matts birthday present

so for matts birthday, i bought him these:

four tickets to two nights of NASCAR RACING!
the weekend of july 11 and 12, nascar was racing in joliet, IL, which is north of here about 3 1/2 hours (just outside of chicago). i found the tickets on craigslist...a very nice man (thanks jay!)was selling them for FACE VALUE! which was awesome being as on ebay...they were going for arms and legs and first borns!!!! i didnt want to give up my first born! my friend lives 15 minutes from the track and was gracious enough to let us use her condo for the weekend, thanks christy! just like the weekend in KC, everything fell into place so smoothly! i found an HONEST man on craigslist and christy (my BFF from nursing school) lives right there!
we had never been to anything like this...and it was so much fun! what an experience!
it is a HUGE venue! some stats to give you and idea: 70,000 parking spaces. everyone gets there EARLY and tailgates all day before the races at night, what a sight! the track is a 1.5 mile tri-oval (for you race fans!), the grandstands hold 75,000 (and they were FULL), the infield has spaces for 700 RV parking (and that was full too!). the infield is big enough to hold FOUR soldier fields!
we were sitting in section 110 (and had a stadium seat, no bleachers for us!), row 42, seat 10 and 11...just past the start/finish line going into turn 1. we could see everything, the seats were awesome!

and now...to start the pictures!

these are from friday night....

matt, tailgating before friday nights race...do you think he is excited?!

a picture of the infield and the garages....and part of the 700 RVs! ready to see some racing!!!
the start! lets go racing boys! boogity, boogity, boogity!
people watching was the best! this lady was sitting in from of us....check out her "fine" tattoos

isnt he cute, styling his purple ear plugs (another bday gift!)
the winner!
the "after winning race" spin out
back to tailgating after the race, getting out of the parking lot was a few hour ordeal! do you think i was happy to have some snacks?!?!? multi grain cheese puffs and pistachios...cant go wrong with that!
matt letting all the race fans know that hes married to the most wonderful wife! or maybe hes throwing me the "W" (whatever) sign.....;-)