Happy New Year To All

Hello To Everyone. I wanted to take a moment to wish you and your families a joyous and Happy New Year 2009. Let us all take a moment out of our busy days and say a prayer for our country, economy and those that have been hit the hardest by all the problems that have taken place over the past year. We all have seen drastic changes occur and it is going to take some time to get everything back on track but I believe with all of my heart that our new leadership will get us moving in the right direction.

Take care and if you are out and about tonight, please drive safely.

GEM hires Allmendinger and gives Sadler the boot

As we all sit and recover from Christmas, we yet hear some more news from the scene and the 2009 season has not even started. GEM announced it will be replacing Elliott Sadler, driver of the #19, with AJ Allmendinger. I truly feel sorry for ESad and this situation but his numbers really did not help him any this past year with an average finish of 31st. Allmendinger, who ran the last 5 races for GEM in the #10 impressed them enough for them to make the decision to give AJ the #19 and a full ride for 2009. I have been saying all season that this kid does have talent and given the right tools, he will succeed although I hate to see it happen to ESad. I have always liked Sadler and he brings so much to the sport and is a great spokesman. I hope and pray that he will get another ride before the season kicks off.

GEM is in talks with acquiring Petty Enterprises but nothing is written in stone, more like jello. If the merger does go through, who will pilot the famous #43? Could it be Salder?

In other news from the Nascar Soap Opera Box, Bill Davis has sold the majority of his team and engine company. He was unable to secure sponsorship for the 2009 season and with Catepillar leaving and going to RCR, it left Davis short and after 20 years, he is calling it quits. Just like when the series changed from Winston to Nextel, well now Sprint, all good things come to an end. I want to wish Bill and his family all the luck and happiness in their future.

Bobby Labonte Leaves Petty Enterprises

(How many times have I said it? Location, Location, Location!)


Is anyone really shocked over this? I believe Bobby is doing the right thing by parting ways with Petty Enterprises, especially with how unstable it is. Kyle Petty will also be leaving the organization. I really thought it would be Kyle stepping in to take the reigns but I was sadly mistaken. Boston Ventures, who is the majority owner, just released 39 more employees bringing the total up to 65 since the end of the 2008 Season. Can you say abandon ship!!! Bobby is doing the right thing although he did say he appreciated the opportunity to drive for Richard "The King" Petty, here is what he said, "It was by no means an easy decision. I am, and will always be, very appreciative of what Richard Petty and the Petty family, every employee of Petty Enterprises and members of Boston Ventures did to invest in bettering my career the past three seasons.''

Bobby is now without a ride but there are a few options out there for him and I am sure one of these teams will pick him up. First up Earnhardt-Ganassi and the #41 but with all the turmoil in that organization, I am sure Bobby will turn the other cheek. Now, he may go back to his old team owner over at Joe Gibbs Racing to take over a 4th car which may be the best move for Bobby despite he will be driving a Toyota for the first time in his career but with Stewart departing, Bobby would be a great addition to the young team at Gibbs. Will we see Labonte and Stewart driving on the same team? That is always a possibility. Stewart-Haas racing might be a viable option but I am not sure Bobby would go to a new team just starting out. How about Michael Waltrip Racing? Ummm, No! Yet another organization that looks to be in trouble.

Okay Bobby, if I were you, go with your best bet and that would be at Joe Gibbs Racing. That is my prediction for Bobby, we shall see.

What do you think?

Regan Smith wins the 2008 Raybestos Rookie of the Year

It was a tight race between Sam Hornish Jr. and Regan Smith for the rookie of the year honors entering Homestead. Hornish led by a slim margin but it was Smith who came out victorious in Homestead and brings home the honor of being named the 2008 Raybestos Rookie of the Year. Smith won 236 to 229 which was helped due to the fact that Hornish failed to qualify for the Ford 400.

I am sure that Smith will love taking off the yellow bumper stripes to show that he is no longer considered a rookie but will he have a ride next year with DEI? It has to be a kick in the, umm I will stay politically correct here and say it is a punch in the gut to have the feeling that you are really not sure if you will have a ride next year, it is very disheartening but Smith is staying upbeat and in hopes that he will be in the 01 next year for DEI.

Here a few highlights from his season as Rookie of the Year:

1. Smith was the top-finishing rookie 11 times in 34 races and led or shared the point lead in 26 of the 36 races.

2. Smith is the first rookie in the 52-year history of the award to be running at the finish in every race of a season, and he's also the first from Dale Earnhardt Inc. to win the award.

3. He brings the Rookie of the Year title with him wherever he goes, along with $91,500 in earnings from Raybestos along with a signature leather jacket and $5000 towards his team.

Congratulations once again Regan!!!

Dear Fellow Bloggers...Need Your Help

Good afternoon to all my fellow bloggers out there. I am in a dilemma and would really value your thoughts and opinions on the following subject. As a parent, do you feel it is right to let your teenage son/daughter have their girlfriend/boyfriend over to the house while there is not a parent present? I might sound old fashioned here but I really do not agree with the whole situation. Unfortunately I am faced with such a situation. I am recently divorced and my girls, pictured above, live with their mother. Well I have voiced my concerns over this because I found out my girls have been having their boyfriends come over while she is not at home and it is for several hours. I have put out the offer that if the girls ever want to hang out with their boyfriends at my house while I am at home, they are more then welcome to. I trust my girls and their boyfriends totally but in this whole situation, you are just setting it up for something possibly to happen.

I value your opinion.

Looking into the Crystal Ball...

Can anyone predict what is in store for the world of NASCAR in the coming years. Better yet, what will the 2009 Season hold in store for us? Sure, the economy has really gone downhill and noone can say when it will ever be able to crawl out of the hole. Heck, our country has been in a recession now for 14 months and it is no surprise that NASCAR is feeling the pain. You can read all these stories about how NASCAR is cutting back testing to save millions and you can read about teams that are laying off people but is it really any surprise to anyone to see this happening. Lets be for real here, we all saw how the attendance numbers were falling throughout the year in that people had just cut back on expenses which included extra curricular activities. There are people losing their jobs and their houses left and right. We are seeing the Big 3 auto makers about to go under unless the Federal government bails them out. We could see the worst holiday spending ever in history but Brian France seems to have a vision that NASCAR will not suffer. Oh please Brian, that is easy for you to say when you have millions of dollars in your bank account along with all the top drivers in the sport.

