Racing

My husband introduced me to stock car racing when I first met him in 1979.  At the time, he would go with his buddies to the Nextel Cup races in Richmond leaving me at home to watch it on TV.  He introduced me to local racing at Langley Speedway in Hampton, Virginia.  He basically "grew up" out there!  When he was just a youngster and the track was still dirt, his father was a flagman, his mother worked the concessions stand, and his uncle (Monty) raced.  It was then, and still is now, a family race track.  The track has changed tremendously since my husand went as a youngster.  It is now paved and has aluminum stands and sky boxes.  We have made many friends at Langley Speedway, and our daughter, Melissa, has become an avid race fan of drivers at both Langley Speedway and NASCAR Nextel Cup.  She's been going to Langley all of her life.

My favorite driver at Langley Speedway (Phil Warren) has won 7 Late Model championships at Langley, 1 Late Model championship at Southampton Motor Speedway in Capron, Virginia, and 1 championship at Southside Speedway in Richmond, Virginia.  Langley Speedway discontinued the Late Model division as it previously was in 2002, so Phil no longer runs at Langley Speedway.

In 1991 my husband, daughter, and I took a vacation to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.  We went to Myrtle Beach Speedway to see a Grand National race.  After practice drivers came to the fence to talk to the fans and hand out autographs.  That was my first introduction, (up close), to Jeff Gordon .  I had watched him on TV, but that was the first time I met him.  He was, by far, the most courteous of the drivers there.  Most of the drivers just signed their pics and passed them to someone with them to hand to the fans.

As for Nextel Cup.....when I was first introduced to the sport, for some strange reason, I picked Richard Petty as my favorite driver.   I don't know why, but I did. 

When Davey Allison came on the scene, I started pulling for him, too.

Jeff signed his pics, then he'd look up and chat with the person he handed it to.  My daughter was only 4 years old at the time, and Jeff took time to talk to her and I.  I was impressed!!  Later in 1991, I was fortunate enough to go to Martinsville Speedway with a friend of mine and her parents.  My friend, Debbie, has an uncle who works for the track.  He got us pit passes.  Another lucky day---I got to talk with Jeff Gordon on both Saturday and Sunday of that weekend.  I also got to meet such greats as Harry Gant, Robert Pressley, and Bobby Labonte.  Consequently, from there I became and continue to be, a Jeff Gordon fan.  

When Jeff moved up to Nextel Cup in 1993, I was torn on who to pull for.....Davey Allison or Jeff Gordon!!!  As any race fan knows, Davey was killed in a helicopter crash in July 1993.  It was a sad, sad day.  I think if I had not had another driver I pulled for, I may have quit watching racing, but since Jeff was around, I started pulling for him wholeheartedly.

There are a number of other drivers I like in Nextel Cup such as Jimmie Johnson, Elliott Sadler, Denny Hamlin, and Jamie McMurray.  First and foremost I pull for Jeff Gordon, but when he's not in a position to win, I pull for one of my other favorites.

Jimmie Johnson

Elliot Sadler

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Denny Hamlin

(Former Langley Speedway Champion)

Jamie McMurray