The Last Raceday of 2009!

Ok...so I'm a little late in posting. My 3 readers were all out of town today anyway, so nobody noticed.
It all comes down to this race. Homestea-Miami weekend. Ron Hornaday wins his 4th Trucks Championship. Kyle Busch won his 1st Nationwide Championship.
And it looks like Jimmie Johnson will win his unprecedented 4th consecutive Sprint Cup Championship.
I'd like to see Mark Martin pull off a miracle and win the race and the Championship, but I don't think it's gonna happen.
My predictions for today:
3). Jimmie Johnson
2). Mark Martin
1). Tony Stewart....and, yes, I am cheating because Tony is leading right now at the 82nd lap.

It has been a fun, but long, season. I am looking forward to a couple of months away from the track. I will fill my time with basketball, football and hockey...plus getting to hang with Sandy and the boys!

Have a great offseason and have a great Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas! See you in 2010 on Ridin' Shotgun!

And then there were two....

The Valley of the Sun...Phoenix, Arizona. There are two races remaining in the 2009 race for the Sprint Cup. After last weekend's incredible outcome, there is now a points chase again. When Jimmie Johnson was spun out by Sam Hornish on the 3rd lap of last week's race in Texas, the damage done to Jimmie's number 48 cost him 111 points in the chase. So now, Mark Martin, Jeff Gordon are within distance and Kurt Busch, coming of the win at Texas, has an outside chance. Jimmie didn't qualify well in Texas, so he started the race in the wrong place. Had he not been in the middle of the pack, he wouldn't have been near any of the marginal drivers who weekly cause accidents. He rectified that with a great qualifying session on Friday. He will start 3rd and, I imagine, will quickly get himself to the front to lead a bunch of laps. He does very well in Phoenix. Mark Martin won the spring race here, so if he can get the season sweep, things could be very interesting in Homestead next weekend.
Today's race is called the Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500. You may be thinking, "Hmmm...since this is a 1 mile track and they are only running 312 laps today, how could it be the Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500?" Great question. The 500 is kilometers. Why, you ask? I guess that's what Google is for. Today's race will be a pit strategy race, and no one is better than Chad Knaus...so.....
Predictions for today:
3). Jeff Gordon
2). Mark Martin
1). Jimmie Johnson
And I think this is how the Chase will finish next week in Homestead.
Have a great Raceday!

3 to go...

We're back in the great state of Texas this weekend for the 2nd time this season with the 8th race in the Chase for the Sprint Cup. Jimmie Johnson has pretty much sewed up his 4th consecutive Cup. With a win today, he can clinch the Cup. The Phoenix and Homestead folks are both pulling for him to finish 43rd, so the Cup can be awarded at their tracks, but Jimmie is very strong here in Texas and the 48 team will not beat themselves. His record breaking performance has been remarkable. In my humble opinion, his lack of personality takes some of the luster off the wins. He's a nice guy, but seems so corporate and robotic. His crew chief, Chad Knaus, has more personality and co-hosts one of our weekly programs, Nascar Performance. He shows off a bit of his personality on that show, and shows even more when the "red light" is off. He's a really funny guy who, self admittedly, has no life outside the track. He eats, breathes, sleeps and lives racing. I guess that's why he's about to win his 4th Cup in a row.
Today's race is the last 500 mile contest of the season. Today's weather will be overcast all day, so the grip should be good with multi-groove racing all day long. Kyle Busch has won twice already this weekend winning the truck race on Friday night and the Nationwide race Saturday afternoon. Now while my dislike of Kyle Busch is well documented here on Ridin' Shotgun, I honestly would like to see him sweep the weekend with a win today. I know that's like a Red Sox fan rooting for the Yankees to win the World Series, but I would like to see him do his trademark bow from a third vehicle in three days.
My predictions for today:
3). Greg Biffle
2). Mark Martin
1). Kyle Busch
Have a great Raceday!

There's racing this weekend?

Wow! Fresh off a 5 day ocean cruise to Mexico and I am so relaxed! It was fantastic! I am currently in Brownwood, TX visiting some friends with Sandy. I fly back to Nashville on Monday.
I hear there's a race in Talladega this weekend. I have been so out of touch, I really don't know much about what's been going on in the NASCAR world. I did hear that qualifying got rained out, so Jimmie Johnson will be on the pole. I have a feeling that this is Jimmie's title again.
Have a great raceday!

