Dale Lackey is a professional driver, fully sponsored and wearing the uniform of his racing team.

You've never seen him on Sundays, though, out on the grid and ready to drive 500 miles for fame and glory. He drives much farther than that in one stretch, and like the mail, Dale Lackey must deliver.

He's the transporter driver for Penske Racing's No. 77 Dodge team. It's his job to make sure he and his truck arrive on time and in good shape, 36 weekends a year.

"Last year, I was on the road and away from home for 206 days," said Lackey, a Mooresville, N.C. native. "This year, without the testing going on, that'll probably wind up 15 days less."

Indeed, it takes a special type of person to do this job. Spending so much time on the road hauling millions of dollars of racing equipment means that Lackey takes good care of his tractor-trailer, and he recommends that race fans do the same when they climb into their vehicles for a weekend trip to the track.

"Before I leave the shop, I do a pre-trip on the truck," Lackey said. "I check the tires, tire pressure, oil, and make sure everything is in working condition before we pull out."

Lackey contends when you get in the habit of performing regular pre-trip checks, you know what to look for, what to expect and whether it looks right or not.

"Race fans should check their vehicles like we check our trucks," Lackey said. "When you travel cross-country, you don't want to break down. If you see a belt or hose that looks weak, you want to replace it before it breaks and leaves you sitting on the side of the road."

Scheduled maintenance is a good idea for any vehicle, but when yours is constantly on the road, it becomes a bit tough to arrange.

"You try to do your scheduled maintenance on the off weeks, or when you're going somewhere that doesn't require so much time away from the shop like Martinsville or Bristol," Lackey said.