The date is July 28, 2007. In a tiny town in New York called Johnsonville, a faded-red stock car is loaded onto a trailer, which is attached to an old, beaten-up Ford pick-up. When all is ready six people squeeze into the truck, ready for a good two hours on the road.

Among them sits me, scrunched in the middle of the backseat with barely enough room to breath, but I don't care. Today I'm going to see my first race of any kind in person, a long-overdue experience. In the front seats of the truck are Patrick McLaughlin and my step-father, Mark, while in the back with me are Kelly McLaughlin, Patrick's wife, and their two children, Patrick Jr. and Alexandra.

On the way there we watch as the small towns of eastern New York rush past me, as we make our way up to the track. Eventually we cross the border into Vermont. Here there's little sign of a human impact other than the road we travel on, as on either side we see mountains, to our left the Adirondacks of New York and to our right the Green Mountains of Vermont.

We finally make our way to a valley where the Devils Bowl Speedway lies. For now there is peace and quiet like is throughout much of Vermont, but it's Saturday night, which means the silence won't last.

We pull up to a gate, and this is where Kelly, the kids and I get out. The gate leads to the garage area, where Mark and Patrick will spend the rest of the night, while we head to the stands.

We all take our seats towards the end of the front straightaway, and just minutes later the mini-stocks, consisting of four- and six-cylinder cars, make their way onto "Vermont's Fastest Half Mile." The green flag waves and the cars sputter to life, beginning a ten lap shootout. Seconds after taking the green, several cars make contact and spin in the first turn, just a taste of things to come in this wild race, but for now I'm most looking forward to the race that follows this one, the pro-stocks, which Patrick races in.

It's not too long until that race finally starts, as the sun sets in the distance these cars roar to life as the green is dropped. Patrick runs around mid-pack the entire race but I don't care, I'm just in awe of everything that's unfolding before my eyes. Lori Langavin ends up winning to no one's surprise, as she'd been dominating all season long, as Patrick finishes 8th.

Although that was the race I had been looking forward to seeing the most, it wouldn't be my favorite experience of that night. By now the sun has set and lights are on, shining down on the 358 modifieds. Some 20 cars all line up for the start, their engines a low hum in the night as they make their way around the track before the green.

When the green drops, all the engines' hum change to a roar in unison as they charge towards the first turn. There they swing out the rear ends of their vehicles, racing just inches apart as they head back onto the straightaway. For 30 exciting laps this happens, and not for a moment do the motors' tune change. It's now 10:30 and all the festivites have ended, and we make our way back into the beaten-up truck and head home. In the back the kids slowly fall asleep, but I'm wide awake, with the images of the night still racing through my mind.

Now nearly a year later the stars of the GGW racing tour will make their way through the winding mountains of Vermont to the Devils Bowl Speedway, as they will compete in their own cars around this fast half-mile.

Tsfanpc is among the favorites to make it back-to-back wins this week, while Forensic2 still searches for his first win of the season after coming oh-so-close earlier this season. Klvalus will be looking to get a strong win after a disappointing finish last week in the trailer races.

The trio of Frevr3fan, Texascudaguy and Jokerswild will likely be too busy talking smack to each other to focus on winning, though if Jon 464 throws the leaders under the bus they might have a chance.

Photogr will look to continue leading laps and finishing strong as he eyes the point lead, which Jbroomy currently holds after a fantastic season so far. However he may be distracted by the grid gals set up by Yeemum, who is doing anything she can to make up ground.

Sweetkena will hopefully find the track this week, she needs a good finish to make up for last weeks DNF. Hanahan hopefully won't need a sub again this week, as last week he had "flu-like symptoms (hangover)." 

At the end of the night only one #### will outlast the others and stand victorious, winning all the bananas. Good luck everyone!