it's official!

i can now call myself a southerner! today i witnessed my first nascar race. my husband evan and i, along with my mother and sister in laws, headed out to lowe's motor speedway for the coca-cola 600. technically we headed out there yesterday for the race, but after 9 hrs of hanging around, seeing the sights, and eating sammies, the race was rescheduled due to rain. so like the nascar troopers that we are, we went back today fully prepared for whatever the day may have in store.

with the threat of rain ever on the horizon the race began. i was told i needed to pick a favorite. someone i could root, cheer, or holler for to make the experience whole. juan pablo montoya was my pick! truth be told, i picked him because he shares a name with my cat... juan. well let me tell you, as soon as i decided that he was my guy i was hooked. i felt the connection of fan and athlete. as though he knew i was a newcomer to the sport, and there pulling for him, old j.p. (i can call him that now 'cause he's my fave) did not disappoint! after starting out in 9th (i think) he worked his way up to 2nd after a short 100 or so laps. i have no idea if this is any good or impressive but i was STOKED! with every pass of a car i cheered, with every caution (of which there were many) i waited with baited breath. around lap 227 the red flag came out. RAIN! my boy juan had just taken a pit stop before the caution so this put him back in 8th place. there in the rain we waited, and waited. the dryer trucks came out and still we waited. well after a few hours it became very clear that the race was not going to continue. it was called, due to rain. the final results, someone else won and my juan came in 8th. i'll never know what could have been. what potential was left unfulfilled. but i can now say, i am a southerner, and i am a nascar fan!

GO JUAN PABLO!