We started out walking, up one hill, and down another. We walked what seemed to me like about 10 miles( when I got older, I realized it was only about 5 miles), and at some point, told him I was getting thirsty. He picked up a small hard rock and told me to put it in my mouth, that it would ease my thirst. He said something about an old Indian trick and said we would be there soon.

We got to the side of a hill, and he checked the ground for Rattle Snakes, and told me to sit down. About a mile and a half away, we could see the Cheyenne County fairgrounds, and the race track.

He broke out some binoculars so we could see a little better, and we watched the heat races, the Trophy Dash, and then the feature race. I could hear the thunder of the cars,  and with the old pair of binoculars, I could make out the big cow catchers on the front, and see that they all had bars welded inside. I had never seen anything like it.

After the race was over, we walked the 10 miles(5 miles back home). I was still very thirsty and started to tucker out about half way home, and he took pity on me and put on his shoulders to carry me home. I woke up as we walked in the house, and spent the entire evening talking about all the multi-colored cars driving around that old dirt track and of course drinking a lot of water.

Two weeks later as we were getting ready for the Fourth of July weekend and all the festivities that came with it, you know,  parades and fireworks and carnival. He called me in the kitchen and told me that I had my choice for the holiday, I would get enough money to go to the carnival or I could go to the stock car races and sit in the stands. You know, the place I had watched from the hillside.

It wasn’t a decision I had any trouble making. I did love to go to the carnivles in those days, with the cotton candy, rides and midway games, but I had to go see those cars again. I wanted to see them up close.

A year later in 1956, he took a part time job as caretaker of the Cheyenne County faigrounds. This included a house to live in, and total access to the entire fairgrounds. Yeah, I had to help cut grass and weeds, paint and help with maintenance. When racing season started, he took me around and introduced me to the drivers. They would let me sit in their cars, and one of them would take me on hot laps around the track sometimes.

What a summer. I learned all about racing, the lingo and was part of the gang. They would send me for tools and parts when they were working on the cars, share their sandwiches with me and even let me watch the races from the pits. I was one of them that summer.

He passed away 40 years ago in 1972, but I still remember that hot dry Sunday and my first look at a stock car race. Thanks Dad for sharing an expierence with me that would last me a lifetime. Happy Fathers Day to you where ever you are, I love you.

Image Courtesy Yahoo Images

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Jeff Gordon, driver of the #24 Dupont Chevrolet definitely had the car to beat Sunday afternoon at Dovers Monster Mile, but a loose lug nut would cost him the opportunity to win. It  caused him to get out of pit stop sequence, and getting caught on pit road during his last stop on lap 339 for debris on the track took him off the lead lap. His streak of Bad Luck would continue. He would  take the Wave Around and started too far back, to have another shot at the lead. He finished 13th on the day.

With out a doubt, Jimmie Johnson had a strong race car, and with Jeff Gordon back in traffic, no one else was going to beat him on this Sunday. He led 289 of the 400 laps of the race and easily withstood the restart with 31 laps to go, and won his second regular race of the year and Hendrick Motorsports 4th in a row, including the non-points allstar race. Jimmie retains fifth place in the points standing, now only 31 points behind leader Greg Biffle.

Greg Biffle retains his points lead, but seen his margin shrink on Sunday. With his 11th place finish, he lost ground to all of his closests persuers who finished ahead of him on the track, including race winner Jimmie Johnson. His lead on Matt Kenseth is only one point, and 10 over Dale Earnhardt Jr..

TV Analyst Jeff Hammond pointed out just before the green flag, about the dangers of exiting turn two. He had said that because of the lack of room, anything happening at that point, would, and could be catastrophic. It didn’t take but 9 laps for his concern to come to fruition.

Landon Cassill on exiting turn two, drifted down the track, and as Tony Stewart explained after the wreck, “I didn’t have time to be patient, and I didn’t give Landon adequate room to get his car under control”. He also relieved Regan Smith from blame for hitting him in the rear as he slowed. By the time the crash was over, 12 cars had piled in.

Stewart returned to the track on lap 74 and finished 25th, one position better than that of Carl Edwards, who blew a tire and slammed into the Turn 2 wall on Lap 164. Down 80 laps when he returned to the track after repairs, Edwards dropped from 10th to 12th in the Cup standings.

As always, the action on this unique set up was fast and intense, showing us why they call it The Monster Mile. And yes, it was a Win-Win for me on Sunday. Having JJ in the pool, and a great race on a Sunday afternoon, how could I lose?

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Photo Courtesy Getty Images For Nascar