Getting Jeff to sign my diecast through the fence at the fanwalk in Kansas. Seeing the look on Tony Stewart’s face when my little sister brought a Chef Boyardee Standup for him to autograph at a signing (onery smile). Meeting a man who worked with show cars and gave us the inside scoop on the drivers personalities.

It all started out when I was sick at home one day. I was living in a small apartment and I couldn’t afford cable. I watched my tiny television with bunny ears and I only got two channels. It was opera or NASCAR for choices that day. I started watching Gordon’s car throughout the race. I recognized him from some Frito Lay and Christian commercials I’d seen him in. I watched as he led, fell behind, blew a tire, recovered, and eventually won. He got out of the car, kissed his wife, thanked God, thanked his crew, and generally seemed like a gracious man. Now I am a Christian but I am not a Bible banger. I was impressed, however, with someone in professional sports who stopped to thank his maker. I also thought it was cool that his wife was in the winners circle. (I didn’t notice until later what a sour puss she could be and how she apparently didn’t enjoy it. Nor did I have any idea that they would divorce shortly thereafter.) - So that is how I got into racing. Needless to say, I had to purchase cable to continue to follow the season thereafter. It also led to hundreds of dollars of my own Jeff Gordon Merchandise purchases and my eventual career as an Ebay Powerseller of NASCAR Merchandise. Ebay has bottomed out a bit by now. Jeff has a new wife, daughter, and a Championship since that time. All I can say, is that it was a good thing that I was sick that Sunday, because NASCAR has brought so much enjoyment to my life!

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