It is not the drivers in the sport that are in jeopardy of their jobs, it is those people that you never hear of that keep the car on the track and make it all come together, those are the people that are going to suffer the most but they should of seen it coming all season. There was an article on yahoo talking about the crews of these teams and how Jeff Burton said that these people rely on their paychecks to pay their bills, well I hate to say it but it is reality and if these people were smart, they would have a backup plan.

It gets very tiresome to hear about the money problems in NASCAR. When you tally up how much it costs to run a team it is really shocking. If a major sponsor wants to have their name on the hood of the car, they are going to pay at least $12-$15 million dollars a year. That is pretty steep just to have your name on the hood. Lets not forget about tires, gas, and all the traveling. We are just talking about the top series of the sport, what about the Nationwide and Truck series, how long will they be able to last in the declining economy?

I have been an avid fan of NASCAR for quite a few years but with all the money that this sport rakes in, I find it hard for me to find a soft spot in my heart when I hear them talking about all the problems they are experiencing. All of us are worried about where our economy is going and will we have our job when we wake up the next morning. Americans are cutting back on their spending and unfortunately NASCAR is feeling it and I can only imagine what 2009 will be like for the sport. NASCAR is in for a rude awakening but is this really a surprise to anyone?

What say you?

Happy Veterans Day

Many Americans mistakenly believe that Veterans Day is the day America sets aside to honor American military personnel who died in battle or as a result of wounds sustained from combat. That's not quite true. Memorial Day is the day set aside to honor America's war dead.

Veterans Day, on the other hand, honors ALL American veterans, both living and dead. In fact, Veterans Day is largely intended to thank LIVING veterans for dedicated and loyal service to their country. November 11 of each year is the day that we ensure veterans know that we deeply appreciate the sacrifices they have made in the lives to keep our country free.

Being a veteran myself of the Navy, I can appreciate all of the men and women that are serving and have served our country. Once again, Happy Veterans Day.

Yippee Kayay says Cousin Carl. The Streak To The Finish from the Dickies 500 at Texas

What everyone thought would be a clinching of the Championship for Jimmie Johnson turned south. Johnson was saying prior to the race that their car was really good and fast and that they were not going to hold back, well as luck would have it, the #48 team struggled with an ill handling car all day and just could not get it done. Jack Roush has to be buying some new hats especially when his teams all finish in the Top 10 with the exception of David Ragan but heck he finished 11th. Did anyone else notice the lack of attendance in the stands at Texas? Isn’t this one of those tracks that sells out all the time? Yet just another sign of how tough the economy is on the sport and I am sure it will not get any better in the future.

Here are some of my random thoughts on the race;

1. I’ll be your Huckleberry! I can just imagine hearing Carl say that as he won on Sunday at Texas as he closes in on Jimmie Johnson in the Chase for the Championship. Carl did not waste anytime moving up front and stayed up front for pretty much the entire race until the late pit stop where some teams opted for 2 tires vice 4. Despite being back in 7th place, Carl slowly but surely made his way back up to the front and there was no looking back. Hats off to the #99 Team, especially the gas mileage engineer, do you think he will be getting a bonus check from Jack?

2. An Eye for An Eye? Okay so Montoya fesses up that he was being a bit aggressive towards David Gilliland and giving him a shove here and a bump there but lets put this in perspective in that Montoya had a Top 10 car and the #38 was holding him up along with being a few laps down so do you really blame Montoya but when the #38 came rocketing down on the track and slammed into the #42 at over 185mph, that is just lunacy. I was happy to see NASCAR park the #38 and I wouldn’t be surprised if hefty fines along with points coupled with perhaps sitting out a race is not handed out. Drivers that do those types of things should be banned from the sport because both of them along with other drivers could have been seriously hurt if not killed. If you want to settle your differences, do it behind the haulers and NOT on the track.

3. The Beak was flying. David Reutimann showed that he belongs in the Cup series and may be the only glimmer of light over at MWR. David ran up in the Top 10 most of the day and finished 10th.

4. Crown Royal is Proud. Jamie McMurray looked like he was going to take home the victory but alas he could not close the deal but he has really come on strong since Dover and has been showing signs of improvement. He may not have had the most stellar season out of all the Roush drivers but he NEVER gave up and I am sure he will race his butt off in the last two races.

5. Ding Dong, the witch is not dead. Lets not give up on AJ Allmendinger, he could have had a Top 15 finish if not for his speeding penalty and still shows that he is one of those drivers that deserve to be driving in the Cup series.

6. Are Fords that good? Carl did mention about his fuel mileage from his Fusion and even teammate Greg Biffle was wondering how Carl lasted 8 laps more then he did. Okay Greg, did you see how Carl was racing the last 5 laps and it does matter on how heavy your right foot is on that gas pedal. The way Greg stated it in his post race interview almost sounded like he was accusing his teammate of cheating. Tip of the day Greg, make sure you clear those comments with your team owner first, he does write your paycheck.

7. Magic 8-ball. Does anyone else realize that with Carl’s win at Texas on Sunday, that ties him with Shrub? Both of them have 8 wins each this season but Kyle has come up short and is out of contention for the Championship. Consistency is the key.

Carl is only 106 points away from Jimmie Johnson and has made the Chase a bit more exciting to say the least. Next up is Phoenix where Jimmie does have a better record but lets not count out our Cousin Carl, he is going for broke. Watch that rear view mirror Jimmie, if you are not careful, you just may get passed.

Dare to Compare?

