Jane W

I FINALLY DID IT!!!!!!!  I drove a real NASCAR race car.  What an experience it was.  I was not nearly as nervous as I thought I might be.  I was only slightly nervous because I had to drive in front of all my peers.  I knew all the guys I work with would be watching to see how well I did.  I did not care about how fast I went but was more concerned with be a "good" driving and following as I should.  My instructor said I did really well, in fact he said "You did better than I thought you would".   He apparently did not think I was the race car driving type.  I was really quite proud of myself.  My top speed on my drive was 140 mph.  It was really amazing and I am really grateful to have had the opportunity to do it.  I would recommend it to anyone!!!!

October 26, 2008

So, last weekend I was asked to do some volunteer work for an organization here in Mooresville called WAM (women auxiliary of motor sports).  Sounded like a great opportunity to do some networking so I agreed to volunteer.  Really had no idea what I would be doing.  I knew that I had been recommended for the work because I have experience driving a 15 passenger van but had not idea what I would be doing.  It turns out that I was needed to pick up all the performers for the benefit concert they were having.  Basically I picked them up at the airport and took them to the hotel, then would shuffle them back and forth from the hotel to the venue.  The headline band for the show was Rick Springfield.  His tour manager requested that once they were picked up at the airport that they have a person specifically assigned to take Rick and the band around.  I was asked to handle that!!!!  I was to take them where ever they wanted to go.  After the group was done with their sound check they wanted to go to dinner.  Rick had seen a billboard for a Japanese restaurant on the way to the venue and asked if I could take them there.  Turns out the restaurant was right across the street from the hotel.  So off to the restaurant we go…me and the band.  Up to this point I really had not had much conversation with them but once we got to restaurant we started chatting it up and where having a great time.  Apparently the boys like playing practical jokes and I turned out to be there next victim.  In a nutshell they told the waitstaff that we were out to dinner to celebrate the pregnancy of myself their bass guitar player Goerge.  So at the end of dinner they brought out a cake with a candle in and they sang a song for us.  It was quite a production and it got the attention of a lot of the people in the restaurant. The guys thoughts this was so funny, I guess I did!  Other performers that I met that weekend were, John Waite, Eddie Money and Lou Gramm.  It really was a fun gig and I’m happy I was asked to help.

October 10, 2008

Well, the big traveling gig at JGRS has come to an end.  Our final traveling date was to Kentucky Motor Speedway.  It will resume again in January 2009 with a trip to Miami.  There are still dates to work here in Concord but no more traveling.  When I started traveling with the racing school the work was a little (a lot) crazy and I was not sure how I was going to make it thru.  Now that I have survived the whole season I do have to say it was a great experience.  I found my grove and really started having fun with my job after about the first month.  The days were long and the weather was hot but it also had some great benefits.  One of those being, the people that I worked with.  I have really meet some great folks and over the summer had made some new friends which is something that is really important when you move to a city where you do not know anyone.  I have really become comfortable going out and entertaining myself but it is much better to know you can pick up the phone and call a friend when you can’t figure out what it is you want to do.  I am grateful for the opportunity to have met so many great.  Everyone comes with a different perspective and life experiences, which, when you get to know, them can really broaden your own horizons. 

October 8, 2008

As some of you may or may not know this weekend the NASCAR race is at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord.  Last Wednesday as I headed to work at JGRS to leave for Kentucky  the signs that of the big race were are ready starting.  It wasn’t the presence of NASCSR haulers or more people….but Porta Potties.  They were everywhere, in all the fields as far as you could see around the track.  What a crazy site….Pottie after Pottie!  When I returned to town late on Sunday night the campers had all ready started rolling in.  One group of campers had a full blown party going still at 3 am Monday Morning.  I just love to see that kind of enthusiasm.  This “race week” as I will call it because people come for the whole week….not just the weekend is going to be busy.  I have to work a promo event at the track for JGRS on Thurs, Friday and Sat and then there is racing to watch.  Thursday the World of Outlaws are at the dirt track, Thursday is qualifying, Friday is the Nationwide race and Saturday is the cup race.  Many just typing that is making my tired, but it should be a fun filled week.

