Knoxville Nationals – Final Thoughts

This year’s Knoxville Nationals was a story of extremes:  extreme weather, extreme driving action and extremely generous hearts!

The weather was just one of several hurdles everyone in attendance had to overcome:  Extremely high heat indexes, downpours and radars that showed extreme threat, even when it did not materialize. We prevailed!

Saturday night’s racing action was some of the most amazing racing action I have seen in a long time.  It is only fitting that such talent be shown at it’s fullest during the Knoxville Nationals!  For those of you that couldn’t attend in person, you have GOT to see this.  It will be on the SPEED channel on 8/28.  Check for your local time. It is worth sitting the DVR – REALLY!

Because of Friday’s rain, we had to cancel most of our autograph sessions on Friday.  When the racing action was move to Saturday, we had to cancel most of those too.  This is very unfortunate because the autograph session was the single-biggest fundraiser for the foundation at Knoxville.

Fortunately Wayne Johnson was able to still stop by. Wayne, a local favorite in Knoxville, suffered a broken ankle during a race on the west coast about a month ago.  He is healing, but the break is bad enough that he won’t be able to “get back to work” until next February.  We appreciate Wayne taking time out hang out with us and talk to so many of his fans about his healing progress.

The extreme weather certainly hampered our fundraising. Around $4,000 was raised, well below the goal.  Half of that was raised on Saturday. Whew!

Highlights from the 2010 Knoxville Nationals for the Steve King Foundation:

1.  “Give a Donation, Get an Autograph” sessions – we had so many drivers generously share their time.  This was our single biggest avenue for fund raising during the Nationals. Thank you to the drivers and the fans for bearing bizarre weather to help us out!

2.  The silliness of Sprint Car Silly Bandz® – nearly 5000 sprint-car shaped silly bans were purchased.  The kids (big and little) went nuts for them!

3.  $3 t-shirts. Turns out moving our closeout price on t-shirts to $3 was a HIT!  For the most part fans thought it was a misprint and inquired about the price.  We would answer by telling them that if they wanted to pay more we would gladly accept a donation.  Most happily did!

4.  Fans! -  I know you hear it all the time but I can’t talk about Knoxville without repeating it.  Racing is just one big family!  It is wonderful to see the same fans year after year.  We so appreciate the Grandpa “Grumpy” who brings his grandsons and stops by each year. There is Bonnie from Nebraska and the generous couple from Minnesota.  I don’t know many other names but do know hundreds of faces – all with generous hearts.  It is great to see them each year and hear their latest racing stories. Some still have stories about Steve – each one warms my heart!

5. The Racing Action! – Yeah! I know it shouldn’t be last because that is why we are all in Knoxville.  Working the booth does not allow the opportunity to see the races, but the ones I did see were great!  Kraig Kinser and Jason Meyers battling back from qualifying night heat race mishap; Craig Dollansky having the run of his life both Saturday afternoon and evening; and then there was the battle for the checkered flag and $150,000!  I have been going to races since I was a toddler and I cannot remember seeing anything like it. WOW!  It is impossible to have come to Knoxville this year as a fan and leave anyway but other than to say, “I HAVE to go back next year!”

A few shout outs before I close up this year’s edition of Knoxville National blogs:

• Mom, Linda and Tammy for braving the elements each day to man the booth.  Let’s do it again next year!
• Kristy Finley for doing an awesome job of coordinating drivers for the autograph sessions, getting the merchandise ordered and making sure I had what I needed when I left!
• Lois Ritter – the most amazing nail artist I know – Thanks so much for your support in Osky and Knoxville (not to mention being a life saver with your fan!!!). The foundation logo looks awesome on the sunglasses!
• Kevin, Susan, Landon and Jordon for being the best host we have ever had!  My kids already miss you guys!
• Heather for joining us Saturday to provide some needed relief!
• The crew at the Knoxville Raceway, especially Brian and Grant, for their help on all sorts of issues!
• Park for allowing us to use his empty rental house and finding a different spot for the RV.
• Dave Lunstra for allowing 3 total strangers to borrow your truck and haul a trailer to Osky and back! 
• Terry and Lori McCarl for allowing us to set up at Osky!
• Davey and Todd for all the RV help!
• Meredith and Lauren for keeping the tweets going!
• Van for being Tammy’s taxi!

If I missed you, it is not on purpose….know from the bottom of my heart how much we appreciate the help!

See ya next year!
Danette

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