There is a lot of buzz going around about Cale Yarborough's record of 3 straight championships is in jeopardy by Jimmie Johnson. Is it fair to compare these two drivers? To me it is simply night and day. Back when Cale won his 3rd championship, which was in 1978, driving was a whole different ballgame. The cars these drivers drove were not all alike and the technology was not there, it was what you call good ole fashion driving. The drivers jumped into their cars, started up the engines and drove with all of their heart. These drivers are the ones that set the standard to what it meant to really drive a stock car. Can we honestly say that today, the drivers are driving stock cars? What is so stock about them? To compare Cale's 3 Championships to Jimmie's possible 3 championships is ridiculous but that is just the way it goes with records. There is nothing written in stone that puts restrictions on records and how they are broken, it is just the nature of the beast.

It is apparent that Jimmie Johnson is on his way to winning his third championship. There is no denying that Johnson is an excellent driver. He has one of the best crew chiefs and one of the best owners in Rick Hendrick. He has all the cards stacked for him and you know they are focusing all efforts on getting Jimmie that third championship.

I remember when they started talking about going to a Chase format and how exciting it would be to have such a thing but can you really say to yourself that the past couple of years have been exciting? How often are you finding yourself flipping channels to football during the race or just ending up changing channels because the race is just that boring and that you are tired of seeing the same drivers either winning or being upfront the entire time. Well if you are a Johnson fan, you are gloating big time but as I was saying, NASCAR has become more business then entertainment. Have you taken a look at the stands during the races and see just how many empty seats are there and do you know why? It is because the economy has taken a hit and people are just not willing to pay the prices to go see a race and spend money on gas and lodging. Don't get me wrong, all sports have increased their prices but what is NASCAR doing wrong? Look at the NFL, a typical stadium seats around 60,000-70,000 fans and they sell out the majority of the time. Why is that? Football is unpredictable, you just never know what is going to happen as in NASCAR you can almost pick who is going to win.

I will always be a NASCAR fan but I honestly can say that I have seen myself not as interested. I use to make it a point to watch qualifying on Fridays, then watching the Busch series on Saturday and then the cup race on Sunday but as I said, I find myself slowly drifting away from the sport. I know one problem of mine is that I don't have my woman next to me watching the races. We do talk on the phone while watching the race but it is just not the same thing, that will be changing soon enough where both of us will be snuggled on the couch watching it together.

NASCAR really needs to take a long, hard look at this Chase format. To be honest, I just say get rid of the whole thing and go back to the way it use to be. Do you think Jimmie would be sitting on top of the points standings right now if they were not in a Chase format? Inquiring minds want to know what you think about this.

Racing and Insurance Off-Track or On

When it comes to car racing, there are two kinds of people: spectators and participants. Aside from a love of fast cars and precision driving, both groups have one more trait in common: they need insurance.

For the Spectator

Auto insurance for race spectators is nothing extra – your normal policy will take care of you whether you're on the road to the track or on the road to the grocery store, and it will also cover you whether you're parked at a racetrack or parked in front of your office, whether you are in a few car accidents, or the victim of vandalism or theft.

Of course this is assuming that your existing policy includes comprehensive and collision coverage and not just the minimum required liability and uninsured motorist insurance mandated by the state in which you live.

As a spectator in the stands, the track owner's insurance takes over: should you slip and fall on the stairs or if a car careens through the fences and into the crowd (which is extremely unlikely) the track's insurance will kick in. As a spectator, your only real worry is the cost of concessions, and whether or not your favorite wins.

For Participants

As a race car driver or owner, or a track owner, you have special insurance needs to consider, above and beyond what a spectator does, and this is why race car insurance exists. It must be purchased from special providers, but it is absolutely necessary. Typically race car insurance includes:

1. Coverage for the car: Race cars are hardly inexpensive, and driving one is a high-risk profession with a high chance of an accident occurring. Coverage for the car, then, may be more expensive than coverage for a street car. On the other hand, race car insurers will use "agreed value" to determine the coverage amount for the car if it is totaled.

2. Owners and Sponsors: This coverage protects the interests of all parties (owners, sponsors and drivers) if they are named in claims for damages. The specific race's sanctioning body may have a limit for such claims, but in case their limit is insufficient, this coverage will kick in.

3. Off-Track Coverage: This protects race cars and equipment from losses and damages due to fire, theft, trailer upset, vandalism, and other such occurrences, and extends to cover tools as well. This ensures that whether your car and gear is in paddock and garage areas, or is in the process of being transported to or from an event, it always remains covered.

Racing is a fast paced, high energy sport, with loyal, enthusiastic fans, but whichever side of the fences you occupy, it should be clear that you must have insurance.

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Always Moving Forward

Yes, you have to remember to always move forward in your life despite what has happened in the past. The past is the past and there is nothing you can do to change that and we all have to live with our decisions.

Can anyone out there really say they have never made a mistake in their lives? I have made my fair share but I have learned to deal with those and move on with my life. It is too much energy wasted to keep harping on events that have already happened so what is the use of always reminding people of them. I find it funny that the people that are the ones that sit back and judge us for those mistakes are the biggest culprits and are just to blind to see that they to also have faulted in their lives. These types of people are so righteous in their ways and obiviously have nothing better to do in their life then to sit and throw stones. It is totally pathetic and you really have to feel sorry for these people. Did they do something in their past that scared them for life? Did they rob a bank? Did they try and steal their best friends girlfriend/boyfriend? Were they the ones that use to take money out of dad's wallet when he wasn't looking? Did they have to serve time? Were they afraid to admit they had a drinking problem?

We all need to just move on with our lives and truly appreciate the wonderful things we have and how lucky we are to have the ones in our lives that love us the most. I know that I have the most wonderful and amazing woman in the world. Lori has shown me what true love and happiness is all about and that no matter how tough things can get, at the end of the day you both have each other to hold in each others arms. My family is another important part in my life. They are the ones that I can confide in and not worry about saying or doing anything to try and bring hurt or harm upon others. We just need to forgive and forget and move on with our lives.

