Friday, a very windy cool day around 40, (Brrrrrrr, that wind was Strong and Cold !!!)
We got to Bristol in time for Winston Cup qualifying, it was gordon front row, yawn.
Steve Park and Hermie Sadler both brushed the wall coming out of turn 4 on their second qualifying lap, we stayed for Busch Happy Hour, a riding lawnmower race was to follow (speeds up to 70 mph !!!), about ½ through Busch Happy Hour one of my buddys ask, “Are you ready to go ?”, I ask “Are you ?”, all 4 of us were freezing, my denim Coor’s Light jacket and my cotton t-shirt weren’t enough to fend off that cold wind, we left the track and headed for the ski lodge at Banner Elk, I was the “designated driver”. We got in the anemic Mercury Sable that we had rented, loaded up and I put my foot in it to get to the lodge, we made good time. I did learn that the Sable liked to lean in the turns (even with 4 big guys and a trunk full of clothes, coolers, and beer). We checked in, unloaded the car, and went back off the mountain to a pizza place and we consumed a giant delicious pizza (the other 3 also had 2 pitchers of Budweiser, it made my mouth water but I was the driver, Diet Pepsi for me thank you). I am big believer in not drinking and driving and I wasn’t going to submit to temptation.
Saturday, a breezy day around 50, (My Coor’s Light jacket feels good) We got to the track early, browsed the souvenir trailers, then we went to our seats in turn 2 just before Winston Cup Happy Hour (actually it was only 45 minutes). We laughed a lot and talked stuff about the drivers that we don’t like, LOL. The Busch race became the Jeff Green show with 14 or 15 cautions. The most excitement was when Biffle spun out Harvick (but the best was yet to come, LOL). On the last lap, Jimmy Spencer made a crazy move down on the apron on the frontstretch, just before turn 1, Spencer ran up into Jack Sprague. We saw Sprague spin around and we wondered why he didn’t move his car, we would find why later, LOL. I was listening to MRN on my headphones, I heard the announcer say, “And here’s Greg Biffle who finished fifth ….. FIGHT ! FIGHT ! FIGHT !”, I looked down the frontstretch and I saw team members running from both ends of pitroad. I heard on the radio that Harvick had “attacked” Biffle, I got to see the film on it later that evening at the lodge. We left the track and went to Cheryl's camping area, I got to meet Cheryl (aka wallacefan), Joyce (aka walacefans2) and Cheryl's hubby. They grilled burgers and hot dogs, she had potato salad, baked beans, etc., it was yummy !!! Good Company and Good Food is always a winning combination. LOL
Sunday, a warm day around 60, I’m sitting on my Coor’s Light jacket, I have my headphones tuned into MRN, my earplugs are in, let them lose, I’m ready !
Green flag, jeff gordon did a little brake check and rubby gordon was black flagged for jumping the start, rubby has to go into the pits for a stop and go penalty and loses a lap. Polesitter jeff gordon has the lead.
==CAUTION 1, Lap 4, Steve Park bumped Buckshot Jones in the rear, Buckshot hit the wall and spun out, Buckshot’s day was ruined.
Later, Tony Stewart got into Michael Waltrip, Mikey brushed the wall, no caution.
Later, Jimmy Spencer took the lead away from jeff gordon in lapped traffic.
==CAUTION 2, Lap 42, Stacy Compton spun out and hit the Inside retaining wall.
==CAUTION 3, Lap 52, Kevin Harvick ran into John Andretti, Andretti hit the wall.
Lap 62 jeff gordon regained the lead, c’mon magnet do your stuff.
==CAUTION 4, Lap 81 - Steve Park spun out.
Lap #88 on the restart, Joe Nemechek did not pit and had the lead briefly, Dale Jr passed him in 2 laps
Lap 95, Jeff Burton took the lead from Dale Jr.
==CAUTION 5, Lap 117, Hermie Sadler wrecked in turn 3 after contact from Bobby Hamilton. Dale Jarrett was caught up in it slightly damaging the 88 car.
==CAUTION 6, Lap 132, Sterling Marlin got into Johnny Benson, Benson spun out and hit the wall hard in turn 2, Benson’s 10 car was really tore up and went to the garage.
jeff gordon had the lead again on the restart
Lap 140, Jimmy Spencer retook the lead.
Lap 148, Dale Jr. "tapped" rubby gordon out of his way. LOL
==CAUTION 7, Lap 158, jeff gordon lost it and backed into the turn 2 wall hard, tearing up the rear of the 24 car. The magnet WORKED !!! HOORAY !!! LMAO
==CAUTION 8, Lap 165, - Hut Stricklin ran into Joe Nemechek, Joe hit the wall, both cars were damaged. Dale Jr had the lead on the restart.
Lap 384, John Andretti cut a tire and brushed the wall, no caution
==CAUTION 9, Lap 210, Tony Stewart bumped Ryan Newman, Newman hit the wall and had serious damage to the 12 car. Rick Mast and Jeff Green also got caught up in this one too, damaging their cars. jeff gordon went to the “garage”, the 24 car couldn’t maintain the minimum speed and was a rolling obstacle, Nascar threatened a black flag, LMAO.Tony Stewart led on the restart.
Lap 224, jeff gordon was back out on the track with a much modified rear end on the 24 car, he was 18 laps down in 36th.
Lap 250, Tony Stewart led at half way.
Long green flag run, I knew it wouldn’t last.
==CAUTION 10, Lap 282, Jeff Burton got into Ryan Newman, Newman spun, Dale Jarrett ran into a stalled Newman in turn 3. Dale Jr led on the restart.
Lap 308, Sterling Marlin had a flat right rear tire after contact with Mark Martin.
Sterling went almost 2 laps down on the green flag stop.
Darn It !!! He had a great car too !!! ( He managed to finish 19th and kept the points lead)
==CAUTION 11, Lap 342, Ellliott Sadler hit the wall after contact with Kyle Petty.
In the smoke Steve Park got into rubby gordon spinning gordon around.
Dale Jr had the lead on the restart.
==CAUTION 12 Lap #365 - Tony Stewart spun around on the backstretch.
Tony pits, Todd Bodine took over to drive the 20 car.
Stewart was really sore from last weekend’s wreck at Darlington.
Dale Jr leads on the restart.
==CAUTION 13 Lap #409 - Steve Park and Stacy Compton spun out together.
Kurt Busch stayed out and had the lead on the restart.
Lap 442, Jimmy Spencer retook the lead, Kurt Busch bumped Jimmy out of his way and regained the lead, Spencer almost lost it on the backstretch. Great save Jimmy !
==CAUTION 14, Lap 479, Hermie Sadler cut a tire and hits the wall.
Kurt Busch had the lead with Jimmy Spencer in second on the restart, Sterling Marlin was one lap down on the inside of Busch, I thought “Jimmy Spencer never forgets”, this is going to be interesting. Sterling led the two lead cars go but Jimmy must have flat spotted his tires when he almost wrecked on the backstretch, Jimmy couldn’t catch Busch, Darn It !!! LOL
Kurt Busch took his victory lap with the checkered flag.
We walked to the car, loaded up and waited until we could get into traffic, it was around 3 1/2 hours down (with 2 "pitstops") but it was 6 hours back (with one "pitstop" for dinner). We were tired but we had enjoyed another great race weekend. I had Monday off so I could rest before getting back to the same old grind. I don't mind work as much now and I'm really forward to the next race weekend that we can setup.
