My Daytona bucket list 

Longtime faithful readers of this column probably know that last weekend I was on a quest to check off an overdue Daytona bucket list item which I did. Let me tell you about it.

We’ve actually been preparing for a 14 hour endurance event with our Race to End Alzheimer’s car that is named Dunkey’s Flying Carpet since our last race in September . My sons, O.B., Barsh and I, built a new engine, changed rear end gear ratios and many other fine tuning items to get the car ready for its debut on the high-banked oval of Daytona.

We got the car all packed along with our tools and equipment last Wednesday. O.B. and I left about 6 PM Thursday evening in an RV and arrived at trackside close to 1 Am Friday not knowing where to park or what gate to enter. We wheeled into the back parking lot of a Cracker Barrel ® restaurant right next to the track and we were off to sleep in no time.

We were up by 6:30 AM Friday walking around the track to find out where we were suppose to enter for a “first come-first served” spot to park the RV; it worked perfectly because we were the first RV in line out of an eventual 100+. Soon as the gates were opened  we drove our rig through the tunnel under the track to the infield and we were “off to the races” as they say!

Shortly behind us my sons showed up with the truck and race car tucked neatly away in the trailer. We got to unpack the car and pull it into one of the NASCAR stalls just like the “Big Boys.” Adrenaline already starting to flow!

At 8 AM sharp on Saturday we were at the pre-race driver’s meeting at the “Winner’s Circle” right in front of the Chevrolet ® Building. After our final instructions about flags, pit row speed limits, penalties, etc it was time for the National anthem and a God-honoring invocation. That done, it was down to our #4 spot on pit lane to finish suiting up, final driver-to-crew communications check , last minute pictures in front of the iconic Daytona International Speedway sign and climb into the car, in full race suit and helmet as in through the window-less door and between sections of the roll bar. 

As I said in last week’s column, my sons wanted me to be the first one out on the track because they wanted me to have a chance to get used to the track behind the pace car before all out racing when the green flag dropped. That was smart because that slow speed environment along with my simulator practice at my son’s for the last few weeks made it possible for me to have a real answer to my earnest prayer which was “Father, please give me a supernatural peace, calm, confidence and competence” as I enter this race. He answered the prayer on all counts; mind you, this was only my second time being strapped into the race car and my first time going onto the high-banked oval where were expecting to be easily passed by cars much faster than our 140 MPH. So peace, calm, confidence and competence don’t come naturally!

Then came the call: “Driver’s start your engines,” and a wave of the flag to head out onto the track. After a few laps behind the pace car, the green flag finally dropped and I floored it into turn one and onto the 31° high bank. After a lap and a half, there was an accident on a chicane in the back strait-away that forced out a caution flag while the tow trucks came out and cleared the track. 

Fortunately I didn’t get tangled up in the accident but unfortunately, that was my last full speed lap before experiencing an engine problem that the whole crew worked feverishly on for the rest of the day. In fact, one of my sons made two 100 mile round trips to a parts store to get us new fuel injectors that we installed but to no avail in solving the root cause of the problem.

So what was the bottom line of our Daytona outing after only completing a few laps before having to drop out? It could have been an expletive explosion of frustration as is often the case in these kinds of situations, but not here. After all, out team scripture verse which is prominently displayed on the back of the car is Hebrews 12:1 “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.” 

So, no room for nasty behavior in our track-side shop; in fact, about 10 PM, as we were packing up the trailer to call it a day, the matron of the professional team in the next bay, came over to my son, David, to compliment him on how well the team worked together all day without one curse word. That was a bigger trophy to me than the ones that collect dust after getting tucked away on a bookshelf somewhere!

Thanks for helping to make my Daytona Bucket list come true by letting me tell you about it in this week’s All about Seniors’ column.

Thanks for reading All About Seniors… see you next week!

PS, If you go to the Facebook address below you will find lots of pictures to help you pull this story together.     

Bill Milby is a Director of Visiting Angels® of Central Georgia, a non-medical, living assistance service for seniors. If you have questions or comments about this column you can reach him at william.mercylink@gmail.com or search for us at  https://www.facebook.com/VisitingAngelsofCentralGA