It is time to Move Forward...

The Biff Bounces Back...Streak To The Finish from the Sylvania 300 at Loudon

Way to go Greg!!! Hats off to Greg and the #16 Team for an impressive win at Loudon this past Sunday.

Am I alone when I say this but wasn't it nice to see someone else win a race, especially one of the drivers that has not been talked about all that much during the regular season and now into the Chase? Biffle has been flying under the radar this season and was like a submarine getting into the chase, he is silent and deadly. Out of the 12 drivers in the Chase, he is the most under rated. I am sure eyes have been opened after this race and they now realize that the Biff is not playing around anymore and is going for a Championship.

Some of my observations from the race:

1. Break out the Tissues: For all of your Kyle Busch fans out there, however many that there really are, how did it feel to see a driver that won 8 races during the season, had such a demanding lead coming into the Chase and now fall from 1st to 8th in just one race? It just goes to show that anything can happen in this sport and no matter how good of a driver you are, you can not help mechanical failures. Kyle is not out of the Chase one bit and will be surely back next week ready to redeem this ugly incident at Loudon.

2. Oh No Joey: For such an impressive driver at the young age of 18, how in the heck does he get a POS to drive during a cup race? Do you mean to tell me that Hall of Fame Racing could not give this kid a better piece of equipment? Are you trying to keep this kids spirits down? Don't you get your equipment from JGR? Someone needs to break out the calibration tool and use it on the #96 Team Crew Chief and owners. Don't worry about it Joey, you have the talent and persistence to take a horrible day like this and turn it around into something positive.

3. Fizzling Rocket: What is going on with Ryan Newman? He starts 17th and finishes 36th. His teammate, Kurt Busch, who started 20th and finished 6th definitely had the right set up. These two teams always seem to share their set ups with one another. Is it because Newman is leaving at the end of this year? Does Ryan have a short timers attitude? Maybe Penske should start docking his pay for his performance, do you think that would get his attention? Ryan is an outstanding driver but I just think that these drivers that are going to be with different teams next year, just really want to get this season over with and move on, this is just an assumption but stats always speak for themselves.

4. Stewart remembered his Ridlin: We saw a totally different Tony this weekend compared to his blow ups last week. He was very calm on the radio the entire race and even when his pit crew made two mistakes, he never once snapped at them for the errors. We even heard him joking on the radio during the race with Zippy, a big time 180 from last week when Tony chewed Zippy up one side and down the other. We all know this is a very emotional sport and the pressure of getting into the Chase just adds to it but lets face it, yelling and screaming will not get you no where. I am wondering if Joe Gibbs put Tony in a time out last week?.

5. Worst Hands Move of the Race: Allstate might have the Good Hands move of the race but this week we have a tie for the Worst hands move and the award goes to the two drivers, DRUM ROLL PLEASE........Robby Gordon for punting the #10 and Michael Waltrip and his little antics he played with Dale Jr. Okay so Robby was fighting to stay in the Top 35 in owners points but what in the hell was Mikey thinking driving that hard and aggressive with one of the Chase drivers? Yes, it is a race and everyone is entitled to try and win even though they may not be in the Chase but you have to draw the line somewhere and Mikey truly stepped over it. Tisk Tisk Mikey, maybe you can make a NAPA commerical out of that one.

Yes, it was an entertaining race this week and not as boring as most have been this season. We can see the attendance, despite being the first race of the chase, is still down and lets not try to blame it on the weather now folks, that is just a poor excuse. Diehard fans will show up no matter what the weather is like.

Next week we visit the Monster at Dover. Who will be victorious and who will fall prey to the Concrete Monster?

Lori's Summer 2008 Visit

Oh Whoa Is Me!!!

Okay, What I thought was going to be a brief business trip to Key West, Florida has now turned into a hurry up and wait state for me. Hmm, perhaps I need to fill in the blanks here...


Well I flew down to Key West this past Saturday afternoon and was suppose to meet one of the submarines down here to conduct some testing. A call comes in that evening saying that the boat had a material issue (in other words, the boat broke) and had to pull into port to get it fixed, no problem. Yes, it was a problem because the boat had to go to Kings Bay, GA to get fixed. Now, since it does take time for a boat to travel up there and back, our team has been stuck here since Saturday and we are really not sure when we will get on the boat.


Now, this is big money for me when I go out to sea and right now I am losing money just sitting here and soaking up the harmful UV light...LOL while keeping my body hydrated with every color drink in the rainbow. Sure, it is a beautiful place to visit but I would not want to live there. If any of you have ever been here and visited, you will know what I am talking about. You just have to try and visit this place one time in your life, walk down DuVal street and watch the sunset at Mallory Square. Trust me people, these folks take their sunsets very serious down here, they even set off a cannon every night before the sunset.


All in all, I have gotten some sightseeing done while renting out a scooter (easier to get around and cheaper) and did my souvenir shopping for my family at Ron Jon's. Heck, I didn't even know they had a Ron Jon's in Key West. The only ones I knew of were in Long Beach Island, NJ and in Cocoa Beach, FL. I have to get out more often!


Well my friends, if all goes well I will be out to sea in the next couple of days. I was going to say that I did get to watch the race this Sunday but I am not going to brag too much about that one. As usual, it was the typical road course race with the exception of a few nasty crashes and some really close near misses. As George Carlin said, why do they call it a near miss? Shouldn't it be called a near hit?


Sure, Kyle Busch won again, there is a real shocker and Tony Stewart once again played second fiddle to his teammate. Do you think Tony had anything for Kyle or do you think Tony laid back to run blocker?


The young guy that I have been watching and talking about had yet another good finish at Watkins Glen and that is AJ Allmendinger taking 11th on the day and hey, guess what else, that brings the #84 team into the Top 35 in points so this week AJ will not have to worry about qualifying on time! Way to go AJ!!! Heck, the kid is racing his heart out cause he knows his job is on the line but I am taking bets that he will be with this team next year.


