Friday I got free pit passes from Unocal 76. If you filled up with gas you received a coupon for Buy One/Get One Free Friday admission tickets plus two free pit passes.

From the pits I watched part of BGN practice and the hour or so of Cup practice they got in before the rain - sorry no pictures! I wasn't allowed to take the digital camera in the rain!

It drizzled then the rain came down pretty hard for a bit. While it was raining, I fell in with a group of crazy people (I know you find that hard to believe), We staked out a really good spot just outside the garage gate.

Now the funny thing about this gate is it's right across from the garage restrooms. So we got to see all the best drivers go in and out of the potty! A couple even came over to sign autographs.

I stayed back there during qualifying to see the cars and drivers come out of the garage - so I really just HEARD qualifying! But I got more trading cards autographs.

We saw;
Jeff Burton - he came out the garage & went up one side and down the other before going to his car.
Brett Bodine - he did the same thing
Robby Gordon - he actually stood in the rain just outside the garage fence to sign autographs
Jeremy Mayfield
Jerry Nadeau
Ryan Newman
Shawna Robinson
Mike Skinner
Jimmy Spencer
Jeff Hammond

Bobby Labonte only signed autographs on the other side of the road even though I nearly screamed myself horse calling him!

We did see Rusty, Jeff Gordon, Terry, Michael Waltrip, Little "E", Keven Harvick and a bunch of others who just strolled out and didn't sign any autographs.

I had a blast even in the rain!

	Saturday, April 27, 2002 Happy Hour at California Speedway		Trying to fine tune the car for the NAPA 500
	Tire check or head to the garage for more adjustments		It's cold and very overcast - looks like rain any minute. Everybody wants to know how their tires are doing. And check the spark plugs while you're at it.
	Little "E" is taking his car back to the crew.		Dale Jarrett and Kurt Busch - check the tires then back to the garage
	Kevin Harvick - hopes he gets the car right for Sunday		Happy Hour is winding down - Bobby Labonte and Robby Gordon stop for a final tire check
	Happy Hour is over - Bobby's car goes to the garage. They'll look over the notes and decide what to do tomorrow. After two days of cold, rain and overcast Sunday is expected to be warm and sunny!		Sunday, morning April 28, 2002 - time to get the cars on the starting grid.
	Look at all those lucky people down in the pits as the cars come to the grid.		Here's the starting line up for today's race. Ryan Newman has the pole with a new track record.
	Time for driver introductions Starting 42nd in the #31 Cingular Chevy - Robby Gordon		Starting 38th in the #99 Citgo Ford - Jeff Burton
	Here's my #1 favorite driver. Starting 34th in the #5 Kellogg's Chevy - Terry Labonte		Starting 33rd in the #4 Kodak Chevy - Mike Skinner
	Terry walks across the grass to the waiting car for a lap around the track before going to his race car.		My #2 favorite driver. Starting 28th in the #18 Interstate Battery Pontiac - Bobby Labonte
	Starting 26th in the #6 Viagra Ford - Mark Martin		Starting 25th in the #40 Coors Dodge - Sterling Marlin
	Starting 23rd in the #36 M & M Pontiac - Ken Schrader		Starting 21st in the #29 GM Goodwrench Chevy - Kevin Harvick
	Starting 18th in the #1 Pennzoil Chevy - Steve Park		Starting 17th in the #24 DuPont Chevy - Jeff Gordon
	Starting 10th in the #2 Miller Lite Ford - Rusty Wallace		Starting 9th in the #8 Budweiser Chevy - Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Little "E" is receiving an award check for winning the prior week's race.
	Starting 8th in the #20 Home Depot Pontiac - Tony Stewart		Starting 6th in the #15 NAPA Chevy - Michael Waltrip
	Starting 4th in the #48 Lowe's Chevy - Jimmie Johnson		Starting 3rd in the #88 UPS Ford - Dale Jarrett. Drive the truck Dale! Everyone loves the big brown truck.
	Starting 2nd in the #97 Rubbermaid Ford - Kurt Busch		Bobby Labonte is interviewd on pit road before climbing into his ride.
	Lots of interviews & last minute chats with crews before climbing in their cars.		Look at these lucky folks posing for pictures with Terry. Just who do they know? I'm jealous!
	Ryan Newman leads them around on the first of several pace laps.		A second pace car leads the back half of the field so everyone can set their pit road speed .
	There's Terry!		Here they come off Turn 4 to get the green!
	GO GO GO GO! Or as DW would say "Time to boogety, boogety, boogety!"		And the crews settle down to wait - hoping NOT to see their car and driver too soon! Our seats were directly across from Bobby Labonte's and Ward Burton's pit.
	Kevin Harvick in for tires.		Little "E" on the way down the pits to his crew.
	Ward Burton in for service - the NASCAR Official better get out of the way - looks like he's just about ready to go.		Cloud of tire smoke and he's off.
	Terry Labonte gets tires & gas.		Officials watch to make sure tires get back to pit wall before he leaves.
	And Terry's off as Michael Waltrip comes in.		Kyle Petty is in his pits for service as Hut Stricklin heads down pit road to his crew.
	These guys are really rushing to get Kyle back on track.		And he's off in a cloud of smoke.
	Here's Bobby (we saw WAY too much of him in the pits!) as Kurt Busch heads for his pits.		Not only was Bobby in the pits way to much - all of his pit stops seemed very slow.
	And he's off.		Sterling Marlin hits his pit as Rusty Wallace heads towards his pit.
	Here's Bobby again with Jeremy Mayfield and Ryan Newman going by.		When pit road isn't busy, you get two officials watching you!
	Ward's crewmen are flying - Why are Bobby's so slow?????		Terry's pit stop done, he heads for pit out - while Bobby is just now leaving.
	Kevin cut down a tire and was trying for the pits when he and Little "E" got together.		Dale Earnhardt Jr., racing off the fourth turn at more than 180 mph, slammed into the No. 29 and sent both cars hurtling into the wall. The impact on Earnhardt's No. 8 Chevy was measured at 130 mph by the on-board data recorder.
	And the winner is - Jimmie Johnson in just his 13th start.		Victory donuts were definitely in order! Jimmie said he tried a reverse burnout and blew out the transmission.
	Then in the middle of his donuts - blew up the engine!		Victory Circle waiting for the new winner to climb out.
	Confetti flies as Jimmie climbs from the car. Jeff Gordon was jogging down pit road to come congratulate him.		And the crowd goes wild.
	Jimmie leaps from the windowsill into the arms of his crew!		Meanwhile the crews pack up the war wagons.
	Hopefully next week will be their turn in Victory Circle.		Here's the finish order. My guys didn't do very well. Terry finished 21st and Bobby was 34th.

Race Stats

Time of race: 3 hours, 19 minutes, 53 seconds.

Caution flags: 5 for 24 laps.

Cars on the lead lap: 11

Lead changes: 20 among 8 drivers.

Lap leaders: R. Newman 0; K. Busch 1; R. Newman 2-4; D. Jarrett 5-18; M. Waltrip 19-20; S. Compton 21; J. Johnson 22-65; K. Busch 66-70; J. Johnson 71-73; K. Busch 74-142; D. Jarrett 143-156; D. Blaney 157-183; K. Busch 184-196; D. Jarrett 197-199; K. Busch 200; D. Jarrett 201-219; K. Busch 220-227; J. Johnson 228; K. Busch 229-233; B. Elliott 234-236; J. Johnson 237-250.