Congrats Force Gals
Congrats Force Gals
But there are 2 more Force girls out there racing worth the mention, and one looks to me to be making quite the splash too. Younger Force spawn Brittany and Courtney are both competing in Top Alcohol Dragster while they are attending college. Courtney is also all over the internets with a column in USA Today and participating in all sorts of cool Fiesta Movement shenanigans. (check out her twitter here or youtube antics here)This past weekend in Seattle, both younger sisters made it to the semi-finals, having to face off against each other. With Courtney taking the win in that pairing, she would be the lone Force car left heading to the final rounds for that day.
Labels: women in racing
Top Gun to Top Fuel: Mixing My Two Favorite Things
Top Gun to Top Fuel: Mixing My Two Favorite Things
My parents may not have ever guessed that I'd grow up to be a total hopeless gearhead Drag Racer, but I think they had some idea that I wasn't a "normal" little girl.
While most kids dreamed of growing up to become veterinarians and doctors, I was awe-inspired at the tender age of 6 by what would be a classic 80's Hollywood movie... oh yes, wait for it.... Top Gun. [cue Danger Zone music]
I very clearly remember watching it with my family one night, and even though I was a restless 6 year old, was absolutely transfixed by what I saw. My dad was a career Air Force officer, and had retired from the Air Force before I was born. Perhaps my love of aircraft and speed came subconsciously from him, but I don't think they expected what came out of my 6 year old mouth after watching Maverick and the rest of the characters lighting up the sky in those F-14's.My dream was rather crushed when my dad told me (at the time) that women were not permitted by the military to be combat pilots (something that changed in 1993). It wasn't because he didn't want to encourage me, I'm pretty sure it was also his dream growing up, and his eyesight was the disqualifying factor for him, so he didn't want me to be disappointed by the rule in place. Talk about a crushing blow... but instead of becoming an Ace Pilot, I later would settle on becoming a pilot of a different sorts... a drag racing pilot.
Designed by the same people responsible for the new gen KITT car (Galpin Autosports), this car has been totally redone for the USAF. On the exterior a radical lowered stance and low profile tires make for the aggressive aircraft-inspired theme complete with carbon fiber body, aerodynamic air intakes, and gull-wing doors. The flight cockpit interior completely replaces the Mustang interior with flight-stick, a touch-screen interfaced control system, and a single driver ejection seat center-mounted setup. GPS and nightvision technology is also found on the high-tech console.
At first, I was rather curious how they were "driving" via a flight-stick, but I read on to discover that there is a hidden regular motorized steering wheel that pops out for the "pilot" to steer with (slight disappointment that its not stick-driven, but whatever). The stick is actually a very nifty shifter for the manual transmission. I was also surprised that the car is only hopped up to 500 hp with cams and exhaust, which by my hotrodder standards does it zero justice... I mean why not twin turbos or something cool!
"I feel the need.... the need for SPEED!!"
Brickyard
Brickyard
So, as is my norm here lately, I had another whirlwind weekend in celebration of Memorial Day festivities. (I'm almost dizzy looking at my calendar anymore)
Originally, I had planned to make a trip to Indy all weekend, but I was pleasantly surprised to learn that I had been added to the Dixie Derby All-Star team. We had a home bout on Saturday, which I played in and we ended up winning 154-41. Great night for sure. Thanks for everyone that came to watch, I had a great time!
I didn't get to celebrate long at the afterparty, because after that tiring day, it was up bright and early headed out to Indianapolis, IN. I had a few different reasons to be going to Indy, but one of them was to definitely catch part of the Indy 500 in person. I've never seen an Indy race live, especially not at the hallowed Brickyard, so I raced the 6 hours up there early Sunday morning to catch the race. (thank GOD for radar detectors.... and drafting... and fun travelers with the same idea in mind)
I arrived around lap 90, but by the time I got parked and hiked the 2 miles to the track, it was somewhere around lap 140 or so. To my luck, they weren't even checking tickets anymore, so I just walked in and grabbed an empty seat on Turn 2. I had a bunch of friends there that I hoped to meet and sit with, but unfortunately, you can't exactly hear a cell phone well from the track, so I just gave up and sat in the stands next to some *interesting* people.
Of course, I learned after I made it about 1.75 miles of my hike that I'd hauled my camera with me for NOTHING, being that I had conveniently left my only CF card in the USB reader at work back in Huntsville. Grrrr..... I can be thoroughly brain-dead sometimes. But I did catch some of the *BIG* Meira crash, as it happened right in front of me. They took awhile to get him out, I had a sick feeling as they don't make it a point to say anything about the driver's condition over the PA. I thought I saw him moving on the stretcher, so that was a hopeful sign. Thankfully, he's okay, just has some broken vertebrae and will have some therapy to go through for the rest of the season.
So, the best evidence of my 1st trip to an Indy car race comes from my negative 3.0 mega pixel camera phone. And let me tell you how hard it is to actually CATCH a 2oomph car whizzing by with that sucker too. ::Shakes head in disgust::Labels: On the Road
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Veterans Keep Me Grounded
Veterans Keep Me Grounded
You know, I never realized how patriotic I really am. I mean, I always stop what I am doing and stand with my hand on my chest for the national anthem when I am at the track or a footlball game. I get chills when I hear a great voice sing our countries song, I admit. I always try to stay informed on the war and the basic political issues of the week, but I never realized that some of the most moving and inspirational memories I have are related somehow to soldiers or veterans. Here's another one.
