Our Last Minute Trip to Daytona Ends Up Perfect!

Written by: Doug McCollum

NASCAR was something we leisurely enjoyed on Sundays growing up. Dad enjoyed watching the greats: Richard Petty, Rusty Wallace, Terry Labonte, Ricky Rudd, Darrell Waltrip, Dale Jarrett, Bill Elliot, and “Dirty” Dale Earnhardt, while I cheered on Jeff Gordon. My brothers and I became fans of the sport and had many model cars and collectibles for numerous drivers. I remember Dad having the race on when I was in the ICU recovering from my spinal fusion surgery and asking him to let me know who wins. I couldn’t keep watching due to seeing double because of the pain medication. When Mom and Dad helped my wife and I move a few years ago, Dad mentioned how close we were living to Michigan International Speedway now and that we needed to go to a race. We talked about going to a NASCAR race the following year, and also having him bring his boat up the next summer so we would go fishing. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to make any of those plans a reality, because Dad passed away suddenly, at the end of December 2022, after firefighter training. 

18 years ago, just before New Year’s Eve, I packed up the car and headed south with Dad for one of my Physician Assistant clinical rotations in Florida. We shared driving duties and good conversation on the long drive. Although this wasn’t really a vacation, we knew we were making one stop for something fun. After an overnight, just south of Atlanta, we took the detour to Daytona International Speedway. 

It was a nice January morning as we approached Daytona International Speedway. I remember driving up to it thinking how massive it felt – the closer we got the larger it became. We were both really excited and had a great time strolling around the expansive track imagining hearing the roar of the engines and cheering crowds that would be there in a little over a month for the big race season kick-off, the Daytona 500. We took the tour around the track, got out at the huge embankment on the fourth turn, and made it across the finish line. We talked about how much fun it would be to come back and actually see a race. It was something we said would be on our bucket list.

And now, 18 years later on a Friday night at the end of summer, I finally got to see a NASCAR race at Daytona, although much different than what I imagined. Dad was definitely there, but not sitting beside me like we had planned. His name was painted on the back of Jesse Love’s No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet Camaro SS Xfinity NASCAR for Richard Childress Racing. This driver, who was only a year old when my Dad and I took our trip to Daytona, had a special paint job on his #2 car to honor the National Fallen Fire Firefighters Foundation and Fallen Heroes of 2024. “Dennis Lee McCollum” was among the names of the 226 Heroes honored this past May at Emmitsburg, Maryland. All 226 of them had a very special place in this NASCAR race at Daytona under the grandstand lights. 

It was a surreal experience to say the least. Our whirlwind journey began to take shape Wednesday night when I asked my wife, if she was feeling up to it, to ask her doctor if she would be able to go with me to the race in Daytona. We are amidst a fertility journey and didn’t think she would be cleared to travel because of her treatments. As my wife would say, “God, won’t He do it!” Her procedure took place sooner than expected and on Thursday, she was cleared to fly out Friday morning. She rushed to book the flights, hotel, rental car, and race tickets. We reached out to the Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF), Jesse Love Racing, Richard Childress Racing (RCR), and Whelen to see if there was any possible way we could see the car up close. 

Either way, I was so grateful we would at least be there in person to see the race from the grandstands and maybe catch a closer glimpse of the car. I wanted to be there in person for this honor, to represent Dad and our family, and to make this full-circle, since Dad and I had gone to Daytona Speedway together all those years ago. But I think Dad wanted more for us because the way things lined up can not be explained any other way. 

We got to Orlando about 10:30 a.m. and went to get our “suppliers choice” rental vehicle. Imagine our surprise when they pulled up a white quad cab pickup, reminiscent of Dad’s truck that he bought just before he passed away. Rachel said, “Oh you’ve got to be kidding, Dad must be smiling down on us.” We headed to the hotel to change and make our way over to Daytona, with a brief stop at a lighthouse to let Rachel get a few pictures (because I’m a good husband), and then it was off to the race! 

We approached Daytona International Speedway and I remember the same excitement I felt when I came with Dad all those years ago. Many emotions were flowing through me, but I was mostly overjoyed that it worked out to get to be at Daytona for this race and I could feel Dad was with us. 

