Pieces of Me: Nascar

To honor the Daytona 500, today's Pieces of Me post is all about my favorite sport, NASCAR (yes it's a sport--- try to argue with me about it, I dare you!)

I get a lot of weird looks when I say Nascar is my favorite sport to watch. People wonder why does a city girl from Ohio loves watching a hillbilly sport, well simple my family does. I grew up around the sport. When I was little I wore Nascar onesies. I've watched Nascar since I can remember and I'm obsessed with it!

I'm the biggest Dale Jr. fan out there. I know millions of people say the same, but I am. I look at his Twitter every day, I tracked him down in Vegas and I own over 200 Dale Jr items (kinda a stalker, but not really). I just love him and want him to succeed. I love the fact I've seen him win a couple times in person and I'm hopeful it will be a lot more.

Anyways today marked the start of another season! Nascar has the longest season in all of sports and I look forward to every race each week. I even make Nick watch them with me (he loves it deep down). The Daytona 500 is our super bowl. It's the biggest race of the season and if your favorite driver wins, then it kicks off the season in the right way! Last year Jr. won and I was on cloud 9 all week. This year he came soooooo close! He finished 3rd and I'm ecstatic for this year. I know it's his year to do well.

I have a couple favorite Nascar memories over the years:

My first would be going to my first Nascar race when I was 10. My mom and I sat in in the pits with my uncle for the Brickyard 400. If you don't know the Brickyard is another huge race of the season. Each driver wants to kiss the bricks when they win! Anyways I was 10 and the sights I saw were crazy. People were drunk, people were screaming, it was so loud and I was in awe. I got to sit right behind Dale Jr's pit and his tire changers gave me some lug nuts. I was hooked right then. I will never forget it!

Another of my favorite memories was each time I saw Dale Jr win! It is such a good feeling to be present when your favorite driver wins! I literally go crazy those last couple laps and I'm listening to my headset at everything he is saying hoping a tire doesn't blow, hoping they stay green and there isn't a wreck and hoping he can pull it off. I look like a crazy person, but when he takes the checkered flag it's the best feeling! I've had the pleasure of seeing him win at Michigan twice and twice and Richmond. I'm hoping this is the year he wins at Vegas!

My all time favorite memory was when I was 9 and my dad took me to Daytona International Speedway on our way down to Disney. You have to understand my dad hated Nascar. He thought it was stupid and pointless and a waste of time, but he put up with it because I loved it. He even picked a favorite driver to cheer for because he knew I wanted him to. I remember pulling up to the track and my jaw dropped. It was huge! It was the first track I had ever seen and the banking was crazy! It was so neat to drive around the track and to go to victory lane. I was even able to go to stand by turn 4 were Dale Earnhardt took his last breath a year before. I was in heaven. I will always remember that day and smile because my dad took time to do something only I enjoyed while him and my brother laughed at me for being so crazy.

Touring Daytona. That's me in a Dale Earnhardt hat!

Well guys now you think I'm crazy, but that's ok. Nascar is a huge part of my life and for sure a part of me. If you need me on Sunday's don't call, I'm watching the race!!!