Hooray!
I am excited. The race season officially starts for me first thing in the morning.
I head off for Daytona bright and early. It will take me all day to get there from California but it is something that I look forward to every year.
Daytona is something that every race fan should experience once. At least once!
This year I am taking two new comers to the track. One, is a good friend of mine who will come in late Thursday night. We’ll spend the next three days living and breathing NASCAR. She is a great new fan.. got hooked in the middle of last season and is now attending our biggest race for her very first race. I’ll show her what’s left of the beach course and the Streamline, the Best Damn Garage and the little pockets of racing history that linger all through Daytona Beach.
The second person who I am bringing along won’t actually be “with” me. It is the Tax Assessor with whom I happened to strike up a conversation with at dinner party for my day job. Since I talk racing and NASCAR all the time, the subject eventually came up.
He was so excited! Apparently, his personal bucket list consists of the major sporting events around the World, and I could help him navigate one big one, the Daytona 500. 
I helped him get seats that I thought would make him enjoy the race the most, and will meet up with him and the folks he is travelling with at the Nationwide race grandstands.
I truly believe that the way to get new fans involved in NASCAR is to show them our sport. Our fast, heart pounding, history filled, fast and beautiful sport. I am thrilled to bring two new fans to our stands.
If you happen to be at the Daytona 500 you can find me hanging out at the ISC Archives, the Tweet-up, the Duels, the Truck race, the Nationwide Race and the very tip top of the stands in Turn Four for the 500. Come say hello!
February 14, 2011 at 5:12 pm
Hi. sounds like your all set up to have a Blast in Daytona. Just to let you know, Smokey’s “Best damn garage” is no longer there. It’s been bulldozed down in the name of PROGRESS. As sad as that may be it’s true.
Anyways , Have a great time at the Palace of Speed.
Danny B ;o)
February 18, 2011 at 5:59 am
Ha! I am not sure if you read the blog over at 4Ever3blog.com but I did find out, from the horse’s mouth (kind of) about the building on site. You are right too! It is the front office and the truck shop that is still standing! I will post a picture or two when I get home! Thanks for reading!
February 16, 2011 at 6:40 am
So here’s the thing, Danny.. I go every year to check on that site. And the garage is still there. I’ll go see this year, and post up to the minute site images.
It was there last year, as confirmed by a few folks that know. I will post pics, I promise!!
Sometimes, even progress (my personal sworn enemy) can’t knock down history.
BUT! Thank you! My visit here has already been spent hanging out with Donnie Allison and Marvin Panch.
February 22, 2011 at 10:06 pm
Hey Melissa,
We meet you in the fan zone Friday night, on top of the garages. Had a great time watching the truck race with you. Thanks for sharing the fanviews! What a weekend of racing!!