11:28 a.m. - Cannot sleep at all because of (crew chief’s) yelling. Poke head out of trailer and politely ask him to modulate his voice because am trying to sleep. (Crew chief) yells at me to get my behind in the car. But not in those words exactly.

12:10 p.m. - Uh-oh. Big problems. Car won’t start at all and first call for qualifying is in 20 minutes. Am ducking thrown wrenches handily. And they say my reactions are slow! Ha!

12:15 p.m. - (Crew chief) is making emergency call to Robert Reehl for part. (Crew chief) forgot to bring some critical part that makes some doohicky turn around. Am not sure of name of it. Note to self: must learn more about how this thing works. Auto shop classes? Correspondence course?

12:16 p.m. - Reehl does not have part or if he does, will not sell it to (crew chief) because of that incident at the Ramada last April. Says scar is still visible. Tells (crew chief) to call Cavalieri. I move to edge of pit and look out into lane to see if anyone is waiting for autograph. Think that (crew chief’s) swearing and tool throwing is scaring off fans.

12:28 p.m. - (Crew chief) is crying. This is not encouraging fans to come get hero cards. I offer to call my life coach to talk with (crew chief) but he begins swearing at me.

12:30 p.m. - Watch Toliver and Capps go by as they go to staging lanes. A trail of long-legged 20-year-old super models behind Capps. Maybe he pays them? Thank God, no cigar smell for the next 30 minutes!

1:08 p.m. - 1st round Qualifying done. Still cannot find part.

Friday

10:11 a.m. - Went to track but (crew chief) has asked me to go somewhere else. Still cannot find part. Walk down pits and see our sponsor hanging out in Haddocks’ pit! Run back to tell (crew chief) who then asks for migraine pill.

4:22 p.m. - Still have not found part. Have missed second round of qualifying.

Saturday

1:19 p.m. - Have missed third round of qualifying. (Crew chief) is packing up car and drinking tequila. Cannot believe word that sponsor has signed with Haddock for next year! Haddock wears a bigger firesuit than me!

7:03 p.m. - Oh! The funniest thing! Feel like such a ding-dong! Did some deducing. Kid brings trashed part up for me to autograph and it’s the one I threw away. When (crew chief) sees it he begins screaming. Seems that missing part and part I threw in the trash is one and the same. Big, BIG oops! But did get to sign an autograph!!

8:57 p.m. - Am flying home tonight. (Crew chief) says don’t worry about next week’s race. Wonder if that means not to worry everything’s OK or not to worry you’re fired?

Sunday

11:18 a.m. - Must wake up. Oh. It’s Sunday. Never mind.