Sorry for not writing my Streak to the Finish column this week but it wasn't really a streak to the finish, Kyle won it hands down, AGAIN!!!


Till next time folks. I will write and let you know when I am back from sea. That is if I ever get out there...LOL

Streak To The Finish...The Brickyard 400

First off, lets hear your best caption for the picture above, I am sure some of you can figure out some witty comments for this one.

I am not going to beat a dead horse because all the talk about the tire issues at Indy have run thin and it is water under the bridge, so to speak.

Building Something Together: Did anyone think that Jimmie Johnson and the #48 Team would not win a race this year? Come on people, this is the two time defending champion and they are just gearing themselves up for the Chase. They are not showing their hand and I expect that this team has some surprises in store for everyone. Stand by.

Money Spent: Can you imagine paying $1400 for a set of four tires for your car? Now, take that number and times it by a factor of 12 and you have a bill for $16,800 for race day. You know that has to hurt the one car teams. Hmm, do you think Goodyear has a replacement policy?

Taking the Bull by the Horns: Big Kudo's goes out to AJ Allmendinger!!! This is a kid that most people wrote off and thought would end up looking for a job but I have said it in the past that he is one to keep your eye on. He and his team showed they have what it takes to run out front and finish strong. AJ led 4 laps and got his first Top 10 finish coming across the bricks in 10th. I know he is sitting 40th in points but they are making it into the races on time, doing it the old fashioned way since they are outside the Top 35 in owners points. He is one to watch.

Watch What You Say: Mark Martin did say before the start of the race that he was going to win it but alas, he who talks smack ends up going to the back. Luckily, he didn't go to far in the back and finished 11th.

Disappointment: For one of the biggest races of the year besides the Daytona 500, the Brickyard 400 turned out to be a series of 10-12 laps sprints. What kind of race is that to put on for the fans? You really can not fault Goodyear. Yes they do make the tires but remember it was NASCAR that opted not to test here. A lesson learned but too much, too late.

Can You Say, OH NO! : Kevin Harvick was in the wrong place at the wrong time when he got slammed by Kurt Busch after Busch's car got loose and collected Harvick. Matt Kenseth, who did have a car capable of winning, fell victim to the failing tires. That is probably the worst damage I have seen from a blown tire. Heck, it even blew out the side rear window. Last but not least was Brian Vickers whose engine let go, at least it was not a tire and it was a great move on Vickers part to keep his car up high to avoid laying down oil all over the track. That should be the Move of the Race.

Got a Snickers Bar: This was one race that really dragged on and it was almost painful to watch. All the excitement came in the last 20 laps of this race. Not really what I expected to see from a race at the Brickyard.

Safety First: Yes, NASCAR did throw all the competition cautions to avoid any disasters but come on people, this was totally unnecessary if NASCAR would just take the time to do testing. Are these people really that ignorant?

To sum it all up, it was not the greatest race to watch for one of the biggest of the year but there were some lessons learned here. NASCAR and Goodyear need to put their thinking caps on and come up with a solution. Great job by the drivers to try and put on the best race they could with what they were given.

Cat Fight On Pit Row...

Is this a sign of things to come for Danica?

The Silly Season Continues, Next Up

On the list is Ryan Newman. It was just announced that Newman will be leaving Penske Racing at the end of the 2008 Season. Where will the Rocketman land? Rumors are saying he will join Stewarts team or even possibly take over the reigns of the #20 at Joe Gibbs Racing and then even join Richard Childress Racing to be their 4th team in 2009.

Personally speaking I see Ryan going over to Stewarts team next year. He would be a perfect fit for a team that is just starting out under new ownership and Stewart will want experience and not take on any new development drivers. Does this mean that Scott Riggs will be jobless next year? Probably so. Scott Riggs has been busting his butt to keep that #66 in the running week in and week out and to just release him is totally unfair but that is the nature of this business.

Is it me or is NASCAR becoming more and more like the NFL with free agency? It gets to the point where you start to wonder if any driver is safe where he is at nowadays. Of course, the driver will go to whoever offers the most money, which is pretty sad. What has happened to the loyalty? I completely understand that these drivers want to win a championship but to just go somewhere because the money is better is not the right reason. These drivers make plenty of money and it sometimes appears to me that it is greed.

Another driver that is being closely watched is Martin Truex Jr. Where will he go? Rumors are saying he could possibly go to Penske to replace Newman.

Will the madness ever end?

What are your thoughts? Inquiring minds want to know.

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The Annual Ride To Work

Hello everyone. First off I would like to wish you all and your families a safe and wonderful 4th of July!!!

I am not sure how many cyclists we have out there but this is a great idea and the company I work for sponsors this program and it will be our second year of participating. We all know that the gas prices are out of control and are forcing many of us to rethink how we live our lives. Isn't it amazing how a material can control our lives to such an extent, it is actually pretty darn scary if you ask me.

This program gets everyone that owns a motorcycle, scooter, and yes even the old manual bicycle to join in for the day. I am still looking into buying a scooter and one that I have found is the Honda Helix, just have to see how things work out, they are not cheap and I am sure the prices on them will go up especially with the demand for them right now.

Here is a little bit about this program: This year's 17th Annual Ride To Work Day is just a month away. The recent rise in gas prices have caused many commuters to turn to motorcycles and scooters to save money on transportation, and they are finding them to be an economical, efficient and enjoyable way to get to work and around town. Because of high world-wide gasoline prices, this is expected to be the largest RTW day ever, in terms of numbers of participants.

According to the United States Census Bureau and the Department of Transportation, over eighty million cars and light trucks are used for daily commuting on American roads, and about 200,000 motorcycles and scooters are a regular part of this mix. On Ride To Work Day, the practical side of riding becomes more visible as a larger number of America's 8,000,000 cycles are ridden to work.

