Cindy starts the NASCAR engines

CINDY VANCIL-HAXEL is a huge auto racing fan. A few weeks ago, the owner of Quincy's Vancil Performing Arts went to Kentucky and drove around a track really fast. She wore the big crash helmet and everything.

I asked her if she was scared. Then I thought, "She is married to Frank. Going 200 miles an hour and barreling through really steep corners is no big deal to her, considering her daily challenges in life."

Cindy in her happy place - Indy!

Last weekend Cindy went to the Brickyard in Indianapolis for the NASCAR races. On Friday morning, she was in the corporate sponsor tent of Xfinity, which sponsors the Xfinity Series. When Cindy told them she was an Xfinity customer, they said, "Wait a second. We have some gifts for you."

Cindy thought she was getting a T shirt or something. Instead, the head PR guy came back and said, "How would you like to be the race grand marshal tomorrow?"

Cindy was stunned. She is a huge race fan and considers going to Indy a pilgrimage. What? Race marshal? "Well, you will have to issue the start command for the second race, hang out in the pits, talk to the president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway," she was told. "You OK with all that?"

Not sure she got much sleep Friday. On Saturday, there she was, standing on the stage during the driver introductions, issuing the famous "Gentlemen start your engines!" command, soaking it all in from pit row.

One of her dance dads, Scott Heiden, was at the race and got in on the front-row fun, too. You can check out Cindy's Facebook page for video of both Saturday and Sunday at the track.

"It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience," she says.

I'd say Xfinity was lucky to have a class act as the race marshal!