OH MY GOSH!! I had the best day!!!
I got smuggled into the garage by a crew member {whose name I can't mention for fear of getting him in trouble}. But I'm getting ahead of my self.

I arrived at California Speedway long about 10 AM. Spectator parking was in the Pit Suite parking lot. We were allowed along pit road, up on top of the pit suites and along the garage fence.

I went up on top of the Pit Suites just to see what the view was like. I think the view from our seats is better! Then I wandered down along the fence to my normal spot. Don't laugh - but I hang out at the gate across from the restrooms. All the drivers go there eventually and some will come over and sign autographs.

And that's where the story begins! A crew member went along the fence pulling one of those little wagons. In as few minutes he came back by with ice in the wagon. I yelled out "Do you need some help running errands?" He replied "So you want to help, I'll see what I can do." Then he disappeared behind the haulers. In a little while I felt a tap on my shoulder. It was HIM!! He said walk along with me and I'll take you into the garage. When we got near the gate, he told me to just keep walking and talking like I belonged with him and in the gate we went. He walked me over to the team hauler then told me to go have fun. He made me promise not to touch anything, not to bother anybody and to stay out of the way. He gave me his card and told me to just act like I belonged and if anyone said anything, say I was with him.

So off I went. At first I was afraid to get real close to the garage bays for fear of getting thrown out. But after a while when no one paid any attention to me, I got braver and started getting closer and closer. Soon I was right at the bay opening! I got a bunch of pictures and autographs. I spent a lot of time waiting patiently for drivers to finish talking to their crew - a lot came over to sign my trading cards.

It was really cool the way they had the garages laid out. Each brand was grouped together - Ford, Dodge, Chevy. Then the teams were side by side. So the drivers & crews would go back and sharing info. It was fun watching the drivers describing their run - man do they talk with their hands!

These are a few of the pictures I took. Click on any thumbnail to open the larger version to better see the details!

I took these pictures with my Nikon Coolpix 950

	See - we get snow in Southern California!
	This picture of Bobby headed for the men's room was taken from my usual spot outside the garage entrance.
	It was really cool getting so close to the cars. Look into the opening on the right just above the stacks of tires - you'll see Jeff Gordon talking to Chad Knauss.
	Doesn't Jeff look very deep in thought! Since he was busy, I wandered away. When I returned after lunch, Jeff was in his hauler. There were only three of us waiting around for him - me, a guy and another girl. When he came out of the hauler, the guy held up a 1:24 die cast. Jeff said he'd be right back and ran over to a SUV parked along the fence. He got in and drove it over to the hauler. A girl came out and got in the SUV. They drove out on the track, made a few laps and the next thing we knew Jeff came back out of the hauler. He signed the die cast, my trading card and had his picture taken with the other girl. He kept his promise!!
	Here's Jeff chatting with Bootie Barker as he was recording lap times for the NetZero car.
	Mark was out on the track in his second car while the crew tinkered with this one.
	Dave Blaney's new Jack Daniel's ride. I got Dave's autograph was he was walking between the garage and the hauler.
	For 2005 Jeff Burton takes over the #31 Cingular Chevy. I didn't see Jeff all day and the car was sitting on jack stands every time I went by so I don't think he was there.
	The crew was making some major changes on Dale Jr's car - so he went next door to Michael's garage to relax. I waited a long time outside Dale's garage. He came out to sign my trading card just before the lunch break.
	Michael was busy checking out the data from his last run. Later he came out with a stopwatch to time somebody's runs. He signed a trading card for me while he was there.
	Here's Terry's new car. He'll run 10 races this year in the #44 Kellogg's Corn Flakes car. Least I can still wear my old red & yellow Kellogg's jacket.
	Bobby's test cars were pretty "stealthy" - kinda a spray-painted green with a number 18 on the door and a few black flames on the front fenders.
	Tony's cars were about the same - spray-painted orange with the number 20 on the doors and Home Depot on the hood.
	Joe Nemechek's Army cars.
	During the lunch break Joe came out to talk to this soldier and his wife. I had given them one of my trading cards so Joe autographed theirs and mine.
	Terry was checking some test data. When he was done he looked up and saw me standing outside the garage. He came right over to sign my trading card. Shame I couldn't think of a single intelligent thing to say except "Thanks and good luck this year".
	Jimmie was doing some sort of TV interview. It lasted about 15 minutes. Then he signed some autographs - including my trading cards- before going back to work.
	I snapped this picture of Kyle Busch then ran over to get my own autograph. Notice he's wearing a Johnson #48 had. Guess he doesn't have his own yet - LOL.
	Of course I spent a lot of time watching Terry. He always stopped to chat with fans.
	Here's Dave Blaney watching the crew make some adjustments before he makes another test run.
	Mark Martin climbs back into the car for yet another run. I did manage to catch him and get an autograph as he crossed from garage to hauler between runs.
	Kurt Busch talks to a couple crewmen. Most of you know I don't like Kurt Busch cause he snubbed the fans at California Speedway before. Well, I was hanging out waiting for Mark Martin and Kurt came out of his garage. I whipped out a Kurt Busch card and called out his name. He smiled at me, came over, signed it and when I thanked him he thanked me back. OK - maybe he's not as bad as I thought!
	Elliott Sadler needs to borrow a razor from one of the Gillette Young Guns. Or maybe he's going for the Tony Stewart look.
	When Elliott finished chatting with this fellow I went over and got my trading card autographed.
	Some of the teams started packing up their toys early. Don't know if this car got put away cause Mark was happy with it or cause he hated it!
	Carl Edwards had a very long debrief with his crew. I wanted to get his autograph but he jumped back in the car for another run.
	Bobby was another guy who made a lot of runs. I tried a couple times to get his autograph but every time I came by he was either on the track or busy with the crew. Good thing I already have a card he autographed for me last year at the track.
	Ken Schrader didn't get out of the car this time. The crew made some quick changes and he went back out again.
	Kyle is another driver I didn't manage to catch. He was in and out a lot.
	I only saw DJ a few times and he was always busy!
	The Dodge garage was way down on the end. Didn't get down there real often. Sterling was either out on the track or busy every time.
	Right after I snapped this picture, Ken turned around. I held up my trading card and he waved me over. He signed my card and I told him I love him on Inside Nextel Cup!
	I waited around a for a while - but Jamie didn't get out of the car. I guess I didn't want his autograph bad enough.
	Scott Riggs had just come in showing a little smoke. He and Tony Stewart had quite a long conversation.
	I waited nice and quiet - trading card & Sharpie in hand. As Tony turned to leave I called out TONY. He turned around and half laughing said "WHAT!" Holding up the card & pen I just said "Please" He came right over and took them from me and started signing. I said "Us fans sure can be annoying" and he answered, "I thought I was the only one who thought that". It was all said with a smile on his face and a laugh in his voice.
	Since I was inside the garage area I didn't get to see much of what was happening on the track. But I do know poor Bobby Labonte smacked the wall. I was hanging out on the Gibbs row when I saw him come limping down the road - right side all pancaked, front tire wadded up. He climbed out, shook his head and started describing what happened. I couldn't hear him but watching was a riot. He was making such funny faces!
	It was pretty late in the day - long about 3:30 PM. When Bobby finished talking to the crew, he jumped into one on Tony's cars and went back out on the track. I was really tired - having been on my feet all day long - so I headed to my car to start home.

Here are the autographs I got.