Ahhhh! She wakes from a long winter's nap.

I am always ready for the off season to arrive. I'm able to get some grocery shopping done without having to feel guilty that I'm missing the race. I am able to get my husband on those honey-do's that have been waiting since August. And more importantly, I get a nap in with my son. But, by the time February rolls around I am ready for the new season to start. No sooner realized in trying to watch the Superbowl with a 5 year old daughter and 2 year old son. It didn't take long for my husband to proclaim: "I'm asking my mom to watch the kids during Daytona." Let me show you our pre-game entertainment, during the game entertainment, and trying to wind down in the 3rd quarter entertainment.

So you see....NASCAR fans, this isn't going to work for the Daytona 500. We love our children, but it has been a long and cold winter and the Daytona 500 is demanding our full attention! Honestly, the Superbowl is only a warm-up to the Daytona 500. The Superbowl is always fun to watch, but if the Cowboys aren't playing, I usually just enjoy the commercials. If I didn't have this warm-up, I wouldn't have realized how loud and talkative our children can be when you're trying to pay attention to something else. Without the warm-up, I wouldn't be prepared to serve more than this wonderful Superbowl buffet.

So with that in mind, I begin to plan our Daytona festivities. Shortly into the game, it was solidified. Chevy launches their commercial with Mary J. Blige, Big N Rich, and of course, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Well that was like a sign!!!! Get ready for Daytona! Kids off to Grandmas! Wings and Bud for the race! Make sure I ask for the next day off!

So to all my NASCAR friends......let's get ready for Daytona!

For those of you that read my blog, you already know that I am not your typical NASCAR sportswriter. I incorporate nail salons while watching the race, equate love to a two-way headset, and reminisce about Talladega on my son's birthday.  This blog will be no different. I like to reach out to those that love NASCAR as much as I do and have found a way to fit it in your everyday obligations and entertainment.

As I have said in the past, I am always surprised at how involved NASCAR is in my life. I never noticed, nor cared, if someone was wearing a Dallas Cowboy t-shirt (my NFL team) and instantly felt a connection. I never noticed, nor cared, if someone was wearing a Washhington Redkins, San Fransciso 49'ers, or Pittsburgh Steelers t-shirt (my NFL team's rival) and instantly felt distaste. But, as I walk through the mall, I do notice the guy wearing the Budweiser leather jacket or the kid with the Dickies 500 t-shirt. Thoughts go through my head like: "Hmph, he's a Jimmie Johnson fan, that sucks." How did NASCAR ever get this far in my life?? I will tell you a tale of how far it has come.

This past weekend we visited my in-laws, and my sister-in-law brought the game, "Battle of the Sexes." We decided to have a little family fun and take each other on after dinner. My team consisted of me, my sister-in-law, and my mother-in-law, all educated women and highly overconfident. My husband's team consisted of him, his brother (my brother-in-law) and a friend whom we hardly see, all of them educated as well. Well, it doesn't take long for me and my sister-in-law to realize these questions are a little unbalanced. We were asked "male" questions which primarily consisted of automobile initials, the sweet science, and the longest family owned car coporation. Their "female" questions consisted of television sitcoms, Oscar winners, and album titles. We, as a team, felt that these questions weren't really "female" but more "pop culture." Where were the questions like "How many days are typically in a menstrual cycle?" and "What are fake contractions called?" Anyway, as the game progresses and pretty much neck and neck, the female team is asked a question by my husband, none the less. In hindsight, I think with him asking the question, he thought the game was truly "Battle of Who Knows NASCAR more: Me or my Wife?"

"Who was the first 50 year old winner of the Daytona 500?"

Instantly, both my sister-in-law and mother-in-law swing their faces to me with the look of complete surrender. I knew, and they knew, they absolutely, positively, had no utter clue as who that possibly could have been. I was their only hope. I knew it would be up to me to make the most educated guess I could, for I did not know the answer as well.  I asked my husband to repeat the question. I repeated the question to myself and the thinking began...........I had to make an educated guess and just deduce...........it wasn't asking about the 50th winner because we've only had the 48th running this year..........they were asking about  the first 50 year old winner..........it couldn't have been Richard Petty because that was too obvious and this game isn't about the obvious..............but then..........the same picture in my mind kept running over and over of the Allison brothers fighting Cale Yarborough...........ya.................... they would be about that age..........that was going to be my guess. As I looked up to answer my husband, he was looking down at the card as if looking at me would reveal the answer, but then at the same time he had a look of cockiness that I knew I was going to have to eat CROW afterwards if I got it wrong.  My sister-in-law was just hanging in the balance waiting for me to answer  - because this was more about a game, it was; after all, sisters against brothers, women against men.

