Woman celebrates 100th birthday by driving race car at New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Apr 27, 2011, 12:15 PM EDT
When Rachel Gilbert was born there was no NASCAR; in fact, four-wheel brakes had just been invented the previous year, in 1910. But she knew that if she played her cards right, a hundred years later she’d get to drive a stock car at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Bonus: No pedestrians or red lights … not that she would pay attention to those things anyway. Get out of her way! Granma’s going shopping.
Gilbert has been a NASCAR fan since 1960, so her daughters decided to get her tickets to a race for her 100th birthday. But when NHMS General Manager Jerry Gappens heard about it, he decided to arrange for something better.
To break the news about her NASCAR present, the family had taken Gilbert to dinner and placed race driver hats all around the table.
“You are going to get to go to NASCAR and drive a car around the track,” they told her. When asked if she wanted to ride in the passenger seat or drive, Gilbert declared, despite having relinquished her license in 1995, “Oh, I want to drive.”
Gilbert also got to meet her favorite driver, Carl Edwards, and received a Roush Fenway Racing pit crew jacket.
Top speed attained on Gilbert’s journey? Just in excess of 50 MPH. Which by 1911 measurements is, like, supersonic.
We’ve gotta get these cookies to the great grandchildren and they gotta be there yesterday!
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Centenarian celebrates life in the fast lane [Union Leader]
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- kraiger27 - Apr 27, 2011 at 3:51 PM
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“But she (K)NEW that if she played her cards right, a hundred years later she’d get to drive a stock car at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway.”
I highly respect new media journalists, however credibilty becomes questionable when an average reader notices basic grammer errors. Hopefully the next time I see a post by you, I don’t see any grammar mistakes since this is grade school grammar.
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- Rick Chandler - Apr 27, 2011 at 5:22 PM
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?
also,
>>credibilty becomes questionable when an average reader notices basic grammer errors<<
Thank you for a very entertaining message.
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- thethreatlevelmidnight - Apr 27, 2011 at 4:30 PM
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The post-race reception was held at Country Kitchen Buffet.
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- Rick Chandler - Apr 27, 2011 at 5:19 PM
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+1
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- cambodianbreastmilk - Apr 28, 2011 at 2:12 AM
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Nice story. She should be a hit with the Cup guys at the Drivers Meeting.
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- whiskytengo - Apr 28, 2011 at 3:01 PM
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For the first time in her life, it was actually appropriate for her to be driving around with her left turn signal on.
