This is my favorite time of year. I will be attending the final day of the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion historic car races at Laguna Seca on Sunday, August 17th. I’ve talked two of my BBFs into getting up at the crack of dawn and driving down to catch the first race at 8 am.

Helio in pre-race introductions in 2011

And then on August 24th, I will head north to Sonoma raceway to cheer on my favorite Indy driver, Helio Castroneves, as he tries to get back his lead in the 2014 Indy Championship in the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma. He was robbed in Ohio, done in by faulty electronics).

It’s all fun. From watching them polish the rims on pit row

To listening to the interviews at the finish…even when Helio came in 3rd in 2012.

Or the bittersweet moment when Scott Dixon and Dario Franchitti shared a moment of commiseration back before the terrible accident that ended Dario’s racing days this past year.

A snapshot with Helio’s Number 3 in 2012.

Mid-race in 2012.

Helio with his lovely girlfriend and daughter pre-race 2012