MBNA Platinum 400, 31 May 1998 Dover Downs International Speedway

My story begins back in November right after the final race in Atlanta. As a present for my 39th birthday, in February, my wife was going to let me go to Daytona for the 500!! Yes!! So, I mailed in my request to them and waited. Right after the first of the year, I get a letter back form Daytona saying that they had rejected my request for a pass because I don't work in the sports department. Let me digress for a moment, for those of you who don't know or can't tell by my e-mail address, I work for a small television station in MD as their National Sales Manager. In fact I am typing this on a plane to NYC to make sales calls to get more $$ for the television station in advertising. Anyway, usually a letter singed by the sports director will work. But not for Daytona, they called the station and asked what I did. Next time I will better train our receptionist on to handle this for me. So Daytona is a big no go. Oh well, there is always Dover. So right after Daytona I send my request in for passes. And without fail they come through. This time I even get a sticker for Victory Lane!!! Now all that I do is wait for May 31^st.

For some reason this year I was very excited about this race. I have been coming to Dover for over 5 years, but for this race I couldn't wait. Maybe is was my partner for the day. A friend from church who works for the Red Cross, but as fate would have it, he was called to Alabama for work after the bad weather went through so he couldn't make it this time. So Tuesday before the race I call Dover and ask how I change a name on the pass. Great people, just fax in the request with the new name and I will be okay. Done. Now did they get the fax and will it be taken care by Sundayonly time will tell.

I begin my preparation for the race by making sure that I tape RPM 2nite each day on ESPN 2. The reason for this is so that I will know all the story lines at this race for my other fun jobfreelance photographer for Winston Cup Scene. I want to make sure that I get a picture in the magazine from this race. I hook up a friend who has all the good camera equipment and we are set for the race!! 2 Nikon F4's and an assortment of lenses to use for the day including a 300 5.6. We are good to go. The days leading up to the race are a pattern for me, make Ice each night, and watch RPM 2 night. On Saturday it to the store for sandwich meat, turkey and Roast beef, apples, gala, and Gatorade grape and orange. I tell David that I will pick him up a 5am Sunday AM. Be ready. He said no problem

Sunday AM finally comes..up at 4:15am shower, dress, and pack the car..coolerfilm..scanner..hat..sun screen..map and it is off to Dave's house. Dave is ready and we are on the road by 5:05am. The drive is very familiar nowI70 to Route 29 to Route 32 to Route 97 to Route 50..oops David needs a potty break before the Bay Bridge..hello McDonalds..back onto Route 50..over the Bay Bridge..head north and at 730am we are pulling into the track. Get to the credential trailer and get passes with out any problemsThey even had David's. Now to get a parking spot in the VIP lot right in front of the Slots. Ask 1st guy, he still has the authority complex and says no. Rats!!

Drive around see the next guy, tell him that they always let me park in here and I am in Bingo!! Yes. 7:45am!! Get the cameras loaded and head into the track. David doesn't have a garage pass like I do and I am gong to try and see if I can get him in with me, but no such luck. I have a 9am-photo meeting so I will walk he garage till then them swap passes with him. Nothing exciting going on this AM just crews working on the cars.

I meet up with the rest of the freelancers for the weekend, I know most of them and we head out to find the Winston Cup Scene (WCS) Van and our meeting. Before we get our assuagements I am given a new Shirt and Jacket. Yes!! These have the NASCAR Winston Cup Scene logo on them. (I am impressed my wife still thinks it looks like a bowling shirt, Oh well). My assignment for the day is to shoot from the end of the backstretch right before turn 3. I will need to be in that spot by 1130am for a radio check. Great, back to the car quick lunch, fill up the cooler jug with Gatorade and back into the garage area. Snap a few quick pictures, got a great shot of KW and DM talking, and off to my position.

Now the major disappointment for the day. For those of you who saw the race you know where all the action was..RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME!!!and I missed it all. I turned my head for 1 second, and everything happens. I had to big of a lens on and didn't get a thing. The only thing I got, was a shot of my back on TNN that my wife saw when she was watching the race highlights that night. Oh well. The rest of the race was a bore. Dover needs to do something to spice it up.

After the race, I make a quick swing through the garage area looking for tired drivers. Got a shot of WB and his wife, but then to the WCS van to turn in my 1 roll of film. But we need the van keys, which are in VL, I volunteer to get them because I have the VL pass. So off to VL to get the van keys. They let me right in..what a neat place. Very cool. Back to the WCS van turn in my 1 roll of film and I will need to take the keys back to VL and get the VL film to the guy headed south on the NASCAR charter. While I am getting spayed by the bubbly I notice a tall plastic coke display filled with ice and Coke, yes I took 1 for my boss..brown nose since I missed the shots..and me...and 1 for the guy with the film. As I am leaving the garage area I notice that they are putting gas into DJ's car. I stand by the gaspumps and watch them put in 22.5 gallons. I ask one of the crewmen how much it should hold and a get a mumbled answer.

Back to through the crowd waiting at the cross overpoint for the drivers to come through and to my car. Load it up and start heading home. Back via my non-route 8 way and we leave at 5pm and I am home at 8pm. All in all a good day. Request for September is in the mail.

I can hardly wait!!

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