survive the intense heat. As it turns out, Lifesavers have a melting point of somewhere over 104 degrees when locked inside a closed car. Spring found this out when she realized that the letters had actually been smoothed off of the side of her candy!

We did a quick run of the pits, where several cars were already being prepped for the race.

Spring wasted no time getting shots of various Late Models, and even one very young Scott Bloomquist fan named Brooklyn. I mostly followed along at a respectful distance, doing my best to conjure up my favorite super power, invisiblity. I have no problem hanging out with my photographer friend, I just don't want to get in any of her pictures by accident.

It's funny how guys react, or don't react, to a female photographer. Some completely ignore them, even when they are shooting up underneath a tarp covering their cars. We figure that group is thinking, "Ah, it's a girl, what can she possibly know about cars?" In other words, we can get away with practically anyhing because we don't know enough to be threatening.

The second group of guys does their best to just stay out off your way, and then might, out of sheer curiousity, come over later and ask who you're shooting for.

Finally, there are the ones who walk right up and ask what you're doing, after they have smiled for a picture. Some have been drinking, and some have not. For the most part, they just want to be able to tell their friends where to see the picture.

One of the guys who was very tolerant of us, but slightly curious, was Donnie Moran, who had spotted us earlier at Applebee's. Later, when we were standing around discussing a shot, he revved his engine, making us both jump, then gave Spring a look that said he enjoyed doing that!

It didn't take long for us to get enough of the heat and seek shelter for a cool down. We spent a lot of time in the office, and really enjoyed hanging out with Tammie and Brandy who were answering the phones. It was quickly apparent that they get a lot of repeat questions, but these girls know how important it is to keep a sense of humor handy in all situations. We couldn't help but laugh at times because after a while, we probably could have taken care of the phones ourselves. I was thankful that we didn't have to! There is also a cute little mascot in the TCS office, Kevin Gundaker's dog, Babe, who enjoys a special bed that rests at the cardboard feet of a Dale Earnhardt, Junior stand-up.

People who come out in heat like that are true, diehard race fans. It was amazing to me that hours before race time, folks were sitting out in the blistering sun so they could save their favorite spot in the bleachers. With heat that high, I have to say that it made me nervous. I was concerned for those who were out in that, especially the ones who were drinking because that can make the situation so much worse. The worst part though, were the little kids, because some of them looked completely miserable.

Spring's first real assignment was to shoot the autograph session which included drivers Earl Pearson, Jr., Freddy Smith, Scott Bloomquist and most of the rest of the current top ten in Lucas Oil points standings. It was interesting to watch the drivers interact with the fans. Some were very friendly and chatted it up with old and young alike, while others made it quite obvious that they really didn't want to be there.

We went out onto the track for time trials, which was pretty fun. Spring shot mostly between turns three and four, which seemed to be a really good angle. It is pretty cool to see those cars skewed all sideways in the corners, front left tires up off the ground and spinning in the air. We walked around among the cars and drivers in the infield, then headed up into the tower to cool off during the Modified heat races. It was fun just lisening to the banter that goes on up there, but it is really weird to stand up in the middle as the cars race around you. Makes it kind of hard to keep up!

As afternoon faded into evening, we enjoyed a bit of cloud cover that really helped to cool things off. It's amazing how different it feels just to have that sun hidden for a while! We had some dinner and then Greg Stephens with SPEED Channel asked us if we wanted to go up in the lift to watch for a while. That was a fun experience, standing up above the bleachers, feeling the cool breeze and watching the guys work the cameras and screens. Greg is the former videographer for the World of Outlaws Sprint Series, and has been taping racing since about 1986. He's great at what he does, and seems to really enjoy his work. I loved watching the race from up there, seeing how the cameras work together to get all the important shots that will go into the television show.

When we came back down to earth, I made my way down the ladder thingy at the end of the lift, then decided to leap the last few feet down to the ground. Unfortunately, the ground was farther away than I thought and I ended up sprawled on my backside. I'm so graceful! At least I managed to give everyone a good laugh. We hung around and talked to Greg until it was time to cross back over for the Late Model feature.

The one shot Tammy really wanted Spring to get was the four-wide parade lap as the cars come out of turn one and head down the front stretch. After much discussion between us girls, Greg and finally, Jeff from the safety crew, it was determined that Spring would stand up on the wall along the outside of the front straightaway. We thought she would have two chances to get this shot, but as it turned out, one shot was all she got because the cars began to peel off and get back into the two-wide line up right after passing her. Being the true professional that she is, I'm guessing that one shot was all she needed.

We watched the fifty lap feature from right behind victory lane. It was a very exciting race, with a handful of cautions, some extremely ruffled feathers, and one very happy winner, Shannon Babb. Once Spring got her victory lane shots, we were ready to head on home. We spent right at twelve hours at the track, and we were sweaty, dirty, gritty and tired. Even after all that, we enjoyed the ride back to my house as we talked about our day, listened to some great music and thought about the next race.

We'll be back at Tri-City next week for the USAC races. I'm hoping the weather man is right and the temperature will be about ten degrees cooler. It's amazing how good 95 can sound after experiencing 100 plus!

I'm on my way up to Spring's a little later this morning, where we will hopefully get some of the pics up from Saturday night. Thanks for hanging with us!