I would also like to say THANKS to just about everyone there at the Dallas
Tour, which was a huge adventure for me before I even got there. Only, the
parts which were an adventure for me only bored everyone I told at the
event, so I'll just condense and say my flight to Dallas was the absolute
WORST. I left at 9:30 Thurs. night, and got to TMS at 9:00 the next morning.
(And let me just say, the Houston airport, which was not on my original
itinerary, is a very nice aiport. I hope all get a chance to some how end up
there, even if it is an accident.) And when I finally arrived in Dallas,
only four hours late, and one extra city later, the cab driver, who ended up
taking me to TMS, just thought I was NUTS when I said, "Look, I need to go
to the Texas Motor Speedway parking lot. No, I don't know whom I'm meeting
there. I just need to go there. It's a race. In the parking lot. JUST TAKE
ME THERE!"
Besides the fact that driving wise, this event was thoroughly disappointing
for me, it's just a little speck compared to how awesome some of my friends
drove, AND it's NOTHING compared to how wonderful and kind everyone there
was. So, here are my friendly Ace Reporter awards for those who just made
this weekend so worthwile.
Thanks to Dan Pedroza for his special mroadster.com sponsorship. I wouldn't
have even GONE to Dallas if it weren't for this deal. For those of you who
don't know, http://www.mroadster.com/ is a most bitchin' website for not
just Miata accessories, but mental well-being. You can order car parts,
interior doo dads, or just read some of Dan's latest stream-of-consciousness
writings, all of which are entertaining, and yes, even inspiring. Dan also,
with only 1 year of autox experience, at his very FIRST National Tour,
finished 7th out of 24 in a very competitive B Stock. He kicked my li'l
BUTT! He also let me take some fun runs in Sim, his most beautiful '99
TOURING Miata.
Thanks to Sandy Pessoney, my Cozmic Twin, for letting me drive "the Champ"
one more time. Sandy is another person who totally kicked my butt. Shees.
But anyway, the story is, Sandy and I discovered we were cozmic twins before
the '97 nationals. It's a long story, but we have lived near mirror lives,
from our childhoods in parking lots, to our spinning habits, to our strange,
warped attitudes, down to the month and year we were born.
And Sandy, if you're reading this, Yes, you can drive Lucy, but she has
requested that YOU go first.
Thanks to all the guys in B Stock for all your words of encouragement, and
congrats to Darren DiSimo and Byron Short for such a great race for first in
B Stock!
And congrats to Yvonne Short for some incredible times in BSL!
And let us not forget Bret Norgaard, our SFR entrant who not only trophied,
but WON CSP! He is our CHAMPION!
Thanks to Susan Hensley for letting me crash in her trailer when I arrived
Friday morning, and thanks to Dan, Tim Pryor, and Jim Hedderick for the fun
runs in their Miatas at the practice event.
Thanks to Howard Duncan for playing something BESIDES Kenny G. for
background music. You're on the right track, now. We're race car drivers,
not wine tasters.
This was your friendly Ace Reporter's last long distance event for awhile.
It's time to see what my local autocross scene is like. Y'all need to come
out to Cali now.
Oh yeah, thanks to Craig Blome for the pint of Guiness.
And thank you, to whomever it was who said, "Oh, YOU'RE Katie Kelly?
Somehow, I thought you'd be a lot older." It's because I'm so grown up and
mature on the internet, I know.
Coming soon... The Ace Clinique Report (or... the Lengths Katie Kelly Will
Go to Kiss Some Big Corporation's Butt for Money). Photos included! Stay
tuned...
Sleep? Who needs that?
Katie Kelly,
Ace Reporter for North American Pylon. Call 1-800-KT-KELLY for details.
Katie Kelly
Technical Publications
SPSS Bay Area
(510)412-2812
mailto:katiek@spss.com
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Guilt slows your metabolism.
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