Archive

a reminder of whats important in life

November 7, 2006

There are so many things in life that we take for granted. life itself is probably the biggest. Its only when we are faced with death of the possibility of it, that we realize whats really important. Shortly after writing my last entry, my best friend was diagnosed with acute luekemia. While we were in Atlanta on that Friday, she was at my house taking care of my kids, like she has done for the past fifteen years. She just thought it was a cold or the flu that was making her sick, but as she got worse she went to the doctor. What happened next was unfaceable. She was immediately admitted to the hospital and under going chemo. I was in total shock. She has now been there for a week, but she is strong in her faith and doing well. I would like to request that everyone reading this would please say a prayer of healing for my friend Juanita Ritchie. I was scheduled to fly to Texas, but under the circumstances, I did'nt go. I instead took Juanita a basket full of pajamas along with a poodle shaped pillow for her to curl up with. For the next couple of days I was feeling out of sorts, because Chad left on Wednesday and it was now Friday. Its hard for us to be apart very long. We are each others support. Chad knew I was having withdrawls from not being with him, so he called me often to keep me informed with everything that was going on at the track. The whole day of Friday I did nothing but watch the speed channel. Chad not only was qualifying for the cup race, he also was for the Busch race. He did'nt make the cup race, but made the Busch race. After all the qualifying was over it was now time for the trucks to take the track for their race. Saturday was full of "mom" things, from the school chili event for Chaz to taking Chase to trap practice. And inbetween all that I had to make sure we were back in time to watch the Busch race. Later that night, Chad finally returned home. I was glad not only because I missed him but because our two labs have been keeping me up at night with their barking. They, Stonewall and Forrest only mind what Chad tells them to do. We have only had them a year and a half and I cant even begin to tell you what all they have cost us in damage to properity and landscaping. we laugh about it now that they are older. We also have three cats which I love, because they are no trouble at all. I have to brag a little on Chase. Sunday he killed his first deer with a bow. All I wanted to know, was it a good shot or did the deer suffer? Chase said, mom it only ran about ten yards and dropped. It was a good shot. My dad "pop" would be proud. I did go to the nursing home to tell him all about it. I dont know if he hears me or not but just in case he does, I wanted him to know he taught his grandson well.

Posted by Cyndi at 10:17 AM

ATLANTA

October 31, 2006

Chad and I left for Atlanta on thursday. I was glad that we drove and used the time together to catch up on everything that happened thoughtout the week. We stay so consumed with our recycling business while we are in town, that we only have time to really talk when we leave for the weekend. Everything was going great until Chad received a call from the cup team. It seems as though rain is in the forcast for Friday and qualifying would probably be set by points. Therefore that would be great because the 61 would be in the race. However, it would be ceaper apparently for the chev. in which kevin Lapage drives to carry the 61 on his car. Chad would have to set this one out. I felt so bad for Chad because I knew how he was feeling inside. He was really upset at first, but we just decided that we would put all are emphasis towards the truck race. The rain came on Friday as predicted and everything was cancelled for the day. We didnt let the rain or the situation with the cup deal get us down because it also was our anniversay. We have been married for 19 years. It was a great day. We went shopping, to the movies and to dinner. The next day we got up early and went to the track. I spent most of the day hanging out in the lounge of the hauler. Its alot more fun than it probably sounds because everyone at some point or another gather there to either bench race or talk about what they may have seen or experienced that particular weekend. The trucks were going out to practice, so I went to the top of the hauler to watch. We ended up 14th. That gave everyone a positive outlook for the race. After a long day at the track, it was time for the pre race ceremonies. Instead of going to driver intos with Chad I waited by the truck for him. He asked me the same question, are you nervous? I can honestly say I wasn't. I have alot of faith in Chad as a race car driver and also Danny Rollins his crew chief along with the whole team. The race didn't end the way we had hoped. Chad unknowingly came up on a car to the outside and crashed. That made for a quiet ride home that night. The next morning, Chad told me he did'nt sleep because he kept hitting the wall over and over. It's always like that the next morning after a bad race. You have this sickening feeling in your stomach and the only relief is to get back to the track and hope for a better outcome.

