Trick my garage?

If I had an unlimited budget and was going to trick out my garage, I could let Garage Mahal and the DIY Network have free reign. Of course, I’d be more than happy to volunteer my space if it was their dime, too.

A couple in the Charlotte area (the mecca of racing on the east coast), had their ho-hum garage cranked up a notch or 800 by the network’s show and host Bill Goldberg. (Hey, didn’t he wrestle?)

Anyway, the show airs Friday, Dec. 3 at 9:30 p.m. on DIY. That would be Comcast 133, DirecTV 230, Dish Network 111 or Suddenlink 104.

Now, you might want to TiVo that and watch the NASCAR Championship Awards program on SPEED. It’s on at 9 p.m. Friday, and will feature Rascal Flats and that Jimmie Johnson guy.

Back to the garage, the renovated space includes: grandstand seating, surround sound, checkered floor, race-theme wall murals and power screen garage doors.
Oh, yeah. That would be sweet.

And the show will feature a look at Braun Racing and Great Clips Racing in Mooresville by tour guides Kasey Kahne and Jason Leffler.

The question: Garage Mahal at 9:30 p.m. or NASCAR awards at 9 p.m.? Hmmm.

Thank goodness for TiVo!

At least he had to work for it this time

Props to Jimmie Johnson. He won the NASCAR championship. Again. Again. Again. Again and, again.

At least he had to be on top of his game to do it this time.

And once again, I say...

Kevin Harvick was regular season champion and what does he get for that? Same thing Tony Stewart did for the same feat. Nothing. A big, ole nothing.

But that doesn't mean I can't have a little fun at Hendrick Motorsports HQ. All in good fun. The friends I went to the All Star race with are HMS fans. Laura was in 7th heaven there! And on Sunday, it was just the best for her!



This time next year, will we remember who won the race? Only when commentators tell us. Here's a hint:


Cousin Carl. He knows duck! He knows Jack! He knows how to win at Miami Homestead! Honestly, Roush guys gave him the car to beat all day.

But nobody will remember that.

Just Jimmie. Jimmie Johnson. 5-time NASCAR champion. All hail to Jimmie.

But Harvick was the one tagged to replace THE driver, The Intimidator.

Follow the bouncing drivers. . .

I’m making a sign to post next to my television this weekend:
Kahne 83
Almirola 9
Almendinger 43
Ambrose 47

You can’t tell the players….Of course the only one to really watch is Kasey. The others are just “on the track and let’s see what happens.”

My first thought was Petty-man, are you out of your mind? It’s even questionable if Bud will sponsor Almirola, he has to be approved by the company.

Next, having watched “Petty Blue” a few times in the last week, didn’t Richard run Petty Enterprises out of business once already? Not to mention fire his own son, Kyle. So right there, you're questioning his ability to reason.

Which is another drama all to itself. Petty – Evernham – Gillette – Roush. That’ll be another sign to post when it gets sorted and the checks are signed. And let’s not forget the 4-Cup-Car rule. But who knows, NASCAR may change it’s mind again on how many cars a team can field. It’s been known to happen mid-season, near-end-season. Heck, mid-race!

Both these story lines are playing out fast and twisting like Watkins Glen.

Now, opinions are like, well, hearts. Everyone’s got one. So, here’s mine.

It’ not KK’s fault the equipment fails.

It’s not KK’s fault the car doesn’t finish.

It’s not KK’s fault he’s not in the Chase. OK, that last one may be a little bit his fault. But I blame the equipment. Seriously.

Kasey doesn’t built the engine, Kasey doesn’t build the car. He has to work with what he’s given. And since he's leaving the team, why give him the good stuff?

Didn’t we have this conversation when Mark Martin was leaving Jack Roush? I think we did. And with Junior and his equipment at Hendrick, although everyone else fielding Hendrick parts seems to be doing just fine. But I digress.

Back to Kasey Kahne (Whoo! as my friends and Nature Boy Ric Flair say).

Kasey’s job is to drive the car. Plain and simple. It's the owner's job to give him the tools he needs to win. If anyone understands that, it should be Richard Petty, at least from what I saw in Petty Blue.

Was Kassey sick at Charlotte? My opinion is yes. Sick of being dealt the cars he was dealt. He attracted the sponsor, Bud. When he announced he was leaving RPM, so did the sponsor. I think Kevin Harvick will do just fine with Bud on his car. Again, I digress.