"I would have to guess Bobby Allison."

My husband couldn't even respond, the look of disgust on his face was defeat. My brother-in-law was in total shock that his sister-in-law answered something so trivial that he didn't even know the answer to. My sister-in-law gave me a high five, mortified just the same that I got it right. I even had to ask "Was that right?" because my husband didn't even want to acknowledge it. I shout "Yes- I am NASCAR!" We went on to answer the "easy" questions on the rest of the card and that night the WOMEN prevailed in "Battle of the Sexes."

I love NASCAR.

This past week we celebrated our son's 2nd birthday (that gives my fellow NASCAR bloggers and idea of what I've been doing with my time lately), nonetheless, I have been reading and periodically posting a comment here and there. I always get a laugh at my blogging ideas because sometimes I never know when they are going to hit. This one came at 5:15 this morning when my daughter abruptly woke me to help her walk to the bathroom. I was in deep, deep sleep; dreaming even! I was dreaming that Michael Landon was telling me that Melissa Gilbert was some kind of fashionista in her day when she was this child star. Melissa Gilbert? Fashion? It must have been my subconscious mind crossing the fact that she was on last week's episode of Nip/Tuck and me going shopping yesterday?!?! Well, now that I get back in bed, the thought of children, of course, is running through my mind...do we really want another...waking me up in all hours of the night? It was nice reminiscing about my son's birth just the other day. My husband and I were talking about that day with our son - as if our son could remember. I didn't remember this part, but my husband asked me if I remembered him asking me if I could wait until the Talladega race was over. He said I said yes, which was bringing back some faint memories.

That morning, a sharp pain woke me, and I knew then, that day was going to be the day. I called my parents and had them come pick up my daughter because I didn't know how long it would take me before we could go to the hospital. It took a majority of the day, but I do remember asking my husband to walk with me around the neighborhood to help regulate my contractions. It was a beautiful Indian Summer day with just that hint of coolness in the air. I didn't realize until this morning, that we had to have been walking while the race was going on. But he never, never let on like he was missing something. I guess he just knew that was not the time to go "AWWWW, can't it wait?????" Like some sissy 5 year old little girl. I do remember now that we walked out the door as soon as Dale Jr. crossed that finished line. Even in the moment of life changing events, I still wanted to see Dale Jr. win also. Of course, we continued talking about how excrutiating my labor turned out to be. Even though he was my second child, and everyone says the second one is easier - NOT TRUE! He was heavier, bigger, 10 days early, and my epidural went straight to my left leg and made it dead as a doornail. But hey, we got a baby on Talladega Sunday. My in laws asked what his name was and my husband jokingly replied: "Dale." The Dale Jr. fan in him thought we could try and hold out until Dale's Jr.'s birthday - October 10th. We had our son on the 3rd.

I am not a Kurt Busch fan, even less of a Kyle Busch fan, but there is something about a wedding that makes every girl a little giddy. The entire NASCAR nation knows that he's getting hitched this weekend and you just can't help but snicker. Is it because it is LOVE? Is it because everybody knows what happens on the honeymoon? Is it because he's brave enough to do it in the middle of the season? I have to say this - what Eva wants, Eva gets. That tells me just a little about Kurt Busch. It tells me that he loves her enough to give her everything that she wants for her wedding (aside the beetle-free beach). Let's face it - a wedding is really all about the bride! The groom just shows up because there is going to be one hell of a party aftewards.

Planning a wedding is no fun. Yes, girls dream about it their entire life and probably have some specific details jotted down prior to them ever meeting their prince charming, and we get a little teary eyed looking at wedding gowns, but if you want your dream wedding, you have to go into it knowing that stress comes with it. Afterwards, you hear people saying "If I could do it over, I would do it different." Well, that's not really true. The real reason you can say that is because you've had your dream wedding and experienced all the headaches and heartaches and even blissful moments that come with it - and if you could do it all over not knowing that- you would probably plan the exact dream wedding to begin with. I had a huge wedding and not on Kurt Busch's income, but a huge wedding is what my husband and I both wanted. We come from large Hispanic families that have large Hispanic Catholic weddings followed by a full dinner and dance, paid for entirely by us. The only ones that had a say if we wanted fresh or fake flowers was me and my husband - we chose fresh. My wedding was exhausting, but I wouldn't change one thing (well...maybe some small detail like my headpiece.) So speaking from bride to bride - I hope that Eva gets everything she wants because every bride deserves it.

Speaking from fan to fan - I'm scared. I'm scared I will become a Kurt Busch fan because I'm seeing a little of his gentle, loving, human side of a driver who doesn't even look like a driver to me. I never even paid attention to these big ears he had before he pinned them back. I just couldn't get past his face and just kept pondering that he doesn't even fit the description of what you think a race car driver would look like. His brother even looks less like a race car driver. Never mind the fact that I don't particularly like his style of driving and the excuses that he has for it aftewards. Oh well, it's going to be fun to watch that after-the-honeymoon-grin when they interview him at Indy. I'm sure the garage will be full of...well...whatever men kid each other after they are married.

I consider myself a part-time blogger now, posting only when the moment has taken over my thoughts entirely. The NASCAR thoughts push out my daily thoughts like: "What am I going to make for dinner?" "What's on TV tonight?" "How many calories is in this thing?" and the most important "I need to give my son a breathing treatment tonight". Well, my latest thought invasion has brought me to the conclusion that I must be a radical. I must like change. I must like things to be stirred up. I must like controversy. Actually, I hate controversy; especially when it feels like you are arguing with a stick. That's why I would rather just agree to disagree and with that in mind I am sure I will hear and read your thoughts on my latest topic. When I began this blog I had to accept the fact that I have allowed myself to be attacked and take on that responsibility, and in passing my responses have been conservative. I cannot say the same of my responses today - probably because of my Hispanic nature - it's just near and dear to my heart...and my skin...and my hair color...

Marty Smith is one of my favorite journalists on NASCAR.com who tells it like it is even if it's about his favorite drivers/friends. I'm even wearing his t-shirt in my bio photo - it's orange! Well, his latest article "Formula Juan" (catchy - I thought) is great. Lots of great facts and perspectives from all points. He even quotes some from his emailers. Well SKERR got to me a little. Not just a little - a lot. And I'm writing to you NASCAR nation - in the hopes of humanity - please tell me not all of you think this way.

This is SKERR's entire quote thanks to NASCAR.com and Marty Smith:

skerr: I knew it was inevitable that foreign drivers would realize how big NASCAR is to the American people. NASCAR draws the crowds, and there's big money involved.

For years, I faithfully went to the Indy 500, but each year more and more foreign drivers took over driving that category of race cars. I couldn't pronounce their names and I lost interest. Since then my focus has been on NASCAR. I really hate to see the invasion of foreign drivers enter into this area of racing.

Soon it will be like all other races, foreigners only. I think the 'good old boys & gals', just want to see their hometown heroes. I guess money talks and when greed takes over who cares what the fans think. There is more than enough talent among American drivers who want to race in NASCAR.

I personally don't have anything against these foreign drivers, but I don't want to watch them on the racetrack. Don't we have enough foreign crap taking over our country, without letting them invade our racetrack?

This is Marty's response:

I passed over several responses like this one, but there were too many to ignore it. Many folks feel this way.

He actually had several responses like this one! Can you believe?! Well, lately I can, considering all the turmoil about Toyota entering NASCAR. I am a "good old gal" that loves NASCAR as much as any "good old gal". And I will defend my driver (BTW Jr. and Stewart if you hadn't read my previous blogs.) against your driver any day of the week. I am an American through and through and proud of my heritage. And surprise - I'm not into Soccer nor the World Cup! But just because one "foreign" driver enters NASCAR - SKERR throws up his arms and say's "There goes the neighborhood. Before you know it  - they'll be letting Women vote - I mean drive." Get ready folks - it's coming - maybe sooner than you think - have you heard a little driver named Danica Patrick? I haven't even starting blogging on that yet.

Would SKERR be just offended if the IRL transfer driver was say...Dan Wheldon (England)? Scott Dixon (New Zealand)? Ryan Briscoe (Australia)? Thomas Scheckter(South Africa)?

This is America! Nobody has more right to this land than anybody else unless you're Native American. Every one of us comes from a foreign country somewhere; Germany, France, England, Sweden, Norway, Russia, Brazil, Uruguay, China, Japan, India, etc... You know...Lady of Liberty..."give me your tired, your poor." Or how about this famous quote "love your neighbor as you would love yourself."

So much for Diversity in NASCAR. Hispanics are the number one growing consumer - I ought to know - as much as I spend on Budweiser.