31 May 2009

Practicing my Wally Pose

Well, the little devil eluded me again this weekend! All the way to Heartland Park I was practicing my Wally pose!! You know the one where you pretend to hold it over your head with a big smile and a thumbs up....Yeah, Glenn thought I was losing it too! During time trials on Friday I was in the zone!!! I had a .410 light in the left lane and a .411 light in the right lane, the car was a little slow on the first pass, then Glenn had her dialed with an 8.889 on the second pass. We were very happy with that! Saturday at about 5:oo was 1st round! I had a .407 to my opponents .415 and we both ran 8.906 at the finish. My win light came on!!! WWWOOOO that's a great feeling! Then about an hour later was 2nd round. I had a .415 to my opponent's .420, he went 8.918 to my losing 8.924....my win light didn't come on!!! YUK, that's NOT a good feeling! I got the time slip and I looked ( I shouldn't have!), I lost by 16 ten thousandths of a second! No biggy! I'll keep practing my Wally pose and one day..... He'll be mine!!!!!
On to some other fun stuff............We had quite a few people turn up for us in Topeka. Glenn's dad and stepmom, Jeannie, Glenn's cousin Doug, Glenn's long time friend Terry and his 2 sons Tom and Tim (great crew!)and Terry's friend Gil, and of course Kay and Dan.

It was a great weekend at Heartland Park. The place was packed with fans inside and outside the park. It was sooo cool to see all the tents and campers and flags and campfires. I think Topekans know how to RACE!

We'll be back next year and I am coming home with Wally!

We did receive some bad news from Kay and Dan...their oldest dog,Wyatt, had to be put to sleep this weekend. He was a german short hair and he was 13! Cool bird dog!!!!!
Before the weekend started, we went out to Glenn's cousins place and went fishing a couple of times, then went over to Glenn's 95 year old aunt's house for dinner a couple of nites. Don't let that age fool ya, she can kick all our butt's and keep on smiling about it too!
Glenn's mom just flew in today, she's going to ride back with us to California. We will end up in Fontana, California for our Socal Supercomp Association race. Can't wait to see all our friends and be back home in Cali!
Well, I'm going to sign off for now so TAKE CARE, and I'll see ya at the races!!!





28 May 2009

Short Update.....

Hi Everyone,
Just wanted to let you know that we made it safe and sound to Topeka, KS!!! We've been visiting with Kay and Dan Brown, our friends from Nebraska, and we have been hanging out with Glenn's cousin Doug. We tech'd the car today and passed with flying colors!!!! That means we get to race tomorrow!!! Actually it's only qualifying tomorrow, but I still get to go down the track at 175 mph!!! I can't wait.
I will be posting some pics later so you can see the rv park and Hartland Park (race track).
Take care and I'll see ya at the races!!!

23 May 2009

The Diamond Support Show


To start off, I would like to thank all the company's and individuals who made this show possible! Lucas Oil, K&N Filters for their donations for the troops, Glenn Kirby (my other half), Kay and Dan Brown, Herchel Price (my dad), Gloria Reardon (Taco Bell), CC Sign Dynamics, Powersports Honda Yamaha, Sands Construction, Miller-Leaman, Hughes, Fischle Printing, Madrid Motorsports, ARS Fuels, Melissa Lonon (my sister!!), LTC Brent Bush, 1st LT Richard Deaza(rear detachment cmdr), CSM Bryant Williams Sr., Kelli McMorris(FRSA Leader). A special thanks to the following: Capt. Shannon Marburger and the soldiers of HHC who are stationed in Afghanistan, AND Capt. Rick Loy and the soldiers of Alpha company who are stationed in Iraq! AND all the soldiers of the 75th Fire Brigade! THANK YOU!!!!!
To start the day we went to the Brigade's parking lot and they had it blocked off just for us.
We started setting up the tables with the banners and placing all the goody bags out for the kids and soldiers. We set up the christmas tree - which, by the way, was a big hit as soon as the people figured out that it wasn't a "real" christmas tree : )! As soon as 10 a.m. hit, a horde of people started showing up! We counted around 350 total as the show went through the day. About 11:oo a.m. 1st Lt Deaza and CSM Williams present my dad, Glenn, my sister and I, as well as, some of our sponsors with plaques and certificates of appreciation. They also presented me with a unit sticker to place on the nose of the race car. And I had about 20 soldiers sign it after I placed it on the car.
The kids faces today when I was placing them in the car, was worth every mile that we drove and every phone call that we made to make this happen. Even the smiles on the soldiers faces and the spouses faces were worth the time and effort that we all put into this.
We handed out 150 kids bags with stickers and candy and goodies and we handed out over 200 K&N bags with Lucas hats and K&N hats, stickers, pamphlets and goodies. Everyone was so ecstatic about receiving them.
They had such a great time, that they requested we come back and do it again in November! That's when the soldiers of HHC and Alpha Company will be returning from Afghanistan and Iraq. Let's hope we can do this again! Not just for them, but for the entire community!!!!!!!!
We have met a lot of great individuals on this trip and in this community - Take Care and we will see you at the races.




