the great american race.

boogity, boogity, boogity...let's go racin', boys! 

{yes, this girl loves the smell of burnin' rubber on a race track.}

today is the 53rd running of the daytona 500:  the great american race.

this year also marks the 10th anniversary of dale earnhardt's death.

{source}

i'll be watching.  so will adam.  we'll be rooting for #88, dale earnhardt, jr...he's our driver. 

i fell into nascar by accident.  well, not really by accident because it was more by default.  when you date {and eventually marry} someone who is into stock car racing, you learn to either love it or hate it -- i love it.

this is what we do on sundays {and a few saturday nights} now that the n.f.l. football season is over.
sometimes we make it to a race either in martinsville or richmond, but usually we're at home with the television volume cranked & a cold beer in our hand. 

#88.

richmond international raceway - that's where i am today.

eating burgers, drinking bud light, playing corn hole.

soaking up the warm sun, laughing with friends, peeing in a porta-potty {ew}.

tailgating. talking smack. making bets on who will rule the short track.

i hope it's this guy:

{source}

GETTING IN TOUCH WITH MY INNER REDNECK

Whatever you do this weekend, please say a little prayer to the rain gods and ask them to hold off on the forecasted deluge in central Virginia, OK? The hubs & I are headed to Richmond to partake in the Crown Royal 400 at Richmond International Raceway on Saturday. This will be my 3rd time to RIR and my 4th NASCAR race. I'm hooked.

But, seriously, I think I'm in it more for the tailgating. There's a big crowd of people going - at last count there are nearly 30 of us going. It's going to be a long, but fun, day and I cannot wait! We've already got our kalbi marinating and tomorrow evening we'll pack up the truck and head to my parents house for the night (I mean, someone has gotta watch the kids, right?).

If all goes well with the weather, the boys of NASCAR will be racing under the lights in Richmond and I'll be screaming my butt off for this man:

Gawd, I heart Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and - by golly - Dale, Jr. loves...*sigh*...racing in Richmond. Let's hope he takes the checkered flag this year and that little putz Kyle Busch doesn't spin him into the wall during the last few laps like he did at last May's race because it isn't fun being caught in a rain shower of beer cans y'all.