To use one of Amy’s favorite words: flummoxed – that is exactly what I was last weekend when I got the details of this year’s Meet and Greet opportunities with Jeff Gordon. I was beyond excited when it was announced that Jeff would be holding meet and greet opporunities this year for fans at EVERY race. I even said to Amy, “Whoo hoo that man is going to get sick of seeing us!”.

Having attended the last Jeff Gordon Network event in Phoenix a few years back, I was not surprised that there was a fee to participate. As I recall it was $40 a person, but that got you a breakfast with the other attendees, some swag, and of course the whole reason for attending – a moment with Jeff, one on one on stage, to talk to him and have a personal photo taken. Seemed reasonable, after all they did have to rent a room to hold the event in, they served breakfast and whatever else. However, I was more than a little surprised when I opened up the email last weekend to find out the cost to attend was $599.00 PER PERSON! I was left searching for some misplaced decimals to say the least. Even more surprising, for that amount of money there is no mention of a meal, although they do promise an autographed item, BUT get this “due to time constraints” you will likely have your picture taken with Jeff and four to five other fans! Is it April? Cause someone has GOT to be fooling me!

Now I am just about as devoted of a Jeff Gordon fan as you can get. I think he is a great person on and off the track and his humanitarian work truly makes me proud to call him my driver, but there is something just so unsettling about this. Why is the cost SO much? To me it is not even a matter of affordability, I could have Warren Buffet sized bank accounts and would not spend that to meet anyone. If you are attending or planning to attend, I think that is great and I am in no way judging you- but I truly do want to hear from you and find out what about this offer seems reasonable or appealing to you.

Needless to say, this is one fan who is not planning to attend any of the events this year. I can think of any number of better ways to spend my money than on this- heck I think I would even be better off to buy 6 tickets to Jeff’s corvette raffle, where the money goes to a fantastic charity, The Jeff Gordon Children’s Hospital. At least then I am giving to a good cause, could win a car, and likely meet Jeff anyway and not have some strangers mucking up my picture with the man. Just saying …