Faming Out

These Two!

I know this is going to sound sacrilegious to my many friends who are ardent NASCAR fans but I spent a good part of the day yesterday hanging around the NASCAR Hall of Fame. I know they are aghast that such a non-believer was allowed into the scared halls of Petty and Ernhardt. I’ve never been a fan of watching rednecks execute countless left turns while occasionally immolating each other but it was an impressive place. The Hall of Fame sits right next to the convention center and was used for the bus expo where all the different bus manufacturers display their latest wares and host a lunch for all of us. It was a brilliant day and well organized although I’m not in the market for any of the new buses.

The Buses Lined Up

Luncheon Outside the Hall of Fame

My excellent boss and I returned in the evening inside the Hall of Fame for an event hosted by the company that we have bought buses from and need I say it, there was free beer involved. I felt almost guilty walking around the museum knowing a true NASCAR fan would be in seventh heaven while I was there only for the free beer. NASCAR proudly traces its ancestry to prohibition era rum runners of the Appalachians and they were serving moonshine on the top floor. I had a couple shots of white lightning to complete the experience. I apologize profusely to the NASCAR fans for desecrating holy ground with my presence but there was free beer there. The excellent boss took us out for dinner and a truly inspiring dessert involving chocolate chip cookies, ice cream, and brownies (note to self – extra laps in the pool on Friday).

An Infidel Inside NASCAR's Holiest Shrine

Richard Petty's Car

Dale Ernhardt's

With the Excellent Boss

Excellent Boss Walking Beside the Track

No Idea Who These Guys Are

Dinner Location

The rest of the day was interesting as I attended a couple seminars on the transit business. There was one very interesting one that modeled something I am in the middle of doing in my company. It involved serving as mentors for promising young employees and how to reach out to the millennials starting to enter the work force.

I made several FaceTime calls to my very understanding wife because I wanted to share the whole NASCAR experience with her. I could tell she was less than impressed, probably due to my lack of elocutionary abilities during the calls. The calls did allow me glimpses of my favorite young lady who missed out on her nap yesterday because she was having such a good time with her gramma. One more day in Charlotte before retuning north, I’m ready, even with all the free beer.