Ride to Work Day helps demonstrate how these vehicles make parking easier and help traffic flow better. Studies have shown that across equal distances, commuting motorcyclists reach their destinations in less time than those using automobiles, that motorcycles and scooters consume less resources per mile than automobiles, and that they take up less space on roads. Motorcycle and scooter riders seek improved employer recognition and support for this form of transportation, and more public and government awareness of the positive value of riding.

Here is the link for their website: http://www.ridetowork.org/

Once again, HAPPY 4TH OF JULY to all my fellow Bloggers and their families.

Streak To The Finish...The Lenox Industrial Tools 301

I would like to pass on congratulations to Kurt "The Rain Man" Busch but I just hate seeing races end like that and especially with condition of his car, looks like the left rear shock assembly was about to drop off of the car but it is what it is and it is a win in the record books for Kurt, as Tony Stewart said, "That's racing man."

A recap from the race. Don't be afraid to chime in on your opinions, they are all welcome here.

1. Can AJ Allmindinger ever catch a break? He has an outstanding qualifying run and then his car goes south for the winter. I wonder what Vickers was thinking when he saw his teammate blow up?

2. Giving the High Sign. After McMurray plowed into the back of Junior, I am sure Junior was not replaying the hand signal he was giving to let everyone know he was pitting. I thought we had spotters out there for the drivers?

3. Punt, Pass & Kick. That was the name of the game for the little episode that took place between Kyle Busch and Montoya. Okay, so NASCAR holds Montoya for two laps for his aggressive driving but is it just because Kyle is the points leader that he was not guilty in this incident. Indeed Montoya spun him around and in the process wrecked his own car but it takes two to tango. The post race interviews were totally different and Montoya was not afraid to say, "Yeah, I spun him." All is fair in love and war but not in this case.

4. Dreary Times. It was not only the weather that was depressing on Sunday. Stewart was just not feeling it after having such a dominate car to find himself finishing 13th on the day. His interview went rather well but of course it wasn't Marty Snider doing the interview. The #20 Team is just having that kind of season. It is just a matter of time before Smoke gets in Victory Lane.

5. More Empty Seats. I know I keep talking about this week after week but once again you could see the empty spots in the grandstands at Loudon which is normally a sold out event. People blame it on the threat of rain for the weekend. I call BS on that one. NASCAR fans are the most passionate and after spending all that money on tickets and travel time, they will be there. Just another indication that our economy is really effecting the things we love to do.

6. Casey at bat. But who will he be at bat with next year? It was said by Rick Hendrick that Casey Mears will not be in the #5 car next year. Despite having a 7th place finish this week and a Top 5 last week at Sonoma, looks like he is on his way out. I give credit to Casey for going out there every week and giving it his best but you can only do your best with what they give you.

7. Brothers In Arms. So we have Jimmie and Jeff doing a little bumping and grinding against each other. Jeff calls it racing and Jimmie calls Jeff a spoiled brat over his radio. Will Daddy Hendrick have to put Jimmie in a time out if they can't play well together?

8. Silence is Golden. Or is it? The most under rated driver out there right now in the Top 12 in the point standings is Jeff Burton. You never hear anything about him during the race except how he is slowly moving up through the field and that is about it. He starts 31st and finishes 12th under the red flag. Too bad the rain came, would of been interesting to see those last 17 laps.

9. Not Too Shabby. The race was actually pretty exciting this week even though they added an extra "Lap" to the race. Just thought it odd to be the Lenox Industrial Tools 301. Sounds more like an advanced shop class at college.

Off we head down to the Triple H (Hazy, Hot and Humid) of Daytona for the Coke Zero 400. Can someone please tell me who thinks up these names for the races.

Gas Prices + Economy = Missing Races

Is anyone else out there enjoying the rising gas prices? I live in Connecticut and we are ranked as the 2nd highest for gas prices. An average gallon of unleaded is around $4.28 here. It is unbelievable that the prices are this high. It has made me rethink on how I do things in regards to traveling. I usually go up to Loudon for at least one of the races but this year I am having to cancel, it is just too darn expensive. It is not NASCAR's fault and I don't hold anything against them, it is our wonderful government.

The picture above is what I am planning to purchase very soon. It is a Honda Reflex. You have probably read numerous articles that the sales of scooters are rising and heck when you are getting 85 MPG, you can do the math. Now, I am not getting rid of my car by no means but this scooter will be my way back and forth to work which will save me big time money. They are not cheap but you can pick up a used one for a great price.

Can you picture a parking lot full of these scooters at a NASCAR race instead of all of the trailers? It is going to make it difficult for tailgating but just imagine how easy it will be for traffic before and after the race. We are seeing it week in and week out on TV on how the attendance is falling for the races and it is just because people are cutting back and opting to stay home, cook out and watch the races on their big screen TV's. Heck, that is what I have been doing and I can even DVR the race if I am not home and watch it later.

It is truly sad to see all of this happening to us but it wasn't something that just came out of the blue and hit us hard. We have been seeing this trend happening and instead of our government doing something about it, they just sat back and hoped it would correct itself and now we are all paying for it. I am seeing more and more people walking and taking public transportation. I drive home after work and I can see fewer cars on the road. Our government is way behind the power curve. I have no doubt that our economy will recover, we had this problem back in the 70's under the Carter administration and we turned it around so who is to say we can't do it again. Whoever the next president is going to be is going to inherit a headache, I hope they bought plenty of tylenol.

Just a point of view here and I am not going to get into politics but there is a trend building here, we started to see the gas prices go up back in 2006 and that is when the democratic party became the majority in the house. Jimmy Carter was President back in the 70's when we went into a depression and he was a democrat. The upcoming election shows that most likely our next president will be a democrat. See what I am talking about? I am not pointing fingers, we should of been building refineries over 10 years ago but alas, we are WAY behind the power curve.

It is a sad day when a diehard NASCAR fan can not even go to a race that is only 2 1/2 hours from his home. Yep, I am talking about me. Remember, this is not NASCAR's fault, it is those guys sitting up on the hill that give themselves a nice raise each year while others are living out of their cars because they can not afford their homes anymore.

