Driver's Meeting and Start of the 2014 Green Grand Prix - April 11th 9:15am
Ladies Ladies Ladies
and and
Gentlemen Gentlemen Gentlemen ! ! !
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Yessir! Just like the BigDawgs we had it all including the echo as organizer Robert Gillespie commandeered the mic! As we listened to our instructions and followed along with our printed maps and narratives, I know I wasn't the only one who was now getting that first rush of knowing that
"this is what we came for"!
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Some traveled several states, fought the weather, forfeited sleep, food, possibly a lovelife in the pursuit of the Queen Mother Mary of MPG Hell On Wheels: The 2014 Toyota Green Grand Prix at Watkins Glen International Speedway!!!
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Seemingly before it started - the gathering was over and we were released to our battle-ready chariots. Some slid into ultimate luxury to a gentle door chime, others passed into a shell of steel - diesel - and a license plate collection!
For the others there was chrome, custom electronics, gull wing doors, and for me - the preferred way to enter the Centurion: vaseline and a shoehorn!
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But not before stuffing Sheepdog_44 in there! People may have thought I was just being gentlemanly but the fact is the Centurion's doors are more symbolic than anything and require extra care!
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From my vantage point waiting in line, I took in the surroundings:
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To the front, a license plate on the rear of the silver Toyota.
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To the rear, a license plate on the front of a blue Prius.
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And then there was the sheer excitement of this with my Co-Pilot:
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But all of that soon changed, yes, we started to move and before long our front wheels touched the sacred ground!
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And Sheepdog_44 just went out of control!
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-- IS THAT PRICELESS OR WHAT?! --
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Foot-by-foot, we got closer and closer to the start line and reality was just moments away!
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After passing under the Sprint sign, something magical happened. The sky opened up, the sun broke out, and one of us blew a stinky! 
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And that wasn't all, my Co-Pilot had a Honda Insight shirt on! Was this a secret agent of Alfred State wielding the vile tear gas to sabotage team Centurion????
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The moment I discovered the hidden symbol on Sheepdog44's shirt, his equally keen eye spotted the onboard cameras and realized the gig was up!
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With no time to lose and a stalemate, team Centurion reunited!
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Now only precious seconds left, I released the poison gas and took a deep breath!
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We were now face-to-face with the Supreme Track Commander, and in a flash, with the speed and skill of only the most elite martial artists, he summoned the green flag - GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Hold onto your hats folks! The next entry in the series will include a rare ride around Watkins Glen GGP short course with team Centurion!!
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~CrazyJerry