T'was the Night Before Christmas, Race Fan Style

Valerie Perkins, WhoWon.com and TwoGirlsGoneRacin.com

T'was the night before Christmas, and all through the land

Not a race track was open, only snow filled the stands.

The pit shacks were shuttered, front gates were secured

And over PA sysems, not one word was heard.

The flagstands were empty, there were no shouts or cheers

And no kids begged their parents for speedway souvenirs

PRI had just ended, Chili Bowl was two weeks away

No races were scheduled to run Christmas Day.

RVs and campers were winterized and parked

Musco lighting was turned off, scoring towers were dark.

And everywhere race fans were snug in their beds

While visions of close finishes danced in their heads.

But somewhere in Ohio, north of Rossburg town

If you listened real close, you could just hear the sound

Of an engine, a Chevy, a small block at that

At the wheel was a driver in a Schlitz Beer ball cap.

He was pushed by a truck, its driver in red

With a long white beard and a furry cap on his head

They moved through the infield, past an empty food stand

Their only witness, a reindeer, with stopwatch at hand.

They rolled out of the pits and down the front straight

Then the engine, it caught, and the car pulled away

Past the bleachers it rumbled, the midget so light

Broadsliding 'round turns on that cold winter night.

Just off the cushion, the driver he flew

Gaining speed as he rounded the corner in two.

He zipped down the backstretch, no fenders, no wings

Because many drivers have no need of such things.

As he circled the track, he laughed in delight

Engine roaring as dirt clods flew into the night,

Many ciruits he made in the snow and the cold

The speed and the skill were a sight to behold.

All too soon, in the east, shown the first light of sun

And alas, it was time to end all the fun.

He was heard to exclaim as he climbed from the car,

"Merry Christmas all race fans, wherever you are!"

Broken Bow Records is Primary Sponsor of the Three Race POWRi “DuQuoin Winter Series”

MILLSTADT, Ill. -- Three events each will make up the 2008 edition of the Broken Bow Records “DuQuoin Winter Series” for the O’Reilly POWRi National Midget and Micro-Sprint Series divisions, officials announced today.

Races at the DuQuoin (Ill.) Indoor Center, which features a temporary sixth-mile dirt track, will be run on Jan. 19, Feb. 16 and March 29 – all Saturdays. Thirty-lap features are scheduled for the National Midgets, who are debuting as part of the “DuQuoin Winter Series,” while the Micro-Sprints are scheduled to compete in 25-lap features.

Broken Bow Records, a country music record label, will be the presenting sponsor of the three-race series. Among those associated with BBR include band Crossin Dixon, which is currently featured on Country Music Television’s (CMT) Studio 330 Sessions. Crossin Dixon, which recently released its first two singles Guitar Slinger and Make You Mine, will play on Friday, March 28, the night before the final event.

The final event will be called the “Dean King Memorial” in honor of Dean King, whose Grandson Dereck King recently earned the 2007 POWRi Micro-Sprint championship. Dean King was avid in racing in many facets, and sadly passed away in 2006. Both the Micro-Sprint and Midget races are expected to award high winner’s shares.

Visit www.brokenbowrecords.com for more information on the record label and its musical artists.

Note from Val: Broken Bow Records is also the label for a 2GGR favorite, Jason Aldean!

Book Review: Hart’s Victory by Michele Dunaway

A few weeks back I received a much-anticipated package in the mail. It was the newest release in the Harlequin NASCAR series of books. The title is Hart’s Victory and it was written by my friend, Michele Dunaway, who teaches at our high school. She sent me the autographed copy of her book as her way of thanking me for helping her with the research that went into it, and even included me in the dedication, which is really cool because I have never seen my name in a book before!

It took me a while to find the time to sit down and read the book, but when I did, I found it to be worth the wait. It was interesting to me to see how Michele included her extensive research in the book, which revolves around a Mom who’s son is very sick and gets to spend a weekend at a Victory Junction-type camp. While at the camp, Mother and son meet their favorite NASCAR driver, and you can imagine where that leads.

It’s a great story with enough plotline to keep even a non-race fan interested. My Mom was the first person I shared it with, and she liked it as much as I did, even though she doesn’t follow NASCAR at all.

Michele did a great deal of research on the camp and the inner workings of NASCAR to make everything very realistic and believable. One of my favorite things is that this is the type of book anyone can read because it is very clean without the crutch of foul language or spicy sex scenes that tend to permeate the genre. As someone who reads a lot of Christian romance, I can recommend this read with a very clear conscience!

With believable and endearing characters, a fast-paced plot, and the excitement of NASCAR, Hart’s Victory deserves a winner’s trophy!

On a related note, if you happen to live in our area, Michele will be signing copies of Hart’s Victory and The Christmas Date this Saturday at Rose’s Bookhouse in O’Fallon, MO from noon to two. If you need directions, drop me a note.
For more information on Michele and her books please visit www.micheledunaway.blogspot.com or www.micheledunaway.com

Music Review: Relient K – Let It Snow Baby, Let it Reindeer!

Every year I add at least one new CD to our Christmas collection. This year, my favorite choice by far is Relient K’s Christmas CD, cleverly entitled, Let It Snow Baby, Let it Reindeer!

Relient K has always been known for their clever lyrics and fun musical style, and this CD is no exception. It is a great mix of traditional Christmas carols and silly songs, as well as different twists to old favorites.

Their version of The Twelve Days of Christmas is a rowdy romp which is only outdone by I’m Getting’ Nuttin’ for Christmas and possibly, Santa Claus is Thumbin’ to Town. Each one will have you singing along and tapping your toes.

For the more sedate moments of Christmas, the Silent Night/Away in a Manger medley is a wonderful rendition which really gets down to the heart of what the season is all about.

With 17 tracks, the $10 price tag is a bargain. I absolutely love every single song on this CD and I highly recommend it. It has something for everyone, no matter their age or musical taste.

Here is a list of the titles on the CD:

Have Youself a Merry Little Christmas
Sleigh Ride
Merry Christmas, Here's to Many More
Angels We Have Heard on High
Deck the Halls
12 Days of Christmas
Silent Night/Away In A Manger
I Celebrate the Day
In Like a Lion (Always Winter
I'm Gettin' Nuttin' For Christmas
We Wish You a Merry Christmas
Santa Claus Is Thumbing To Town
Handel's Messiah
I Hate Christmas Parties
Boxing Day
Auld Lang Syne
Good King Wenceslas

Keeping the Lights On

Anyone who checks in here at the blog on a regular basis probably thinks I’ve fallen off the planet or something. I can’t believe how long it’s been since my last entry! Alas, the racing season came to an end, and I got totally wrapped up in my son’s marching band season and in getting through the first few months of having my daughter away at college. Now here it is December and the clock is ticking away the time until Christmas and a brand new year.

Beginning with this entry I plan to cover quite a few topics so I hope you have the patience to bear with me!

Right now I am sitting in a hotel room in Springfield, Missouri waiting for my daughter to finish her final final at Missouri State University so we can head back home. This is her last night in her dorm here because next semester she will be at Lindenwood University, which is right in our home town. I am very excited that she is coming back because the drive down here has gotten very old for everyone. She does it so much that it just seems kind of nuts for her to be so far from home.

We started our journey down here yesterday afternoon, waiting for the morning round of freezing rain to pass. We finally left around 2:00 and hoped to be here by 5:30 or so, driving past endless miles of frozen trees, grass and shrubbery. It was an eerie, yet beautiful sight. Unfortunately, by the time we got to the halfway point, a heavy fog had descended, rain was falling and the temperature was hovering just above freezing. We decided to stop for the night, and pulled into a McDonald’s with wi-fi so we could locate a reasonably priced room in the area. You gotta love technology!



After finding a room, we made a quick run to Wal-Mart because my daughter hadn’t planned on spending the night anywhere but her dorm and she had no clothes, toothbrush or other necessities. Finally, we got comfy at a Waffle House and dove into dinner.