Let’s keep watching and listening, it’s going to be like the weather. Don’t like it? Stick around, it’ll change soon enough.

Everybody sing! Weeeee are the champions...

The next 10 weeks should prove to be fairly interesting.

While he may be everyone’s darling. Everyone’s favorite to win a 5th straight title. America’s sweetheart (besides, of course, Sandra Bullock). Jimmie Johnson seems already being crowned. Already being bestowed the title of History’s Greatest Driver. Heck, they’ve probably already put his name on the trophy.

Cue Freddie Mercury; wave your arms back and forth. “Weeeee are the champions, my friend...”

More like, “We’ll keep on fighting, ‘till the end...” at least for 11 other drivers.

With 17 consecutive weeks on top of the NASCAR point standings, I wouldn’t count Happy Harvick out of the running.

OK, I don't have photos of me with Happy or DeLana, although I do follow them on Twitter. Here's a shot of me with car owner Richard Childress and my BFFs from California, Laura in the middle and Roberta on the right. (Yes, it's blatant self-promotion, but gosh, we had fun in All-Star Week.)

Harvick has been Mr. Consistent this season, otherwise his name wouldn’t have been on top of the board week in and week out for so long. Happy’s posted 11 top-five and 17 top-10 finishes in 2010. Not exactly slouch.

And after all, don’t series officials squawk about consistency, consistency, consistency?

But what does Kevin (and DeLana, let’s be real about it) get for this.

That’s right, nothing. Nada. Zip. Zilch. Same thing that happened to TStew last year. Lead the standings all season long and get nothing. Not even a certificate. Only personal satisfaction.

Hoist that over your head in Victory Lane and pose for pictures.

At least give the guy a big, fat check with lots of zeros. Or maybe a trophy in honor of Big Bill.

Naturally, I’d like to see Tony win it all again. It wouldn’t be consecutive, but three IS a nice number.

Odds are pretty good for Richard Childress and Jack Roush this year, with three drivers each in the Chase. You realize, that’s half the field.

So let’s talk Roush for a minute. I’m thinking Greg Biffle. The Biff. Champion in the Busch Grand National Series and the Craftsman Truck Series. That would be pretty sweet for him to add a Sprint Cup title to that. And, in my humble opinion, he deserves it. My Netflix list has sent me Driven To Win lately. Biff was an unlikely sort to come to NASCAR. A little older than most, although he’s not old by any means, just older than most in the field today.

And he likes dogs. Big dogs. So he can’t be all bad. I met him at PetCo (where the pets go) during All-Star Week during a driver appearance. He autographed a few things for me and the NASCAR Pets calendar looks over my desk, October signed by the Biff. Yes, I'm wearing a Tony Stewart shirt here. And yes, again, blatant self-promotion.
But I digress.

Some people pick drivers by their colors or sponsor. I go by the pet. Which still doesn’t explain Tony Stewart, who at the time I came to racing, had Chihuahuas. And a monkey. Now, it’s cats. Siamese cats. I’m not fond of small, yippy dogs, nor do I especially like cats.

But I like Tony and never, never count him out when it matters. He has that determined look here and it was just for a million bucks at the All-Star Race, where he was defending his title from 2009. I was there then, too. Got a great burnout shot, the one on top of this post.

There you have it. My musings on the Chase. Happy, the Biff and TStew. Anybody but Johnson. Sorry Laura my west coast BFF, anybody but Jimmie.

Let the Chase begin!

From Bristol to You (Tube)

Well, here are my first tries at posting video.

I mentioned them Thursday in all about Bristol. And the Nationwide race is happening, so there's a little racing fix for the weekend.

In the one video, Jimmie Johnson was down a bunch of laps and had some issues keeping up with the pack, even on a restart, and there were a good number of those. I'm not saying the entire Bristol Motor Speedway was cheering and smiling, and even laughing, but certainly everyone around me did.



The next videos are Kyle Busch. C'mon, he'd just won the third race of the weekend, give the 20-something some credit. I didn't see him hung in effigy like last year. And some young men tried to come back to West Virginia with us. They had consumed mass quantities of adult beverages. But they knew West Virginia didn't have a beach within its borders.

Well, folks, there you have it. My first attempt at video with my camera. I hope you enjoy them.

Have to give KB props...

Love him or hate him, you have to give Kyle Busch his due. Winning the Camping World Truck Series, Nationwide and Sprint Cup races, at Bristol last weekend, hats off to KB.

