Why do I love NASCAR...because my daughter did! In November of 2004, I found myself in the lowest place a parent can ever be. I was about to organize the belongings of my dead child.

I was sitting on the floor in my daughter's bedroom simply staring at what had up until very recently been her prized possessions. I'm not even sure what I was looking for...something - anything that could reconnect me to HER! Then I noticed this quite large sign back in a corner partially obscured by dolls and stuffed animals. I carefully moved away the dolls, trolls, and things to reveal an "Indianapolis Motor Speedway" sign with a "Brickyard 400" sticker stuck in the middle with a handwritten note that said "I gotta go before I die."

Well, that was it! She couldn't go, but I could go for her. I had never even watched a race, but that was okay. I'd give it a try. So I went to nascar.com to figure out how to get tickets only to find out the Brickyard tickets are damn near impossible to get. Then I looked at the tracks closest to where I live. Bristol and Martinsville are about equal distance. I quickly found out that Bristol was pretty much the same as Indianapolis so I tried Martinsville.

I bought 4 tickets for the Goody's Cool Orange 500-the spring race. Myself, my niece, my daughter's aunt, and my daughter's best friend would go to this race. It was more of a spiritual journey for me than a trip to a race so it was only appropriate my daughter's favorite people go with me.

We arrived at Martinsville the night before the race. We did the usual shopping and track browsing then went back to the hotel. I was excited to complete my journey.

Journey. Now that's a crazy word. That race was definitely a journey...a journey to a new lease on life. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would even come close to recovering from the devastating loss of my daughter, but NASCAR (and Jeff Gordon) has restored me.

From the very first second I heard the engines turn over, I was in LOVE!!! I was OBSESSED! When those cars sped past me and my guts rattled to my core I was brought back to life at 132 miles per hour.

My journey still continues at every gut rattling, ear drum piercing, driving like your ass is on fire NASCAR race I go to. Still haven't made it to the Brickyard, but that would complete my journey and I'm not sure I ever want it to end!

That's why I love NASCAR! Journey24