Dating in a NASCAR world: do you want the fairy tale romance?

It is common that you'll run into a NASCAR driver in these parts of town. Especially if you're one to go out on a week night. I've run in to my fair share of drivers, crew chiefs, shop guys, and driver/team public relations representatives on my side of the lake.

I'm not one to gossip about what I see. I am anti-TMZ news, and I hate the paparazzi. They give media, writers and photographers a bad name.

Dating in a small town (and in your mid-thirties) isn't easy either. Especially when one is working hard on becoming a respected, professional writer in racing's top levels.  The instant I tell guys I'm a NASCAR writer, they suddenly know everything there is to know about racing. 

And they all want to take me to race, for a good old fashion southern tailgate party because that is a  NASCAR fans dream date. But it's not mine.

I (unfortunately) do not drink before, and during a race. Especially when I'm there to cover for my team, Skirts and Scuffs.  I've also crossed over the fence, the idea of sitting in the grandstands wearing driver t-shirts, drinking beer no longer appeals to me. I prefer to be in the media center, sometimes in the press box;  but I especially love to be on pit road, my goal is to be just like Krista Voda and Jamie Little.
It's funny to see how surprised people are when I tell them I don't drink/tailgate before a race; or that I don't wear driver t-shirts in public.

When it comes to racing, the last thing on my mind is dating. Especially since I don't believe in the fairy tale romance.

Is the fairy tale romance true for everyone? I guess that's up to you, do you want it to be a fairy tale?

Do you believe in the Cinderella story? Are you the damsel in distress, and is that how you want your prince to find you?

More importantly, are you a NASCAR fan day dreaming to get married to Kasey Kahne, or Denny Hamlin, or AJ Allmendinger, or even Dale Earnhardt Jr.?

I've seen hoards of pit lizards at the track, or as most non-NASCAR fans would call them, groupies or sluts. They strut around trying to look sexy in heels, short short skirts, small tank tops with their boobs hanging out; big hair and thick make-up painted on their faces. Sure they make an impression on the guys, but is it always a good impression? 

Are men who make 1.7 million dollars in seven weeks of work more impressed with cheap looking girls just aching to hook up with a driver to be rescued from the minimum wage day jobs? The truth is, you may get a chance to get drunk and hook up with a driver, but, that's all you're going to get out of him.
Are you ladies all trying to be as lucky as Vivian Ward was from Pretty Woman? Is that a fairy tale movie that can or can't come true?
So many girls want to know what men want, in this dating world, it seems men are harder and harder to impress. So what does a girl do to get a guy she obsesses over while watching TV? Nothing. She does nothing. Ladies, just drop it. There's nothing you can do to win him over. All men notice women when she's not noticing him.

The men in racing are no different than the men in your everyday world, except they have a plethora of women they can choose from. Men are easy to understand sometimes, the golden rule is this: If he is interested in you, he will make the effort to find you, and stay in touch with you no matter how busy he is.

Men will treat you the way you let them, regardless of what he does for a living. Amanda Ebersole, fellow contributor at Skirts and Scuffs has a love story column, where she writes about the drivers, or racing employee's  love story with his wife. This week she wrote about Sara and Timothy Peters. You can probably learn a dating tip or two from their love story.

If you are questioning on how to get a guy in racing, and how should you treat them, here is the  way I see it, it's how I want to be treated by men. When I modeled, I wanted a guy that saw beyond the body. I once had a boyfriend post my picture on the wall in front of his desk, but, even after a year of living with him, it didn't seem he could look beyond the picture. I was nothing more than a beautiful girl in a bikini on a stage, and he was green enough to think I was a plastic person who would always look like I did that April night I competed four years before the relationship started with him. 

Today I no longer compete, I still train and diet like I used to. I also write about the guys I interview at the race track. So I'm looking for a guy that can see beyond that as well. A guy that isn't going to get jealous, or a guy that doesn't gossip, and a guy that can handle my travel schedule, right now that schedule isn't too busy, but it has potential of getting busier. I also want a guy that can keep up with me at the gym, and in the kitchen. So where do I look? The answer, nowhere. I'm just going to keep on living my life and if a man happens to cross my path, I'll deal with it when the time comes.

In conclusion ladies, if you're looking for that man who has it all, be that girl that has it all, or at least, is working at having it all. More importantly, do not wait for a man to come along and rescue you!