The other story of the Bristol night race was Jimmie Johnson finishing up, oh, 85 laps down. That converts to what, more than 42 miles behind everyone else? It's only a 250-mile race! But at the outset, Jimmie was hot! There was a glimmer of hope for Tony when he finally passed for the lead, but it didn't last long.

JJ's had some issues since winning back to back at Sonoma and Loudon. He's finished outside the top 10 since way back in June. He's fallen like a paver block from a home improvement store, plummeting from 3rd to 9th in points. Yikes!


This shot is early in the night and I must say, JJ and Smoke were slugging it out for the lead.

Not long after, Juan Montoya tapped Jimmie and that's all she wrote. I shot some video of him waaaaaay behind the pack after a restart. But these things take forever to load. It will come in a different post. Maybe with the Kyle Busch burnout, for good measure. But they do take for-ev-er to upload.

Now, I will admit, my driver Tony Stewart had issues at Bristol, too. He had some choice words for his crew during the evening. He violated two of Coach John Wooden's three rules for success - 1. Always be on time (he obviously made the driver's meeting on time); 2 - never use profanity (he loses there) and 3 - never criticize a teammate (lost out there, too). And here's the crew trying to make the car right.


We have a break from Cup action until my birthday weekend, Labor Day Weekend, when the action moves to Atlanta.

So TiVO of Bristol and a truck race will have to suffice this weekend.

Now, don't play too hard, boys...

When you say, boys have at it, well, expect some bumping, banging, shoving and well, wrecking.

Dale Earnhardt must be spinning in his grave (no pun intended).

How far is too far? When does it become rage?

A year ago, NASCAR director of competition Robin Pemberton stood in front of 100 people at Joe Gibbs Racing at the Official NASCAR Members Club annual convention and said he can tell when a driver crosses the line. There are cameras everywhere in and around the cars on the track and he can see it in driver’s eyes.

I’ll give him that much. He can see the anger and premeditation on the monitors in the big red truck, which, by the way, is actually black.

But come on, tell them have at it, then when they do, act surprised at damaged cars?. Seriously? You couldn’t see flying cars and massive pileups coming?

Please. There are 43 cars driving well over 100 miles per hour, 200 mph sometimes, and you don’t think a little bump will send someone into the wall, the fence or infield?

Really?

If Carl said he wasn’t at fault I tend to believe him. He’s not ducked wreck-related issues in the past. He manned up a year ago after wrecking Kyle Busch and said, yeah, I did it. If the tables were turned he’d have done it to me.

And we all KNOW he was right, Kyle would have done it to him, and has. There's a lot of money on the line. Points and championships are fine, but a couple hundred thousand dead presidents on the line? Whatever means necessary within the law.

So who’s the villain here? Not Carl. I’d tag Brad Keselowski on this one. His aggressiveness is no different than that of Kyle Bush a couple years ago. We’ve seen Kyle hung in effigy at Bristol. He’s embraced the hatred. Maybe Brad should, too. Don't whine and send your daddy in (we've seen Danica's dad do that in Indy League). In a year or so, Brad merchandise will fly out of the souvenir haulers.

Am I saying no fault anywhere? No. Carl is a bully, on and off the track. Just because you’re built like Rambo doesn’t mean you can beat up everyone who steps in front of you in the jungle.

A lot of guys in the garage are saying they took it too far this time. OK, maybe they did. I personally don't really think so, but maybe they did, I wasn't on the track collected in a huge wreck, either. I drive an 11-year-old Taurus on I-64, not a million dollar racecar on a superspeedway.

I’m just saying turn about is fair play. You push me, I push you. Run with the big dogs, expect more than snarling.

Who will YOU vote into the Hall of Fame?

Well, here they are, the next group of nominees for the NASCAR Hall Of Fame.

Some I already voted for LAST year. Tim Flock and Richard Childress. Will I vote them again? Darn tootin' I will. Here's a little shot of me with RC on my recent trip to Charlotte, with a stop off at the Childress Vineyard.

But who for the other three? (Thanks for this list, nascar.com!)

