LAS VEGAS - The house lights grew brighter as the Miss America talent preliminary ended without a scholarship for Miss Indiana Nicole Rash.
The Rash family and friends left the theater undeterred before their daughter competes in the main competition Saturday, and they were ready to see Nicole in the ball room for a post-preliminary social.
The Rashes entered the room where 52 tables were spread across a red carpet, and they sat tentatively in their chairs, ready to embrace Nicole.
Cindy and Bill Rash waited with a bag full of signs that together spelled "Indiana." The couple spent hours constructing the letters-on-a-stick with a string of lights taped to the signs, which they had waved during the preliminaries.
The contestants arrived and Nicole's family and directors had no time for formalities; they pounced on her with hugs, took pictures and gave gifts.
"I got so much stuff today," Nicole said to her family as her boyfriend, Phil Giebler, 2007 Indy Car rookie of the year gave her a picture frame.
As Nicole spoke, her mother and grandparents encircled her, hanging on her every word, preying on her stories like scavengers.
Co-director Frank Ricketts said Rash had done well in her talent competition, and all she needed to do was entertain.
Cindy said that she is confident in her daughter's chances, and she can see her reach the top 15 and even the top five contestants.
"It would be a pure joy to take the crown, and she is ready for it," she said.
But at the same time, Cindy said, she and Bill are not being over-confident because Nicole is facing some tough competition.
But deep down in her heart, Cindy said, Nicole has been constantly strong in the talent and bathing suit competition and believes she will reach the top five.
In the past, Cindy said she had confidence in her daughter and she knows what she is made of.
"From what little we saw, she was very well-prepared, and she did well," she said.
Bill said in an interview last week pageants can be unpredictable. A lot depends on the judges and how the night has been going for the contestant.
"We're hopeful," he said. "We're figuring she's going to do well."
Ricketts also said judging a pageant is a subjective process. A judge's winner might be different from someone else's who is watching the competition, he said.
After the preliminary, Ricketts said he agrees with Nicole's parents, that she will make the top 15.
He said she has been consistent with her performance during the preliminaries, and that is what contestants have to do to win.
People watching the competition Saturday should expect Nicole to "turn it up a notch," Rickets said, to win the crown and become the first Miss Indiana to become Miss America.
"Nicole is very much at peace, and she knows she has given it her best shot," he said.
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