What is your Passion?

tina~in_ut
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What is your passion?

by tina~in_ut

National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing

In 1997, I worked in a department where the call volume slowed to almost nothing after 11pm. There were two of us who worked the 6pm to 2:30am shift. After 11pm, I would either surf the internet, cross-stitch, or talk to Dale, my co-worker. Since Dale worked two jobs, he was always trying to nap and not in the mood to listen to my chatter. (imagine that!) One night as we walked to our cars, I noticed a sticker in his window. It said NASCAR. I asked him what it meant. As tired as he was, his eyes widened and he perked up and told me. The next night, I asked him some lame questions about NASCAR and we talked for the rest of the night about it. I really wasn't interested…..I was just bored and wanted to talk~

The next Sunday, race day, I turned on the TV to check out a little of the race. All these guys were driving in circles. It was the most boring thing I've ever seen. They were talking about things I didn't understand and making a big deal out of a pit stop that was under 20 seconds. On Monday, I told Dale I had "watched" the race, knew who won, and made fun of the guys "driving around and around and around!" And so it went for the rest of the "season"…I watched on Sunday and we talked for the rest of the week about what happened!

One night, after the season had ended, I was at home flipping channels and came upon the NASCAR Awards Banquet. The runner up was giving his speech. I thought….oh good…..Dale and I can talk about this on Monday! The runner up gave the best speech….it was funny, and he sounded like a true gentleman and seemed to be very grateful that he was a NASCAR driver. Then the champion for that year gave his speech…..oh, I could have just smacked that boy. He was so full of himself! On Monday, I told Dale what I had watched and what I thought! I'll never forget that day….it was the day I became a NASCAR fan and learned that my favorite driver's name was Dale Jarrett! I also learned that the champion for that year was Jeff Gordon…to be later renamed (by me) Stinkin'!

The next year I attended two NASCAR races. The first one was in Fontana, CA. I went by myself and I can't even begin to describe the feeling when I walked through the final tunnel and heard the roar of the engines. It is so loud and incredible and the ground feels like it's shaking. A girlfriend of mine from work asked to go with me the next time I went…..we had such a good time that we went every year until she got sick. We bought pit passes and instead of leaving when they closed the pits, we would hang out with our new friends the security guards…..these would be the same ones who let us into the garage area to meet Dale Jarrett and Dale Earnhardt Jr (my friends' favorite!) and who let us into the suites to watch from above the pit area. Once, during qualifying, I snuck out onto pit road and pretended to be one of the media. When they moved, I moved. I got some great pictures that day……until I got kicked out~ We always had the best time. You know you've had a great day at the racetrack if you come home and look in the mirror and you have tire rubber all over your face. THAT is success!!!

Yesterday was the Gatorade Duel qualifying races. These races determine who is in the Daytona 500 on Sunday. Dale Jarrett is retiring this year and this will be his last Daytona 500. He didn't know until the race was over, if he was even going to be in the race. You should have heard me screaming when he made it! You would have thought he won!!!

I no longer think the drivers just drive around and around. I understand what it means to have a pit stop under 13 seconds. I can tell you what the draft is. I've seen Dale Jarrett start a race with cute chubby cheeks and finish a race looking like he's lost 15 lbs (because he has!). I get it now…..and I love it!

What sport are you passionate about? How did you start watching or playing it? Actually, it doesn't even have to be a sport…..it could be anything~ What is your passion?