The coach had to go to Buddy Gregg's today to have some work completed on it, so we were up early in order to be there in good time. Poor Rick has a nasty cold and I am sure he would much rather have been able to sleep in but he is a trooper.

It is still in the low 20'sC (high 60's) so we decided to tour the Texas Motor Speedway while we waited for the technicians to complete their work. It is a huge facility where the NASCAR race will be held in two weeks. As luck would have it, there were a few drivers there from the Busch Series (now known as Nationwide), practicing, so we were able to watch them run a few laps. We also went on a tour of the massive facility and when the racers weren't practicing, the van driver took us around the track. Rick called "shotgun" so he sat up front beside the tour guide, which allowed him a better view than the rest of the passengers and me (and I'm sure made him feel a little better!).

We were also taken on a tour of the private VIP Suites where companies entertain their clients when the races are on. These suites can accommodate 64 people and rent per season from $60,000 up to $100,000 on a three-year contract!! The renters cannot bring in their own food or drinks; they must use the catering service offered at the track and there are only three big races per season, of those only one is NASCAR, so that is expensive entertaining!! There are even condos available with the one-bedroom units starting at $300,000 for the real enthusiasts. What a race fan's dream!