Car "Tunes"

This is a big weekend for us. My daughter just gave birth to our newest grandchild! Zachary is beautiful...of course! But this post isn't about Zachary, as big as that is. That will come later.

This weekend is also the start of the NASCAR season, and that means the Daytona 500. For my daughter's family, that is VERY big. Dave is a lifelong NASCAR fan. His family will be at the big race tomorrow. We will all be watching here. Larry and I are also fans which is a good thing for me. My 4 year-old grandson, Nicholas, keeps me at the top of my game.

Nicholas has a rug race track and more NASCAR cars than I can count. He has the miniature (matchbox sized) cars for most of the drivers in the Sprint Cup and he knows them by driver, sponsor, or number. Each year, he has to update his collection to keep up with the drivers who have changed either teams (and therefore have a new number,) or sponsors (and therefore have a new color scheme). I explain this only to help you understand the complicated conversation that follows.

Today we were waiting for Jen, Dave and Zachary's homecoming from the hospital. While we waited, my responsibility was to help Nicholas prepare for today's Nationwide race (similar drivers, but different teams and therefore different numbers). He has had a busy couple of days, and today he rode his bicycle to the park. At lunch he looked tired.

Me: After lunch I want you to take a short rest in your room, before the race.
N:   I have to set up my cars first.
Me: You can do that after your race.
N:   No. They have to be ready when the race begins. Do you know the order?
Me: No, but when the race starts we can get the line-up and line up your cars then.
N:   NO! They have to be READY when the race starts. You have to go to the computer and print it out.
Me: Oh... OK.

I get my laptop out and look up the race. Meanwhile, Nicholas has to move his cars from the kitchen to the family room. I discover this means he has to put them in the truck hauler, and drive the hauler to the rug/race track. Once there, he proceeds to get all of his cars out. I check the list on the laptop and help him line them up.

Me: Danica has the pole.
N:   The 10?
Me: No, that's for tomorrow's race. She's driving the 7 today. (We continue through the line-up.)
Me: Dale Jr. is next. (Nicholas reaches for the 88.)
Me: Dale's driving the 5.
N:   Where's Kasey Kahne? 
             (Kasey drives the 5 in the Sprint Cup, but last year it was Mark Martin. Nicholas has already made the switch.   Isn't he only 4, I wonder?)
Me: Kasey Kahne is driving the 38 in this race.
N:  I don't have a 38. We'll use this car and just pretend. (He hands me the 17.)

And so it goes. Finally...

Me: Ok. They are all lined up. You go rest and I'll call you when the race starts.
N: Ok, but you have to sing the National Anthem because I don't know all the words.

RIGHT!

The race comes on. The announcers call the race as I watch the cars go around. I listen, but it's hard to hear what's going on. Instead I hear the race going on in the room. Nicholas moves his cars around his track. Some days he is the 'Spotter' on the roof talking to the driver.  "Green! Green! Green!" (meaning Go go go!) "Outside! Outside! Outside! Down low, down low stay low!" Nicholas warns the drivers of cars coming up to pass. He pushes his cars around the track....all 30+ of them....in groups, keeping up a running dialogue.

Today he isn't the spotter. He is the In-Car camera.

"Vrooooooooom........oooooooommmmm......ooooooommmm...."

Through the entire race.....

I'm glad I have aspirin. I feel a headache coming on.