Today we drove through the weirdest stretch of weather I have ever seen. Starting with temps in the sixties and a sunny sky, we got within forty miles of our destination and ran into this huge black wall of a cloud. It looked like the sandstorm scene from The Mummy and totally freaked us out. Within a half mile of entering this cloud, the temperature dropped at least 15 degrees and we were surrounded by gray cottony moisture. The saying here in Missouri is “If you don’t like the weather, wait a bit and it will change.” That was never proven more true to me than it was today!


We spent our day doing some Christmas shopping, eating and jus goofing off. It was a lot of fun getting to hang out with my girl. She is an awesome young lady and I love her to pieces. Tonight I took her and her room mate out to dinner at Lambert’s, famous for its “Throwed Rolls” (www.throwedrolls.com) which was very good. The only bad part is that this place doesn’t take credit/debit cards, and I never carry cash, so that meant a quick run to a local ATM to make a pricey withdrawal! I have to say that it was worth the effort though.

Tomorrow we head back home and I know the journey will be just as much fun on the return trip as it was on the way down, if not more. At least on this trip, there won’t be any studying going on!

So until tomorrow morning, I'm hanging out here in a room of my own, watching what I want to watch, snoring if I want to snore and going to bed whenever the notion strikes me. Heck, I even worked for a few hours! And speaking of working, this hotel is full up with electrical workers who are, I assume, here to repair all the area damage from the ice storms. I wish I had my camera to share a picture of the parking lot! Every space is full of white trucks, some with booms and baskets, some laden with other kinds of equipment. They are everywhere you look, even on the streets around the hotel. It looks like an electrical workers union convention or something! Actually, it reminds me a lot of my Dad who spent 37 years working for our local electic company. I have a soft spot in my heart for the guys here because I know they are going to put in some long hours if they haven't already.

Shhhh! Can't You See I'm Working?

For the first time in over seven years, I had to commute more than a few feet to get to work this morning. In fact, I actually had to drive all the way across town, the town of Springfield, Missouri, that is.

My daughter is in college here, and we drove down Sunday night so that she wouldn't have to do it alone. She only has two days of school this week, and then she is headed home for Fall Break. I spent the last two nights on a makeshift bed in her dorm, which was an experience in itself!

Because I work on line, I was able to bring my laptop and get some hours in while on the road. You would think, in this day and age, it would be easy to find a Wi-Fi connection so that I could get on line and do my job, but alas, yesterday morning was quite a trial! We couldn't get my computer to connect in my daughter's dorm, so I tried a local Panera (aka Bread Co. back home), which wasn't working right. We tried the campus library as well, with the same results. It is amazing to me that a college campus is still relying on wired internet when so many students have laptops that they take everywhere! There are some hotspots on campus, but instead of going that route, I ended up at the Springfield Public Library, also known as the Library Station. I have to say that after all of the hassles of yesterday, I am really glad I ended up here!

Not only is it quiet here, and I have an entire table to myself rather than my daughter's cramped dorm room desk, but it's the most beautiful library I have ever been in. It has a kind of Route 66/Railroad theme which I absolutely adore and right next to my work station is one of those old gas pumps with the glass circle at the top. There are work rooms next to me, which you can sign up to use, which are each named after different types of cars. There is the Corvette, Firebird, Camaro, Mustang and GTO rooms, each complete with a poster depicting the type of car. The funny thing is, the signs next to these rooms that have the name of the car, have a picture of a locomotive. It doesn't really make a whole lot of sense, but oh well.

The library has large model airplanes hanging from the ceiling, separate places for kids and teens to find books and hang out, and a little "paved" road runs around the circulation desk and some of the stacks. Right next door, and connected to the library, is another Panera (with working Wi-Fi!) which is very convenient when it's time for a snack.

Even our newly remodeled library back home just can't compare with this classy place!

It has been an absolute pleasure working here these two days and I really enjoyed being able to bring in a glass of tea and plug into my MP3 player. Not one person bothered me or asked to see my library card or anything. The only nuisance was the guy with the horrible hacking cough that was in here for several hours this morning. Fortunately, he has now left the building! As it was, I just turned up Rascal Flatts, Keith Urban and Dierks Bentley and kept on working.
If you ever get to the Springfield, MO area and needed a place to do some work online, research or just kick back with a book, be sure to stop in at the Library Station. It is awesome!

Gettin' My Kicks on Route 66

This past weekend my family made a trip down to Claremore, OK. Our son had a marching band competition in nearby Owasso, OK and since we really only had to help with some of the band stuff, and watch the performance, that left us with a lot of free time.

Long before the movie Cars, I have been fascinated with Route 66 and its attractions. I have a beautiful book called Route 66: The Mother Road by Michael Wallis who is the voice of the Sheriff in the movie and an expert on all things Route 66. He also helped the Pixar gang with their research.

Our hotel this weekend was right along Route 66 and that left me longing to go for a drive and see if we could find any of the kitschy Route 66 attractions. After consulting a travel guide and a map, I figured out that we were just a few miles from Catoosa, which is home to the fabled Blue Whale. My husband was up for the adventure, so we hopped into Ol' Blue and headed on down the highway.

Once we reached the little town of Catoosa, I began to watch carefully for any signs, just in case our destination was off the beaten path at all. To my delight, the Whale was right alongside the road, and I shouted gleefully when I first sighted it. I know my husband thought I was nuts, but I was so excited! We pulled into a little roadside park with a ramshackle building and a few concrete tables with whale-themed seats and looked around. The whale was huge! He looked to be fairly well-maintained, except for a few loose boards in the dock on which he rests.

There is no swimming (or swiming, if you read the sign) allowed, but at one time I could imagine this pond as being a very busy place. The whale has slides and a diving platform, as well as a sort of "attic" like room that one can climb up into. He sports a top hat, and a large cane fishing pole with a huge hook on the end keeps him forever in his place. From the smile he wears, it doesn't look like he minds too much.

After seeing the Whale up close, I was reminded of a scene in that old Pee Wee's Big Adventure movie, even though that was a different attraction, it still had that same silly feel about it. The whole experience really made my day, and was one of the highlights of the weekend. I didn't think we would be able to top it, but I was wrong.

Heading back up Route 66, and on through Claremore, we drove to the little town of Foyil which has remnants of the original Route 66 running through it. I got down in the roadway and actually took a few close up shots of the roadbed with its unique curbs. On the outskirts of Foyil is a small park-like setting that contains a dozen or so totem poles, one of which is purported to be the largest in the world! When we talked about going there, I really couldn't comprehend what the big deal was. First of all, why carve a huge totem pole, and second, who would want to see it? I was about to be surprised again.

The World's Largest Totem Pole is a unique piece of art which was carved by a folk artist named Ed Galloway. It is 90 feet tall, has a 54 foot base and you can walk right inside of it. There are carvings all over the outside, and paintings on the inside. Along with the huge totem pole are many other carvings, even a table and chair set with totem designs. On the property is a building which houses the gift shop and museum. This building is a work of art all its own, with carvings inside and out. It also contains dozens of fiddles, which represent the 300 fiddles carved by Mr. Galloway during his lifetime, each made of a different type of wood. There are also chairs, inlay art and photos of the artist and his work.

Although I had my doubts about going to see this, I am very glad we went. It is a must-see stop for anyone traveling on Route 66. The interesting thing is that the place came very close to becoming just a memory like so many other places on the historic Mother Road. At one time, the park was overgrown, and vandals had created havoc on the property. Fortunately, a group of local volunteers knew the treasure in their midst and made the heroic effor to save it for future generations. I, for one, am very glad they did!

We left Oklahoma on Sunday afternoon, and traveled Route 66 up to Vinita before getting back on I-44. Seeing just a small fraction of this bit of Americana left me longing for more. I have dreamed of taking the ultimate trip one day: Chicago to L.A. on what remains of Route 66, photographing living history along the way. It will only be a few short years until we reach empty nest status, and I'm thinking that would be the perfect time to hit the road, and take the highway that's the best.

Maybe I should get a head start on the planning right now!

Remembering 9-11

As someone who makes a living editing the work of others, it is not often that I am at a loss for words. This morning, as I began to reflect on the events of September 11, 2001 as I always do on the anniversary of that awful day, the words would not come. Instead, my mind was filled with images, pictures that I saw again on my television, and in my mind:

Video of the gaping hole in the side of the first tower, and watching live as the second plane flew low and with deadly aim, into the second.

