OUCH!!!!!

Okay so before we get to the title of this blog. we will go back a little. After the last blog. We were going to head back to the track and get the new graphics for the trailer. We are getting there. The new graphics are on the sides and the trailer is at the shop right now with the guys working very hard on the rear door. I will post photos later this week. The new fire suit has not come in yet, but Simpson is working hard. I received my new helmet freshly painted by Joe Graska this weekend. I let him have a little fun and he did not disappoint. It is really cool. I will post a photo later this week. I am getting geared up and ready to go for the first race of the season. I turn on the TV and watch the weather and what do I see.......80% of rain on Saturday. You have got to be kidding. This race was already rained out and here we go again. No time to complain, you pack up and head to the track no matter what.

Friday came and I was waiting for our newest crew member to come over as I was riding with him to the track. His name is David Crohe. I have known David, his wife Melissa and their two girls for a very long time. When we were starting to look for some extra help, we thought of our friend David. He accepted and here we are. So Andrew, Nitro and I loaded in his car and it is off to the races. We get in have some dinner and call it a night. Our other crew, Mike Mathes, is driving in from Georgia to help show David about the dragster. Great Guys!!!

Well Saturday morning and I am afraid to look outside, but it has to be done. Guess what, it doesn't look half bad. The weekend just looked a whole lot brighter!!! We head out to the track and things are getting ready to roll. We unload the car and guess what, we are back in the ball game. It is race day baby!!!! I am racing a friend Jerry McCart this weekend and we are ready to have a little fun.

We gear up for the first pass and to say that the butterflies are making a home in my stomach, is an understatement. It is always the case for the first race of the year. But as soon as the helmet goes on and you get strapped in, it is game on!!!! We had a lot of friends that came out to cheer us on and even though the sun wasn't shinning, we put on a great show. The Embry-Riddle dragster ran straight and true. It sure felt great to be back behind the wheel. As soon as we got back from the pass, it started to sprinkle. But the owners of Bradenton Motorsports Park did the right thing, they canceled the race for the rest of the day, as the rain was only supposed to get worse as the day went on. They gave everyone that came on Saturday FREE tickets to get back in on Sunday and had the jet cars come back on Sunday to finish the show!!!! YES!!! More racing!!!!

Sunday morning and it has gotten a little chilly overnight, but we are ready to go. We arrived to the track early to attend the RFC chapel service, where something magical happened. Nitro met a women. She is a 3 1/2 year old pug named Gabby!!! She was soooo cute. The looked each other over and decided us humans were just weird.

After we separated the Pugs, it was time to go racing again. We get the car ready to go and made one more great pass down the quarter mile. 287 mph, not a bad way to start off the new year. We are heading out west from here. Lots to do and see. Check the schedule to see where we are going next. I have a few more races to add to it, but we are pretty much sold out at this point. Not a bad thing to have happen. I will dust off the camera and get you some photos of the new stuff and post them very soon.

I hope you all are going to watch the Superbowl this weekend. GO SAINTS!!!! Just a little shout out for my No Problem buddies!!! Okay so back to the title of the blog. OUCH is what I am feeling right now. I thought I had friends, but obviously thought wrong. Somehow I was talked into joining this workout boot camp. What was I thinking. There is a reason I not like lunges!!!!! There will be NO photos of this!!!! Even my fingers hurt, how does that happen. But hopefully it will pay off in the long run. DON"T mention RUNNING!!!


luv ya,
e