Following are the 25 nominees:

• Bobby Allison, 1983 Cup Series champion and winner of 84 races
• Buck Baker, first driver to win consecutive Cup Series championships
• Red Byron, first Cup Series champion, in 1949
• Richard Childress, 11-time car owner champion in NASCAR's three national series
• Jerry Cook, six-time NASCAR Modified champion
• Richie Evans, nine-time NASCAR Modified champion
• Tim Flock, two-time Cup Series champion
• Rick Hendrick, 12-time car owner champion in NASCAR's three national series

(OK, same trip to Charlotte. Mr. Hendrick walked through the office complex above the display room in the 88 and 5 building. He stopped smiled and waved, but my shutter finger wasn't fast enough. Here, he's ready for the meeting he was headed to.)
• Jack Ingram, two-time Busch Series champion
• Dale Inman, eight-time Cup Series championship crew chief
• Ned Jarrett, two-time Cup Series champion
• Fred Lorenzen, 26 wins and winner of the Daytona 500 and World 600
• Bud Moore, 63 wins and two Cup Series titles as a car owner
• Raymond Parks, NASCAR's first champion car owner
• Benny Parsons, 1973 Cup Series champion
• David Pearson, 105 victories and three Cup Series championships
(His letter of application to NASCAR is in the HOF already. Here it is, Dave Pearson's resume, so to speak, to become a driver.

• Lee Petty, winner of first Daytona 500 and first three-time Cup Series champion
• Fireball Roberts, won 33 Cup Series races, including the 1962 Daytona 500
(See the photo below with my vote for him.)
• T. Wayne Robertson, helped raise NASCAR popularity as R.J. Reynolds Senior VP
• Herb Thomas, first two-time Cup Series champion, in 1951 and '53
• Curtis Turner, early personality, called the "Babe Ruth of stock-car racing"
• Darrell Waltrip, winner of 84 races and three Cup Series championships
• Joe Weatherly, two-time Cup Series champion
• Glen Wood, as driver, laid foundation for Wood Brothers' future team success
• Cale Yarborough, winner of three consecutive Cup Series titles, in 1976-78

I'm saying Cale Yarborough. And, Fireball Roberts. Like the photo? Kinda neat. That's the jacket he wore to Atlanta Raceway a week before the on-track wreck which killed him. All these years, from 1964, the stuff was still in the pockets - a lighter, his signed garage pass and a race ticket.

Vote early, vote often, part deux...

Well, according to my Sprint insider - my NASCAR Sprint Cup phone application, the top 10 in All Star voting right now are (alphabetically):

A.J. Allmendinger, Marcos Ambrose, Greg Biffle, Clint Bowyer, Jeff Burton, Bill Elliott, Carl Edwards, Juan Montoya, Martin Truex Jr., and Mike Waltrip.

Don't forget, voting by Sprint phone is double the vote! I just clicked BORIS! BORIS! BORIS and one for The Biff!

See you at Charlotte Motor Speedway. That has a nice ring, doesn't it? I just need to rename the phone number on my contact list, and therefore, my personal ticket agent.

Vote early, vote often

The All-Star Race is coming at us fast. OK, not just the All-Star, but the 5th annual Official Nascar Members Club convention and all the fun that goes along with it, including the almost ready to open Hall of Fame.

Did you vote on the first class in the HOF? I did. I still say the France folks should go in as a whole, not individually, but I digress. I voted for Junior Johnson and Big Bill Senior. The rest of my picks, well there’s always next year. I’ll be clicking that pick again for Tim Flock – another family group, actually, BP and DW, and most likely Richard Childress and Rick Hendrick.

We digress again. Back to the All-Star. Did you know if you are a Sprint customer and vote by texting, it counts DOUBLE?! Yessss! Get those fingers talking to Sprint.

My choices ? Let’s see. No particular order or reason: Marcos Ambrose and the chosen Juan for international flair. Robby Gordon just for potential sparks. Do you have a friendly pool on who’ll cause “The Big One” at certain tracks. We do. I always pick Robby Gordon. Although I’m adding Keselowski to that pool anymore. Back to choices.

Casey Mears, because he’s family of a gentleman at my church and local realtor Dave Mears. Mikey W just ‘cause my friends Laura and Roberta like him. I wonder if he can Tweet from the car? And my personal all-time favorite character. My buddy. BORIS! BORIS! BORIS! Who said? I Said!

And you can vote often – unlimited – up to one hour before the start of the race on May 22 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Good thing, too. We here in the Mountain State already have the reputation of voting ourselves, all our dead relatives and even the dog. You know that’s why we give our animals people names, right? So they can vote, too.