Posted by Cyndi at 11:45 AM

charlotte/martinsville

October 24, 2006

last weekend as well as this one, has not been very exciting nor worth writing about. My mom who lives an hour from me has decided too move closer, so we have been looking at homes to find that perfect one. I have missed not being at the track the last two weeks. Chad had too leave way to early in the week for both races, so I chose to stay at home. Besides helping my mom, I also was consumed with the kids and their activites. Chase our oldest son loves to deer hunt. The problem is Chad and I are not at all interested in killing animals. I could'nt kill a mouse much less a deer. My dad until his accident took Chase on hunts and taught him everything about guns and hunting. My brother Gary JR. (bubba) is the one I go to now to take Chase. So after Chase on Saturday got through at his school trap team tournament which they placed 2nd, he got to go deer hunting. I was getting ready to be glued to the TV to watch the truck race, when Chad called to tell me he loved me before he went to driver intos. It was at that moment I started having anxiety attack of not being with him. I however, knew too keep a calm voice and tell him to be safe and I loved him very much. The race started and things seemed to be going okay as much as I could tell by watching the ticker across the screen. For most of the race, I was pretty calm. It was about twenty to go when I had too stand up and pace the floor. I then started talking to Chad as if he would hear me, telling him to be smart but be aggressive. It was over and we finished 11th. I was so proud of Chad and the team. Chad finally got home on Sunday, and all we did was order pizza and watch the cup race. I'm looking forward to getting back to the track at Atlanta.

Posted by Cyndi at 8:53 AM

Talladega

October 10, 2006

There are two tracks that I as a wife dreed. That's Daytona and Talladega. I think my heart starts beating twice as fast just thinking about racing there. Chad left early thursday morning in order to get there in time to practice the Craftmans truck for Jim Harris. I decided to stay home an extra day, then drive down Friday afternoon. When I got there Chad and I ate dinner in a cool place in downtown Birmingham called the five points. Racing at this level has truely given us the opportunity to visit and admire differnet cities. Chad and I talk about when the day comes when we are sitting in our rocking chairs reminiscing about the days we chased our dream aroung the country. We will say, how did we do all that flying,packing,etc... I can say however it has been worth every moment! Saturday will be a busy day for us. Chad has too practice and qualify the cup car for Bob Jenkins, then race later in the truck race. I went to the cup garage first to give my support to the team. They are a great group of guys. Bob is one of the best owners we have worked for in racing. He understands there will be good and bad races. He also spends his own money to be able to participate in the sport, where other owners spend sponsor money. Unfortunatly, we didn't make the race but I feel we gave it a strong effort. We left the cup side to head to the trucks. The people associated with HT Motorsports from the team to friends and of course Jim and Sherri Harris are all great. It was getting close too race time,and I could feel the butterflies. The race was underway and for the first half of the race, Chad was driving patiently so my nerves were okay at that point. However the laps were winding down and the jocking for position was starting. Everyone was anticipating the "Big One" any monent. There were about 20 to go and you could feel everyones heart beating. Then there was 10 to go and noone was sitting down. The last lap took my breath. Chad finished 8th and I think we as a team needed that. everyone was high fiven! Chad and I had a great dinner that night. We relaxed and just reflected on the happenings during the race. It's nice to be pleased with the finish of a race.

Posted by Cyndi at 5:50 PM

My Weekend at Home

October 2, 2006

I can only start out by saying, it is nice to have a break from the fast paced life we have in racing. Although it is hard not to be with Chad, I find such joy in the simple things in life. Such things as drinking coffee outside so I can watch the birds fly around our 200 year old oak tree or ride around in my Jeep with the top down, baseball cap on and listening to Fleetwood Mac, Montgomery Gentry, or the Grease Soundtrack. The majority of people would probably think that sounds so boring, but you see I am not the woman in red nor the girl next door. I fit somewhere in the middle of those two. I am a down to earth kind of person. So that is how my Friday started. The kids were at school, so I had all day to do what I wanted. However at all times, I knew what was going on in Kansas! I made my way to visit our friend, Larry Hicklin, who owns a civil war relic shop. He keeps me up to date on the latest camp site he has found and relics he has dug up. I told him racing season was drawing to a close and to keep us in mind the next time he goes relic hunting. By this time I only had a few more hours before I had to get home to watch qualifying. I went by and visited with my dad for a while. When I left there I had some lunch. Meanwhile Chad called and asked how my day was going and if I knew where he ended up in practice. Even though I already knew the answer I could tell he was pleased with the times because of the tone of his voice. I never totally let him know how much fun I am having because I feel guilty. The reason is because Chad doesn't like for me to stay home. The problem with Cup series racing is that we leave on Thursday and typically do not get home til Monday. This year is our first year in the Nextel Cup, so we are not use to being away from home so much. In the truck series we race a lot less and usually we are home by Sunday. I don't want to sound ungrateful or that I am complaining, but we just have to find a happy medium.

