Our next sports adventure was attending our first NASCAR Cup race with the big boys. My daughter and me had learned from Saturday's race to get there early and remember where you park. Knowing there will be 3-4 times the crowd compared to Saturday's race we left early and were at the track by 8 that morning. While most fans were setting up their tailgate parties we instead were taking a nap. It had been a long 3 days so we brought our blankets and slept for about an hour. As we left our car we made sure to get every landmark we could to identify where our car was plus saw the sign that said we were in lot A1. This is something we did not do the day before. The weather could not have been better in the mid 60's with a slight breeze. For this race we rented a race day scanner. While in line and talking to the guy in front of us we mentioned we were from Washington and the next thing we know the guy in front of him and the couple behind us were also from Washington. Before I knew it an in-depth conversation on the Seahawks broke out from how good Wilson is, the signing of Harvin and if they should keep Flynn. (this made the line go much faster) If anyone goes to a NASCAR race I suggest you rent a scanner, my daughter loved it. You can get the scanner with two sets of headphones. The one we got came with a viewing screen so we could see replays and watch some of the drivers through their in car cameras. Plus you could get driver stats and listen to the drivers talk to their crew chiefs. It was fun to listen to Kasey Kahne as he took the lead for the first time in the race. We never saw any major wrecks and Kasey Kahne held on for second place. Once the race was over the real race began to be the first to get to their car and get out of the parking lot. Amazing how fast it is to get back to your car when you remember where you park. I had heard that it can take up to 4 hours to clear the parking lot. We must have been in the first wave because we were back in Vegas in 30 minutes. Our next adventure was Monday morning getting tickets to see Gonzaga play in the finals against St. Mary's. We could only get tickets at the box office the day of the game, if they had any. We wouldn't know until the box office opened at 10. I knew we would have to get in line early if we wanted tickets. I was hoping to be there by 5 AM. I woke up just before 4 AM, to excited to sleep. Just minutes later my daughter gets up to use the bathroom. I figured since I had her moving (maybe not awake) I would strike while the iron was hot and told her to get dressed we were leaving to get in line for tickets. She might have still been half asleep and didn't really realize what was going on and before I knew it we were in the car and on our way to get in line for tickets. We had did it, we were first in line! Ok so there was no other crazy fans there at 4:15 in the morning and the next fan wouldn't show up for almost 2 hours later. Didn't matter to me we were first and almost guaranteed tickets to the final. We were sitting there with our blankets and books for almost 2 when the next gentleman game to stand in line. With in 10 minutes of his arrival three security guards come in the door and we can see another one coming down the hall. They wanted to know what we were doing. Funny they didn't care 2 hours ago about what we were doing. An exciting thing happened around 7 AM we got interviewed by one of the local TV stations from Spokane. Not sure if it made the cut and was aired but we don't care it was still fun do. To think my daughter would have missed out if I had let her go back to sleep and not brought her with me. Being first paid off we were six rows up from the court and sat right across from Gonzaga's bench. Now was the time to go back to the hotel and take a nap. When we got back to the arena it seem to be 95% of the fans were Zag fans. Gonzaga had set up a huge tail gate party in the parking lot next to the arena. All I can say is that you could feel the Zag-nation presence. I have to mention the team bands, Gonzaga's band was hip with newer song selections while St Mary's band was stuck in the 80's and sound more like a high school band that a parent has to go hear because their kid is playing it in. The game was close at the start but by halftime the Zags were up by 9 and never looked back in the second half to win by 18. Best play of the game was an Olynyk's dunk that he was also fouled on. The play was ESPN's number 2 play of the day. We stayed for all the festivities after the game and the cutting down of the net. As we were leaving the fans were still chanting for the Zags. It was all worth getting up early for. Part 3 of my blog will include UW game, Mariners Spring training and my first NHL game at Staple Center with the L.A. Kings.