Gentlemen...and Ladies...Start your engines!

It was not just another day at the track today.
For, today, I was in the driver's seat!
With the family there cheering me on, and encouraging me when I needed it the most to make it through the nervousness I had early on, I had a chance to drive 6 laps around Atlanta Motor Speedway in a real NASCAR car.
It was unlike anything else I have ever experienced.
There's a lot of horsepower in those engines...power just waiting to be seen, heard, felt.
I felt a mixture of emotions, beginning to end.

enjoying the day with me

Nerves, excitement, anxiety, sheer adrenaline, exhilaration, fear, awe, enjoyment, satisfaction...
The driver instructor in the car with me had nothing but good things to say about how I drove the power packed machine around the 1.5 mile racetrack.  He gave me a thumbs up on several laps when I hit the marks...and kept the car right where it was supposed to be on the track.  (Insert big smile from me here.)
I had a sense of being totally out of control inside moments of confidence and pride for being behind the wheel.
I had a sense of being in control inside moments of being so totally out of my element.
I'm proud of myself for doing it...my knees were shaking as I came to a stop and switched the engine off.

watching Mama drive

The finish line was crossed, so to speak.  I did not know I had it in me to drive a car with such power at such speeds.    
It was a good day of driving.
A birthday gift that I'll never forget!