21 May 2009

picked up a short show!



(This is Dennis)

COOL!!!!!!

Hey,We got lucky today! We were at a sign place this morning to get some stickers made for the car. While we were there, we met Dennis, who just happens to be the manager at the local Honda/Yamaha shop. He saw the car and asked us to come to his shop today and tomorrow and show the car. Not only to bring people into his shop, but to get our name out there and let people know what we are up too. While we were there today from 10:30 to 3:30, we met quite a few cast of people. Young, old, active duty military and retired. It was a great day. We also made a contact at the local radio station. Check out a couple of pics I took while we were there.




19 May 2009

We are in!

Just a short update.....
Dar, my friend from the American Legion, informed me that we have the final okay to show the car at the Provide a Ride event! She also informed me that we are being considered to do another showing at the Legion, but I'll find out more about that one when we get back to California! Now if only I can do this full time.............
Take care, and I'll talk to you soon!!!

18 May 2009

Still on the Road!

Howdy from Okladamhoma! The "dam" comes from the lake we went fishing at yesterday! : )~I know, I can't believe it's been 4 days since I've entered a new blog!
Well, let me catch you up to date - We left Gallup, NM with a new tire on the trailer! It was ready to blow!!! We had it change at the Tarro Oil Chevron,. The owner was great, and the guy who changed the tire was FAST!!! Easy in, easy out!
After Gallup we headed straight to Conchas Lake State Park, NM. However, I think the fish there were un-conchas!!! (Glenn's humor) Beautiful setting in the mountains, big lake and that nite....one heck of a thunderstorm!!!!! The guest hosts were very nice. They thought we were Shirley Muldowney and Connie Kalitta with the size of our rig. : ) We only spent one nite there.


That morning we packed up and drove a whole 2 hours before stopping at the BIG TEXAN! Yeah, the one you've seen on the travel channel. No, Glenn didn't take the 1 hour 72 oz steak challenge. I tried to talk him into it, but he said he's trying to keep his girlish figure! We did, however, have Rocky Mountain Oysters...and NO it's not seafood!
We left there and went NE of Amarillo to Fritch, TX. Boy, talking about a 2 lane road into a one horse town!!!!! They ain't even got a wal-mart! BUT - they did have a Dairy Queen!
We stayed, basically, in someone's back yard and the camp host was a chocolate lab with a tick on his head. Needless to say we were packed up and gone first thing in the a.m.
So, now here we are in Foss, OK at a KOA campground right next to Clinton Lake.
We went yesterday to try and catch some fish, but unfortunately Brodie decided he wanted to become a fish. He did his first real swim. Needless to say when we go back today...Brodie is staying in the trailer! I'll let you know how we did in a few days, take care and we'll see ya soon!

