ALEX WHO?!?!?!

By now you have probably heard the news that Alex Bowman will be driving the 88 car in 2018.  I am so excited to hear this news because I am Alex Bowman's biggest fan!

I bet you don't know anyone else who can say they are a Bowman fan, let alone his biggest fan!  Let me tell you my Alex Bowman story ....

Several years ago we were at the race in Dover.  We always meet up with the same people every year there, and one of our traditions is to put $5 in the hat and pull a driver's name.  Winner of the race wins the pot.  I hardly ever win anything (although one year I did win $100 when I pulled Jimmie Johnson's name!) because usually the guy whose name I pull is out of the race within the first 100 laps!  It's kind of a standing joke actually.  Well, this one time we were pulling our names and I reached into the hat and pulled out - you guessed it - Alex Bowman!!  WHO?!?!  I really thought the guy who puts the pool together was pulling a fast one on me!  "C'mon man!  This isn't even a real guy!" I said.  No, they assured me, he is a real guy.  He drives the #7 car for Tommy Baldwin Racing. So, of course, I had to check this out and see for myself!

By golly, there he was!  Of course that day he only ran a very small part of the race, but from that point on ALEX BOWMAN was on my radar!

Fast forward to last year when Alex Bowman was called up to drive the 88 car while Jr. recuperated from his concussion syndrome.  And Alex does really well.  Really well!  But he still doesn't seem to be rising to Big Star level.  I saw him at Charlotte last fall walking through the garage area, and no one paid any attention to him (except me, of course!) which never happens when a driver is walking thru that area.  There are ALWAYS groupies trailing them, seeking autographs or photos.  But not for Alex!  No one even did a double take (except me, of course!)

At least Claire B. Lang recognized him and got an interview!

I finally got the chance to meet Alex at Richmond.  He was doing a Q & A, and even then, not very many people stopped what they were doing to come see him (except me, of course!)  I think I acted like a 10 year old at a Justin Bieber concert!!  I probably even scared him a little bit!  He was very gracious and even let Hubby snap a quick photo.  Made this old lady's day!

So there you have my Alex Bowman story!  Next year when everyone is all excited about this "new kid," I'm going to be able to say "Yeah, well I knew him when ... and I really am his biggest fan!!"

TOP FIVE FUN THINGS TO DO IN CHARLOTTE

I hope some of you who are reading this post are camping at Charlotte this week for the All-Star race and the 600 next weekend.  If you have never been to Charlotte, you need to put this trip on your Nascar bucket list!

A visit to this area is like a pilgrimmage to the Nascar holy lands!  And I don't think you even really need to be a big fan to have a great time here.  Hubby and I have been here twice (and both time we brought a hurricane with us!!) and we really love the area.  Here are our Top 5 Things To Do in Charlotte:

1.  NASCAR HALL OF FAME

So many cool things to see here!  And not everything is a car or an engine, although there is plenty of that.  You can also see things like Junior Johnson's still that he used to make the moonshine which was the reason the old guys started racing back in the day.

One of the things I appreciated most here was all the great rocking chairs they have on every floor - think Cracker Barrel's porch.  Lots of spouses choose to hang out here while their S. O. finishes looking at the exhibits.

Check the schedule for the drivers' appearance too.  It is a great place for a casual and personal Q & A.

2.  RCR SHOP

Especially if you have a Dale Earnhart fan with you, this place is a Must See!  There are lots and lots of #3 cars on display here.  Some of the other more interesting things here are a brief history of the relationship between Dale and Richard,

the Childress hunting trophy room that puts Cabela's to shame, and if you time it right you might get a chance to say 'Hello' to Chocolate Myers while he does his Sirius XM radio show!

3.  THE CHILDRESS WINERY

I would recommend going to the RCR shop in the morning and then heading over to his winery for a lovely lunch!  We did the wine tasting first, and can I just say .... delicious!  This is a gorgeous spot to spend a few hours.  And be sure to pick up a few bottles of wine to take home.  I highly recommend their special white wine called simply "3".  It is an easy drinking white wine - not too sweet and not too dry.  And the '3' on the label is the same style as the 3 on Dale's race car, so if you know anyone who was a big 3 fan, this would be a fantastic gift!

4.  HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS SHOP

You don't have to be a Hendrick fan to appreciate this place (although if you ARE a Hendrick fan, you willed be WOW-ed!)

There are two truly unique things to see here.  Be sure to look around the grounds (which are immaculate, by the way!) and see the fitness facility!  There is no doubt why everyone affiliated with this team is in tip-top shape!

And perhaps my most favorite thing at all of the shops we visited was the beautiful fountain that Mr. Hendrick had built in memory of the family and team members who were killed in a plane crash leaving the Martinsville track.  It is somber and moving and very meaningful, a truly beautiful tribute to those special people and to the faith that sustains them.

And last, but certainly not least ...

5.  RICHARD PETTY MOTORSPORTS

Take a giant step back in time, and plan to spend a few hours here!  You will see Petty's original garage, complete with that 'garagey' smell - you know the one I mean.  It smells just like your grandpa's workshop used to smell.  

There is just so much to see here -- there is a great video about the King and his wife and how they built their family life.  There is display case after display case of the all the things he collected over the years.  Whenever it was possible, he bought the 43rd of a series.  And something unique to this shop is the kids' corner!  It is a great little spot with toy cars and other race stuff for the kiddos to play with while you look around.  And then there is this ...

HOW COOL IS THAT?!?!?

Be sure to keep your eyes open for The King himself!  He hangs out here alot and will gladly snap a photo with you.  We saw him drive in in his super cool black Mustang, but he hurried off to a meeting the day we were there.  But we did catch a glimpse of him!

And I would also add to be sure to visit the shop of your favorite driver.  You can see all the team's trophies and buy some souvenirs too!

Have you been to Charlotte?  If you have, what was your favorite place to visit?