Already in the race are :
Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne (whoo!), Matt Kenseth, Brad Keselowski, Bobby Labonte, Joey Logano, Mark Martin, Jamie McMurray, Ryan Newman, David Reutimann, Tony Stewart (my man, Smoke!), Brian Vickers.

Alrighty then. Vote early. Vote often.

Herd racing at Nashville April 3

In a one–race deal with Herd Racing, DuVita corporation will sponsor the #75 Chevy Impala driven by Brett Rowe in the NASCAR Nationwide Series April 3 at Nashville Superspeedway.

Nice job for Dana Tomes and the Herd team. DuVita is based in the Nashville area, and the car will boast it’s logo for the race. DuVita is a home-based business opportunity for direct marketing of dietary supplements.

Other partners for that race are Ponderosa Steakhouse in Lebanon, Tenn., will host a fan appreciation event for Herd Racing from 5 to 7 p.m. April 1 at the restaurant.
The Ponderosa will also cater for the team at the track that Friday and Saturday of race weekend.

While in Tennessee, the Holiday Inn Express in downtown Nashville is the official lodging partner for the team. Brett will be in the hotel lobby from 9 to 10 p.m. on April 2 for autographs and photos.

The car was unveiled Tuesday in Huntington by the team and its sponsor.

Brett goes into Nashville in 66th place in the NNS, but remember, he’s not made a start yet this season. He will have to race his way into the field.

Here are a few shots of the car, Brett, DuVita owners Amber McAdams and Nelson Crowe II, and a fun challenge for the fans, being the tire changer. Dana kept ducking the cameras. The silent man behind the scenes? Yep.

Winners and losers, on and off the track

Jimmie Johnson, front, crosses the finish line in front of Tony Stewart, center, and Kurt Busch, back, to win the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series' Food City 500 auto race at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tenn., Sunday, March 21, 2010. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
*************************************************************************
A poll at MRN’s Web site asked if another Jimmie Johnson win diminished your interest in NASCAR. Of the respondents, 64 percent said yes.

Well, yes, yes it does. Although I thought (hoped and prayed) Smoke would keep the lead Sunday, he gave pretty-boy an opening. He took it and the win.

Tony was pretty gracious in post race interviews. But Kurt Busch, well, he probably said it best. There are drivers out there who probably feel the same way, but just haven’t spoken it out.

“There are 41 drivers out there I’d rather lose to than Jimmie Johnson.”

There you have it folks. Even drivers are tired of Jimmie’s winning ways.

And as an aside, what’s up with the beard? Has Rick Hendrick gone soft on good grooming? We expect a scruffy Dale Jr. What’s next, Jeff Gordon with a beard? Remember when he had a fuzzy lip? Looked a bit forced and didn’t last a long time. Like JJ’s beard, it just didn’t look right.

************************************************************************
Can we go back to the Cousin Carl fracas? Is he on ‘roids or something? Temper, temper Carl. Anger doesn’t become you. Now he whines the other drivers are like little schoolgirls, talking and whispering behind his back.

DUH! Everyone talks about the schoolyard bully behind his back. Yes, I said bully. That’s what he seems to have turned in to for the last couple years. He started out as a nice guy with his mommy at all his races. This is what he's become.


Remember this? Kevin Harvick (left) and Carl Edwards scuffle in the garage area at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2008. Photo by Nascar Illustrated.

Man up. Take responsibilities for your actions. Certainly every time you’ve bumped a car it wasn’t someone else’s fault. Every time you’ve yelled at, pushed, shoved, pulled a punch or tried to strangle another competitor, can’t be someone else’s fault. Oh, it’s NEVER you, it’s always. . .insert a name here. Any name. Heck, MY name.

You know, even Tony Stewart took responsibility for his misdeeds and run-ins in the past, and went for anger management.

If Jack Roush hasn’t considered sending you for help with anger issues, maybe he should. Or, maybe you and the family should talk it over and consider it without a recommendation from the boss or your sponsors. Just like Home Depot, eventually they’ll tire of this sort of attention.

I know I’m tired of watching you bully everyone. Seriously, grow up.

Over the line?

I'm all for good, hard racing. And bumping is just a part of it.

HOWEVER...

You can take the intentional "love tap" too far, and Carl Edwards did just that Sunday in Atlanta. Yes, let the other guy know you didn't appreciate his bump but don't take him out when he's racing in the top 10 and you're running, oh, I don't know, 150 laps down!