Images of the towers falling, of the Pentagon, of that black hole in an otherwise green field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

The siren in front of school that went off as I drove by to take my son his lunch that morning.

Memories of my husband's pale face as he stepped from his car that afternoon.

The sounds of the radio blaring the latest news from the windows of my children's bus as it pulled up to the bus stop.

A somber ceremony at our church later that evening.

The images and emotions are as powerful today as they were when they first happened. So much changed that day, yet in the years since, we have grown complacent as life has gotten back to normal.

I thought about that a lot this morning as my son and I had breakfast and he headed off to school. I wondered just how much of an impact the events of that day and those that followed has really had on each of us. Have we really forgotten how vulnerable and angry we felt, or have we simply chosen to go on living our daily lives rather than dwelling on the past?

Personally, rarely a day goes by that I don't think about that day because the reminders are all around me:

The flag on our front porch that flies every day in honor and support of our troops.

The basketball hoop where we spent so many hours in the evenings afterward, when we just couldn't take another minute of the continuing coverage of the tragedy.

The emergency siren in front of the local school that went off that morning as I passed by when I took my son the lunch he had left at home.

Clear, blue sky above me, just like the one here and in New York that day.

An airplane flying overhead, reminding me of the bravery of those on Flight 93, and of every person who chose to get back on a plane in the days and weeks that followed.

This morning dawned cool and gray, and in a way I was glad because I didn't really want it to be similar to that day six years ago. Of course, God had other plans when it came to reminders. Before long, the clouds broke up and drifted off, giving way to the familiar blue. I noticed this as I made my way to my son's school to take the folder he forgot, passing the siren on the way, which did not, thankfully, go off this morning.

Instead of taking the road back home this morning after leaving my son's school, I took another route and ended up in the city of O'Fallon at a September 11 Remembrance Ceremony. I hadn't really planned to go because it was just briefly mentioned on our morning newscast, and it wasn't really on my list of things to do today.

With my ever-present camera, I made my way over to the area that had been roped off for the ceremony. Behind me idled a firetruck, and before me was a piece of twisted steel that had been salvaged from the Ground Zero.

The ceremony was brief, yet touching, and included a young lady who sang the National Anthem and God Bless America, a 21-gun salute, and a bagpiper who played Amazing Grace. A haunting rendition of Taps was played by a lone Trumpeter, and it sent chills down my spine. It felt good to place a flower next to the wreath at the memorial, to shed a few tears, and to be surrounded by others who have not forgotten.

I hope and pray that we will never forget, that folks will again fly their flags at half-staff, that we will take time out to thank the men and women who serve so bravely, that September 11 will never become just another day on the calender.

We have to move forward, but every now and then we need to look over our shoulder at where we have been. It's the only way to really appreciate the journey.

Magic on the Midway

Yesterday I made my second trip to the Magic Mile at DuQuoin State Fair Speedway. The beautiful USAC Silver Crown Cars were on tap and the weather consisted of blue skies and warm temperatures. It was the kind of day that makes one welcome the setting of the sun and the coolness of evening.

There is something awe-inspiring about this mile-sized dirt track carved from the Illinois countryside, especially when you are used to tracks that are anywhere from a quarter- to a half-mile. No matter your vantage point, at most tracks you can see everything that is going on all through a race. On a track the size of DuQuoin, it can get pretty tough to keep up with the action in the back stretch or a far corner, which actually makes for some fun surprises coming down the front straightaway.

During last night's race, Shane Cottle led flag-to-flag, but that does not mean the race was boring. There were a lot of little battles going on all through the field, and several drivers made some pretty impressive advances. I loved it that they opted to start 32 cars in the feature, rather than the traditional 24, but I did miss the introductions and pre-race line up in front of the grandstands this year. There's a sort of pageantry to that which would have been nice, but knowing that it takes time and a lot of folks have long drives home, I can understand the change.

My Dad and I got to spend a lot of time in the pits together while my husband, our daughter and her boyfriend wandered around to see the sites of the fair. Everyone enjoyed the different foods offered too. My daughter (the amateur baker) raved over some huge hand-made cinnamon rolls she discovered and my Dad was crazy for the lemonade. For me, chocolate ice cream did the trick.

All-in-all it was a wonderful day and I really enjoyed getting to photograph the big, beautiful Silver Crown cars again. It is a once-a-year experience that I truly love. My deepest thanks to the folks at Track Enterprises for allowing me to do it again. I hope everyone enjoys the pictures!

Seasons of Change

Last weekend I became and official College Mom when we dropped our daughter off in her new home at Missouri State University. She settled in fast, and I know she will be involved and become a part of the community there just as she was at home.

So yes, this week has seen its share of tears, but I just keep reminding myself of how proud I am of all she has, and will accomplish. That, and I am really looking forward to the fact that she will be home next weekend!

Our son is a freshman in high school now and a member of the marching band. He is a percussionist and plays in the pit, which means he gets to learn how to play a lot of different instruments. His first performance is next Friday night, and I can’t wait to see him in that uniform for the first time!

It has been a busy couple of weeks here in our household but it seems as if we are starting to settle into our new routine and our conversion from a four person household down to just us three. Of course, every now and then I still find myself peeking into my daughter’s room to see if maybe she’s in there working on her laptop as usual.

All of these changes, combined with Spring’s month-long sabbatical in the south, have necessitated some alterations to our racing schedule. As of right now, next weekend’s Ted Horn Memorial at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds will be our second-to-last race of the year. Tri-City’s moving of their POWRi race from Friday October 5 to Sunday, October 7 is a welcome change because it means that we will be able to make that our last race of the season. Unfortunately, we have had to drop our return trip to Hartville for the got milk? Fall Nationals because it was moved up a weekend and I have a prior commitment. All of these changes will soon be reflected on the schedule page of our web site.

With all of that said, I am really looking forward to next weekend’s race. Last year was my first trip to DuQuoin and I was blown away by everything from the historical old fairgrounds itself to the awesome racing and all the fun I had on my first trip out with the Pentax K100D. Last year’s weather was beautiful too, and I am hoping that the weather forecast is correct and we are headed for a cool down by the end of next week.

With credentials provided by Track Enterprises, we will make the trip over to DuQuoin after church next Sunday. It looks like we may have a van full this time, although Spring has not yet decided for sure if she will make it or not. Hopefully, my camera techniques have improved enough from last year that I can do a good job even if she decides not to go along. I did okay the first time out, but I have learned a lot since then, and I am much more confident when approaching people, so we’ll see how it goes.

I am looking forward to seeing the big Silver Crown cars again, since this is the only time each year that I get to do that. They are such classic machines that stir up a lot of nostalgia and put on a great race.

For anyone who considers himsef a fan of open wheel racing, this is one event you don’t want to miss!

It's never too hot to go racin'!

I am not sure what the official high temperature was for yesterday, but I know that somewhere along the highway from my house to Belleville, Illinois, one of those bank signs said 103. That would not be surprising, considering how sweltering the heat was at Belle Clair Speedway. But hey, it's the midwest, it's summer, and we expect it. And as far as this year goes, our weather has been awesome, so this little heat wave somehow feels like it is well-deserved.

So yes, it was warm, hot, uncomfortable, and a host of other related adjectives last night, but that could not stop the POWRi guys from putting on some great racing over at the Belle-Clair Fairgrounds. All I can say is, my pal Spring is missing out on some great racing action while she wiles away her time with family and friends in North Carolina!

We headed over kind of late for us, after hot laps and just before the heat races, but it was ok with me. The later we went, the cooler (or rather, less hot) the temperature and the more time we spent in the comfort of air conditioning. Believe it or not, it didn't feel all that bad to me, and I am usually one who does not tolerate summer well. Maybe it was the breeze created by the cars, or my constant duck into shaded areas of the infield, or the bottled water that two different teams kept offering me, but I managed not to overdo it, which was nice.

