2 trips to Heaven in one year???(Richmond!!!)

OK WOW! I'm actually still reeling from this past weekend, but have FINALLY gotten time to sit down and tell the tale! And oh, what a tale it is! Richmond....the race I have been looking forward to for quite a while....a race, in my backyard, 2 days before my birthday....what more could I ask for????

So Friday, Lesley and I headed up to the track to see what was going on that day. We really wanted to see Riki Rachtman, but found out rather quickly that his appearance was not for the general public...oh well right? We would see him on Saturday, hopefully! So we drank some brews and hung out at the track and had ourselves a GOOD time! Maybe too good a time, because we figured out we had drank a little TOO much and were unable to drive home. So..we decided to stay and check out the Nationwide Race....

(les and I!)

(the Nationwide race...go Denny!)

Ahhh..Saturday has arrived....RACE DAY!!! WE packed up around 10am with me, Les, Tanisha, Tim and Zach and headed to teh track! Started off the day with a PINK DRINK!

Here are Les and Tanisha...2 of the best friends I could EVER ask for!

So the deal was.....about a month before the race, I had scored some VIP passes for being a Sprint customer and having race tickets. I had 2 passes to attend the post race Chase celebration in Victory Lane! How cool eh? Of course, I always felt bad about this, as I had 5 people in my party. I felt horrible that Tanisha, Tim and Zach would not be able to go with us to the celebration, but they were ok with it. Until, the opportunity presented itself....

I was also the messenger for the Walnutz this weekend, which meant, I was deliivering fan letters to Michael Waltrip and David Reutimann. I had these 2 binders full of messages for them that I had to drop off. When I went to the track, I had high hopes that I woudl meet Michael at his souveneir trailer, but those hopes were dashed when I found out....not gonna happen. I resigned myself to the fact and dropped off the binders with Mike in the trailer (Mike who works there, not MW!) A few minutes later, Tim wondered off...wtf TIM! We hunted him down on the other side of the midway, and low and behold, what do my ears hear? I hear 'and Michael Waltrip will be appearing.....' and it drowns off....OMG! where! when! I must find out! Further investigation and I find out it is at the Sprint tent! AND...they are playing Sprint PLINKO! So i run over, as I have a Sprint phone right? Come on! I have a blackberry with a Michael Waltrip skin on it! So, I get to play PLINKO, and what do i win???? 2 more VIP passes! So now Tim and Tanisha are hooked up for the party! POOR ZACH!!! BUT! even BETTER (for me....heehee) as I am up there, the guy who has me playing plinko, gives me....a private meet and greet pass to meet Michael! What are the odds???? So now, i am meeting Michael, Tim and Tanisha have VIP passes! WOW! and THEN, Tanisha manages to get one more pass for Zach! It is amazing! Everyone is happy! OMG! I have to go retrieve teh binders so I can deliver them in person!!!

So......I go get teh binders....and prepare to meet Michael! Turns out....I can take one person with me...and Les demands that Tanisha go! Awesome!!! And here we go, teh big meeting! Check out this picture...see that smile? It is for ME! Michael came back with a huge smile, walked over and gave me a super huge hug! I about melted..He asked if I had something for him, which now I knew, he knew who i was! Tanisha asked, jsut to be sure....LOL! She is like....'do u know who she is???' and he confirmed!

So I deliver teh binders.....

and get my picture!

ANd then go out to watch the public appearance...which, I am so incredibly happy, nothing else matters!

So then, I had pit passes too....and Tim and I tour the pits...look! it is Wendy Venturini!!!

Michaels pit box...awesome!

the most beautiful car in the world...

ANd now....into the track....

the second most beautiful car.

the 3 of us!

and then the REAL fun begins! we headed inside the track at lap 360.....I met Miss Sprint cup! Anne Marie! She (and Monica!) are AMAZING!

And then, for the second amazing moment of my day....I got to talk to Jimmie Johnson!!! We got to ask the chase drivers anything we wanted, and all i wanted to do was wish Jimmie Johnson a Happy Birthday! I am exactly 3 days older than him and wanted to share! So....i got the microphone and told him! I was shaking teh whole time! my lips were quuivering, it was amazing! I tlaked to Jimmie! WOW! He said thanks, I told him about my bday, he said 'so we are in this together!'....wow! look! here it is! he is talking to ME here!

And then......they ssang happy birthday to me! in Victory lane! WOW! I feel so incredibly lucky! I think I am the luckiest girl in the entire world! And so lucky to have friends like I do....I am so glad they were there to share my day with me! It was teh best day ever! Here are a few more pics from Victory Lanee.....we got up close in personal with the drivers!

This truly was like a trip to heaven.....I am not sure I have come down yet...it was amazing. Funny, I keep thinking of other things I would have said to Jimmie and Michael if I could go back....guess I will have to wait til next time eh???!!!!! Hope you enjoyed reading about my adventures at the track!!