Heck Yes !

H

Happy29

Guest
I met Sterling Marlin at the Sunset Station Casino here in Henderson/Green Valley, he autographed my 1/64 Sterling Marlin Diecast and he autographed two pictures for my brother and my mom and I was about to get a Coors Light Racing T-Shirt that I won just an hour before, autographed by Sterling but I noticed there were lots of kids and people right behind me so I thought that Sterling was only going to be there for like only 10-20 minutes so I just decided just to not worry about the shirt getting signed and then I went to say "Thanks Sterling!" and move on and I wished him Good luck in the race.

Tomorrow, I hope I can see Kevin Harvick or Mark Martin or anyone else after the Busch Series race. All these drivers are real role models, and you know these guys are very very approachable and really get in touch with the fans unlike Tiger Woods who I met a couple a years ago when I was writing an article for the School District Newspaper, Tiger only had like 2 minutes to answer my question and a media session and then I took a photo with him and unfortunately he had to leave early because of sponsorship stuff.

Gotta really commend the drivers for keeping loyal to their fans. I'll be back in this thread reporting what I see and who I meet.


Until then... Happy will see you later.
 
Happy's Tour through:

Sam's Town 300
Las Vegas Motor Speedway
NASCAR Busch Grand National Series

-------------

post-8-1078634491.jpg


When you go to Las Vegas Motor Speedway or any cookie cutter track, you would think "eh, Boring!" or "God, put me out of my misery right now and bring me back to life when the race is over!"

My brother and I arrived at LVMS and while there, I picked up.... you guessed it, an autographed 1/24 GM Goodwrench Chevy 2004 Nextel Cup and a new GM Goodwrench hat.

Then, we saw one of the best finishes in NASCAR Busch Grand National history go down to the wire, Kevin Harvick, my favorite driver, 2001 Cup Rookie of the Year and winner of four races up against an upstart, consistent Kasey Kahne. Ironic that with 20 laps to go, my brother and I nearly left when it basically became a one car runaway show with Matt Kenseth, then we had some excitement when Kenseth and Sauter banged together, this is cool! Two drivers I dont root for at all, were going at it, then they got each other damaged.

Then when Kevin Harvick took the lead from Matt Kenseth, I just stood up on the bleechers and yelled "KEVINNNN YOU RULLEEEEE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!" and just went nuts! Then, I noticed the 38 Dodge creeping up very fast on the 21, yes I thought the 38 with the speed he had would outgun him for the win, however I had faith in Kevin. During the final laps, there wasn't anyone sitting down so I decided to stand on top of the bleachers with my camera at the ready, I knew something was going to happen and it was going to be big!

Then I saw Harvick and Kahne side-by-side coming to the checkered flag, I just looked into my camera and clicked once....... little did I know that six hours later it would produce a pretty cool shot, even though photography for me is like obeying the law for Michael Jackson. I peered out of my camera and I just looked and I saw Harvick down on the apron just a brief moment after he crossed the finish line? Who won? Who lost? Then I looked at the scoring tower......

21
38

"YES !!!!!!!!!!!! HARVICK YOU'RE THE MAN !!!!!!!!!!!!!! ARRIGHT !!!!!!!!!!!! HELL YEAH !!!!!!!!!!!"

Going crazy.... and then taking a pic of Kevin's burnout.....
 

Attachments

  • Harvickburnout.jpg
    Harvickburnout.jpg
    149.9 KB · Views: 10
So, my brother and I continued out of the track after watching Harvick celebrate in victory lane from afar. Then we decided to go outside and wait for Kevin to appear at the GM Goodwrench Souvenir trailer.

It took 40 minutes... but it finally happened..... in chaos! :eek:

Lots of people were pushing each other, the place was real real crowded, even kids were getting squished by the crowd, people trying to get in and get Kevin's autograph, people trying to get the hell out and I was on both columns there! Finally I just inched ever closer, it felt like I was in the bottom of a pool being sat on by seven fat guys, someone was right here and someone was right there.

Finally, the person in front of me went, and the little space I needed to squeeze in presented itself. Like a tackled wide receiver towards an endzone, I just put my hat on the table for Kevin to sign, Kevin was right across from me still signing and I guess a PR manager being shocked at the situation unfolding before his eyes. I managed to squeeze through though. I said to Kevin "Hey, Kevin, you're the greatest, man! You did a great job out there today !"

Then he responded "Hey thanks man !" and he signed my hat and I said "Thank you" and then he said "You're Welcome"

Wow, I finally spoke more than a word to a Nextel Cup driver. Kevin to me seemed very approachable and looked very friendly towards his fans and had time to speak and time to sign.