I met up with our buddy Rich, who is always a lot of fun to talk to. He recently spent some time shooting Super Modifieds in New York and has plans to go back. We talked about racing and photography, and compared some of the shots we managed to get. It's pretty cool how we can have exactly the same camera, yet get totally different pictures.

Rich and I stayed out long enough to shoot all of the Midget heats, but then we lost the sunlight and just couldn't contend with all of the shadows. We both lamented the lack of proper flashes, but those things are expensive and on our long-range wish lists. Belle Clair is a fun track to shoot at because of the low walls, but that also means being extra careful when the cars are in motion. Of course last night we worried less about the race cars and more about the crazy push truck driver who kept trying to run us over!

Anyway, we survived, then went our separate ways to watch the rest of the night's action. And it was definitely action-packed! The feature was especially good, with a ton of movement throughout the field and several lead changes. There is just nothing like racing on old fairground tracks, that's for sure. I kept thinking to myself how all of those NASCAR fans who have never been to a dirt track race have no idea what they are missing!

Brad Loyet won the feature, but really had to work at it. There were a couple of big crashes, but thankfully everyone walked away.

Looking forward to my next, and probabl last, race of the season which will be at DuQuoin in September. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy last night's photos!

Crazy for Cars!

By now many of you know that I absolutely love the Disney-Pixar movie, Cars. It has become my favorite movie ever, and has inspired me to collect various things related to the movie.

Most of my collection consists of the diecast replicas released by Mattel. My son and I have a great time trying to find all of the new releases when they come out, and he even lets me use him as an excuse when I'm trying to find them, which is really nice. We have been lucky so far, and have only a few more to find of the latest releases, but rumor has it that more are coming in the fall, so we will be on a bigtime safari then.

There is a wonderful message board for others who are afflicted with Cars Mania. It is filled with really nice folks who collect the cars for themselves, their kids, or both, and everyone is great about helping others on the board get what they are looking for without having to cave in to the scalpers on eBay. I enjoy the many wonderful posts there, and am relieved to find that I am definitely not the most obsesses Cars person out there!

I hope you enjoy the pictures under the "Crazy for Cars" heading in the gallery. I know that with my daughter leaving for college in only two and a half weeks, I should probably be doing something else, but this was a really nice distraction from the bittersweet emotions I am dealing with right now.

Thanks, as always, for stopping by!

TSR Publishes a 2GGR Photo!

One of the pictures I took at Macon last Friday is now up on the Tony Stewart Racing site. Here's the link:

http://www.tonystewartracing.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=842

This is pretty exciting for an amateur like me! Thanks to Misha for publishing it for us.

Edit: There are actually four photos of mine up on the site now. They are all in the Gallery under Tony-Macon Midget. Look for the photo of the tail with the number 20 on it.

Lots of new photos added!

I just finished publishing 70 photos from Friday at Macon Speedway. You can find them in the www.twogirlsgoneracin.com gallery and on the 2007 schedule page.

Spring was also busy today, uploading her gallery from June 13 at I-55 Raceway. Those are also linked from both the gallery and schedule pages.

We hope you enjoy the photos!

Macon Time

Tony Stewart has a lot of fans in Central Illinois. At least, that’s how it looked last night at the 1/5 mile bull ring that is Macon Speedway.

My Dad, husband and I left home around 2pm and made the 150 mile journey east and north to a track we had never been to before. All we knew was that POWRi Midgets and Micros, as well as UMP Modifieds were on the menu, and Tony Stewart and Ken Schrader were scheduled to race.


That last bit of information, more than the racing line-up may have been the biggest draw of the night, at least if the plethora of Home Depot orange in the stands was any indication.

The combination of dirt track Midget racing, NASCAR stars, unbelievably mild temperatures and lack of humidity made for a night that midwestern race fans can usually only dream about. I can count on one hand the number of race nights where everything has come together so perfectly, so this was a rare night indeed!

Our first impression of Macon Speedway was that it was crowded! Cars lined the streets of this small town while Midgets, Micros and Modifieds filled the pits. Fans crowded through the gates and waited in line for autographs from Tony and Kenny. From what I could tell, no one walked away disappointed.

I cruised through the pits for a while, talking to friends and snapping a few shots. Everyone I talked to commented on the weather, so it was obvious that I was not the only one who appreciated it.

The crowd around Tony’s trailer was amazing. Yes, I consider myself a fan, but spending my time in the 12-person deep quagmire of humanity that stood there just waiting for a glimpse of the driver was not my idea of a fun way to spend my time. Anyway, I couldn’t help but having a little sympathy for the guy. All he wants to do is spend his weekend away from his real job doing the kind of racing he truly loves, and he has to be flanked by security guards just to get to the driver’s meeting. I could not live that way, and I wouldn’t trade places with him for many millions of dollars. Being rich and famous is not what it’s cracked up to be.

I thought it was great that Tony came out to race his Midget and I know the fans enjoyed it. It was fun watching him finesse that car around the track, sawing at the wheel, performing heart-stopping slide jobs, and maneuvering through traffic. To me, the person who enjoyed it most was probably Tony himself. Every time I caught a glimpse of the guy, he was smiling, so that has to say something.

Of course, Tony was not the only driver at the track, and he did not steal the show when it came to where he finished the races. A.J. Fike came out on top in the Midget feature, holding on for the win, even after numerous delays due to tangles. Fike was challenged closely by Brad Kuhn and Derrick Myers. Those two rode his tail for all forty laps, doing their best to get around but they just could not get the job done.

Racing wrapped up at the very reasonable hour of 10:30 and we headed on down the road. Even after getting through a little bit of traffic and stopping for travel snacks, we were still back in our own driveway by 1:30 am. Not a bad run at all in my opinion, and definitely worth the trip.

I am working on getting my pics up on the site and will hopefully start loading pages shortly after this post appears, so stay tuned!

Two Girls Gone Racin' Press Release 7.19.07

I mentioned a couple of posts ago that we would be sending out a press release to the motorsports community. There were some things we needed to check out before we felt comfortable making the statements in the release. After thorough investigation, we feel that it is now time to announce to the public our new name, and the reasons why it was changed.

Again, we thank everyone for their support as we endure the aggravation that has been forced upon us and the frustration of trying to re-do a lot of hard work. We continue to pray for guidance as decisions are made in this situation.

Blessings,
The Girls

Same Great Web Site, Brand New Name

COTTLEVILLE, Mo. (July 19, 2007) What’s in a name? If you are into racing or any other professional sport, you know that name recognition is a key ingredient of Motorsports marketing. Any negative connotation of a name will turn things in the wrong direction in a hurry. Owners of a Missouri-based motorsports web site recently found out first-hand what it’s like to have your business name associated with something you never intended to promote.

An e-mail with a “cease and desist” order was not what these two girls expected on a sunny July morning, but there it was, alleging trademark infringement and asking them to cooperate or face legal proceedings. Within 24 hours, a name change was initiated and all contents moved to the new domain.

The accusations in the email were disturbing enough, but what made it worse is the nature of the business that the other site conducts. Both girls admit that if this had been another legitimate race-related site, they would have been able to reach some kind of understanding with the other party and moved on with business as usual. The fact that the site is of an adult nature was what gave them cause for concern, prompting the name change.

“We in no way want to be affiliated with the adult entertainment industry,” state the women. “It is our hope that by changing the name, we will not inadvertently direct traffic to the other site because that is absolutely the last thing we want to do. That kind of site is in direct opposition to everything we stand for as Christian women.”

The new name is Two Girls Gone Racin’ and the web site is www.twogirlsgoneracin.com. The site contains the same great photo galleries as before, galleries which include races at many Missouri and Illinois tracks, as well as Eldora Speedway and The Museum at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, among others.

Professional photographer Spring Hansen and writer/webchick/amateur photographer Valerie Perkins began their web site in April 2006 and use it to showcase grassroots racing, as well as an occasional concert. Their goal is to shine a spotlight on the true heroes of Motorsports, the guys and gals who do their best work at dirt tracks throughout the Midwest.

“We love racing, especially Sprint Cars and Midgets,” stated Perkins. “Our focus is on giving these folks as much press as possible, getting photos out there for their sponsors and potential sponsors, and just letting them know that we appreciate what they do.”

The web site also links to a blog where the girls entertain readers with tales of their travels and express their feelings about life in general. Both women are working Moms with husbands and kids who don’t always share their passion for racing, but try their best to be understanding.

With the new name comes new opportunities, and these two gals hope to continue their adventure for many seasons to come. Next on the calendar for Two Girls Gone Racin’ will be the POWRi Midgets and Micros, as well as UMP Modifieds at Macon Speedway in Macon, Illinois. Photos should be up on the site within a few days of the event.

Spring and Val encourage you to stop by to browse the photos, and leave a message on the blog whenever you get the chance.

About Two Girls Gone Racin’:

Two Girls Gone Racin’ was formed in 2006 by Spring Hansen and Valerie Perkins, two women who have a passion for Motorsports and a desire to share their unique perspective with other racing enthusiasts.

Spring, professional studio photographer and owner of Spring Renee Studio, is a long-time race fan who had always dreamed of combining her camera skills with her love of racing.

Val, a life-long Sprint Car fan who dabbles in writing and photography and has been employed in the Motorsports market for many years, had long envisioned a place where words and photos could be shared in a constructive, yet casual way.

Together, we strive to pay homage to drivers of all levels, from the low-budget, grassroots, weekend warrior, to the full-time driver who races to live and lives to race. With that in mind, one never knows just who might show up on the pages of www.twogirlsgoneracin.com

Get the picture. Tell the story. Live the passion.

Crunching the Numbers

I'm not a numbers kind of person. In fact, most of the time, I do my best to avoid anything involving math of any kind, including balancing my check book, measuring for appliances and calculating lunch money for my kids. Numbers perplex and confound me, yet today I find myself putting together a little table of sorts, the kind of table that involves numbers. Yuck.

Yesterday was a good day in NASCAR for me because I like Tony Stewart. Yes, he can be tempramental and he gets pretty excited about stuff, but to me, that's just part of what makes him the amazing driver that he is. His passion for racing shows up in a lot of ways.

Of course, I openly admit that I am not a big NASCAR fan and I am not ashamed of it. To me, racing involves Midgets and Sprints, preferably without wings of any kind. And racing should always be done on dirt. That's just the way it is.

With that thought in mind, I thought it might be kind of fun to start tracking the NASCAR drivers who got their start in the Sprint and Midget arena. Off the top of my head, I could think of five, and I have listed them in a table, along with how they did this week, and their current points. It seemed to me like it might be kind of interesting to track these guys and see how well they do. The chart is over in the right hand column and will be updated after each week's Cup race.

Currently, Jeff Gordon is the points leader, which is great, but poor Dave Blaney is way out of Chase contention, which is a shame. Dave is a great Sprint Car driver, and I think he would do well in NASCAR but he just can't seem to catch a break. Kind of like Junior these days.

Anyway, these are the five I could think of because I know for sure they have raced Sprints and/or Midgets on dirt. Most of them I have seen in action. If anyone reading this knows of other Cup drivers who got their start running at least a full season or two of Sprint/Midget racing, drop me a line and I will add them to the table. I hope you guys enjoy looking at the numbers. Maybe some day it will all make sense to me.

Of course, I could probably come up with a list of Busch and Truck drivers who started out in Sprints too, but with the way they keep showing up on the police blotters for alleged illegal drug possession, I think I'll just stick with Cup drivers for now.

Same Great Web Site, Brand New Name

If you found us today, then you know that we have had a change of names, but not a change of heart. Because of all the craziness of this past week, we felt that the best thing we could do to protect ourselves and our web site would be to change names and move on.

Below is a copy of the release that will be going out to the motorsports community in the next few days. We want everyone to know that we are back and that we don't take threats lightly.

So, from here on out, we will be known as Two Girls Gone Racin' and you can still find us at the old domain, or at www.twogirlsgoneracin.com. We will be keeping the original for the long haul.

You have probably noticed the change in the blog name as well. Please update you bookmarks, as the old name is no longer valid and no forwarding was available.

We would again like to thank everyone who emailed us this week. The outpouring of support was just what we needed to get us through this difficult time. After Spring's injury and all of the pain she has been through, this latest setback was really not what we needed! The way I figure it, we must be doing something really right if the forces of evil are doing everything they can to get us down. God is good, and through His strength we will persevere.

Begin Press Release:

What’s in a name? If you are heavy into racing or any other professional sport, you know that name recognition is a key ingredient of Motorsports marketing.

Owners of a Missouri-based motorsports web site recently found out first-hand what it’s like to have your business name associated with something you never intended to promote. An unexpected e-mail with a “cease and desist” order was not what the girls expected on a sunny July morning, but there it was, alleging trademark infringement and asking them to cooperate or face legal proceedings.

The email was disturbing, but what made it worse is the nature of the business that the other site conducts. Both girls admit that if this had been another legitimate race-related site, they would have been able to reach some kind of understanding with the other party and moved on with business as usual. The fact that the site is of an adult nature was what gave them cause for concern, prompting the name change.

“We in no way want to be affiliated with the adult entertainment industry,” state the girls. “It is our hope that by changing the name, we will not inadvertently direct traffic to the other site because that is absolutely the last thing we want to do. That kind of site is in direct opposition to everything we stand for as Christian women.”

The new name is Two Girls Gone Racin’ and the web site is www.twogirlsgoneracin.com. The site contains the same great photo galleries as before, galleries which include races at many Missouri and Illinois tracks, as well as Eldora Speedway and The Museum at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, among others.

Professional photographer Spring Hansen and writer/webchick/amateur photographer Valerie Perkins began their web site in April 2006 and use it to showcase grassroots racing, as well as an occasional concert. Their goal is to shine a spotlight on the true heroes of Motorsports, the guys and gals who do their best work at dirt tracks throughout the Midwest.

“We love racing, especially Sprint Cars and Midgets,” stated Perkins. “Our focus is on giving these guys and gals as much press as possible, getting photos out there for their sponsors and potential sponsors, and just letting them know that we appreciate what they do.”

The web site also links to a blog where the girls entertain readers with tales of their travels and express their feelings about life in general. Both women are working Moms with husbands and kids who don’t always share their passion for racing, but try their best to be understanding.

With the new name comes new opportunities, and these two gals hope to continue their adventure for many seasons to come. Next on the calendar for Two Girls Gone Racin’ will be the Lucas Oil Late Models at Tri-City Speedway in Pontoon Beach Illinois. Photos should be up on the site a few days after the event.

Spring and Val encourage you to stop by to browse the photos, and leave a message on the blog whenever you get the chance.

Darkness and Light

Wow, what an emotional roller coaster this week has been! All I can say is, I will be glad when the weekend finally rolls around. Now I just need to find a race to go to!

There is good news with regard to www.girlsgoneracin.com. Within the next 24-48 hours, we will have re-launched our little enterprise under a new name. As for now, everything will look the same, and you will still be able to find us at either the old address or the new one. When I think about it, all of this may actually be a good thing, because it has really made us sit down and think about what we do and why we do it.

The ordeal has also re-engergized my spirit when it comes to what I believe in. And one of those things is common decency, which is getting more and more difficult to find in our society.

There is not a day that goes by that we are not bombarded by sleaze, whether it is the latest commercial from that no-good burger joint that has nothing to do with selling food, a spam email that pops up when you log in, an advertisement for an adult magazine on the wing of a race car, or a billboard for a "specialty shop." Filth is all around us because we live in a dark and fallen world. There is only One who can save us from that.

You would think this would be the part where I would want to get up on my soapbox and be all preachy, but I'm not going to do that. Suffice it to say that I believe that good will triumph over evil one day, and in a way bigger than any of us can ever imagine.

As for now, it is up to each of us to do what we can to maintain decency and protect ourselves and those we love from the dangers that lurk around us. Watch out for your kids, your spouse and even yourself as you cruise the internet and the interstate. Life will throw garbage your way when you least expect it, like the schrapnel from the tire on the truck in front of me that blew up this morning. You just have to know how to dodge it.

All Good Things...

