Watching all the Daytona coverage this July 4th weekend has gotten me sentimental over one of the best experiences I’ve ever had a race. Wait - who am I kidding? It was the best experience I’ve ever had a race, besides when I worked for Fox Sports for a week for the 2007 Daytona 500.

That weekend already consisted seeing all of the previous Daytona 500 winners, including the most recent, Jimmie Johnson, stick their feet, hands, and sign their name in cement blocks that would be placed outside Daytona USA. I got to meet a few drivers and crew chiefs, saw Tony Stewart win the only and last IROC race that I had ever seen, and saw Dale Earnhardt, Jr. win the Busch race that Friday night.

Now close your eyes and picture it. Wait, open your eyes or I can’t tell you what to picture.

July 1, 2006 and the weather was scorching hot. Thousands of fans pilled into Daytona International Speedway to see their favorite drivers burn rubber for 400 miles around the 2.5 oval track.

I stood along pit road in my pink VSU t-shirt and my jean skooter skirt, hair in pigtails, and got to meet two of my favorite members from the #20 Home Depot pit crew. No, I’m not showing that picture because I was burning up and my face is pinker than my t-shirt.

Moving along…

Driver Introductions began and there went Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Martin Truex, Jr., Ryan Newman, and countless others…

The race started after someone, I think Dick Cheney gave a speech. I remember seeing Air Force One fly over head before the driver introductions. My mother and I made it to our seats to see the race begin.

Tony took the lead early and for the majority of the race, from what I remember, he kept it. I knew something big was going to happen this weekend. That’s why I jumped off and decided to go to the race on a whim. I’m not one for planning trips months in advance. I’m the “jump up and go” type person.

I slowly began making my way to the checkered line. There were fifty laps to go.

Then there were twenty.

I made my way to the flagstand and found an empty seat about two feet away from the flag stand, almost the same seats I sat in at my first race at Daytona (2006 Shootout).

There were ten laps to go.

Then five.

Suddenly before I knew it, a crowd of Tony Stewart fans rushed the flagstand and the checkered flag was being waved.

Then, Tony pulled up the flagstand, got out of his car and began climbing the fence. His crew ran up to the fence, cheering for him.

Tony raised his hands in victory and climbed over the stand to stand with the flag waver. He smiled down at the crowd, making eye contact with each and every fan. He couldn’t believe he had won for the second year in a row.

(Forgive the blurry pictures - I was in a mosh pit of Smoke fans)

Tony finally climbed down into the mosh pit of fans, hugging them and realized that there was no way to get out near the flagstand. The gate that opened to the track was at least a yard or more away.

(Yes, my video)

His crew opened the gate to get inside the seating area and made their way to help Tony threw the crowd. As he passed, he shook hands, gave high fives, and touched the fans that had cheered for him the entire race - including me.

Unfortunetly I didn’t make it in any of the close up photos and I was too in awe of what was happening around me to take photos.

But I did make it in one picture. Look for the pink t-shirt

And that ladies and gentlemen is my best racing and Independence Day memory.