I Met Jeff Gordon

Thanks to my friend Jerry Katz I had the opportunity to meet Jeff Gordon this past weekend at Kansas Speedway.  We made our way to the Dupont Hospitality tent and were given lots of presents.  There was a new hat, seat cushion, ear plugs, rain poncho, sunscreen and a little back pack.  Then they loaded us up with breakfast.  It was early (about 8:30am) so the coffee was nummy.

As we were finishing breakfast they said that Jeff was going to make an appearance around 10:00am.  They said that there were too many of us to have Jeff meet us all and there would be no pictures with him, nor autographs.  That was kind of a bummer.  However they said that there would be a very small amount of people chosen to ask Jeff a question and they'd get a chance to come up, meet him and get their picture with him.  You had to go up and get a form and fill out your question and then they would read through them and choose who would get an opportunity to ask Jeff their question.

In between breakfast and Jeff's appearance we went on a pit tour.  We saw the guys working on the tires and setting up all the boxes.  The haulers were back there.  It was pretty cool.  However I've been in many a pit box over the years.  On the walk back from the pits to the Dupont Hospitality tent I told Makita "I don't have a question".  And it was bugging me.  I think I know a lot about Jeff and I'm sure he's tired of stupid questions like "when are you going to retire"?.  The only question I could come up with was I'd want to know if he had a favorite day of the week and if he ever gets to sleep in.  Makita said that was a good question.  I didn't think it was very good at all.  Regardless when we got back to the tent I got an entry form and filled in my question.

I barely got my entry in on time.  They were already sitting back stage reading through everyone else's.  When the time came for them to announce who was going to get to come up and meet Jeff they called off 4 names and mine was the second one called.  They said we had to come up for our instructions.















There were a bunch of rules.  "Ask just the question exactly as it appears on your entry.  Don't add to it and don't ask any other question(s).  Don't touch him unless he reaches out to shake your hand.  No hugging, no kissing etc".  They also said that when we walk up on stage and shake Jeff's hand not to look at him.  hmmmmmm  Then they asked if we knew why we were not suppose to look at him.  I said "so I don't pass out"?  He said no, so that we are looking at the camera for our photo and not at sideways.












So when my turn finally came I was so nervous but somehow managed to follow directions and spit out my question.  He loved my question.  He loved talking about his kids and how Monday's are his favorite days.  I was mesmerize.