Then, the problem, how to get out of this human moshpit! I found a huge guy who was also heading out, and I got him like a Running Back and a blocker shoving heading for the endzone!

I made it out, but my sides were hurting from all the pushing, I felt very sore, it felt like I was hit from the sides with hammers. I looked frantically for my older brother who also went into the fray looking to get a Harvick autograph.

"Man, did those fat guys swallow him?" I thought.

Finally, he was ok, he came out and I saw him where we expected to meet after this endeavor, the Budweiser Dale Earnhardt Jr. souvenir trailer. He also had a Kevin Harvick shirt autographed by Kevin !!

Well, we decided to pack it up and head on home for the night. We will be back there tomorrow for the Cup race, hopefully it will be a blast and I'll post more pictures up!

See you later,
Bryan

EDIT: Oh and my bro and I had all our experiences on camcorder even the autograph with Kevin!
 

Attachments

  • Kevinsigning.jpg
    Kevinsigning.jpg
    154.4 KB · Views: 18
Thanks Guys

Hey... you wont believe who I met on Sunday.

I met Robby Gordon and Scott Riggs, luckily they were signing die-casts and I got a chance to talk to both of them, really nice guys they were. I'll have pictures of em up later today
 
Originally posted by Happy29@Mar 8 2004, 10:23 AM
I met Robby Gordon and Scott Riggs, luckily they were signing die-casts and I got a chance to talk to both of them, really nice guys they were. I'll have pictures of em up later today
Click to expand...
Seriously??? Then, yes, you are the man. No wait, Scott Riggs is the man.
 
Sounds like you had a great weekend Happy, congratulations :cheers:
 
I am HAPPY for you HAPPY! Please bring Reeses Blizzards to the next GBFC meeting! :lol:
Seriously, to meet and greet your fav driver and have pics too!
 
Thanks again you guys.

I got some serious sunburn from the races, that and a Ford won :( .

I am seriously mad at the speedway! I had my gatorade and powerade bottles confiscated, and I went dehydrated for most of the day because the vendors sold Cokes and Sprites at $4 a bottle, luckily I hid 4 coca cola cans at the bottom of my backpack.

I got stuff signed by Robby Gordon and Scott Riggs right before the UAW Daimler Chrysler 400, I got my picture taken with Scott, so Riggs10fan must be jealous :D and I got time to snap two shots of Robby G. Also, I heard Matt Kenseth was at his trailer, sorry Matt, unless your name is Elliott Sadler, Mark Martin or maybe Dale Jarrett, I dont have any good feelings towards Ford but I do respect them. Sorry Ford fans! :D

Anyway, the race sucked kinda, and it sucked even worse when Kevin ran out of fuel! Damn that fuel mileage calculator!

The worse part of the day came when my older brother's Budweiser Jacket was stolen, I saw him take it out with him from the stands, it must've been swiped by someone when I turned my back. No, we havent gotten it back unfortunately. Guess my brother and I learned today that there are untrustworthy people in the world. Couldve been worse, some lost or got taken from them their keys, wallets, hell, some guy lost $500.00 worth of merchandise, fortunately a woman got her merchandise bag returned to her and her rented scanner back.

When we came to the car, we were dehydrated, that and we went thirsty in traffic. I was so tired from being at the speedway probably a total of 16 or so hours, walking from here to there, getting 3 hours of sleep a day throughout the weekend that my legs felt they were about to collapse. Luckily, after we got out of traffic and got to a convienience store where we got gatorade, water and food and stuff like that.

All in all, met 4 drivers, got lots of merchandise but had a Budweiser Jacket I bought during last years race stolen. Not a bad weekend though, we do plan to return next year, heck we might go to California or Phoenix or Daytona this year, and we will definitely make the CART race.

Again, I hope to get the shots developed, I'll have pics later on today, man I'm still sore !
 
Well Happy it sounds like it was a good time for you and your brother...I've always enjoyed going to Vegas...it's much fun watching that race in person then on tv! Did you win any money along with all the other fun stuff you did?
 
Nope, unfortunately I didnt win any money, too young to gamble :D .

Only thing I won was a free coors light racing t-shirt they gave at the Sterling Marlin Autograph Session at the Sunset Station casino here in Henderson. Luckily, Henderson is only 20 or so miles from Vegas so we didnt really have to go far but with us being tired it seemed like 100. We drove for about an hour or two in nose-to-tail traffic from the speedway.

I hear traffic is still backed up a bit, the action is going on at McCarran Airport where lots of the fans are trying to get home, still very busy over there.
 
We stayed at Sunset Station last year....and at 6:15pm we were still in the parking lot at the race track.....the traffic is the worst I've ever been in!!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom