Pampering pets a lucrative business in NASCAR world (cont'd)

This trend makes the owners of K9 Cabins, Pat and Elena Smith, purr.

Pat Smith, crew chief for Richard Childress Racing's No. 29 Busch Series team, and his wife Elena are devoted dog lovers who themselves for years tried to find quality care for their dogs while traveling the NASCAR circuit.

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Too often, they were disappointment with the options available or the conditions kennels keeps. Surely others were facing similar problems, Elena thought, so she decided to create a solution for other pet owners; namely those in the NASCAR community.

"I always had a dream of taking care of dogs," she said, "so before we opened I went to a lot of races and started handing out business cards."

In April 2004, Pat and Elena opened their pet paradise on 12 acres and designed 20 K9 cabins and an outdoor play park with an agility course.

"My husband knew I wanted to own a really unique dog boarding facility and he has made my dream come true," she said.

Each cabin is themed -- Harley Davidson, NASCAR, Gone Fishing, Jimmy Buffett, etc. -- and equipped with a doggie door that leads to an outside patio. On the front doors of the cabins, feeding schedules and tips to care for the pets are written on a dry erase board.

"If the owner has special instructions, special toys, we will accommodate them," Elena said. "We even tell the dogs when their parents call to check on them."

Elena will even photograph your dog playing throughout his or her stay and put the images on a CD as well as take holiday themed photos inside what she has dubbed the "redneck photo booth."

"Oh we just set up a pin out back and have some costumes we put on the dogs, then we make holiday cards for our clients to send friends and family," Elena said, pointing to a pile of Christmas tree ornaments and a toy sled.

After the day is done and Elena is home tending to her own dogs (Bristol and Phoenix) and daughter Skyler, she returns to the cabins at 9 p.m. for NTW.

"NTW is night time walk," Elena said. "I come back to make sure everyone goes out one more time before they go to bed. It only takes about an hour and a half."

Erin Crocker's dog Peebles.

Extra TLC like this is why Sorenson's two dogs are at the K9 Cabins as much as they are at home.

He knows Elena will talk to his dogs in silly voices, throw the tennis ball rain or shine and is willing to cook up some chicken broth to pour on top of their food for good measure.

So, a home away from home for Brutus and Zoe is important for the Chip Ganassi Racing driver who is on the road for more than 36 weekends a year.

"They do a great job with my dogs," he said. "Sometimes I think they like it better there than at home. Really though, I never worry about the dogs when they are there because I know they are receiving great care."

Sorenson and Crocker both agree K9 Cabins is the ideal place for drivers and crew members to take their pets because they understand the hectic race schedule.

On Thursdays before a race weekend, Crocker said, the lobby is like a deli; take a number. Posted near the front desk of K9 Cabins are all three NASCAR series schedules hanging above the Greg Biffle Foundation's NASCAR Pet Calendar.

Pat Smith, Jeff Burton's Busch Series crew chief, said he never expected the business to grow as large as it has. He's pleasantly surprised and gearing up for NASCAR banquet time and the upcoming holidays; the boarding facility's busiest time.

"Business is great," he said. "A good majority is the NASCAR industry and it was sort of like 'build it and they will come,' and they did."