When I got home the kids and I were glued to the television to watch qualifying. I could feel my heart in my throat as the time for Chad to go out was drawing near. As usual they went to a commercial just as Chad was going out on the track. The whole time they were away, we sat there in silence. When qualifying returned they said Chad Chaffin turned a good lap to get in the field. We cheered so loud, you would have thought he had won. That made for a great night out at the movies.

Saturday morning I woke up realizing I had slept later than I was supposed to. My mom, Chad's mom, and myself were going to get an early start at the once a year "mile long yard sale" in Watertown. Even though we got there late, we had so much fun. Later that night, Chad's mom and dad met me, my mom and the kids for dinner.

Sunday was a day of watching and waiting. I did nothing but sit in front of the TV watching RaceDay and then finally the race. Chad got home around 11:30pm and I was so glad to see him. Even though I didn't get a chance to do everything I wanted, I still had a great weekend.

Posted by Cyndi at 4:00 PM

Weekend at Vegas

September 24, 2006

It’s Thursday already and I haven’t even unpacked from the last race. My day will probably consist of running from place to place making sure everything is in order for yet another weekend away from home. First I will go see my dad, who is only 53 years old and is unfortunately in a nursing home. A year and a half ago while horseback riding, my dad somehow fell and received a severe brain injury. I always thought of my dad as the Dale Earnhardt of racing. What I mean by that is they are not suppose to die or be hurt doing what they know best. Anyways my life changed after that day of receiving the news and being on the 10th floor of Vanderbilt Hospital for more than three weeks. We should always thank God for the blessings in our life and enjoy each day to the fullest and try not to sweat the small stuff!

I have become a stronger person after suffering such a loss. When I got to the nursing home, dad was doing fine. I caught him up on Chad’s racing and the kids. I brushed his teeth, combed his hair and made sure he was comfortable. As I left I told his nurses to make sure his TV was on SPEED channel so dad could watch the race on Saturday. I then drove to the mall to find something to wear on race day in Las Vegas. It is kind of funny but it’s like a fashion show, especially in the Cup series. The wives and girlfriends are always outfitted in the very finest designer clothes. I think I need a clothing sponsor to be able to do that. This trip we decided to take our daughter, Brooke, who is 18. I am really glad because on Friday she and I spent all day sightseeing and shopping. We were having so much fun until my mom thought I needed to know Chad had crashed his primary truck. At that point I could care less about shopping or anything. My heart was with Chad. I was going through the same emotions he was even though I was not there. Brooke said, “Mom you know that dad would be mad if he knew you let that ruin your fun.” She was right; I should never let racing, good or bad, dictate our fun because when racing is not apart of our lives anymore we will still have each other.

Saturday morning Chad and I got up early. Brooke and I drove Chad to the track, dropped him off and we went back to the hotel to get ready for the day ahead. We got back to the track just in time to watch qualifying. I was so nervous. Qualifying never made me nervous until this year. With Chad having to qualify his way into every Cup race, the pressure is tremendous and I guess that pressure carries over, for me, to the trucks. It was time for the driver intro so Brooke and I walked to the truck and waited on Chad. Brooke was so excited to be so close to the action because she has never been on pit road before. We sat on top of the pit box during the race. I wrote down lap times of the leader in comparison to Chad. I also keep up with Chad’s comments about the truck and how the race is going along with what place he is in at different intervals of the race. It was over and another one was in the books! We left and took Brooke to the famous In and Out Burgers. All in all we had a great weekend, but I am looking forward to next weekend. I’M STAYING AT HOME!!!!

