Stocks for Tots among my favorite events

Stocks for Tots celebrates its 20th anniversary Tuesday night at the Charles Mack Citizens Center in downtown Mooresville.

This is one of my favorite events each year. I started going to it back when it was held in the Lakeside industrial park just off Interstate 77. Race fans used to go from race shop to race shop getting autographs and it always seemed that the event fell on the coldest night in history. It always amazed me how many fans put themselves through so much misery to do something so nice.

Now the event is mostly indoors. There will be food, entertainment and racing show cars outside the Citizens Center beginning about 5:30 p.m. At 4:30, a group of legends including Tom Pistone, Rex White and Neil Castles will be signing autographs in the event's auction room.

Doors open for the main autograph session at 7 p.m. To get autographs or attend the live memorabila auction, fans need wristbands that can be obtained only by donating at least $10 in cash and a new unwrapped toy valued at at least $10. Wristbands can be picked up from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Tuesday at The Pit karting center in Mooresville and then at the Citizens Center's doors beginning at 4.

One of my favorite memories of being at Stocks for Tots were the couple of years I got lucky and they let me sit next to Buddy Baker at one of the tables. People would come along with models of various cars Buddy drove during his years behind the wheel and Buddy would have a story about every one of them. I joked with Baker about how I didn't even know they had plastic back when he drove. He laughed. Most of the time.

Baker, Rusty Wallace, Ned Jarrett, Bobby Allison, Junior Johnson Randy Lajoie, Tim Brewer and Larry McReynolds are among the NASCAR heroes who're scheduled to attend and meet the fans.

Ryan Newman, Kurt Busch, Greg Biffle, David Stremme, Colin Braun, Joe Nemechek, Kevin Lepage, Sam Hornish Jr., Mike Bliss, John Andretti, Travis Kvapil and Chrissy Wallace are among the current NASCAR drivers set to be there. From drag racing, you can meet drivers like Greg Anderson, Jason Line, Doug Herbert, Bob Gilbertson, Melanie Troxel and Tommy Johnson Jr.

If you want to check an updated list of those scheduled to attend, or if you need any more information about the event, go to stocksfortots.com and it's all there for you. If you're in the Mooresville area on Tuesday -- or can get there -- you won't be disappointed, I promise. It's really one of the best nights of the year to be connected to racing in any way.