Last May, in conversation with Robin Pemberton, NASCAR's vice president of competition, he said he could tell a driver's intentions during an incident. There are so many cameras in, on and around the cars, you can see it in their eyes, Robin said.

Well, not only did the veep see Cousin Carl's intent, but so did the entire FOX viewing audience.

In a similar battle last season, Carl and Kyle Busch had a tet-a-tet on-track. I don't recall the race but it was during the waning laps for the win as Mr. Fitness took out the Vegas Kid.

I'll admit to a chuckle or two when asked post race about that one as Carl said yes, yes I hit him. If the situation was turned around, he (Kyle) would have done the same thing. Edwards has also wrecked his own teammates. Just how stupid is that? And how costly to Roush-Fenway in terms of money and morale? Do you think his teammates trust him to have their backs or help them during races?

Carl obviously knows his anger is showing because he admits to his deeds.

And we talk about Tony Stewart's temper? Well, OK, Tony's temper is pretty famous, smacking tape recorders and cameras from reporters' hands. But how long before Carl Edwards takes that next step? Although he said it was all in jest and fun last season, he drew back a fist on teammate Matt Kenseth, if you recall. Matt didn't seem to think Carl was joking in the least.

I'm not suggesting for one minute to stop bumping and banging, but use the gray matter inside your skull. Realize the futility of some retaliations at that moment and just be patient.

Or, just wail on each other as soon as you get out of the car. What the heck, get the pit crews involved, too. Although, #99 versus anyone in a physical fight probably isn't exactly a fair fight. (Note to any opponent, don't take off your helmet.)

Now the question for NASCAR is, since you said let 'em have at it on the track, how far is too far and where are you going to draw that line? Was this the extreme? Or just the front end of the infraction? You have set a standard for punishment, so what about the next guy and what if Edwards does it again? A three-race probation for this incident? Is that severe enough, or is it merely a tap on the hand?

Just think everyone, Bristol is the next race on the schedule. Oughta be a good one.

This blog has moved

This blog is now located at http://herald-dispatchblogs11.blogspot.com/.
You will be automatically redirected in 30 seconds, or you may click here.

For feed subscribers, please update your feed subscriptions to
http://media.herald-dispatch.com/blog/nascar/atom.xml.

Daytona curse?

Wasn't that a wonderful celebration with Jamie Mac on Sunday at Daytona? That young man was thrilled to win. Heck, he was thrilled just to have a Sunday ride!

Six months ago he was chopped from the Roush-Fenway team, a casualty of downsizing. Not by Jack's idea, but of NASCAR's. Anyone surprised by that? Didn't think so. Seems people took exception to the Cat in the Hat fielding five Cup teams, and all five getting into the Chase in 2005. That would have been Mark Martin, Jamie Mac, Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch and Greg Biffle. Shoot, if he's got the money, I say let Jack have all the teams he can afford!

Flash forward. Jamie is pickup by his old buddy Chip Ganassi (Earnhardt Ganassi) and voila! Got a ride for 2010.

HOWEVER, Daytona winners haven't always fared well the season they hoisted that trophy. The last two winners - Kenseth and Ryan Newman - failed to make the Chase the year they took Daytona.

Then there's poor Kevin Harvick. He's a personal fave of my Lion's Club pal Homer Jimison. Happy Harvick hasn't made a trip to Victory Lane in the Cup Series SINCE winning the 2007 Daytona 500.

Furthermore...

It's been rain-shortened twice (2003 and 2009).

And in 2001, it ended with, well, you know, THAT crash.

This was the year of the pothole, making for one of the longest races we've watched - then listened to the end, because it was how many hours long? Nap-mats anyone? Honestly, you could lose a pace car in that hole.

Don't get me wrong, it was a good race, an exciting race at times, especially the end, if you lasted that long. And no, I don't believe anyone was telling their drivers to hold off and let JR pass. Puhleeze.

Seriously, there's just something about that place that bodes dark.

Yet, in an odd twist of fate, Dale Jr., who's been kind of struggling for a while, finished second. A lot of my friends, and members of the JR Nation, praised the fella for the best drive they'd seen from him in a while.

Well alrighty, then. On to Cali-forn-i-a! Yee-Haw!

Boogity, boogity, boogity - Nationwide Series on the way!

The decision has been made – someone is going to attempt to qualify in the Nationwide contest at Daytona.

