I’ve just got to tell you about my weekend. What an amazing trip. It was fast, furious and fun. We left Friday morning at 6:30 from the Dallas-Fort Worth airport, with friends from Childress, Rickey and Angie. We got in to Knoxville airport, rented a car, and drove 100 miles to Bristol. When we got to Bristol, we went to the place where we were staying. It was a little cabin behind the home of the sweetest lady you’ll ever meet. Her name was Mary Jane, and she treated us like kings and queens. She fixed food for us to take to the track everyday and then had snacks waiting for us when we got back to the cabin each night. She was a delight, and I wish we could have spent a week with just her.
The whole weekend was organized amazingly. They picked us up and dropped us off everyday at the track so we wouldn’t have to drive and find a parking place. They brought us cokes and water while we were in our seats watching the race so we didn’t have to get up. They even provided scanners and headphones for us.
Saturday, before the race, we were given passes to go down on to the track and back into the pit area. We walked among the race cars and race teams. We also got to go hang out behind the car haulers where the drivers, owners and important people hang out. For those non-NASCAR fans, it would be like getting to go in the dugout with the baseball players before a MLB game. Or it would be like getting to go back in the locker room with the NFL players before the game. (Although it was early enough in the day that there were no drivers there yet. We did see a few crew chiefs, car owners, and the president of NASCAR.)
The races were great, although the guys I pull for didn’t do so well. It’s fun watching races with 170,000 other race fans. Saturday night we got back to the cabin at 2:00 a.m. and then got up at 4:30 a.m. to drive back to Knoxville to catch our plane. We did cut it a little close. While we were finishing going through security, they were paging the the four of us over the intercom for “Last call for Morgan’s and Husband’s, you have 30 seconds.” Just like the commercials, we ran through the airport to our gate.
I do need to say thanks to a lot of people for such an amazing trip. A HUGE thanks to Rickey & Angie for the awesome time. We had so much fun with you guys. We laughed, visited, talked bible, shopped, prayed, “listened to Rickey” and even sweated with you guys in the Bristol heat. You guys are what made this trip so much fun and I wouldn’t have wanted to do it without you. I hope we can make some future trips together too. Thank you!
I also want to say thanks to Mary Jane, the sweetest lady I know in Tennessee. You are so sweet and loving. Thanks for sharing so much with us. I wish we could have more time to spend with you. Someday we’re all going to come back just to “hang out” with you and eat some more of your banana nut bread.
Also Melody, Lea’s sister, was sure good to us. She let us leave the four boys with her while we were gone. I hope they didn’t eat her out of house and home.
The 4 of Us: Trey & Lea, Angie & Rickey
Outside Bristol Motor Speeday
Lea & Jack Roush (Owner of 5 Race Teams)
Super Gordon (who wasn’t so super).
Outside the track after the race! 
I am a Christian husband and father, who moonlights as the minister for the church of Christ in Childress, Texas. My wife Lea and I have been married for 23 years. We are doing our best to raise our 4 boys, who are all growing up way too fast.
glad you had fun. hope your neck isn’t sore.
brian
Sounds like a great weekend!
Me too glad y’all had a good time!
ya got some good pics, thanks for sharing them!
Sounds like you had a great time.
Monalea
Looks fun
I suppose (not being a Nascar fan) I can still appreciate what a fun trip that would have been!! Glad you all had such a good time.
at least you got a shot of the #8…even if it was on blocks. It could be the last time to see the Red #8 in person.
I won Fantasy Racing this week…cool huh!
I can’t believe the driver formerly known as My Bobby did so well! He never did well at Bristol when I loved him!
Trey,
I am glad that you had a great and safe trip brother. I can’t wait to take my middle son to a monster truck rally.
So, Trey -
Where are your photos from Bristol for the latest Finding Direction desktop photo contest? You’ve got some great ones here on your post today, for sure.
I’m glad you and Lea had such a great weekend and am glad you made it home safely. Sounds like and looks like a whole lotta fun.
Dee
of Finding Direction: The Wind Vane Chronicles
My sister lives on a 205-acre farm in Talladega, Alabama, where I think there is some sort of big racing event each year. If you ever want to go see that race, I’ll connect you with her and you’d at least have a place to stay for free.
I stayed awake this morning to see a lunar eclipse, the moon was a redish brown at 5:30am and as I looked at I thaught to myself, What a Wonderfull Creator We Have!
It also reminded me that I will be turning 30 this year, and that life is so short and that possibly half of my life is over! I think about all the friends I knew as a child and growing up and the great times that I have had. I admit I never been to a nascar stadium atleast inside, but I live right next door to mis michigan international speedway and on nascar weekends it gets pritty busy! Trey I am glad you had fun going to bristol! God Bless My Friend!
Sounds like a great trip for a NASCAR fan!!
I’m glad you had such a great time!
Wow — sounds like a great time. Wish I could have been there this year, but we had our new building dedication. The congregation kinda wanted me to be here!
First
On
Race
Day!
Carl Edwards done good!
Kachow!
K
The pics are great! Where’s your picture with a team owner? Bristol at night is a pretty site, from here anyway. Traffic looks like it took a while to get away. Glad ya’ll had fun!