REQUIRED ATTENDENCE

Petit Lemans, a premier 10 hour road race, is held at Road Atlanta every October. It's always an exciting race because there are 4 different categories of cars running at the same time...requiring the super fast prototype vehicles to navigate around the slower classes.  Car enthusiasts look forward to this very competitive event, while wives like me dread the 3 days of loud cars, terrible food, either too hot or too cold weather.  Alas, we go every year.

Porsche has now teamed up with Coca Cola thus a new look for their two factory sponsored cars.  Personally, I'm not a fan, preferring their old school styling of the past.  Unfortunately, the new look didn't bring them a win....they came in 4 & 5th of their class.

The saving grace of these type of car races is the Porsche Club of America's hospitality tent and their Porsche only parking for about 200+ cars.  A very impressive site.  It's so large I couldn't get all the cars in just one photo.

On my personal "keep myself amused' list is license plate viewing. I'm very late in coming to the TV series Black List.....I'm guessing this owner is a fan too.

You could hear a pin drop as this very respectful huge crowd stood with hands or hats over their hearts, as the National Anthem was sung while two sky divers carrying American flags, landed on the start/finish line just before the race began.

That was followed by HUGE, numerous bangs of fireworks to mark the start of the race.

We stood on the medical helicopter pad overlooking the last turn as the cars made their first lap around the track....this driver ended up sideways but fortunately got himself straightened out without further incident.

The weather was actually perfect this year and surely I must have lost a pound or two with all the miles we walked around the track.  Back home now....and ready to sew again!

THROUGH A QUILTER'S EYE

It's been a busy time lately, thus the blog has been neglected.  We just got back from our annual trek to Daytona Beach, FL where we attend the Rolex 24 Hour Race.

 I normally spend more time reading my Kindle than watching the race....seriously these cars go so fast that when viewed from our normal spot right up against the fence in the Porsche Paddock....it actually can make a gal dizzy. It was so cold that even with 4 layers, hat and gloves I was miserable. I learned that the pages won't turn on a Kindle when wearing gloves! 

BUT...look....there are other things to amuse me.  A quilter will always recognize this name....however, it's not related to Pfaff sewing machine.  This is a Porsche  racing team from Canada.

 We've seen this event grow and grow over the years.  In my view, it's now like a trade show that happens to have cars racing too.  And what did I spot??  A screen printing set up that made me green with envy.  Four screens were placed around a central pole....almost like an upside down umbrella.  The operator would twirl and lower the one he wants onto his printing surface that is fitted with a t-shirt. He'd give a squirt of the colored plastic liquid, & squeegee it through the screen.  Lightening fast he'd remove the printed shirt and fold it with the design on top, then place it on a small conveyor belt to run it through a dryer!!!  

 The dude operating the silk screen magic was so fast I never did get a photo of the finished product.....but here's a shirt ready to get printed.

Printing another design....he had 4 different screens to choose from.

 When we arrived about noon on Friday there was barely space for a toothpick to fit in.  I've never seen it so crowded....this is the budget crowd, often arriving on Wed.  Many others are in major $$ motor homes.  I don't know how these tent camper's spots are selected (by them or assigned??) but these are right and I mean right next to the bathrooms.  There's no comment you can provide that wouldn't cover my thoughts about this!!

 We always get back to the track on Sat. (from our sensible hotel lodging) by 6:30 AM....very few of the garages are even open yet, for the 2:30 PM start of the race.  (Ya.....I know.....ridiculously early)  We cheer for the 911 and 912 cars.....of which the 912 came in 3rd in its class when the race was finally called, short of the 24 hours due to horrendous weather conditions.  

 By Saturday afternoon, the cold, windy weather worsened.....those clouds are just an indicator of what was to come.  

This view is daytime on Sunday.....looks like night doesn't it?  The rain was so intense the race was red flagged (stopped) twice...and run under a yellow (caution) for way too long.  Cars raced under the green (go) for less than 14 hours out of the 24 hours.  Exciting viewing for any spectators that managed to stay, but horribly dangerous for the drivers at speeds close to 200 mph without being able to see anything but water spouts and hydroplaning on the rivers that ran across the track.

Well...for us...another year in the book of attending this event.  I suggested we might have reached the end of this journey, but that wasn't well received by 'the husband'.

ROLEX 24 HOURS AT DAYTONA

The highlight of my year is always our 3 day PTA retreat (coming soon).  The highlight of 'the husband's' year is attending the Rolex 24 Hour car race at Daytona.  I dutifully attend with him but truth be told....would prefer to stay home.

 We are Porsche fans.....and sadly our teams have done poorly for the last 2 years.  Clearly they are lacking engine strength!

 This year's crowd was the largest ever attending......crammed in everywhere there were tent campers.....some more worthy then others of being called a tent.  I can NOT imagine any event that would make me consider tent camping.......well....at least with my current age.

 ……of course there are those who travel in the style……which I'd prefer!

NO.....we do not stay and watch the entire 24 hours!!!!  The race begins at 2:40 PM...and obviously runs through the night which makes for exciting viewing for those hardy folks who stay awake at the track.  