WAKE UP GOVERNMENT!!! YOUR COUNTRY NEEDS YOU!!!

Is the economy effecting your NASCAR plans? Lets hear it!

Attention Dale Jr. Fans, Check This Out!!!

I am sure all of you Junior fans are aware of this but just in case you are not, they have a really cool contest going on over at AMP. The first 70,000 fans to sign up will get their name on Juniors car for the September Talladega race. All you have to do is register, it is that easy. Here is the link to the site: www.ampenergy.com

Hurry up because I am sure they are going fast.

Streak To The Finish...Toyota/Save Mart 350

Who would of thought that Kyle Busch would be winning this race. The way everyone has been talking about him and his lack of performance really put a fire in his belly and he was out to prove everyone wrong and he did it impressively. Once Kyle got out front, there was no looking back. There were a few times that drivers had a chance at him, especially Jamie McMurray and David Gilliland but the #18 was just too quick and Kyle did not miss his mark. Whether you like him or not, you have to admit that this kid is really on fire and has his eye on the prize to be the next Cup Champion.

Here are some of my observations from the race at Sonoma and most of them came with about 8 laps to go:

1. Was Kevin Harvick trying to make a 7-10 split in the closing laps of the race? He just drove that car too hard into the turn and completely lost it and in the process, took out two of the contenders that had a very good chance at giving Busch a run for his money in Tony Stewart and Jamie McMurray. Tony did recover and finished 10th but McMurray ended up with a disappointing 18th place finish.

2. How about that tire pressure. Elliott Sadler really did push the limits with two laps to go with that tire. Was it a risk to take? I can see the view of the team trying to push it and finish the race but what if Elliott's tire would of blown out, how many cars behind him would of been effected? You know that Clint Bowyer was really watching him carefully but on the flip side to that, a driver is so worried about that, that he loses his concentration about the other drivers around him. Do you think NASCAR should of black flagged him? It is all opinion and he ended up finishing 19th and wrecked his car. Was it really worth it?

3. Doing Donuts. That was one of the best burnouts I have seen in awhile and look how symmetrical those circles were that Kyle made right at the finish line although his rear drivers tire was completely vaporized.

4. Road Course Ringers not hearing the bell. What happened to all of the hired guns for this race? Most of them finished at the back of the field due to mechanical problems. One of the BIGGEST disappointments was Marcos Ambrose who was running in the Top 5 for most of the day until the incident with McMurray that knocked him out of the race and finished his day early. It is really disheartening when you have a guy that is driving his first cup race but let us not forget, he did not make too many friends out there on the track. He was driving a bit too aggressive and not doing the give and take. You need to gain the respect of your fellow drivers out there and with his style of driving, he did not gain any favor points.

5. More Empty Seats. Once again, we see the lack of filled seats at another race and it is probably not going to get any better in the future with skyrocketing gas prices, especially in California. I am surprised the smaller teams are being able to keep up. I have this gut feeling that some teams both in the Cup series and in the Nationwide series are going to be forced to bail out and retire their organizations. In a sport that is fueled by gas, no pun intended, it has to be a strain. It is not cheap to fuel those haulers when you are paying close to $5.00/gallon for diesel.

6. Hey Marty, get the hint. Marty Snider needs to pick and choose his words more carefully, especially when he is interviewing Tony Stewart. I give Tony a lot of credit for maintaining his composure during the post race interview. Tony was trying to tell Snider that he did not get to see the replay of the accident and Snider just kept pushing the issue until Tony, very calmly, said "You were not in the car and out on the field so how would you know what is going on." Umm Marty, that was a subtle hint to shut up before you were made to shut up. Snider did try to recover by saying that Tony had a great car but that is just adding more salt to the wound. Just another case of foot in mouth disease by these stellar reporters that are hired to cover the races.

7. Give credit where credit is due. As I mentioned earlier, critics have been really hard on Kyle Busch. Yes, he does have this "Rowdy" attitude about him but having 5 wins under his belt has to say something for the kid. He has shown that he is very versatile in his racing being able to race pretty much anywhere on any track. Now that he has put aside racing in the other leagues, he is staying focused on the #18 Team and winning the Cup this year. Does he remind you of another driver that was this young? Just in case you are wondering who I am talking about, it is Jeff Gordon. Fans either love him or hate him and that is the way the fans are seeing Kyle. Not too many boo's heard from the crowd after his victory. Does this signal a change in the way fans are viewing him? We shall wait and see.

Overall, my predictions for this race were a little skewed. I was expecting to see more from the Road course warriors and more of a challenge for the lead but we only saw two passes for the lead and once Kyle got out front, it was all over. We had to wait for the last 8 laps of this race for it to become exciting. Just your typical road course race. Better to just DVR it and watched it later. I do want to put out a congrats to David Gilliland and Yates Racing for finishing 2nd, his best finish of his career.

Next up is Loudon. Looks like those haulers will be paying big money at the pumps to get all the teams back across the country. Who is the rocket scientist that do the NASCAR schedules? Do you think we will see another schedule change for 2009 now that the economy is being hit so hard. If I am a betting man, we are going to see changes. We may even see some of the races cut from the schedule but alas that is just my opinion.

I hope everyone has a great week.

Who's The Boss at Sonoma...

We have a change of pace this weekend with the upcoming road course race at Sonoma. We get to see intentional right turns and watch what city traffic looks like around rush hour in downtown New York City. Hmmm, that makes for an interesting thought to see a road course race in New York City, do you think people would line the streets to see that? Probably not.

Anyhow back to the race this weekend. Here are some of my random views:

1. I have been reading numerous articles out there about this race and all you hear about are specific drivers, for instance Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon. Okay, we know these two drivers are very good on these tracks and history shows us that but if you remember last year, history was changed when Pablo Montoya took the checkered flag and he did not do it the easy way and did it starting from 32nd. I believe we are going to see history once again change. One driver that I would like to point out that has really been overlooked is Patrick Carpentier. Yes, yes, I know what all of you are saying but despite sitting 38th in points and having an average finish of 33rd, he is going to end up surprising quite a few people.