The car has a sponsor, an experienced driver and qualifying is Friday.

Danica, you ask? Naw, who cares? Barboursville’s – and Herd Racing’s – Brett Rowe.

Cool looking car to enter the Drive4COPD qualifying belongs to Herd Racing. The #75 Dodge Charger hopes to charge it’s way into the NNS contest, set for Saturday at 1:15 p.m. It will be broadcast on ESPN2.

Here’s the car you’re looking for in practice Wednesday and Thursday and in qualifying on Friday.


Around West Virginia, we don’t need an explanation of the number and green and white color scheme. Although, the Daytona entry is a retro gray and black.

But for the uninformed who don't live in West Virginia, Ohio or Kentucky, or those who missed the movie, We Are Marshall, starring Matthew McConaughey and Matthew Fox, it dates back to a cold, rainy night in November, 1970. The number, 75, denotes the number of people who died in a plane crash that night – and airline crew, and Marshall University football players, coaches and university boosters.

Driver Brett and team owner Dana Tomes both attended Marshall University, which boasts the Thundering Herd as the team mascot and green and white as team colors.

You get it now? Herd Racing, green and white, 75. Alrighty, then. Let’s move ahead.

Brett has around 30 NNS races under his belt since entering the series in 2007, and he was the 2005 ARCA Lincoln Welders Truck Series champ. He’s bi-vocational, being the purchasing and sales manager at his family’s business, Imperial Bedding. And he’s also in ministry service as youth director at Roach Baptist Church.

In past Nationwide races, Herd Racing has been a really, really a local team, taking West Virginians to be his pit crew.

Proud Son of Marshall – crank it up and as DW says, “let’s go racin’!” And I add, "let's go HERD!"

Pre-season musings...

The NASCAR community is a group with a heart as big as, well, a super-speedway. And they are quick to act where they see a need.

Since the earthquake in Haiti, Richard Childress has stepped up and has been sending his planes back and forth.

The super-owner has been sending two 45-passenger Saab 2000 aircraft and flight crews and support staff to assist Missionary Flights International.

The mission, to get American citizens out of Haiti and transporting Haitian orphans to the United States.

As late a Wednesday, Hendrick planes were still on their mission, their task, their calling.

I say, “Good for you, Rick.” I guess I can pull for your drivers – a little bit – now. Stewart-Haas will just have to get over it.

Jamie McMurray has jumped into the Haiti relief effort, too. He has donated and autographed 10 firesuits and 2 leather jackets. The auction is through the NASCAR Foundation to the American Red Cross. Jamie Mac also co-hosted a special on SPEED to benefit the Haitian relief funds.
Personally, I missed the special. I’ve been glued to Anderson Cooper 360 and searching the CNN databases for the names of the children I have supported the past five years.

Auction reserves will range from $150 to $750 per item, and are being auctioned online at www.nascar.com/foundation.

Like we learned in the movie The Blind Side, sometimes you do something simply because it’s the right thing to do.


Now for the big jump. The leap of faith. The thing that just leaves me shaking my head.

Danica. She’s already like other “superstars” of racing that are identifiable by one name.
Junior.
Danica.

Yep, she’ll fit in quite nicely there, don’tcha think?
Junior and Danica sittin’ in the cars, c-o-m-p-e-a-ting. Compeating? Well, we can dream.

A couple of years ago, Junior’s step-mom Teresa the lady in black (seriously, it’s been long enough! A little pop of color in your wardrobe won’t hurt!) said the boy needed to decide what he wanted to be – a media personality or a racecar driver.

Well, here comes little Danica, a media personality who drives a racecar, too! BTW, she’s on next Wednesday’s CSI: NY at 10 p.m. on the CBS network. The pic of her with show star Gary Sinese was released from the network. I know, Cousin Carl has made TV appearances on Bill Engvall and Daddy Gordo has co-hosted Live with Regis and Kelly.


And, in the words of Mr. France or Mr. Pemberton, “let ‘em have at it!”

OK, NASCAR changed its mind one more time – shock of the year! – to let the fellas drop the gloves and come out bumping.

Seriously, a year ago, Robin Pemberton was talking about the drivers’ intentions when sheet metal touches. Now, hey, turn them loose!

At least NASCAR has come to understand that rubbin’ is racin’ and just let them go. Last season was pretty dull, you have to admit.

Who'll be the first to whine?