2008 was a year of traveling, or so it seemed at times.  (You can read all about my travels this year, if you’d like, by visiting my My Travels page.)  I added 5 new states – Nevada, Arizona, Ohio, Michigan, & Georgia – to my list of states I’ve visited in my lifetime.  My mom, sisters, and I took a great unforgettable trip to North Carolina in June.  It was full of sight seeing, family history, and even a bit of NASCAR.

I went to 3 NASCAR races.  Shelby & I went to the race in Texas in April.  Penni & I went to the race in Michigan with Sarah & Andi in August.  Then, Penni joined me in November for the Texas race.  As far as 2009 and NASCAR goes, Shelby & I will be attending both NASCAR races in Texas (April & November).  (Penni may even join us in November.)  I’m also currently considering going to the Coca Cola 600 in Charlotte, NC in May.

I also went to Las Vegas for a week in September for a work conference (plus some sight seeing, of course).

Besides attending the NASCAR races, I watched some baseball & football in person this year.  2008 was the inaugural season of the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (Double-A affiliate for the Kansas City Royals).  Because of that, I decided to get season tickets.  Shelby & I went to several games.  I think Shelby & I both learned a lot about baseball this year.  Plus, we’re already looking forward to 2009.  As far as football goes, I got my season tickets for the University of Arkansas football season.  I didn’t make it to all of the games but I went to several.  This was head coach Bobby Petrino’s first year with the Hogs.  While the Razorbacks didn’t finish with a good enough record for a bowl game, they definitely showed us what is to come for the football team (i.e. Miracle on Markham Part Two).  I can’t wait for Arkansas Razorback football 2009.

I got to attend some great concerts this year as well.  I attended the Poultry Festival in June where I got to meet & see Blake Shelton in concert.  I saw The Black Crowes in concert while I was in Las Vegas.  Don Tyson sponsored a special concert for Tyson Foods employees in October with Willie Nelson headlining.  Joe Nichols (Rogers, AR native) returned to northwest Arkansas for a concert in October.  I flew all the way to Atlanta, GA to see New Kids on the Block with Penni.  (That was my crazy trip of the year, I must say.  I was in Atlanta for less than 24 hours but it was well worth it.)  Finally, Shelby & I saw OAR in concert at Barnhill Arena in Fayetteville in November.  I already have at least one concert lined up for January 2009 – Brad Paisley, Dierks Bentley, & Darius Rucker in Tulsa.  I’m also hoping to find a Benjamin Del Shreve show that Shelby & I can go to at some point in 2009.

I slept through the first 2 earthquakes I’ve ever been “in” this year.  They were both in the Dallas/Fort Worth area the weekend Penni & I were there for the NASCAR race.  One was centered in Irving where our hotel was.  They both happened in the middle of the night and neither of us had a clue.  We can at least say we’ve been in 2 now, though.

I opened this blog on April 13th this year.  (I owe a big thank you to Karah for the wonderful layout she made for me.)  I’ve really enjoyed posting my stories and photos for you all to see.  I participated in my first Day of Blogs this year and am already planning on participating again in 2009.

I turned 28 this year.  It seems like I was just graduating high school or still in college but the planning began months ago for my 10 year high school reunion next summer.  It’s just crazy how time has flown by since May 1999.

Here’s to 2008 and to what’s to come in 2009!

I don’t think attending a NASCAR race will ever be the same if I don’t have a weekend pit pass.  A pit pass allows you to get so much more closer to the cars, drivers, and on-track action.  I took over 600 photos in Michigan and got half a dozen autographs that I really wouldn’t have gotten without the pit pass.  Here is a picture of me prior to Nationwide qualifying on Saturday in front of the JR Motorsports #88 Navy Chevy.

I’m going to post another blog entry explaining some of my photos.  (There’s a story to every photo, you know?)  If you want to go ahead and see the best photos I took in Michigan, click here.  (Clicking on the thumbnail will take you to a larger version of the photograph.)

I had a great time in Ohio & Michigan.  (Although, Monday didn’t quite go how any of us had planned or wanted.)  I got several autographs and took over 500 photos at the track.  Penni & I have decided that attending a race without a weekend pit pass just won’t be the same.  Besides seeing Penni again and officially meeting Sarah & Andi, I also got to officially meet Hilary.  She came into town last night and we (me, Penni, & Hilary) went and had supper together.

I feel like I could sleep the day away once I get home today so, if I do, you probably won’t hear from me much the rest of today.  If I get home and am awake, I’ll start working on photos and blog entries about my trip.

I’ll, of course, be taking my laptop with me.  (We should have internet access in the hotel room.)  Whether or not I use my laptop, I’ll have my cell phone and will be twittering along the way.  Feel free to follow along with me this weekend.  I’ll have lots of stories and photos to share when I return, I’m fairly certain.

Who’s gonna win this weekend?  Well, I’m rooting for one of the JR Motorsports teams – #5 driven by Mark Martin or #88 driven by Brad Keselowski – in the Nationwide series race on Saturday.  On Sunday, I’m rooting for the #88 driven by Dale Earnhardt Jr.  All of these teams have a great shot at a win.  (Junior actually won the June race in Michigan so I’m sure he can defend his win.)