Posted by Cyndi at 11:37 AM

Weekend in New Hampshire

September 17, 2006

Here we are in Loudon, New Hampshire for another weekend of racing. It started for Chad and I on Thursday, but before we could leave home I had to make arrangements with my mom to take our son, Chase out for his birthday dinner. He turned 13-years-old that day. On Friday Chad’s dad would be taking him to play golf also, for his birthday. So after all the kids left for school and the plans for the weekend were set we left the house and drove to Columbia, Tennessee. We were meeting Sterling Marlin there to fly on his plane. That is so cool because you don’t have to go through security and lines. All you do is pull up to the plane and load. Chad and I had a great time talking with Sterling and his wife, Paula. We talked about racing, of course, and civil war relic hunting which is Sterling’s hobby and mine. I have found many bullets, buttons, and other small artifacts. I love to relic hunt but it is hard to find the time.

We landed in New Hampshire and Chad and I headed to our hotel in Portsmouth. Along the way we passed the place where On Golden Pond was filmed, which is my favorite movie. There were lots of beautiful lake homes that were to die for. I, however, would settle for a small cabin! When we finally made it to Portsmouth, Chad and I ate dinner at Olive Garden. The next day would be the start of what the next week would hold. What I mean by that is a driver is under extreme pressure to perform and if things go bad then it carries on throughout the next week and if things go good then, of course, the next week is also.

We arrive at the track on Friday and you can feel the excitement building. The trucks are the first to practice. Chad’s truck is okay, but not really where they want it to be. After truck practice, Chad jumps out and heads to the Cup garage. I stayed in the truck garage for most of Cup practice. I walked over to the Cup side towards the end of practice and got on top of the hauler to watch. Chad came up also and I asked him why the crew was changing so much on the suspension. He told me that he crashed his primary car and I felt horrible. The feeling at that point is hard to explain. I felt so down, but I knew I had to get Chad back up. I told him that type of thing is going to happen from time to time and that it happens to the best. I let him know that he was a great racecar driver so he needed to go do what needed to be done. The rest of the day was great. The team worked diligently in order to get the back-up car ready. Chad was supposed to go out for qualifying 27th or so but the car was not ready. When the last driver had gone out to qualify, NASCAR put Chad and the team on a 5-minute clock. With only 15 seconds left on the 5-minute clock and no laps on the car, Chad pulled out to qualify. He mad the race with a 38th qualifying spot! The fans went crazy, cheering and clapping for Chad and his team. That was probably one of the most memorable moments we have experienced in racing. That night we had dinner with Chad’s truck owner and wife at a seafood and steak restaurant. They are fun people to be around.

The next morning we get up very early because we are staying one hour away from the track. We don’t usually have a lot of time for site seeing or shopping when we are traveling to the races, but on occasions I will find a great antique store to look for Dance Cards, which I collect. I have around 15 cards so far. I saw a lot of antique stores I would have loved to go to but just didn’t find the time this trip. It is Saturday and time for the truck race. Chad’s truck had a problem with the kill switch and kept trying to die. It took seven laps in the pits working on installing a new system to get the problem fixed. Chad finished 27th in the truck race.

Now it is Sunday and time for the “Big Race”. You know it still gets to me every time we are there in the garage of a Nextel Cup race. I grew up around racing and met Chad when I was 12 and he was 13. We started dating when I was 14 and later at 18 we were married. It has taken Chad and I 19 years together to get to where he is now in racing. There was a lot of sacrificing on my part for Chad to do what he loves to do and that is to race. It means as much to me as it does to him. I love the smell and sometimes the drama of racing!

Driver intros start and so do the butterflies in my stomach. I always stand with Chad at the car and give him a hug and a kiss before he gets in the car. I never let him know that I am nervous even though I really am. I want to be strong and tell him in old racing terms “Drive it like it’s yours”. He finishes 34th.

Now it is time to head to the airport. It is pretty neat to see all the drivers and their wives racing to get out of the track and on to the airport where they get on their personal jets and fly home. This time we get to do the same. Next time it will be back to commercial airlines, but that is okay it still gets us there.

Posted by Cyndi at 4:41 PM