Click picture to enlarge.
Up earlier than has been usual for us since we've been
here in Sevierville, but we had about a four hour drive to
Charlotte to visit the NASCAR Hall of Fame.  Cracker
Barrel was barely open, as were our eyes, when we
showed up at 6:05. An excellent feed, then on the road...
Jay's driving, Sherry's busily showing you
why they're called The Smoky Mountains,
especially early in the morning.  Didn't she
get some great shots?
Going to NASCAR? Got
to have a pit stop or two.
Best time was...oh,
never mind.
Frau Bluecher, our GPS, was
about to have a vaporlock.
See those green vines covering everything?  That's
Kudzu.  It grows very fast and will cover anything that
doesn't move.  In fact, you don't even want to try to
take a nap in your back yard if any's nearby.
There's downtown Charlotte,
complete with the building that
has the handy carrying handle
on the top.
Finally made it, parking right next door.
The history and the cars are
mind-boggling...Petty's 43,
Earnhardt's 3, and so many
more.
Cutaways, just like they have on TV.
Mr. Hase had to try a race car
seat.  Didn't quite have one his
size, but he didn't mind.
Here's Herb Thomas's Hudson Hornet from the
'50s.  Just below it the Chrysler 300 that Tim
Flock drove to championships, sponsored by
Carl Kiekhaefer and Mercury outboards.
Some tool box, huh?
This one, Jimmy
Johnson's, has
bleachers.
That's Junior Johnson's #3.  How to they
make sure the bodies are spec?  They
measure them up with templates like this.
Unlike Goldilocks, Mr. Hase couldn't find one seat that was just
right.  How'd you like to be on the track with all these cars?
That's the first
Winston Cup
Trophy Richard
Petty won.  
Looks plain by
today's
standards, such
as Jimmy
Johnson's four
Sprint Cups..
Remember that awful hat that Smokey
Yunick wore all the time?  There it is.
Some very nostalgic moments for Jay, when he saw
these displays about his cousin, Little Joe
Weatherly, NASCAR Champion in 1962 and 1963.
Jay had never seen the 1962 trophy until today. A
member of the staff (and they were all very helpful)
found it for him.
So, what's the point of coming to the NASCAR Hall of Fame, if you don't do a couple of laps
in a simulator? Sherry drove Tony Stewart's #14, Jay and Mr. Hase stuffed into Jeff
Gordon's #24, and they had at it.  The results of this competition are sealed.  But they're still
married and still speaking to each other.
Oh yeah, just in case you
have some money left, you exit
through the souvenir store.
Was it worth the time and
cash?  For us, yes.
Then, another four hours or so,
heading back to Sevierville.
Good to be back in
Tennessee tonight.
We'll be back to see you
tomorrow, Maggie.