Judy Kay in Vegas - 2009 - 3 Sisters Racing

Two thousand and nine. The best of times...and the worst of times. A history-making year in NASCAR, and very eventful for this seester, also. Although my driver, the phenomenal Mr. Gordon (Jeff of course) fell 179 points short of the championship, we are both optimistic that his 19th year at the Cup Level will result in his 5th championship. That's what is so great about having such a passion for something: it never disappoints, because there is always good to be found. Whether it's the rivalries: Denny Hamlin vs. Brad Keslowski; Carl Edwards vs. Brad Keslowski; Kyle Busch vs. Brad Keslowski; (what's the common denominator there, hmmmm); Tony Stewart and JPM; Kurt Busch vs his crew chew, AND his owner; or the fact that your driver has set history by winning FOUR CONSECUTIVE Championships; NASCAR racing never seems to let us down.
There were some horrendous wrecks: Carl Edwards tumbling down the fence at Talladega, Kyle Busch going airborne after trying to block Tony at Daytona, and Ryan Newman literally getting the piss scared out of him after flipping at, once again, Talladega. There were some snoozefests also, mostly involving Jimmie Johnson, Phoenix in the fall comes to mind. When that 48 car is hooked up and running up front, it's time to turn your attention to the race for second. But no matter what, NASCAR racing will always have you out of your seat, looking down the track, wondering what is going to happen next...
Personally, my year was also the best of times... becoming Mrs. Dane Cross, and the worst of times...losing our wonderful father, Carl "Rusty" Russell. He predicted Jimmie winning his fourth consecutive championship, and over time, became a huge Hendrick fan. He was a man who thought before he spoke, and knew a ton about NASCAR. With the Hendrick boys finishing 1-2-3, he's up there smiling, saying "That's Okay."
What happens in Vegas...
I became Judy Cross on February 26, 2009. I married a wonderful man that just happens to be a NASCAR fan, as is my stepson, Chase. So when we decided to get married in Las Vegas, it was just natural to "do it" during Race Weekend! So in Late February we left the bitter cold of Kansas (at least that is what I choose to remember the weather as being!) for the warmth of the desert. It was Dane's first flight, and it was the first time I have ever flown over the Rockies during the day. A spectacular sight, with the snow capped mountains giving way to the painted deserts of the West. We were joined by my seester Kathy and husband Joe, who was the expert when it came to laying our money down for our favorite drivers. My niece Shannon and our friend Andrew flew in on the Thursday morning of the wedding, and we preceded to eat, drink and pamper ourselves to excess. The first part of the trip was all about the wedding, and we tied the knot on a downtown rooftop at 10 o'clock in the evening, overlooking the spectacular lights of the Las Vegas Strip. As with most other significant events of my life, there was a flyover, this time by the Goodyear blimp!
When the Cup haulers got to town, they paraded down the Strip. Even for Vegas, it was quite the extravaganza. If you ever get a chance to see a Hauler parade, take advantage of it, truly a sight to behold. The track at Vegas is right next to Nellis Air Force base, home to the F-16 Thunderbirds, needless to say, the flyovers were fantastic all weekend. Friday we took the train to the NASCAR Cafe to watch qualifying, stopping at the MGM Grand to put down our bets for the upcoming seasons. Not just NASCAR, but College Basketball, the NFL, heck, you can bet on the WFL, or even soccer, if you happen to care about those so-called sports. Apparently the odds set at the Sports Book of the MGM are what most of the lines are based on for betting. Like I said, it was nice having Joe give us "the bottom line". I put my money down on Jeff to win the Championship, and of course Kathy bet on "Jimmie, Jimmie, Jimmie" whose odds were surprisingly the same as Jeff's: 5-1. It's not easy to win 4 consecutive championships, but we now know who cashed in on that bet! The track is a one and a half mile behemoth that covers the valley floor, rimmed by beautiful mountains. A drag strip is adjacent to the track. Our cousin, Greg Nitcher, tells me he and Eric try to meet there every year. (I always knew there was racing flowing through the Nichols bloodline!) As usual, we shopped the discount trailers, and loaded ourselves down with free crap. We stopped at the PRN broadcast, and lo and behold, here comes Kyle Bush riding in a white van, inconspicuous despite being a hometown boy. He regaled the crowd with his sarcasm and finger-pointing, and then the real star came in: Jeff Gordon. He was whisked in like the 4-time champion star he is, and proceeded to answer questions and sign autographs for a good 30 minutes. Jeff realizes that, with this economy, a driver needs to be more accessible, because people are spending their hard-earned money padding these guys pockets. Did anyone notice, but me, that Jeff is aging very gracefully? The trip for me was, the best of both worlds: watching and enjoying NASCAR racing and a wonderful vacation with my new husband and family. A little side note: Kyle Bush won the Cup race. Next on the racing horizon, ROAD TRIP!