I Can Smell The Dirt Now

I was just reading an article about the Prelude to the Dream that will be Wednesday night at Eldora Raceway in Rossburg, Ohio and I had a trip back to my roots. Oh man...check this out.

• Tony Stewart will drive one of his own cars, a Josh Richards-prepared, No. 20 Bass Pro Shops Rocket chassis. Rocket Chassis is just 15 short minutes down the road from where I live and my best friend showed me a picture of Tony's car when it was being prepared. It's cool to see something from my hometown in the prelude.

• Denny Hamlin will drive Dale McDowell’s No. 11 car sponsored by FedEx. I have watched Dale McDowell race for years. He's an amazing driver and will give D Ham an awesome car to race in. Too cool!

• Kevin Harvick will drive his own No. 29 Rocket chassis, sponsored by Childress Vineyards and prepared by Shane McDowell, Dale’s brother. Again, cool to see a Rocket Chassis car in the race.

• Ryan Newman will be in a Rocket/Steve Francis No. 12, Altel-sponsored car. Francis is the reigning World of Outlaw Late Model champion. Again..I've followed Steve Francis for years. Killer!

• Mark Martin will pilot the U.S. Army No. 8 car built and prepared by Billy Moyer M1 Victory Circle Racing. Billy Moyer is an amazing race car driver and it's cool to see Mark in one of his cars.

• Robbie Gordon will drive a Team Zero car prepared and owned by late model star Scott Bloomquist. I met Scott Bloomquist when I was a teenager and I adore him. He is one of the hottest things to ever hit dirt. Don't count out Robbie if he's driving a car Bloomer's prepared.

• Dave Blaney, a former World of Outlaw Sprint Car racer, will drive a Rocket/Tim Fuller-prepared car. I've met Dave Blaney at Jennerstown Speedway in PA and know that Dave's brother Dale also drives WoO Sprint cars. Way neat.

• Clint Bowyer, who owns two-time dirt track champion Shannon Babb’s team, will be in one of his own Rocket chassis racecars. I love that Rocket Chassis is preparing these guy's cars. They truly are the top notch chassis builders in the world...just my humble opinion.

• Carl Edwards and racing legend Red Farmer are teaming up in a pair of Stacy Holmes-prepared cars. Holmes is the reigning O’Reilly Southern All-Star Rookie of the Year. I have no clue who Stacy Holmes is but I'm glad his cars are getting some exposure.

• Bobby Labonte, a championship late model owner with driver Earl Pearson Jr., will drive one of his own cars, prepared by Pearson. I love the fact that these guys own late model teams, it is just too cool to know they support the up and coming stars of the sport.

• Ken Schrader and Kenny Wallace will pilot their own cars, the No. 9 Red Baron Pizza and the No. 36 JEGS.com cars, respectively. The two Ken's will make for one heck of a show, whether they win, lose or crash on the first lap.

I grew up going to dirt track races with my Dad. I loved getting to go to the pits and see the cars and the drivers. I was as excited to meet those guys as I was to meet the NASCAR stars that I've been priviledged to meet. There was just something about the smell of red clay, the tires and the fuel that takes me back to those days of late model stock cars and the names that I remember. It's been a long time since I've heard the roar of an engine or sat in my friend's race car, after having carefully manuevered my way behind the steering wheel.

There is no way you can see out the front of the car, you look out the side window and aim. The NASCAR guys are going to have so much fun when they hit the dirt at Eldora. I wish I could be there and leave covered in dirt from head to toe with marbles in my hair smelling like I've had my face stuck in an exhaust pipe. I don't have HBO so I will have to wait until they replay the race on SPEED later on in the summer, but my heart will be in Ohio with Denny Hamlin hoping he wins for the Fed Ex fan in me.

When I read that article, I was admittedly transported to my roots of Friday nights and Saturday and Sunday afternoons at I-79 Speedway, Pennsboro and Parkersburg for the STARS and such greats as Scott Bloomquist, Jack Boggs (man I miss him. RIP Jack), Freddie Smith, Mike Balzano, Donnie Moran, and my good friend Mark Myers. Who knew a love for the smell of dirt and alcohol could lead to a Denny Hamlin obsession and Fed Ex colors all over my walls? Those were the days and I cherish those memories. The Prelude will be an amazing night. If only I could be a part of it!