On The Road Again: Daytona International Speedway Bound

Approaching the track that morning, I could feel a change in myself. My stress and everything else that is normally running through my mind disappeared. All I cared about, and all I live for, are cars on the track, and this weekend I wouldn’t have to deal with hour pre-race shows or a million commercials to see them.

That didn’t make it surprising when reaching the hotel that I dropped my bag and walked out the door and down to the track.

I wasn’t playing around.

Nationwide qualifying was coming, and I planned on not missing any part of it. When Dad and I reached the gates, the black cloud that had followed me from Jersey was still hanging around. I gave the man my ticket to scan (they were the print at home ones) and waited for him to scan it and give it back.

I had to wait a while because, surprise, it wouldn’t read the bar code. Dad’s worked, but mine was not letting me get passed the gate. Sorry Dad, but I’m going in before you, so hand over that good ticket.

After having the ticket collector Calvary come out in full force to fix the problem—I honestly couldn’t tell you what it was, because after the ticket was scanned I was listening more to the cars engines and not his voice—I finally was on my way.

Walking toward the start-finish line, Kyle Busch roared past, leaving pit road for his qualifying laps. After seeing the first few cars run, I ducked back outside to get a ticket for the fanzone in the infield.

My plan was to park myself on top of the Sprint Cup garage area and observe from there.

Walking through the turn three tunnel, I knew I was officially at my home away from home and loving every minute of it.

For the next few hours, I split my time between Nationwide Series qualifying on the track and looking below me at the Sprint Cup cars, crews, and equipment that paraded passed me.

Standing there and enjoying the Daytona sun, fellow Bleacher Report writer and professional photographer David Yeazell and I met up for some racing talk and snapped a few photos.

Before I knew it, we were leaving the garage area and headed for the media center, where I got a glimpse of the professionals I long to be like and join in that room.

Back outside, though, is where it was all happening: ESPN’s Alan Bestwick, David Newton, and Shannon Spake all walked past me, as did Daytona International Speedway President Robin Bragg and Miss Sprint Cup, who signed autographs and took pictures with the fans that approached her.

David and I separated after that, as he went to prepare for Sprint Cup qualifying and I went to watch the end of Nationwide Qualifying, only to have it start thundering, lightening and down pouring.

Cup qualifying was rained out, but that didn’t slow me down. Before the Nationwide Subway Jalapeno 250, it was time for my tour of ESPN, so David was called to come tag along and snap some shots.

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