If you have attempted to access our web site lately, you're probably wondering what is going on. We still have everything, and we still want to share it with you, but unfortunately, we have been threatened with legal action because our web site name is very similar to another site of a very different sort and because of that, we are taking our pages off-line.

We started this site with no intention of making money, but did it purely for the purpose of showcasing American grassroots racing. We sold a few photos, but it has always cost us more to run this site than what we take in, so there are no funds with which to fight any type of legal action. Because of that we have been left with no choice but to take down the site. As of right now, we have no idea what will become of our little adventure, but those of you who know us can probably guess that this is not the end of the road for we Girls Who Like To Go Racin'.

With that said, we would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every person we have met over the course of the past 18 months or so. It has been so much fun getting to know you, making great friends, drinking in your knowledge of racing and just immersing ourselves in the greatest sport in the world. We love nothing better than to hang out at dirt tracks, talking with and trying to get fun shots of drivers, teams and fans. We have enjoyed every minute of it.

In the last two seasons we have had the privilege of seeing and photographing race cars at to Indy, Eldora, Gateway, Tri-City, Belle Clair, Phoenix, Lakeside, Jacksonville, Lucas Oil Speedway, I-55 Raceway, Saint Francois County Raceway, DuQuoin, and Hartville for races of every type imaginable including Lucas Oil Late Models, World of Outlaws Sprints, USAC Sprints, Midgets and Silver Crown Cars, Outlaw Karts, POWRi Migets, UMP Modifieds, Dragsters, Indy Cars and Micros.

To the track promoters and sanction folks who were willing to give two girls they had never heard of a shot at race photography, we thank you. We appreciate the risk you took in allowing us into your world.

At these tracks, we have been welcomed by other photographers who willingly shared tips of the trade, swapped war stories and made us feel not as intruders or competition, but as if we were part of the family.

And then there were the drivers.

We know that without you guys, there would be no racing to chase, no dirt to eat and we would be stuck with stick-and-ball sports that bore us out of our gourds most of the time. There are way too many names to mention here, because I would inevitably leave someone out, but you guys know who you are. You are the ones who were curious enough about the two chicks with the cameras to ask us what we were up to, or were willing to give us the time of day when we approached you. You never treated us like dumb girls, or acted as if our questions were stupid. You willingly supplied answers, and even embellished and gave us more than we asked for. You shared with us your passion for the sport. The passion we see in your eyes every time you strap in, buckle up that helmet and get that motor running.

You guys are the reason we wanted to do what we did.

Right now, the whole thing is such a shock that we do not quite know what to do with ourselves. It's as if we have lost a dear friend and we are in the first stages of the grieving process. It will get better with time, but right now, it's just really tough. Pulling the plug on all of this work feels kind of like taking a much loved pet to the vet to be put down.

We would like to ask that you keep in touch, drop us a note, maybe even give us some suggestions as to where to go from here. We know you like what we do, and we would love to keep doing it, but it's all just a big mess right now.

You drivers, track and sanction owners, promoters and other photographers are our heroes. We admire and respect you for what you do. Drivers, we even envy you, just a little because we would love to get behind the wheel ourselves but are forced to live vicariously through you.

Keep doing what you do. Pursue the win, cherish the victories, learn from the defeats. That's exactly what we're doing.

God bless you all,Spring and Val
girlsgoneracin@sbcglobal.net

Tri-City Speedway Photos Posted

With the large number of photos that Spring shoots at any one event, it became apparent to us a while back that we needed a better way to showcase those for everyone. With that in mind, we still plan to put a few up on Girls Gone Racin' but the entire gallery can be viewed at the following link:

http://www.millersevents.com/?m=36081

Please keep in mind that the photos will only be available for viewing for a limited time, so if you care to order any, you will need to do it soon. Also, you will need to sign in for viewing, but no information is stored for advertising/spam purposes.

Thanks for looking, and we hope you enjoy them. Hopefully, the ones from Pevely will be up soon too. Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there!

(The following was added by Val after this original post)

I put the link up on here before actually looing through the gallery because I wanted to get it up fast. Once it was done, I went back, fired up the slide show, sat back and prepared to be wowwed.

And wowwed I was.

Please don't think that I am doing any bragging at all by saying this, because every single photo in that gallery is Spring's, not mine. (She makes me look like the total amateur that I am, thank you very much!) I would be remiss if I didn't give her the credit she deserves.

The slide show starts with a few shots in the pits, then some on track action, and moves through the course of the evening of racing, telling the story of a night at the track. There are no captions, no comments and no music, and quite honestly, none are necessary. Spring's work speaks for itself.

These little snapshots of time capture the emotion that is at the heart of our great sport, creating a visual scrapbook that is like nothing I have ever seen. Yes, there are action photos, and victory lane pictures, but woven throughout those more traditional shots are pieces of artwork that showcase the fans, the crews and what goes on behind the scenes of a night in the life of a race team.

I hope that you, like me, see dust in the air, feel the heat of the engines and the heartbeats of the drivers, taste the tang of spent fuel, and hear the roar of the crowd while you immerse yourself in these images. I am humbled, as always, by Spring's talent and her artistic eye that sees beyond the surface, and into the very soul of what makes auto racing the greatest sport the world has ever known.

Back on Track

After a lengthy and painful delay, the Girls finally got out for two great nights of racing in a row this week!

On Wednesday, we headed down south for the first night of the Missouri-Illinois Challenge at I-55 Raceway, where we caught up with old friends and enjoyed the high-speed action of the Mid America Sprint Series, POWRi Midgets and Late Models. It felt great to be back at one of our local tracks and I was just happy that Spring felt up to the task.

It was warm, and we had to work to stay cool, but the racing and comaradarie were worth sweating for. The racing was fast and furious and we were just happy to be out again after all of the delays we have had this season.

Thursday we got a bit of a late start, then got stuck in traffic, but at long last we arrived at Tri-City Speedway for a night of World of Outlaws Sprints and POWRi Midget racing. The temperature ramped up a bit more, as did the humidity, but we sought air conditioning in the tower for a bit, then shade wherever we could find it.

The newly reconfigured track was in great shape for racing, and from the way the drivers took to it, it looked as if everyone enjoyed the smaller track with its high banking. It's hard to take pictures of cars that are flying by that fast, but we did our best. I am anxious as always to see how Spring's pictures turned out. I put a few of mine up already just to whet a few appetites.

We enjoyed seeing a lot of familiar faces and meeting some new folks as well. It's really nice when you all who have been to the site before come up to us at the races. We love hearing from you and hope you enjoy what we are doing.

Thanks for stopping by!

Presenting...Pike County Speedway Photos!

After a bit of a delay, we wanted to let everyone know that the photos from Pike County Speedway have finally been posted. We will have a few on the GGR site, but there is a much more extensive gallery at this link:

http://www.millersevents.com/?m=36081

We invite you to check them out, and if you find something you like, ordering can be done right from the web site. The best way to look at them is in the Slide Show mode, but be forewarned, there are over 300 photos so it may take a while. Trust me though, it's worth it.

Spring did a great job, and she wants everyone to know how much she appreciates their patience, and more importantly, their prayers. She is feeling better, although not yet 100%. We were actually able to go to a race last night for only the second time since our trip to Pike County.

If anyone has questions, please feel free to drop us a note. We really did have a great time at PCS and hopefully we can come back one of these days. Enjoy the pictures!

Four Nights of Racing Action on Tap for Missouri and Illinois Fans

COTTLEVILLE, Mo. -- If you are a Sprint Car fan in Missouri or Illinois, this is the week you have been waiting for. After winter's cold and icy blasts, and spring's rainy onslaught, racing action is about to heat up to summertime proportions.

It all begins on Wednesday evening when the O'Reilly Midwest All Stars, POWRi Midgets and UMP Late Models rev up on NASCAR Night at I-55 Raceway in Pevely, Missouri for the first night of the Missouri-Illinois Challenge. On hand will be Ken Schrader and Kenny Wallace who will race in the Late Model division, plus a special NASCAR guest who will join Schrader and Wallace in signing autographs that evening.

