Roanoke’s Lewis reaches 100 – again – during birthday celebration

Maedell Lewis, of Roanoke, Texas, gave new meaning to the term “hitting the century mark” during her visit Friday to Texas Motor Speedway.

 

 Lewis, who recently celebrated her 100th birthday on Jan. 7, was treated to some high-speed laps around the 1.5-mile speedway in the official Duck Commander 500 Chevrolet SS pace car with Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage as part of a special birthday extravaganza for their neighboring resident.

 

In tribute to that milestone birthday, Gossage paid tribute by giving Lewis a 100 mile-per-hour lap on the high-banked oval as the Roanoke Police Department followed behind with its lights flashing. The laps were just a part of an afternoon celebration for Lewis on behalf of Texas Motor Speedway.

 

Gossage, joined by Roanoke Mayor Scooter Gierisch and Texas Motor Speedway employees, presented her with the “world’s largest birthday card” on “Big Hoss TV.”  The party also included some nostalgia for Lewis as she was brought back to her youth with a surprise ride in a 1931 Ford Model T around the speedway.

 

“This has been a beautiful day and I don’t feel 100 years old either,” Lewis said. “My favorite part today is…well, I don’t know. Everything has been great. I just want to live. When I wake up in the morning I say thank you for another day.”

 

Capping off the celebration, Gossage surprised Lewis with a trip to Sunoco Victory Lane for Texas Motor Speedway’s traditional winner’s celebration. Gossage presented her with the customary Charlie 1 Horse cowboy hat as she posed for photos with the Duck Commander 500 trophy. The celebration was culminated with a birthday cake delivered by Levy Restaurants Executive Chef Lincoln Engstrom that featured a specially designed race logo – Maedell Lewis 100 – in honor of her 100th birthday.

 

“I asked her several times are you doing okay and are you comfortable and she said, ‘I am very comfortable.’ I look down and were doing 100,” Gossage said. “What a sweet lady at 100 years of age celebrating her birthday out here. You talk to people like this and they got so much they can share with you and they don’t even know they are teaching you things.” 

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