We didn’t hear back from the people at RCR or Whelen before we left, but the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation responded they wouldn’t be able to guarantee we could see the car, but they would try. We did hear Jesse Love was going to be at the RCR booth before the race, so that was our first stop. When we were in line to meet Jesse, we got a call from the NFFF to inform us they tried but couldn’t work it out for us to see the car up close. They informed us we may be able to see the garage, although since Jesse already qualified, the car was off limits. That’s ok, we told them, and thanked them for trying. It was last minute and while reaching out never hurts, we didn’t think it would work out. We were just really happy to be there to see the race honoring the fallen heroes and see a NASCAR race at Daytona. 

Jesse was so kind at the booth. Rachel asked him if he was allowed to wear a memorial bracelet my brother had made for all of us after Dad passed away and Jesse said he would be honored. She gave him her bracelet and he put it on right away for the race. He shared what an honor it was for him to be able to honor the fallen heroes this year. He told us he felt an even greater appreciation as a long time friend, and former racing buddy of his, had his father honored on the car this year too. He thanked us for Dad’s service and dedication and took some pictures with us. 

As we started walking away from the RCR Trailer, we were approached by a gentleman from Whelen. He introduced himself as Peter and, after hearing my name, shared he had seen my email but didn’t have any more VIP passes for Friday’s race. He did have 2 for Saturday’s race, but we told him we were only here for this race and had to head back to Michigan early in the morning. 

Then he worked some sort of magic and told us to get on the golf cart. 

We raced around the facility, hanging on to the back of the cart as we rushed to fill out the security clearance forms on our cell phones. We hurried into a small building to get VIP badges and zipped to the infield just in time for Jesse’s tour of the RCR trailer. We stepped inside and learned the details of how things work just before and during race day. It all happened so fast. Filled with excitement and tears, Rachel and I kept staring at each other in disbelief that this was really happening. 

Next, after being treated to dinner (Cheddars) with a few other fallen firefighter families, NFFF volunteers and Whelen staff, we were suddenly whisked away to the pit area where the cars were lined up for the race! 

There it was. 

The #2 Camero with the National Fallen Firefighters symbol on the hood, stars in the background and stripes on the side with another NFFF symbol behind the #2. The trunk had the 226 names of the 2024 NFF Roll of Honor. Each firefighter’s name was painted right there on the trunk of the NASCAR. And in the bottom 3rd section of the row below the “F” in “OF”, in all caps, was “Dennis Lee McCollum.” Dad was getting to race down the track at Daytona tonight!

I can not find the right words to describe the emotions of seeing Dad’s name on the car lined up just before the race. It was so loud, a frenzy of fast-paced crew members, photographers, and security officials moving about making sure everything was ready to go. But in the moment, standing behind the car, seeing Dad’s name, it was like time slowed. For a few minutes, I didn’t notice the excitement happening around me, I was just in the moment. It felt calm and serene. 

The lights began to turn on as Jesse, the other drivers and crews began arriving on the track. We got to stand with them during the National Anthem and prayer before the race. We noticed Jesse still had Dad’s bracelet on as they cleared us out of the area and they got ready to start the race. We thought we were heading to our seats in the grandstand, but instead, the folks from Whelen guided us to their spot on pit row. We got to watch the entire race with them, Jesse’s dad, his race team, and the pit crew!! They even let us wear radios so we could hear Jesse and his race team talking. 

It was incredible! We watched the cars whiz by, the pit crew jump into action when Jesse came in to have tires changed, and had an up close view of damaged cars coming in after the crashes. We smelled the burning rubber, heard the squeal of tires and felt the anticipation in the air. Jesse didn’t win this race. He was swept up in a crash that set him back, but like Peter from Whelen said, “Sometimes it’s not about winning.” 

This race wasn’t just about winning. It was about honoring the fallen firefighters and their families in this special way and that goal was exceeded. We shared Dad’s story and his 35 years of service on the Kalida Volunteer Fire Department with the NFFF volunteers, families, and Whelen staff. We kept thanking everyone for enabling us to participate in this unforgettable experience and they all responded “no need to thank us, this is why we do this.” 

Surreal. It’s the only word in the English language that comes close to summing up this experience.

This was the farthest thing from what I imagined my experience at a NASCAR race in Daytona would be. Dad wasn’t there in person with me, like we talked about so many years ago, but he WAS there. I felt it the entire time and there is no way things lined up the way they did without his help. Rachel and I are still in disbelief that this unexpected trip turned out to be such an amazing experience. Thank you to Whelen, The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, Jesse Love, Richard Childress Racing, and NASCAR for making this race such a memorable experience and beautiful tribute for all 226 fallen firefighters, but especially for us and Dad – Dennis Lee McCollum.