2. How about them, well what are they calling them these days? Ahh yes, the road course ringers or even a better name in my opinion, the "road course warriors". This is one of the two times of the year that we see drivers getting called in to take over the seats of some of the less experienced Cup drivers. Is that really fair to the driver? Giving the fact that some of the younger drivers do not have the experience, is it up to the owners to make the call and dial 1-800-GETMEADRVR. I will admit that it is pretty interesting when they have the in car cams during these types of races. We usually get to see the Master, Mr. Boris "Big Hair" Said working those pedals and gear shifter. It gives the viewers a better idea of just how much effort it takes to do these types of races. Perhaps this will be Said's race because if you look at how his season has been, it is nothing to shake a stick at or even a toothpick for that matter. I have personally met Boris and he is one of the most down to earth people you could ever meet. He has the happy go lucky attitude and doesn't have that ego unlike alot of the Cup drivers, not that I am pointing any fingers at a specific driver but I have heard he likes M&M's.

3. The Dark Horse riding into Sonoma besides Patrick Carpentier could be David Ragan. I have been really impressed with this kids performance so far this year. He had big shoes to fill in taking over the ride from Mark Martin but David is being his own driver and not trying to show he is another Mark Martin. The media really has not been following him lately with all the hype of Kyle "KY Jelly" Busch taking over the spotlight, David is flying well below the radar and if people are not careful, he is going to pass them all as a blur. Watch out for this kid!!

4. Sponsorship Problems. Another road course expert is Robby Gordon and unfortunately his car will be without a sponsor this week or will it? How about last year when Monster Energy Drink slapped their colors on his car at the last minute. Robby can drive and whether or not he has a sponsor on his car will not change the way he drives. He is not afraid to take chances and doesn't back down from anyone. I know alot of people do not care for Robby Gordon but give credit where credit is due.

5. Is it Strategy or Luck? To be perfectly honest, this race is almost a crap shoot on how to win this race. Will it be fuel mileage? Maybe pit strategy? These races are so unpredictable and it is hard to determine what will really work at this track. That is why you see some of the crew chiefs throwing out the dice or shaking up their chicken bones, just kidding people. We all have to make a few jokes here and there.

I am really not a big fan of the road course races. I just don't see the excitement and it tends to get a bit boring. Don't get me wrong, I know there are alot of people out there that enjoy these types of races because we get to see Right turns, but I will take a race at Bristol or Lowe's any day of the week. Good luck to all the drivers this week and we shall see who will be "The Boss at Sonoma."

Streak to the Finish...Michigan LifeLock 400

Well Good afternoon to everyone. I am finally back and ready to start my weekly article called Streak to the Finish. I have been away far too long and it is about time to Crank this up!!!

First and foremost, congratulations to Junior, it has been quite a dry streak for him but he proved that even on vapors he can win a race, thank goodness for a Yellow. I know for a fact that one very special person in my life is so happy to see him win and that is my daughter Amanda. She is a diehard Junior fan and that past couple of races have been heart breaking for her with him coming so close but yet so far. Enjoy the win Amanda!!!

Here are some of my thoughts about the race at Michigan:



1. Did anyone else notice the amount of empty seats in the stands? It is hard to believe that a track like Michigan would have that many empty seats. It shows just how much the economy is really taking effect on the sport and it is not going to get any better. Gas prices are soaring and people are just having a hard time driving from point A to point B let alone going to a race. Ticket prices are still high and that coupled with fuel prices, people are opting to just sit at home and enjoy the race. Can you see race tickets going up in price with the price of fuel for the cars to race? I believe it is coming but come on people, this sport makes soo much money it is really sickening. Lets remember the fans and perhaps if more incentives are there for race packages, people might be willing to go to one.



2. How about Citizen Kahne? Is this guy on a mission or what? Back to back wins and now gets a second place finish. Do you think driving under Budweiser has given him that extra umph to get the job done or is it he is out to impress more of those older women...LOL, just kidding. I am very impressed with Kahne this year and after his poor showing last season, he is showing he has what it takes to win races. Now we just have to figure out what is wrong with his teammate Elliott Sadler.



3. Vivacious Vickers!!! I really did think that Brian would win the race yesterday, gotta hate those late penalties. His Toyota was so strong yesterday and the way he was cutting through the field was quite impressive. Heck, even his teammate AJ looked impressive yesterday. That kid is going to get the job done and you bet your sweet you know what that after he had to sit out a few races that that gave him the push he needed to start getting his head in the game. Watch out for this kid in the future and he should do well next week at Sonoma.



4. Time for Tony. Alright, we all know that Tony is not having the most stellar season of his career. He is hanging on to the 12th spot in the standings and could drop out at anytime. Tony has the talent but I do think deep down inside he is more concerned about what he is going to do once he decides to either leave Gibbs Racing or not. He has made it clear he does like driving under the flag of Toyota but a good driver can adapt to any condition even though he might be driving a different brand of car. We all know it is just a matter of time before Tony gets in that winner circle and next week is right up his alley with a road course race.



5. Fox Fanatic. I really do miss the broadcasters at Fox. It is something about that Boogity, Boogity, Boogity. I am not a big fan of TNT and Bill Weber is like listening to nails on a chalkboard. Can we get a replacement for Wally? I know we can find someone else to drive the TNT car around the track. One thing I do miss is Benny Parsons. It is strange not to see him in the booth. I do like Kyle up there and he does bring alot of knowledge, lets just hope it bleeds over to Wally.



6. Ho-Hum. Lets put just another so so race in the books for Michigan. It wasn't really that exciting of a race and the only highlight was everyone wondering if Junior would have enough gas to cross the finish line. It is a very fast track but lets admit it, sometimes an insurance seminar is a tad bit more exciting.



I know some of my comments may sound harsh but hey that is my opinion and my blog. We all have our views and opinions on what happened during the race. Let's hear yours.