14 May 2009

Travel Update


Howdy from Gallup, NM!!! I know, I know.....we were suppose to be in Flagstaff for 2 nites fishing, camping, relaxing - YEAH RIGHT!!!! We stopped in Williams, AZ to have dinner last night at a great steakhouse called Rod's Steakhouse. While we were there, we met some bikers who just happen to be Veterans. Well, come to find out, they are on their way to Washington, D.C for "Run for the Wall"!!!! So, being the shy person that I am, I told them what I was up too and they told me that they were all meeting in Gallup, NM on Thursday. So, Glenn and I hit the road first thing this morning and now we are here. There must be 1000 bikers in this small town! We pulled into All American campground and parked the beast. With "beast", I mean our 48' trailer in which we haul our dragster and it has living quarters too. With Brodie freshly walked and the AC on, we left him in the trailer and headed to town. We found out where the bikers gathered. Once there I met Mr. Hunt, you guessed it, he's a vet. He was part of the 11th Calv. Anyway, I asked him who I would have to talk to in order to display the car at such an event. Unfortunately, I ran out of time and was not able to do it! BUT, next year we plan on being here early so we can!
Glenn and I opted to come back to the trailer after a short pit stop at the grocery store. Once we got back, there were some vets that had come in and were setting up there tents. Well, once again I went and introduced myself and told them of my mission. I invited them all to come and check out the car. I have some great pictures of the occasion. With that said, I am going to take care of this sinus issue with some cold medicine and go to bed!
Take care, ride safe, and I will fill you in again in a few days!

12 May 2009

I have a correction! : )

It seems as though I misunderstood the "Provide a ride" fundraiser that I'm going to be a part of.
It's as follows:
Provide A Ride, just as it says, provides a ride to the visually impaired. A ride on a motorcycle (100 riders, 100 passengers). Initially this event was to give the Visually Impaired persons a ride that were in the NU Vision Program but since the Legion Post #291 is assisting with the sponsoring of this event the VA Hospital has been contacted and we are hoping that some of those soldiers that are Visually Impaired will have the opportunity to take a ride on a motorcycle. 8/29/09.
Thank you Dar for the fix on this!
In NEW news, tomorrow is the day we are hitting the road!!! I'm so excited and nervous - I don't have any fingernails left!!! lol! But stay tuned because I will be posting pictures and writing our adventures all on the blog!

10 May 2009

First off, HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

to all the great mom's out there!!!!
Second, this is just a short one to show the car from start to finish with her new artwork! See you in Ft. Sill, Oklahoma!

09 May 2009

Got Panels?


WE DO NOW!!!!! Glenn and I picked up the race car panels at Madrid Motorsports yesterday!!! They look great!!! Andrew did a kick @$$ job at designing and installing the vinyl wrap.
We also picked up the "christmas tree" from TC Enterprises. They happily donated the tree that we are going to use for the reaction time contest. That's going to be fun! I can't wait to see how many people get a perfect reaction time...LOL!! Just to let you know, it's not as easy as it looks! And yes we fit it all in the 1-ton dodge. The striped thing coming out the back is the top piece of the dragster, we have it covered for protection, and the tall thing against the window is the "christmas tree". Boy was that fun coming down the highway at 70 mph praying that nothing flies out or falls off!!!
Today is put the race car back together day. We are going to the trailer to put the panels back on the car. Then I'm going to take some new pictures and put them on the blog so everyone can see what it looks like.
So, until then, have a great day!!!

07 May 2009

Just when all is looking great!

Glenn and I were out at the race car trailer today to get it ready for the trip ahead. We had to pull our little boat out of the way in order to let the back gate down. Well, I hooked up the boat trailer to the dodge and Glenn proceeded to pull the boat out of the storage spot. As the boat glided past me, I noticed that the props weren't on the engine! YEP, you guessed it!!! Someone, of some really low existence in life, STOLE our prop off of our boat! Unbelievable!!!!

