Thankful for Racing and Baseball (Sports)

2Nov2015

Sunday I spend most of my day watching NASCAR.  The big stories of the day will be the winner, the wreck and the Chase.  I started watching really keeping up with auto racing around 1997 or 1998.  I had a girlfriend at the time who was interested in Winston Cup (later Nextel, then Sprint) series.  I also found out that my Mom was also interested in Auto racing, so she and I started getting more seriously following different series.  When Winston Cup and the Busch (later Nationwide, then Xfinity) Series first came to Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 1998, we were only able to get tickets to the Busch race. By now, I was interested in in a young, very successful driver named Jeff Gordon.    This was the era when Dale Earnhardt was very popular.

Mom and I had fun going to races, and watching on television.  We both got interested in local racing too.  With both started rooting for the two young teenage drivers who were winning often at our local track.  These young men were Kurt and Kyle Busch.  Many years before either of them got their chance at the Craftman Truck Series.  1999, it was easier to get autographs from some drivers.  A new rookie driver was signing autographs from his souvenir trailer.  I debated between the 1/64 and the 1/24 die-cast.  I now regret only getting the small 1/64.  I started following that driver too, and later that year he won his first Winston Cup race.  (At the time, it was rare for a rookie to win).  That rookie now talks about retiring next year.  He name is Tony Stewart.    For other reasons I have rooted for many different drivers.  I'm not a member of Jr. Nation, but I will cheer to Dale Earnhardt Jr.

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The cup race isn't the only game I watched on Sunday.  I also came in the middle of the Mets vs Royals World Series Game.  I normally don't watch a lot of baseball.  I do remember in 1986, seeing a couple of games at Candlestick Park, watching the San Francisco Giants.  This year, my friend Jean asked if I wanted to go see a Las Vegas 51's Game.  The 51's are the local AAA team.  We started going to Saturday evening games when we could go and they were in town starting in June.  We made it to several games, and both became fans.  I even listened to a few games from their live broadcasts.  I was disappointed when they lost their division in the last few games of the year.

The interesting part?  the 51's are the AAA farm team, for the New York Mets.  So when they beat the Chicago Cubs, and move to the World Series, I've been watching the games when I could.

I'll sometimes watch other sports, but I'm thankful for these two sports that keep me entertained.