[Stick]

About a month ago the wife gave me an envelope and when I opened it she said loudly "Happy Birthday."
Now my birthday was quite a bit after the day I got that envelope but I opened it anyway at her insistence and when it was open there were two tickets for the Talladega 499 which was run last Sunday. The seats that were reserved by the tickets were high in the stands directly above the Start - Finish line of the track. Section D, Row 42, Seats 15 & 16.
My best friend Jenny (my daughter) and I headed for the track, which is just a two hour drive from the house, at 6:00 a.m. last Sunday morning. From where we were seated at the track we could easily see every inch of the track.
Both Jenny and I are gimps and it was a climb to get to the seats, a rewarding climb. It was easy to see every inch of the track and if two cars went past the Start/Finish line side by side we could see which car was leading, even if it was leading by just a few inches at the line. With the exception of the red-neck sitting beside me it was by far and away the BEST race I've ever been to and I've been to many races before. I hate crashes during a race especially if those crashes could have been avoided but there were no "dirty" wrecks during the entire 499 miles of the race.
We've driven by the track a few times and every time we have I've sworn that someday I would go and see a race there.
You should have heard the crowd when the Flag was presented and the Star Spangled Banner was signed and sung.
If they were singing "Happy Birthday" there is no way I could have been more proud or felt any better.