I amuse myself the best I can.  In the Porsche hospitality paddock, artist Bill Patterson peaked my interest.  I watched as he turned a blank canvas into an action painting in about 2 hrs. The painting was then auctioned off to benefit the Austin Hatcher Foundation whose focus is on curing childhood cancers.  This one was sold for over $3,000.  I sure wish I had the knack of blending colors like he does! 

ANOTHER CAR RACE WEEKEND

Long time followers of this blog may recall that 'the husband' is an auto race fan.....sports car racing that is.  And guess who gets dragged along?!?  

The noise is deafening....the weather is either too hot, too cold, too windy, or ________  (fill in the blank).  Why he wants me to come is beyond me since I have a tendency to whine.  But I do try to be a good sport....really I try.  People watching is fun, and look what I spotted here.....  Elan is the name of our 2nd grandson.  Grandson # 1 is already a car/truck/engine nut at the age of 4....maybe Elan will be too.

You see the most clever license plates too.....the car isn't bad either!!

.....and what do you know?!?  There are other quilter auto race widows like me too.  Mary Lee (left) lives in Ohio.....she contacted me about a week before Petit LeMans, hearing from a friend that I attend the race.  So we met up at the Porsche hospitality tent and spent the fastest hour I've ever experienced at a race chatting away about art quilts.  Now that we are acquainted, I sure hope we can meet up again.

PUSHING PAUSE

Like so many of us.....spending 24-7 creating is only a wish, though of course that's not practical or probably not even healthy. 

 So, for the 11th year in a row....the pause button was pushed as we headed to Daytona Beach, FL for the Rolex 24 hour car race.

****I'm not sure why the video isn't showing up....will continue to try.  Yes, I said 24 hrs. - 12 of which are run in the dark.  Mercifully, we don't stay for all 24 hrs. but normally spend a good 14 hrs. there each day.  I'll admit I'm less and less interested in the actual race.....on a scale of 1-100....I spend less than 10% paying attention. If you dare.....you can see why....it's LOUD (even if you have your computer speakers on high it won't come close) and the cars go FAST - 140 MPH at times.  Snapping my head back and forth to watch makes me dizzy.  We arrive before it's light just to get a parking place along the fence line in the Porsche Paddock....they can accommodate only 190 cars (must be a Porsche) so each year it's a effort to keep track of when those tickets go on sale.

It's dark when we arrive and dark when we leave....but how lovely is this sunrise on Saturday morning?!?

 In fact, on Saturday we are there so early the garages aren't even open yet!! The race begins at 2:40 PM on Saturday and ends at 2:40 on Sunday.

 So besides reading 3 books during my 3 days at the track....I marvel at the spectacle.....can you imagine the skill it takes to park these huge vans, nearly touching.  All the transporters are immaculate.....chrome wheels shining...the teams take pride in every aspect.

There are more darn rules than the IRS for theses races.  Here's the inspection station where cars are weighed, equipment is checked.....they go over every inch of the car before giving it the okay to race.

This is why we get up so early.....by mid. morning the Paddock is full.  Only the first row faces the track (north) ....all of these cars are facing East.

 This is the coveted first row......and THIS IS a $200,000 special edition Porsche!!

Think that's unbelievable??  Well....This is a MILLION dollar very, very, very, special edition Porsche.  We saw the owner being helped out of the car...he was about 90, had to use a cane to walk and stand, plus one wrist was in a brace.....sure hope he has good insurance.

 These are not million dollar vehicles but they are valuable....for those who don't know.....Porsche's are a derivative from a VW bug.  'The husband' claims if a car was made....ever.....you can see one here.

A major number of attendees spend 4 days at the race.....$100,000-$200,000 fancy motor homes are common....as are $50.00 pup tents.  This is a rental....pretty fancy I'd say...they even had a big screen TV on the top deck...

I spend a lot of time rubber necking as we walk, walk, walk around the facilities.....  Road America in Elkhart Lake, WI is still my favorite track.....mostly cause I love the food....but this one has made big improvements in that area.....including good coffee..... so until next year.......

WITH ONE EYE ON THE TV

It's been a full weekend so far with TWO long car races broad casted on TV from Texas yesterday.  It's the 2nd to the last race of the season and the teams are all getting spunky, vying for the coveted #1 spot which earns them an automatic entry into the prestigious 24 Hours of LeMans in France next June.

I realize I might be speaking French....as surely none of this is vaguely familiar or interesting to 99.99% of you. However.....it can't be escaped in this household, so I keep one eye on the TV and one on my sewing.

The real story will be told tonight when the Green Bay Packers meet the Seattle Seahawks.....a MUST WIN game.

This home opener would be a fabulous one to attend as they welcome back Super Bowl 1 Alumni (some pictured above) and Packers Hall of Famers.  What a thrill it must be to see all these greats in one location.  A pal of mine was flying to Wisconsin on Friday and snagged a photo of herself with Don Majkowski who was on the same plane.  Are you all rolling your eyes yet?!?

Okay, enuff!!!  Our boys are ready.....our Packer flags are flying here in the mountains of NC and our Packer gear is waiting to be doned. So obviously, I can't let the day go by without repeating over and over........GO PACK GO   GO PACK GO!!!!