312.06 mph

we spent yesterday out at infineon watching the nhra drag racing nationals and so much of what i saw yesterday brought back amazing memories of my childhood.

mom ... it was hard being there without you yesterday but i think mike is in love so we're planning on lots and lots of drag events to see. next time you'll be next to me and we'll be oooh-ing and ah-ing and feeling our hearts racing togther, ok? xo

you see, when i was little my mom was a drag racer. she had a tricked out mini toyota truck called lil buddy {named after my step-father}. it was small and fast and in the height of her racing she had a nitrous injector, which is now apparently banned.

as soon as i felt the shaking & pounding of my heart and body when the top fuel cars went speeding past us {the top car went 312 mph in under 4 seconds!!} i was in heaven. i remembered things i hadn't thought about since i was a child. walking through the pits and seeing engines ripped apart. watching everyone write their times on the windshields with white shoe polish markers as we waited in line for mom's turn to race. sitting in the passenger seat of our blue pickup on the side track and racing after my mom to the end of that 1/4 track so we could tow her back to the pit before her next round if and when she qualified, and she qualified alot!

and i especially remember being there when she won. female racers were few and far between back then and i have always loved telling friends about her racing. it's always been one of those things i will be happy to brag about... "oh, my mom was a drag racer ... she was really good!" :)

it makes me so proud to know that she was part of a sport that was and is SO intense and fast.

 

i remember traveling to all of the tracks we'd go to {baylands, bakersfield, and so many more i can't remember} i saw so many amazing cars and some amazing drivers, like shirley muldowney and some amazing jet cars that would light up the sky after dark. oh... such good memories.

we would travel to baylands in fremont the most and i have searched and searched online for some good track pics and i managed to find a few like this and this. i love the shot of the old cars smoking their tires.

mom... does this bring back good memories??

this is ben of course, right after he saw his first top fuel dragster rocket down the track. this boy ate yesterday up which we knew he would. he was sad we couldn't go back today. me too bud. me too!

we walked through the pits and got to see some of the teams rebuilding the engines between runs. it was hot and crazy and i kept hearing the kids ooh and ahh when they'd take a funny car body off or the mechanics would throw down a broken part.

 

seriously good times people. good. times.

happy sunday!
xo

Comments

[Julie]

This makes me HAPPY! :):):):):):):):):) Loveeeeeeeeee the photo of Ben....and GO MOM! :):):):):):):):):)

[Holly Hanks]

Your mom was a drag-racer?!? How uber-cool is that! Loved the story, and the pics. Thanks for sharing, KL. :0)

[Beth Perry]

that is one amazing story. and your mom is wicked cool! I love that pic of Ben with his tongue out! lol

[Robyn]

sooo cool about your mom!!! love that your son loves it too.

[vee]

that looks like so much fun!!! :)

[Angie Delarie]

I live at the drags here in perth > my husband drag races and i'm about to join him! Great snaps!

[becca]

I LOVE the sound of a racecar revving up...love the feel of the motor in my chest, my toes.
I also love the smell of diesal fuel.
It brings back such great family memories for me.

Who knew we had that in common too?

Love you.
xoxo.

[becca]

p.s. The diesel fuel smell is from the tractors and grain trucks and occasionally, a farm pickup, would use...I made it seem like that's what I thought racecars burn.

I know the difference.

Also--did you know I raced once? On a track, I mean. In Topeka, KS. I did okay--made it to semi-finals. Felt that high for DAYS.

xoxo.

[melanie]

this is one of the coolest things i've seen in some time. and your mom? she sounds fierce :) i was a big Shirley fan...