As I stood in the security line at JAX airport very early Saturday morning to make my way to Nashville there were about 60 or so older gentlemen in wheel chairs wearing yellow wind breakers waiting in a security line(just for them). I thought wow, that's odd - must be a Shriners convention or some senior citizen group travelling somewhere. I thought - that's nice and continued to suck down my Starbucks before the guy made me trash it.
About 5 minutes later and when I was about the 3rd person away from the guy who scribbles on your boarding pass, gives you that glaring dirty look and then sends you on to the next herding line, A younger woman in her 30's loudly blurts out "Excuse me ladies and gentlemen, I would like you to take notice and give a round of applause to our WWII veterans who are on their way to Alaska for a reunion cruise".
You know, I immediately turned around to take another look and realized that they were a group of about 150 not 60 but I only noticed the ones in the wheel chairs. At that moment, everyone ofcourse started to clap and cheer. As, did I. The weird thing was I couldn't help but getting choked up. And, I am talking really choked up. My eyes started tearing and I couldn't help getting terribly emotional. I felt like I just wanted to run up to each and every one of them and give them a big hug and thank them. And, it reminded me that this isn't the first time I have been in such a situation and every time before this one I recalled getting just as emotional. As I am writing this I am getting a little choked up. What a sissy, I guess I am.
Anyway, so there I was, awe struck in a way. I was so proud to have seen them there and felt honored that I was one of the dozens of normal everyday people that were able to cheer and clap just to let them know how honored I was to applaude them and how even though they fought, came home and started a life post WWII that has since gone on longer than mine, I am still inspired by them.
I couldn't help but think of them the entire trip to Nashville. Because, I on the other hand, spent 4 days pissed off and miserable because it would not stop raining. 30 inches of rain in two days. Didn't get the yard work done, didn't want to go to the grocery store, complained I was getting cabin fever. The kids were driving me crazy because they were couped up. I was miserable because of some dumb low pressure system that dumped a bunch a rain on my area. I was praying it would at least be sunny in Bowling Green. I jokingly told Erica on the phone if it is cloudy when you pick me up from Nashville airport I am going to flip.
How whimpy and complacent and spoiled we all are. Can you imagine being a soldier in WWII, I thought to myself. I felt like a jerk. What a brat, I am. God, it made me feel so petty and weak. I asked myself, was I actually complaining and being non productive from rain. How about bullets flying at you. Or, Mustard Gas like in WWI, how about worn shoes in nasty cold weather, frost bite, fatigue, gee fighting to stay alive, even... Wow, I was embarrased of myself. Whining about a little bit of flood damage and some rain.
Yeah, my heroes have always been our soldiers. Days like Saturday reminded me of why. It's amazing how they can keep us grounded and push us to be stronger and strive to be better people from what they sacrificed for us so long ago. I wish I could tell them all that. We really do remember. And, we really are thankful. I hope they know that inside their aging hearts.
God bless our troops. All of them.
To Be or Not to Be
To Be or Not to Be
When my son was in 4th grade he came in from riding his bike one Saturday afternoon and asked me what a MILF was. It took me a few minutes to jog my memory as to where I had heard that before and when it finally popped into my head, OH! That's American Pie, the movie... I was mortified. I quickly blurted out. I have no idea turned, and ran into the laundry room to hide my embarrasment behind the dryer door until I could regain my composure. After all, what the hell was I supposed to say.
So now the kid is in High School and his school mates in the lunch room asked him if his Mom is a Jaguar Cheerleader, yesterday. Is it cool to be the "hot" Mom or not? At this point I am thinking, not.
Seems that my high schooler's friends have started to make him feel uncomfortable. Which, makes me uncomfortable. He's going through enough adjustment being a ninth grader this year. He doesn't need anything else to make him feel like he doesn't fit in. It's hard enough coming here from Miami and being half latin. Don't get me wrong, I love where I reside. I call it my very own Mayberry. But, you know being from Miami and moving to suburban Jacksonville isn't always easy when it comes to fitting in. So, now we are both screwed. The soccer Moms will have nothing to do with me (which I don't mind) because I don't fit the mold here. Thank God. But, my high schooler's friends mothers don't want me around their kids because I am not 25 pounds overweight and dress like I shopped the sales rack at Talbots. I don't let my hair turn grey 4 inches from my roots before I run to the nearest CVS, and I wear make up when I go out somewhere nice. I care about my appearance and I feel I work at "staying attractive" for my husband. So, I guess the other Moms don't want me around their kids or husbands, for that matter because the husbands are dumb enough to make comments like. Wow, she's really nice. (We all know what that means) Or, She seems so down to earth. Or, the death sentence statement. She always looks so nice or even better "so put toghether". DONE.... I am done!, totally screwed. To top it all off, I drive a lowered car not a mini van or an Expedition. So, I have been ostracized from the "Soccer Mom" scene. Seriously, I am a member of the PTO and when I sign up for volunteer work or purchases for the school, noone, I mean NO ONE ever calls me. I've even called them and they kindly say in their sweet as pie, southern drawl. Oh, no honey it's quite all right. Mary Sue already baked those 200 cup cakes by herself. Whatever! I guess I should start answering okay fine, but your son Bobby says he likes my cup cakes better. )ha- ha - ha - lol!) I know that was just wrong... Funny, but wrong.
My poor son. I guess this will be another life lesson that helps build character. I am sure one day he will look back and be proud.
Damn it, MAN!
Damn it, MAN!
Here are some photos of the whole mission to get them in my yard. Man, I was so proud of my trees. I guess that is what happens for trying to bring Miami to Me. These trees were imported from Miami. I wanted tropical landscape (as best as I could get) that would make it through the colder winters here and they swore to me Sable Palms would do great. Uh huh? Well now they're dead.
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