Dover, DE—May 2003—Mom & I took the boys to Dover for the Friday race festivities—practice for Saturday & Sunday races & maybe a truck race. It might’ve even been a year that rain prevented much activity on the track that day. The boys never cared; shopping at the haulers was always the highlight of their trips.
We looked at every trailer—the only thing Connor wanted was a Bobby Labonte race jacket that cost $80! And $80 meant $80 times two because Jarrett would want to have one too. I’m not sure what Connor bought that day but it wasn’t that jacket.
The next day was our annual trip to the race with Dad. It was a longer day so the boys stayed home. While we walked around the track, Dad kept egging me on to buy two of those jackets. I told him that there was no way he would’ve ever done that when we were kids & he said that I was right—he wouldn’t have. That would’ve meant $80 times three!
When a friend headed to the Richmond race in the fall, I asked her to keep an eye out for a sale. She came home with two jackets for $40 each!
The boys were thrilled! Those jackets were huge on them but, as you can see, they got plenty of wear.
Connor never explained why he wanted that particular jacket. He was a Tony Stewart fan, probably because of all the time he spent at Home Depot with his dad. But, once he got his jacket, Bobby “DaBonte” was his driver.
Boys grow up & no matter how many sizes too big you buy their jackets, they soon out grow them.
After three years or so with us—a time that included trips to DisneyWorld & pumpkin patches, & even a fateful trip to Lowe’s on New Year’s Day 2004 when Connor knocked out his tooth & bled on the front of his—we donated those jackets & hope they brought some other boys just as many happy memories.
