~Nashville Journal~

Hey Everyone! It seems as if it has been a long time since I have had a chance to sit down and talk to everyone and tell you what has been going on with me. Well to tell you the truth, there has been a whole lot going on, as you probably know. The last time we talked was right before Texas. Since then I've run two Busch races and a Winston Cup race and now I'm off to Talladega to take a second shot at a superspeedway this season. I guess I'll start with Texas. What can I really say? It was a busy, busy weekend. A busy, busy week really. I was in Texas from the Monday prior to the race all the way up until Sunday. In the days leading up to the race, I along with my dad, spent time visiting with Sprint employees, doing a whole lot of TV and radio interviews and signing autographs. Overall we met many wonderful people out in Texas and had a lot of fun in the days leading up to my first attempt to qualify for a Winston Cup race. By Thursday though, I was definitely ready to climb behind the wheel of my Busch car. We had a real good day and qualified in the 13th spot. I personally felt like the car I had at Texas was one of the best cars we have had all year and I was really looking forward to the race on Saturday. It was also a relief to get Busch qualifying out of the way and have Friday to focus on the Winston Cup car. Friday was a really hectic day for me and my team. I think I spent almost four or five hours behind the wheel with only a couple breaks. It was really good for me as a driver though because I saw how the track was changing as the day wore and it helped me know what the track would be like for Cup qualifying. We qualified 33rd for the Cup race in first round and I was happy with just being in the top 36 because I knew if it rained out second round qualifying, I would be in the race. As you know, it did rain second round qualifying out and we ended up starting the race in 33rd spot. Saturday was a pretty emotional day for me because I was so excited about qualifying for my first Winston Cup race but at the same time I was disappointed because my dad did not qualify for the race. I guess it gives my dad and I something to look forward to in Charlotte, a track that is close to home, so I'm sure a lot of my family will be there. It will definitely be a special moment for me when I do get the chance to take the track with my dad and that will be a memorable day for us no matter when or where it happens. We ran the Busch race that Saturday, also. Like I said earlier we had a great car and ran consistent in the top 10 throughout the race. We were running in ninth spot when I got caught up in the wreck with Mike Dillon and Mike McLaughlin. It was disappointing because I feel that we could have had a solid top ten finish but I didn't have much time to dwell on it because the Cup race was the next day. Sunday seemed to fly by to me. It was just like any other race day. I went to driver's meeting, went to chapel, talked with the guys on the team and then went to driver intros. When I was in the driver's meeting and at driver intros, I started to look around and saw guys like Mark Martin and Jeff Burton and Dale Earnhardt and it started to sink in that I was actually going to run in my first Winston Cup race. When the race started, I just wanted to learn what my maximum limits were and learn how to race those guys. About halfway through the race, I really started to find a good rhythm on the track and had broken into the top 25. Unfortunately, we had motor problems and it brought my day to an early end but I still feel that I am a 10-times-better driver now than I was before I ran in the Winston Cup race. Last week we were in Nashville and we were really having an awesome weekend until we got caught up in a wreck. We qualified ninth and ran in the top five and the top ten all race long. The car at Nashville was probably even a little bit better than the car we had at Texas, and the way we were running, it looked as if we might make a trip to Victory Lane or at least get our first top-five of the season. Over the past couple of weeks, I believe that this team has shown what we're capable of and that is winning and bringing home good and consistent finishes each and every week. This week we head to Talladega but before I go I want to thank every single one of you for your support over the past couple of weeks, especially with the passing of my great grandfather. He was a very special person to the sport of NASCAR and I am proud to have the opportunity to carry on his name and tradition. Most of all though, he was a very special person in the Petty family and I am proud of that more than I am of anything he accomplished on the track. Thank you for all of the cards, e-mails, posts and especially prayers during this time. I am amazed by the support that you show my family and I more and more every single day. I'll talk to you when I get back from Talladega, but one more thing before I finish up. I promised I would let you know when my next column was up on CBS Sportsline and this week there is one up, so be sure to go check it out at http://cbs.sportsline.com/u/racing/auto/nascar/futurewatch/current.html Be sure to let me know what you think. I'll talk to you next week. God Bless and Thank You, Adam