Chasing Cars: Houston/Talladega (and the Deep South/Texas)

[UKCraig]

Hey Mark, thanks for the tips, especially the Record Grill,will be sure to check that out! I've been having a great time reading through the forum for places to go, love it!

Have now booked race tickets and hotels for both weekends. Ridiculously expensive, but that's what I get for booking so late for race weekend, my fault!

Anyway, plan now looks (a very rough) something like this:

Fri 20/4 Arrive in Houston (pm), collect car and check-in to hotel. Collect tickets for race and look around. Overnight Holiday Inn Kirby Drive, Houston.
Sat 21/4 Look around city in the morning, visit Minute Maid Park and then return to circuit for the ALMS race at 5pm. Overnight Holiday Inn Kirby Drive, Houston.
Sun 22/4 Champcar race. Overnight Holiday Inn Kirby Drive, Houston.
Mon 23/4 Leave city and drive to Arlington. Set up camp at Cedar Hill State Park and then drive to Ameriquest Field to watch Rangers vs Mariners at 7.05pm. Return to Cedar Hill for the night.
Tues 24/4 Visit Texas Motor Speedway for tour and then explore downtown Dallas. Have lunch at Record Grill and then visit Dealey Plaza and finally take in the view from Reunion Tower. Find motel or campground locally.
Weds 25/4 Head north to Premium Outlet Center and then on to Crater Of Diamonds State Park. Visit Hot Springs National Park and take the opportunity to go on a hike in the mountains. Continue onwards towards Memphis and find motel or campground in Little Rock area.
Thurs 26/4 Drive past Little Rock Central High School before driving to Memphis and visiting the National Civil Rights Museum and Sun Studios. Find hotel in/near Beale Street.
Fri 27/4 Visit Graceland and then head south to Tupelo and visit Elvis' Birthplace. Find local campground.
Sat 28/4 Drive to Talladega, stopping off in Birmingham. Collect tickets and watch Aarons 312 Nascar Busch Series race. Have overnight lodgings booked but, depending on availablility, try to camp at the circuit. If camping is unavailable then head to the Holiday Inn in Cedartown via the Talladega Forest Scenic Drive
Sun 29/4 Back to Talladega for the Aarons 499 Nascar Nextel Cup race. Visit infield before race and then meet up with Simon, Tabby, Jo and Adie for a beer. After the race, head south to Montgomery and find overnight accomodation.
Mon 30/4 Get up early and visit the Civil Right Memorial Center before getting back in the car and driving down to New Orleans via the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway. Explore the French Quarter and the Garden District on foot. Overnight in the city.
Tues 1/5 Finish exploring New Orleans and then continue west, visiting Baton Rouge and Lafeyette. Find motel or campground somewhere in the region of 100 miles or so outside of Houston.
Weds 2/5 Finish driving back to Houston, visiting Galveston before returning car to airport.
Thurs 3/5 Get home. Bah.

Any thoughts or suggestions of places along the route which I should see/do? It'd be nice to get out of the car and visit the odd state park along the route, take the chance stretch the legs. So any tips? Thanks again!