Grandstand tickets for this event are $20, with kids 12 and under free, and pit passes are $30, Gates open at 4pm with the autograph session from 5-6:30pm. Hotlaps start at 6pm with racing at 7.

Thursday will see the World of Outlaws Sprints tackling the 3/8 mile track at Tri-City Speedway in Pontoon Beach, Illinois, along with POWRi Midgets. With $10,000 up for grabs in the World of Outlaws feature, it will take skill, determination and a little luck to pull off the win on this newly-configured raceway.

Before the races, ticketholders are invited to an autograph session with drivers Steve Kinser, Danny Lasoski and Donny Schatz. Fan give-aways will also highlight the evening's schedule.

Reserved seats in the top eight rows are $32, general admission is $30 and kids under 12 get a free general admission ticket when an adult general admission ticket is purchased. Pit passes are $35. General Admission gates open at 5pm with hot laps at 6:30 and qualifying at 7pm.

The Missouri-Illinois Challenge Week wraps up with the two-night 410 Summer Nationals at Saint Francois County Raceway. Friday night tickets are $10 for the grandstands with pit passes $25 and will include Sprints, Modifieds and Pure Streets.

Saturday's schedule consists of Sprints, Modifieds and 600 Multis. Tickets are $15 for the grandstands and $30 for a pit pass.

On both nights, gates open at 4:00 with racing underway around 7pm.

More information on all four nights of events can be found on www.whowon.com and at the respective web sites of each participating track, as well as those of sanctioning bodies. Those addresses are listed below.

www.i55raceway.com
www.tricityspeedway.net
www.sfcr-online.com

www.midwestallstarseries.com
www.worldofoutlaws.com
www.powri.com

Pause for Dramatic Effect

There have been a host of new game shows to hit the television market in the last couple of years, and even though I have to admit that I am not a huge fan of any particular one, I do catch an episode on occasion. Through random viewing of shows like Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader and Deal or No Deal, there is one thing that they and other shows have in common, and that is what I call the "Pause for Dramatic Effect."

If you have watched even one episode, you know what I am talking about. This phenomenon happens every time an answer is about to be revealed, or a shiny silver suitcase is ready to be opened. First the contestant gives their answer, or makes their choice, and then the host waits and waits to reveal the consequence of that decision. My guess is that it is supposed to make everyone giddy with anticipation, when in reality, it simply stretches out the show so they don't have to give away as much money.

Here at Girls Gone Racin' it feels as if we have had or own dramatic pause which has lasted so long that whatever audience we might have reached has probably fallen asleep on us. The lapse in new material on the web site, the unavailability of photos that were taken at Pike County Speedway and the general slowdown of activity have definitely not been done for dramatic effect. Oh, how I wish that were really the case!

In reality, this season has been a rather nightmarish few months for my pal Spring, and though I don't want to get into details because that's her medical business, I will tell you that I have never seen anyone go through so much pain, and just keep pushing through day after day. It all started with that near head-on collision almost a year ago, and it has culminated in a drastic lifestyle change which consists of visits to doctors, therapists and lawyers. The whole thing is crazy, and despite it all, Spring still has an amazing positive attitude that is a testament to her faith and her zest of living.

Now that I've made it sound like all of these delays are totally Spring's fault, let me tell you that it's certainly not just her! My own life has been completely crazy, with a daughter graduating from high school, my son's baseball team starting up a again, and just life in general. The past month has been absolutely nuts for me, and now that my kids are both off to church camp for the week, I'm ready to release a long pent-up sigh of relief! (Of course I miss them, but every parent needs a break now and then, right?) I'm also ready to charge the batteries in my camera, put in a fresh memory card, and get out to the track to shoot some race cars!

This week we are supposed to be headed off to several nights of Winged Sprint Car racing with our hubbies and other friends and family. We kick off the week on NASCAR Night at I-55 Raceway for the All Stars Sprint Series, POWRi Midgets and Late Models. Hopefully, Spring will be able to not only survive it but to enjoy herself and take some fun pictures as well. If that works out, and she's not too exhausted, we will follow it up with a World of Outlaws make up event at Tri-City Speedway. The week is supposed to wrap up with back-to-back nights of racing at Saint Francois County Raceway, but it is all going to depend on how the first two nights play out.

So, please check back to see how things go, and if you wouldn't mind, say a prayer for Spring. It's been a rough road, and it is far from over, but I know she is going to try her hardest to ignore the pain and have a good time. And if you are looking for the Pike County photos, she was working on them yesterday and will hopefully have that batch narrowed down enough to get up on her web site in a very short while.

To those of you who have stuck with us this far, we thank you, and we look forward to seeing you at our local race tracks this week!

Anything Boys Can Do...

The following article was written by my good friend and former World of Outlaws PR guy, Richard Day. Richard is a gifted author who currently handles PR for Woodward Racing, Redi-Green Motorsports, Dirt, Inc. and Kathryne Minter. It's a great piece about women in racing that I think most of us can really appreciate. Thanks for sharing, Richard!

Richard Petty has never believed women should compete in auto racing. He reiterated that two days before the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600.

“I just don’t think it’s a sport for women,” Petty said, “and, so far, it’s proved out. It’s good for them to come in. It gives us a lot of publicity. It gives them publicity. But, as far as being a real true racer, making a living out of it, it's kind of tough.”

It was a thrill for me to meet “The King” at the 1994 Knoxville Nationals when Petty attended sprint car racing’s most prestigious event as then-fellow-STP-sponsored racer Andy Hillenburg’s special guest. I have tremendous respect for the man who won 200 NASCAR Nextel Cup races and has been a tireless ambassador for auto racing for many years, but I’m thinking he should have kept those comments under his signature cowboy hat.

I thought 2005 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year Danica Patrick’s reply to Petty’s statements were classic when she said racing isn’t for all women, but it works for some. Two top-eight finishes in auto racing’s greatest spectacle prove she’s definitely competitive in the male-dominated sport.

There are other ladies proving they can compete with men at the track, too: Erin Crocker, Nicole Addison and Melanie Troxel.

Crocker, the only lady to win a World of Outlaws feature race, is progressing as a NASCAR Craftsman Truck driver for Ray Evernham. Evernham’s former Nextel Cup driver, Jeff Gordon, never won an Outlaws race. Nor has his current Cup driver, Kasey Kahne. Two-time Indy 500 champion Al Unser, Jr., whose crew installed phone books in his sprint car’s seat to allow him to see over the steering wheel, never won a “greatest show on dirt” feature either.

Crocker, who earned a bachelor’s degree in Industrial and Management Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, is the first woman to join the Evernham Motorsports driver development program. She has also competed in some USAC Silver Crown races for Kasey Kahne Motorsports.

Crocker won the 2006 Race Babe poll on http://www.OpenWheeler.blogspot.com, receiving 31% of the votes. Patrick received 7%.

“The guys don't seem to mind having a woman around the garage,” Erin wrote in a recent installment of her “On The Road With Erin Crocker” column on NASCAR.com. “I've always spent a lot of time around guys, playing street hockey and running quarter-midgets. There were some girls, but mostly there were guys.

“I've always been able to be one of the guys. It's a fine line. Sometimes people will say, ‘You're like one of the guys.’ I'll say, ‘But I don't really want to be one of the guys.’ Let's just say I'm not the average girl. I'm still feminine. I love shopping. I love buying shoes. I also love driving racecars. I love to be in the garage. I love to understand racecars and think about them.

“There are other women involved with the team, but not directly involved with the truck. There's not many involved that way in the entire sport. I know there are women engineers and there's a tire changer on one of the teams, but they're few and far between.”

Addison, the rear tire changer for Jack Sprague when he won the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Chex 400K race at Texas Motor Speedway last June, is that tire changer. In fact, she’s the only woman to work on the winner’s pit crew in NASCAR’s top three series.

“That’s probably the most memorable moment of my life,” Addison said recently. “I can’t wait to do it again.”

Addison, the only female over-the-wall pit crew worker in NASCAR, will get her chance again in this weekend’s Sam’s Town 400 at “The Great American Speedway” as a tire changer on the #10 Power Stroke Diesel Ford Terry Cook drives for ppc Racing.

