So last Monday at about noon, the coach and stacker were all loaded up and I went in to take a shower. When Deb and I went to coach to leave, I was greeted with this surprise.

So an hour later I had changed the tire, took another shower and we hit the trail. I drove 330 Miles to a Walmart in Atlanta, TX and parked for the night. Ran inside for a week’s groceries, bottled water and adult beverages. Left at about 9 am Tuesday and drove about 550 miles to a Walmart at the TN/KY border. I stop and check the car and straps after the first 75 miles, and then every 200 miles there after. Just west of Nashville I pulled into a rest area to check, but the big rig side was full. I pulled over on the shoulder of the on-ramp, and checked car. The rear had moved a few inches towards the street side wall, but still about 5″ from the lift’s ramps. I couldn’t get the door all of the way down to unstrap, back the car out, pull back in straight, and restrap. I tightened straps again and figured I was good until Walmart, then I could reload. You know where I’m going with this! I pulled into the Walmart, and it had very narrow lanes. I thought I could miss the curb on a right turn, but was wrong by a couple of inches and had to slowly go up and down the curb with right three trailer tires. When I opened the trailer door, I had a very unpleasant surprise.

I re-situated the car and we spent the night. On Wednesday, we left at about 9:30 and arrived at Lender’s Lot at about 7 pm as #59 in line. At 8 Am we paid and moved to our pit on the track. I set up our pit, established credentials, teched the car in, and paid for 2 test and tune hits. I made my two hits and was about where I figured.

Friday morning we got a Time Trial at 8 am. At about 3:30 was our first Qualifying. I was way too fast, breaking out and putting me 22 of 28 NSS cars here thus far.

Saturday, it rained over night and so we weren’t called to the lanes until 8:45 am. I set up slow to get on positive side, but ran way too slow 9.81 after spinning to a 1.41 60′ – leaving about .04 there.

We’re scheduled for a 2:39 Q3 but there have been a couple bad wrecks, and the track is down for sprinkles as I write this. Stay tune for Part 2, which sums up the event.