September 22, 2008

Something I have found interesting since I moved to NC is the way they serve beverages at restaurants here.  You certainly never go thirsty.  They are continually bringing you something to drink.  Usually they don’t just refill your glass they will bring you another beverage before you have finished the one you have.  I have never had to ask for a refill at a restaurant.  It is also common place to ask for a drink to go.  Sometimes you don’t even have to ask.  Yesterday when I was out for breakfast, the waitress brought a cup of coffee to go with my check.  They will give everyone a soda or tea in a to go cup!  I would be curious to know from Renee if fountain soda drink sales are much higher in the south than in the north?!?

September 10, 2008

This week the new Z Max dragstrip next to Lowe’s Motor Speedway is opening.  Last night they had a VIP party there.  Apparently anybody who is somebody in the racing industry was there.  The guests who attended were able to take their personal cars and race them on the drag strip.  We saw everything from Ferraris, Porsches, Lamborghini to a Jeef Cherokee.  Oh yah, and a Ford F150.  There were several NASCAR drivers out at the event.  We saw Kurt Busch and Kasey Kahne driving there cars.  It was a pretty neat event to watch.  Now, I’m not quite considered a VIP on the local scene here….. so how I go invited?  I just happened to have worked last weekend with a guy that works over at Lowe’s Motor Speedway and he invited me to go. 

September 3, 2008

As some of you know I have had an issue with my upper lip being numb.  After lots of testing my neurologist was not able to come up with anything that would be causing the problem, but did find I was in great health.  The situation still purists so I decided to address the issue again.  This time I decided to see an acupuncturist.  I will start off by saying it does not hurt when they insert the needles.  It’s actually quite a relaxing experience.  So far the treatments have not relieved the numbness but I have found it extremely interesting to find out more about Traditional Chinese Medicine.  They have a very different philosophy from western medicine, in a nut shell they believe in bringing balance, harmony and well-being to individuals.  The symptoms we present – such as my numbness – they believe is due to an imbalance in my body.  Thru acupuncture, diet, exercise and meditation they believe you can strengthen what is deficient and disperse what is in excess in your body. 

August 13, 2008

Next on the traveling schedule was Richmond Virginia.  What a great trip only 4 hours!!!  It was a prefect weekend in Richmond.  The weather was beautiful, our capacities at the school were reasonable; it was just an all around good time.  Friday night “the guys” wanted to go cart racing.  I opted to go, my work partner decided to stay back at the hotel.  Shannon’s first trip with the school was Iowa.  She’s a great gal but life on the road had not been good for her – particularly concerning her bowels, if you get what I mean.  So she decided to stay in that night and take a little medicine to try and relieve herself.  The last trip she tried exlax, this time it was a 6 pack of bud light.  So we arrive at the go track – it is an indoor facility.  When we get in side and I take a look I realize this is not “mini golf” type go cart place, this is serious!  The first round my goal was just to hang in there, not embarrass myself and certainly not to sustain any major industries.  I did not do too bad my first round, although most of it was a complete blur because I just held the gas down and tried as hard as I could to make every turn.  After some advice from my coworkers on how to navigate the track I improved significantly, I even passed one of the boys.  It was really a blast but by the time we were finished with the 3^rd round my arms were wasted.  I don’t think I could have gone again, thankfully it was late and we needed to head back to the hotel.  The road show is on a break now for 2 weeks.  JGRS has offered me work in the office to keep me employed fulltime while we are not traveling.  I don’t to anything very exciting.  I’m kind of the odd jobs gal, but works work right now.  I did follow up with the Cabarrus County Visitors Bureau and they are still 30 – 60 days out on make a decision.  While I what to hear more about that job I will continue at JGRS.  They are two more traveling dates this month, Atlanta and Talladega.  I have been to Atlanta before and Talladegay>
should be interesting.