The Intern Files: The 2009 Brickyard 400 (Part 2 of 3)

We were one day from raceday on Saturday, and it was a rude awakening early Saturday morning one week ago in Indy. Here’s the recap of qualifying day.

SATURDAY, JULY 25th
3:45 AM- Thunder and lightning wake me up as a huge thunderstorm moves through Indy. I turn on the TV and no local station has a severe weather update in fifteen minutes so I try to fall asleep.
7:30 AM- My cell phone alarm goes off. I wake up and pack up my belongings and put them in the car. On my way to and from the car I notice the small pond which built up between the hotle parking lot and the Denny’s next door.

8:15 AM- I head north and begin my trek to the Speedway, even though a light rain falls.
8:45 AM- I walk back into the media room and set my stuff up. An IMS official is telling all the drivers’ PR reps what the plan is for Victory Lane celebrations the next day. I listen while trying to act like I’m setting up my computer.
9:00 AM- I walk into the hauler area in search of Bart Starr.
9:10 AM- I stop by the #5 hauler and chat with Bart Starr and Benny Ertel (Read more here: http://adamniemeyer.blogspot.com/2009/07/bart-starr-man-in-motorhome.html)

9:20 AM- I walk through the garage area as cars go through tech inspection.
9:35 AM- Rain starts picking up, and I start walking swiftly toward the media center. The closer I get the heavier it rains. When I get inside I have plenty of time to write the above story and surf the web. Mark appeared on ESPN, but there was no audio in the media room.
12:10 PM- I head up to floor three to grab lunch.
1:00 PM- NASCAR announces that track drying is going well and the track will be ready for a 2PM qualifying session. I run out to turn four to snag some pictures.
1:45 PM- Cheers erupt from the grandstands as cars are rolled through Gasoline Alley and onto the pit lane. Mark is scheduled to go out third.

2:00 PM- Sam Hornish Jr hits the track
Approx 2:05 PM- Mark turns a lap of over 182 miles per hour, putting him on the pole. He’d stay there for the rest of the afternoon.
4:25 PM- Mark meets with the media in the press room (Read about it here: http://adamniemeyer.blogspot.com/2009/07/mark-martin-becomes-oldest-pole-winner.html)
5:30 PM- Mark and the other 42 drivers take part in the final practice session for the Brickyard 400
6:55 PM- I head out and begin my journey back to Cincinnati. It was a long day at the track, but it was a great day.
8:20 PM- I stop at a Frisch’s on the way home for dinner.
9:35 PM- I pull in the driveway at my house, unload what I need to unload and get ready for raceday.
11:15 PM- My dad and mom show me the YouTube video of the couple who danced down the aisle at their wedding. It was a hit in Indy too; the SPEED Channel reporters sitting in front of me were watching it during the rain delay in the morning.

Sunday was raceday and I had to prepare for that. My dad and I set a departure time and prepared for what I hoped would be the greatest Brickyard 400 to date. More on that later…