0642 - registration area (parking lot west of grandstand gate C) - Finally got paired up with Penny (foreground on the right, black shirt).

0717 - Talladega and California - BACA members Buddha and Bravo talking with Penny about the routing of traffic coming into the registration area. Not a morning for a pretty sunrise. This picture was taken 17 minutes after sunrise.

0753 - Media Center - Matt does not look overly excited about what he's hearing over the phone.

0812 - just outside the Media Center - Penny meeting with a March of Dimes staff member. The fog is still trying to hang around, as can be seen by the tower in the background.

0816 - north side of the stage (east side of the media center) - listening to Steve Yates making some announcements.

0835 - just outside the media center doors - Penny seems very concerned about her phone conversation while her son leans in for a picture.

0836 - Media Center - posing for a picture during a brief over-breakfast meeting. The Media Center provides a centrally located place for event committee and staff to meet at, as well as providing a location for the VIP area.

0846 - just outside the Media Center doors - two girls pose to have their picture taken with a motorcycle goggle wearing dog. The pooch was taking part in Bikers for Babies with its owner, one of the "Grand Donors". As you might expect, Grand Donors are participants who raise $1,000 or more for the Bikers for Babies event. I'm guessing that since both girls are wearing VIP tags that one or both were premature babies.

0853 - east side of Garage A - The line for breakfast grew very fast. There are four garages on the infield. Garage A is in the northwest corner of the infield, just north of the Media Center. As in years past, Garage A was home to breakfast.

0910 - Northern end of the lot between Garages C & D - Meeting up with local radio morning show host Johnny Dare (facing camera, standing to Penny's left) before the start of opening ceremonies.

0917 - north side of stage - Ed Hale, the largest March of Dimes Bikers for Babies fundraiser in the country, waiting for the start of opening ceremonies. In the four years I have been volunteering for Bikers for Babies I have seen Ed and his posse dump over a quarter million dollars (in cash) onto the stage. This year even with the down economy they raised $67,000.

0922 - north side of stage - Ed and Penny share a quick word during the opening ceremony.

0955 - just north of Garage C - Opening ceremony is over, time for the bikes to get out on the road. Here a passenger records video of the scene.

0959 - just north of Garage C - it seemed like at least one third of the bikes were two-up.

1002 - just north of Garage C - BACA member Buddha is reflected in chrome as he helps direct bikes and pedestrians.

1002 - just north of Garage C - The area between the Media Center and Garage C was a bit of a traffic jam for a few minutes. Bikes coming out of the lot between garages C & D had to cross the flow of pedestrians making their way into the vendor area inside Garage C. Penny wanted to stay and keep an eye on things until the flow of bikes eased up... which left me plenty of time to take pictures of the bikes going past.

1100 - Media Center - most of the bikes are gone and the VIP breakfast area has been taken down. Matt, Penny and Kara have a brief discussion. In the background is Ed and a member of his Posse.

1106 - between Media Center and Garage A - a brief meeting of event staff. By this time the fog was starting to burn off at a pretty good clip.

1115 - between garages A & B - walking through a lot that was full of motorcycles just one hour earlier.

1119 - lunch pickup area, southeast corner of the lot east of Garage B - Penny and Ashley talk things over.

1144 - east side of Media Center - Penny having her picture taken.

1145 - stage - The band was pretty damn good. Too bad the bulk of the bikers missed most of their set.

1145 - north of the media center (I think) - Ashley and her amateur radio "shadow". A shadow is an amateur radio operator who follows a key member of the event staff around and provides them with quick, easy, reliable communications to other staff and volunteers.

1151 - north side of Media Center - Event staff and a HAM volunteer at the information table.

1247 - between garages A and B - Penny getting feedback on the ride from a group of riders that have just returned to the speedway.

1250 - lot between garages A and B - Penny talking to participants just in from the ride.

1250 - The lot between garages A and B is starting to fill up with once again.

1252 - lot between garages A and B - Penny talking to participants just back from the ride.

1350 - northwest corner of infield (pit-in is just behind the red trucks) - A quick talk before the start of the Grand Donor laps. Every Grand Donor was invited to take several parade laps around the speedway. There are enough Grand Donors that the several groups would be put together and taken out throughout the afternoon.

1352 - northwest corner of infield - three of the photographers at the event get ready to take pictures of the first Grand Donor lap group.

1353 - northwest corner of infield - a sign on the back of a Grand Donor's bike showing pictures of his granddaughter (I think he said it was his granddaughter... could be wrong though) as a premature baby and a recent picture as a beautiful, happy, healthy girl.

1355 - northwest corner of infield - a sign on another of the Grand Donor bikes.

1356 - northwest corner of infield - a Grand Donor proudly displays his shirt dedicated to his wife and the Bikers for Babies event that she cared so much about.

1356 - northwest corner of infield - Penny talks with the first group of Grand Donors getting ready for their laps.

1404 - front stretch of track - Don Post longtime Bikers for Babies supporter and volunteer with the group of roller derby girls who helped him raise money for this years event.

1407 - front stretch of track - a photographer and Penny ride in the back of a truck, taking pictures of Don and the roller girls as they make their way down the track.

1427 - northwest corner of infield - speedway special events manager Jodi and Penny near the end of a very long and successful day.

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