So this was the 11th year in a row I've "celebrated" Fathers day without my Father. I think of him everyday and have thought about him everyday for the last 11 years. Just shy of twelve which unfortunately falls on the 22nd.
This year though felt a little different. I was upbeat most of the day and busy enough not to sit around and dwell on the fact that while alot of people were giving their Dads gifts or taking him out to breakfast lunch or dinner i wasn't. Instead i was celebrating my brothers birthday. Which i enjoyed. It was his day. And my main goal was to try and make it a good day for him After all it was a father less fathers day for him too. So the early morning of Sunday and i mean around 430 am found me blowing up balloons. My plan was to put them on his deck and in the morning when went to get the paper he'd be greeted by a lot of balloons. 50 to be exact. Well folks this plan kind of failed. You see when it is rather breezy out it tends to make keeping balloons in place rather difficult so my plan was to use tape and hope it would prevent them fro, floating away. When i left the balloons the were moving around the deck but seemed as if they were going to stay and be there to surprise him. When my phone rang around 915 i was greeted with the question of" so how many balloons were there?" Half asleep i replied in my famous sleeping mumble "oh probably....50 i think. yeah. probably 50" "Well when i opened the door and looked there were about 10-15. I had to hunt the rest down. They were in the field across the road. By the creek. out behind the house." "Oh no really?" He started to chuckle "yes really" "well dammit that sucks" as i was still trying to keep myself awake. We chatted for a few more minutes and he asked if i wanted to go on a bike ride. I love riding bikes so my answer is always yes.
We are "training" for a bike ride fund raiser i found online. Its about a 25 mile ride so defiantly need to prepare for it. We rode to the flea market. Then up to the park sat on the bench and watched the people out boating and the people that were onshore fishing. Then we rode through the cemetery and decided to go down the old train tracks came out on honeysette road the rode up plank turned down Lawson road mainly because the race was gonna start soon. Until i received the text stating the race was delayed due to rain. We debated on whether to turn around and go up prospect station or just head home. Head home was the decision so i could finish mowing my yard and we could rearrange the barn. Riding down our road was proving to be a difficult task due to the wind. Yes the same wind that blew the birthday surprise all over the fields.This wind was coming straight at us so it was like riding in the highest gear possible and just made things more difficult. There are a few places were coasting should occur but not this day. We made it home and i ended up buying him a birthday sub from the corner deli and as we finished eating the race finally started but i could keep watching i had to finish the yard.
Dale junior seemed to be having a pretty strong run. And i was being optimistic as i always was but today felt different. Something felt right. Maybe today was the day the drought would end and maybe the dream i had was a premonition of what was gonna happen. We were in the barn moving things around and of course i had the race on my phone. What? I cant help it! I'm a sports junkie..OK? At least i admit it. The laps were winding down 60 to go Junior was still running strong. 143 races since his last win. Which came 4 years and two ago at this track. Stewart was also showing a strong hand and was giving Junior a run for the lead. I was already starting to pace. Trying to hurry up and get in the house so i could watch the end of the race. I finally got in and Rick was off to wash his truck. Which means it was gonna rain because that's what happens when he washes his truck.(and yes it ended up raining later that night) Meanwhile Junior was leading going into the final pit stop. "Come on 88 guys we need a great stop here" i said to the TV. We were in first and after all the pit stops had cycled through we were still leading!! And to make it better our lead was growing! Eventually it grew to 5 seconds over second place. Man Junior was beating them good! I was hoping and praying there wouldn't be a caution. There wouldn't be any problems for the 88 car. No tire issues the engine would hold together. All these things were going through my head. We have been so close these past four years something was bound to happen and screw this up again!
inside ten laps to go still over a 5 second lead. I was so nervous my hands were shaking as i cupped my mouth and interlocked my fingers. Praying and pleading. Please please please!!! "Come on Junior. Please win this please" Almost as if he could hear me. Inside 5 laps to go and i could barely contain myself. In fact i was doing a lap count down on my facebook page just to stay occupied.4 laps to go..3 laps to go i was still shaking. I had never shook so much in my life. This would mean so much to me. He has to win on Fathers day! As he took the white flag the only way he would lose now is if he spun out or the engine blows up or whatever else could have happened. I'm pretty sure i held my breath for the last lap. Coming around turn four and taking the checkered flag!!! "YES YES WAHOOOOOOOO" "YES HAHAHA HELL YEAH" "WOOOOOOOOO " JUNIOR!!!!!" The emotions were pouring out i was so damn happy!!! Four years man four years! That's a long damn time to wait and he won he finally won! I had to call Rick and i got his voicemail but apparently a loud excited voice was too much and the voicemail couldn't understand me. I cant even explain how happy this made me. Ive said this in previous blogs and ill say it here i relate to Junior in so many ways and for him to win on fathers day was very exciting for me.
Rick called me and all i could do was cheer loudly in his ear! He got home and i greeted him in the driveway with cheering. Hooting and hollering! This was huge! As i watched his interviewed he seemed different. I don't know how to explain it, I don't know if he was relived or kinda sad because he didn't have his Dad there to celebrate with. But he just seemed more...mature almost like the win less streak had taken a huge toll on him. And i mean lets be honest here. This is Dale Junior. The pressure put on this mans shoulders has to be overwhelming. A daily comparison to his Dad and the expectations are probably unimaginable. Hes been NASCARs most popular driver for like 10 years in a row. And to be expected to win and not win in143 races must have been horribly unbearable for this guy. Its kind of amazing how one guy can create such raw emotions by winning a race. I read a few comments on facebook and I'm glad I'm not the only one who shed tears over this win. Its like we want Junior to win so bad that when he doesn't its like we don't either. Almost like we can feel the disappointment.Almost like a part of us is riding in that car. And the win less streak was a along and agonizing deal. Junior nation knows how bad Junior wanted to win and we wanted it just as bad for our favorite driver.
NASCAR isn't like any other sport. I hate when people say "They just drive around in a circle" Then go tell a golfer he just hits a ball into a cup. Theres so much more to it. And i wont go into details but these guys are driving 150 miles an hour around 42 other cars. It takes alot of talent to do this job. Its not like everyday driving jump in the car and go. Theres a technical side to it. AS a fan we understand it. We also know theres no guarantee our driver will win another race again. 143 races 4 years is a long time to wait, watch, hope and pray that maybe this race will be the one we finally can celebrate. And finally Junior nation can finally celebrate. And maybe Dale Junior and i can finally smile on Fathers day....
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