I guess it's better than them taking the whole boat! : ) Anyway, I think we are going to sell the boat and buy another dragster - that way I don't have to share mine with Glenn....LOL!!!
Actually, it's his dragster he just let's me claim it's mine from time to time!
So, onto a better story........
I spoke with a friend of mine from the American Legion today!!! She is planning a "Provide a Ride" event at the American Legion post 291, where we are members, and she wants Glenn and I to show the car. What the event entails is food, a Harley raffle, a harley ride, and some other entertainment all to raise money for the "Provide a Ride". What is this "Provide a Ride"? It's to take partially blind or blind soldiers to there appointments! Pretty cool deal! Hopefully we will get the okay to bring the car. We'll charge $1 for kids to sit in the car and have their pics taken, then donate the money to the cause! Keep your fingers crossed! The more exposure we get.....Hopefully, we'll be able to do this kind of stuff for a living!
I also met some new friends today, their names are Kevin and Stephanie. She is a veteran of our recent war. They have a dune buggy and are also interested in donating time and showing their car. They have a nice H1 hummer too! Very nice people!
So, in conclusion....I have made lemonade out of a lemon day! So take that bad guys!!! : )

06 May 2009

No Houston : (

Due to the weather they are having back in Houston, we have decided to forego that race!

Instead we are going to take the time and travel through Arizona and stop in Flagstaff for a couple of days, then on to New Mexico for a couple of days. Fishing of course will be at the top of the list of things to do while we are visiting those places!

We should be in Ft. Sill by the 21st of May. What's really interesting is that the weekend that I'm sharing my car with all the Soldiers, it will have been exactly 17 years, 1 week, and 1 day since my Husband has been gone. I think this will prove to be a great tribute to him as well as the soldiers!
Anyway, it's amazing how time flies! Take care and I'll see you on the road!

04 May 2009

More shows in the works!!!!

This is just a short note for today! I received my Hero Cards from Fischle Printing today! They look great! I'm sure all the kids at Ft. Sill will get a kick out of them, I hope the soldiers do too!
I spoke with my sister, Melissa, and we have our hours set for the showing. They will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m..
On another note, I was at my American Legion Hall returning some items that I donated my time towards and I met a SSGT Daniels there. He is stationed at Camp Pendleton Marine Corp Base! We spoke for about 10 minutes on possibly bringing the race car down there and showing the trooops their families. It would be the same set up as I'm going to do at Ft. Sill. Oh how I hope this comes through! I gave him my e-mail address and I got his so, when I get back from this trip, I'm going to start setting that one up! Keep your fingers crossed for me!
Also, we are in the process of setting up a showing for kids at an Elementary School.
Take Care!

02 May 2009

Brodie Jae


This is our Race Dog Brodie Jae. His b-day is June 9th 2008. I can't believe he's going to be a year old! Ya gotta love his nose!

The Start of a New Adventure

Well, this is the start of hopefully a long time of sharing my experiences with the military, their families, kids, and just the general public. On May 11th Glenn, Brodie and I will hit the road with our 1 ton dodge, 48 foot trailer, and the race car! We will be heading to Houston, TX to race a divisional, then it's on to Ft. Sill, OK to show the race car to the troops and their families. That is going to be one of the best days of my life! I have a lot of people to thank for it too! My baby sister, Melissa, is the one who has pulled it together for me! Once we got the clearance to come on post, I jumped into action! I spoke with a friend of mine, Tim, who introduced me to Tom with Lucas oil. Lucas oil has donated some goodies for the troops! Then I spoke with Steve from K&N filters and they donated some goodies too! Then it just started snowballing from there! Madrid motorsports helped me with the vinyl wrap design on the race car as you see below. Then Gloria helped me with some coupons from Taco Bell, Kevin with Hughes donated some hats, Sand Construction donated some money for the car, CHP donated some stickers for the kids, ARS fuels from Long Beach donated some stickers, The Fischles donated my Hero Cards, Marty with Miller-Leaman made a nice donation for the vinyl wrap, and Dan and Kay Brown, my Nebraska friends, made an unforgettable donation to the trip! Oh the list goes on and on! I can't thank everyone enough!!!!!

Then it's on to Topeka, KS for the national event. We were there last year - what a great track and GREAT fans! It was so cool to see all the people camping just outside the track - what a cool way to be involved with the races! I hope to do better there this year though! I did make it to second round - but I really want a WALLY! : )

After that, we will head back to California. Back to the ocean and the waves and the beautiful sunsets! Just back home!

I hope that we can continue to show the car and bring lots of smiles to everyone. I will keep everyone posted as we travel through the States and all of our stops!

Take care!