Subway Fresh Fit 500

Phoenix International Raceway (PIR)
I really didn't want Kristy to go but that is another story. In contrast with the outing on Friday with my son, on Saturday I had four tickets for NASCAR. These sponsored by DLP High Definition Televisions and Texas Instruments. We opted to again drive on our own as opposed to driving to the WigWam Resort where I bus was going to take us to the truck. On Friday my tickets came with a parking pass, and when you have a pass you park right at the entrance of PIR. DLP did not have a parking pass so we had to park in the general admission and then we had to walk about a mile or a mile and a half to get to the race track.

So what that the bus had an escort that took them all the way down to PIR without stopping for red lights and dropped them right in front of the door, for us walking from the parking to the race track is half the fun because you have to walk through vendor row. A highlight was going into all those RVs that were on display and dreaming that we could own one, but a quarter of a million and up they are definitely just a dream.


"Mi Chica" and I sizing up a bed in one of the RVs.

While the UPS suite was almost empty all afternoon the day before, the DLP suite was super busy, we just got there a few minutes before J.J. Yealey driver of the 96 DLP car was to come and visit us. We found sits and J.J. got there right away. He spoke about his career for about 20 minutes or so and then he had a questions and answers session.

When he finished it was up to the suite lobby for pictures. He gave us his autograph and a photographer took a picture of us with him. I gave him my program and he signed the cover, but "mi chica" wanted his autograph by his picture. So he spent the next five minutes trying to find a page with his picture in it. I suggested that he sign the book as we were taking a lot of his time and the line was long but he only said "They can wait. I will find a page with my picture, I like to take care of my fans". He got my immediate respect just based on that answer.


J.J. Yealy, driver of the DLP #96 car.

After he left we went down to the DLP Experience Display. Again, everybody got a kick of the preview of next year Voyage to the Center of the Earth which will be in 3
D and is totally wicked.

We went back to the suite and we were asked if we were ready to go down to the pits and garage area. We were still eating so we told them we would take the second tour. They were taking 16 guests at a time and in order to follow the strict directions you must follow while down there they all wore headsets.

An hour an a half later our guide asked us if we were ready, which we were. She said we won't be needing the headsets because it's only you four and me. Wow, we had our personal guide. How sweet was that?



DLP's -- Texas Instruments #96 racing car and pit stop equipment and crew.

I had never been to the pit and garage area so that was the biggest highlight of the day. We learned so many things that I still wouldn't know if wasn't for that opportunity. There were little details like for example, their hauler cost $250,000.00 but in it's current state was worth close to three million. They only have one driver, and he logs over 100,000 miles a year. The racing tires are worth $460.00 each and they had 16 rows of four layed on the floor ready for the race. They use as many as they can but whatever goes unused is bought back by their supplier except they only pay them $100.00 per each unused tire.

















Our guide was really good at pointing out the interesting moments of the tour. She asked us if we knew who (and then she said the name) was? We all said no we don't, then she says "Well he is just the president of NASCAR and he is standing right behind you" as we turn around, we see how people mobs him trying to get pictures and autographs. She then asked any Jr's fans here, we all said "not really" well you guys are touching his car. I mean she really gave us a lot of information.





We went up to the suite because Saturday was hot and we needed to drink some beers, so we went up and waited for the race to start. I had never been to the big race and was pretty entertained with the pre-race show. The fly over on Saturday consists of four jets as opposed to only two on Friday and finally we scored passes to go up to the terrace. The terrace will show you the whole track and you'll be almost were all the driver's spotters are.

We had a terrific time and my sister in law's husband and I got pretty drunk, we were not falling or anything like that and we did have designated drivers but boy did we drink.

All in all, we had a great time. I wish you all were there. Oh and that picture the photographer took earlier, they gave it to us already framed and boxed.


We didn't have a marker, but if we did have one we could have written any good wishes to any driver on the finish line. Note how many people had already left a message there. You can always write over the faded messages.