By Jamie Fulcher

I got in line Friday at 10 am to get a wristband. There were tons of people there already. I never thought I would get a wristband. They opened the doors around 9pm and we started going in 20 people at a time. I went in and there were still Jeff Gordon wristbands remaining, so my mom and I got one. We arrived back at the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum at 9:30 on Saturday morning, walked around to the souvenir trailers, and then into the showroom with all the cars with the 2002 paint schemes and took some pictures. Then around 11 am we headed back into the building where Jeff was supposed to be signing from 1:30-3:30 pm. We sat from 11:30 until the time they came to get us to line up for his signing. At this time, I was in SHOCK! I don't think I really knew what I was doing! I got my stuff together that I wanted autographed, and then they started the drivers announcements.

Around 1:38 pm the Man himself walked down the steps-- three feet away from me-- and headed to the stage to be introduced. Jeff came back down to the table and started signing autographs. My mom and I were about 50th in line to get his autograph. I brought Jeff some "Fairystones" in a little baggy with the Legend of The Fairystones paper inside of it. I explained to him how they can only be found where I live and he looked at the paper for a bit. Jeff looked up at me and said "Thank You, God Bless You." He asked what I wanted signed and I gave him a Valentine's Day Card that opens up with a little DuPont chocolate car on the front. I told him that I would like to get that signed for my friend Andrea from Texas. He said "no problem" and signed it for me. Then he asked what I wanted signed for myself and I told him my jacket. He said, "Come over here and bend down sweetie and I will sign it for you." So I went over and knelt down next to him and he signed it for me. Jeff then asked my mom what she wanted signed and she said, "I want my NASCAR vest signed and I don't just let anyone sign this vest." He said, "I feel honored to get to sign it then." He kind of chuckled. It was very cute!

After Jeff signed it, she layed the poster of him holding his Championship Trophy up and he signed that as well! When we were getting ready to walk on and leave I looked at him one more time and said, "I told my mom that I had one goal in 2002, and that it was to meet you, and I never, ever dreamed it would happen this quickly." Jeff got up from the table, and came over to where we were, shook our hands, and said, "It is so nice to meet a dedicated fan like you, I'm glad you fulfilled your goal." Then he went back and sat down and we left. It was absolutely one of the best days of my life!

Photos by Jamie Fulcher

+Jeff signs Jamie's jacket | +Signing an autograph | +Jeff Gordon

+Up close in the spotlight | +Jeff's autograph on Jamie's jacket | +2002 paint schemes

+JG signs another autograph | +DuPont 200th Anniversary paint scheme

+Jimmie Johnson
"This part of racing, is all new to me
Who's the blonde stranger, who lives by the sea"

**Photos from Victory-lap.com

+2002 DuPont Chevrolet (side) | +2002 DuPont Chevrolet (back) | +2002 DuPont Chevrolet (front)

**For the full size version of these pictures, please visit www.victory-lap.com/2002/preview/preview.html. Many other drivers 2002 paint schemes can also be found there.