“Now I know we’re going to win,” Cook said when he learned that Addison was a member of the pit crew on last year’s winning team at TMS. “Nicole’s our good-luck charm. Without a doubt, she’s proven she can handle the pressure.”

Addison participates in NASCAR’s Driver for Diversity program that attracts women and minorities to the sport.

“It’s a good thing – and NASCAR is pushing it – but it’s not why we hired Nicole,” Cook says. “We hired her because she was the best. We tried out five people. She was the only female, but she just flat whipped those guys. Being a tire changer isn’t just about speed. It’s also about being consistent and not having lug nuts come loose. Nicole had zero mistakes.”

Shawna Robinson, who ran seven Nextel Cup races in 2002, employed an all-female pit crew for a NASCAR Craftsman Truck race at Texas Motor Speedway the following year.

Troxel, one of eight women in NHRA history to win a pro elimination race, has led the Top Fuel point standings from the beginning of the 2006 NHRA Powerade Drag Racing Series.

“I read a headline on an article that said something like we women in racing are following in Danica's footsteps,” Troxel said after winning a Top Fuel national event at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in April. “Maybe the rest of the world hasn't been taking notice, but there have been women competing – and winning – in the NHRA for years. I think it's great for her and for promoting women in motor sports. She's done a lot of good things to draw attention to women, which is somewhat necessary when you're looking for the funding to run these teams.

“No matter how much you tell people that women can go out and be just as competitive (as men), it's an entirely different thing to go out and win and show them this isn't about the novelty of having a female in the car. I think we're definitely making progress in that side of it. I've really enjoyed having the bigger story be about our performance.”

NASCAR believes it will have a woman racing with the Nextel Cup series soon.

“I think there is a woman driver out there who will break through,” Vice President of Corporate Communications Jim Hunter said before the Coca-Cola 600. “There will be the emergence of a contending woman driver. When? I have no idea. But I do know there are a lot of women drivers in the pipeline today, running sprint cars or whatever, who want to make it to this level.”

Kyle Petty, who runs the two-car operation built by his grandfather (Lee) and father (Richard), says he would never rule out having a woman driver, saying that Petty Enterprises was one of the first teams in the garage to employ female engineers and mechanics.

He also said his father will never budge on his belief that women don’t belong behind the wheel, even if Kyle’s daughter decides she wants to be a racer some day.

“His position is not going to change because that is who he is, that is part of who he is,” Kyle said. “That's just a fact of life. That's how he was raised, when he was raised, the era he was raised in. And that's just the way it is.”

I believe everybody deserves the opportunity to give racing a try. I gained a whole new perspective – and respect – for sprint car racing when Charles “Smiley” Sitton gave me the opportunity to attend his Outlaw Driving School in 1996. Sitton, the first to drive a Top Fuel racecar 200 M.P.H., owned the car Norman Martin drove to victory in the World of Outlaws’ first preliminary feature race in March of 1978.Tom Motter, who co-owned the #71M EcoWater Systems Maxim with his brother Dan, and EcoWater marketing representative Jerry Johnson joined four other “wanna-be” racers and me at Boyd Raceway for my first taste of what driving a sprint car is all about. I also attended the driving school with several members of the sprint car media a few years later at 85 Speedway in Ennis, TX. The Outlaw Driving School now calls Grand Prairie Speedway – “a ¼-mile, medium-banked track formed from the best Texas cleachy” – home. I encourage every sprint car racing fan to attend the Outlaw Driving School (http://www.outlawdrivingschool). It’s awesome!

To Our Friends at Pike County Speedway

We have had several emails about the photos that were taken at Pike County Speedway, and I wanted to make sure that we let everyone know what is going on.

First, Spring and I both apologize for the delay. Usually we try to get photos up on our site within a week of any event. Unfortunately, we have been unable to do that this time because we ran into some unforeseen problems.

Without going into too many details, Spring was in a car accident about a year ago, and has had some issues ever since. In the past couple of months, things have gotten worse, and she has a pinched nerve in her neck that is causing terrible pain in her neck, shoulder and arm. She was actually in quite a bit of pain the night she took the pictures, but she’s a trooper, and since we had committed to doing this, and she loves to take pictures, she wasn’t about to stay home.

This past week has been very hard on her, and she has actually been restricted by her doctor from doing almost anything, including working on the computer. Because she took so many photos, and she wants to get as many of them online as possible, she planned to do this using her photography site instead of our Girls Gone Racin’ site. She is the only one who can get all of those hundreds of photos edited and loaded onto that site, so it’s something I can’t even help her with or I certainly would.

Please rest assured that as soon as she is physically capable, Spring will get the pictures up. Once she does, there will be a link on the Girls Gone Racin’ site that will allow you to access them, and order any that you choose to purchase.

We sincerely regret the delay, but there are some things that just can’t be helped. I know that Spring would really appreciate your prayers as she endures this painful time. We both enjoyed meeting so many nice people up at Pike and told our families all about the great time we had. We would love to come back again some time.

Thank you for you patience.

Blessings,
Val

Paintin' up our Lips Like an Angel, Kickin' up our Red High Heels, Thinkin' 'bout Tim McGraw & Checking for Ticks

Tickets won in a "Buy it Now or Make offer" bid on eBay: Below face Value
Parking: Free
Two ridiculously overpriced beers in plastic bottles: $14
Getting one of your Red High Heels signed by Kelli Pickler: Priceless

For weeks now Spring and I have bee talking about how much fun it would be to go to another concert. We're both big Brad Paisley fans, so that one was high on our list. Unfortunately, we missed the beginning of ticket sales, and figured we wouldn't be able to get anything as close as we would like.

Then the other night I decided to check out tickets on eBay, just on a whim. I bid on one set, but lost by five cents, which was really frustrating. I figured there wouldn't be too many others on there worth taking my chances on, but with Spring on the phone and my fingers on the keyboard, we came across another one that we figured was worth a shot. It was a "Buy it Now or Make Offer" deal, which I had never done before. We discussed it, agreed on the offer we would make, and the deed was done. A few hours later, we had our answer when the seller agreed to take our offer, and we were thrilled. Right side seats, ten rows back from the stage. It just doesn't get much better than that!

The biggest dilemma after that was whether or not we would be allowed to bring our cameras in. Unable to find a concrete answer anywhere, we figured it was worth a shot (pun intended) and the worst that could happen was that security would stop us at the gate. After loading up our gear, and trekking across what seemed like miles of parking lot, the moment of truth arrived. The security guard checked my bag, verified that I wasn't bringing in a video camera and let me through. Whew! Spring was next, and passed through just as easily. With only 15 minutes to spare, we were at the rain-soaked venue and ready to rock.

Our seats were spectacular, and after Spring made some adjustments to my camera for me (yes, I'm going to learn how to do it myself some day, really!) we were ready to enjoy the show and take lots of pictures.

Before Brad Paisley could take the stage, we were entertained by Jack Ingram, Kellie Pickler and Taylor Swift, all of whom are very talented. I enjoyed all three of them, and found out that I knew more of their songs than I thought I did. Spring tried really hard to get a picture of Kelli's shoes, but just never could get it done. She did, however, get Kelli to sign the red high heels Spring wore to the show after the concert was over!

Brad Paisley burst onto the stage and was simply wonderful. The set-up was really cool with light up signs that had words scrolling across at some times, and bugs, mud and beer steins for various songs. A big screen behind the band showed close ups of the concert, and even a Speed Racer-type video during the instrumental set.

We sat by several really fun people who had back stage passes and told us all about getting to meet everyone and how nice they all were. Of course, we were jealous that they got to go back stage but we enjoyed hearing about it. We did ask them to give Brad one of our business cards with a note on the back. Spring really wants to shoot an cd cover one of these days, and we figure any chance we have to get that information into the hands of performers, we will take.

It really was a fun night, even though Spring was feeling pretty rough before it was over. We have a race to cover tomorrow night in Pittsfield, IL so I hope she's feeling better very soon.

We hope you enjoy the pictures. There are three pages on here, and lots more we didn't use. Spring still has some on her little camera that I know she still wants to get on the site too. We'll get there eventually, so please keep checking back.