Martinsville...but I'm not really here.

Martinsville, VA...Race #6 in the Chase. Jimmie Johnson is rolling towards his 4th straight Sprint Cup Championship with a 90 point lead. This race is one of the most entertaining with it being the shortest track on the circuit, beating, banging, trading paint...but can I tell you...I've already checked out in my head. This time tomorrow I'll be heading towards a large Carnival Cruise ship in Galveston, TX to spend 5 days with my lovely wife. We'll have two ports stops in Mexico. One of the stops in Cozumel where I plan to scuba dive with some sea turtles. I am so excited, I can hardly wait.
Ok, back to racing. Yesterday's practices were rained out, so nobody has had a lot of track time. Ryan Newman took the pole on Friday. Pit selection and position is so big here. This race and next week's race in Talladega will be the two races that are really wild cards in the Chase. You could be having the best day of your racing career and get punted into the fence or caught up in "The Big One" and have your day ruined. I am still holding out hope for Mark Martin or Tony Stewart. Heck, I'd even take Jeff Gordon at this point. To me, this chase is kind of like the last presidential election. No matter what the outcome, it will be historic. Whether Obama was elected as the first African American or we had the first woman Vice President, it would be historic.
Well, if Jimmie wins the cup, it will be the first time someone has won 4 in a row. If Mark Martin wins, it will be his first Cup after coming in 2nd so many times. If Tony wins, it will be his first as an owner/driver and third over all. If Jeff wins, it will be his 5th Championship, but first Sprint Cup. Oh, I am tingly with anticipation!
There is no way to predict how this one will come out, but here goes anyway:
3). Mark Martin
2). Jeff Burton
1). Jeff Gordon
Have a great Raceday...I will update next week with stories of a great vacation...I won't be in Talladega, but I will still keep you posted on the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

Last Lowe's...

Lowe's became the track sponsor for the Concord, NC (Charlotte) track in 1999. They have ended their agreement to sponsor the track, so today's race will be the final race at the Lowe's Motor Speedway. If anybody out there has a few million bucks laying around, I think Bruton Smith, the track owner, would love to talk to you about some sponsorship.
Tonight's race begins at 7:25 Eastern time...the sun will be setting and the temperature will be dropping. It may even hit a low of the high 30's. That will give the track a lot of grip...except for the icy parts.
Jimmie Johnson is on a tear...like always. He took over the points lead from Mark Martin last week with his win in Fontana, CA. Mark Martin is by no means out of the race, though. He is only 12 points back, followed by Juan Pablo Montoya who's 58 points back and Tony Stewart who is 84 points back. I think one of those 4 are the only ones who can claim the title this year now. And the 48 team is hitting on all cylinders right now, so there is no reason to believe they won't capture their 4th consecutive title.
Crap. I'm not Jimmie fan, but, wow, what a team. They just keep plowing and overcoming until they snatch that trophy year after year after year! Jimmie has been dominant again this week at the "home" track for most of the Cup teams. He had the top speed in all the practices and took the pole with the 3rd fastest time ever.
My predictions (actually, my hopes) for tonight's race:
3). Jimmie Johnson
2). Mark Martin
1). Juan Pablo Montoya
Have a great race night everybody!

Fontucky...

That's the nickname a lot of folks give Fontana, CA. I like being in California. The weather has been great and I got a day off yesterday, so I spent some time by the pool, went and watched a couple of movies and then had dinner with some old TBN friends. It was a great day!
Race 4 of the Chase is today and Denny Hamlin is on the pole. The word in the garage is Denny is the favorite for today.
My predictions:
3). Greg Biffle
2). Jimmie Johnson
1). Denny Hamlin
Have a great raceday!

KC...Masterpiece.

Kansas City...Race 3 in the Chase for the Sprint Cup. It's a lovely morning here. We arrived at the track around 5:30am greeted by a full moon in the partly cloudy sky.
Mark Martin maintains a slight edge over Jimmie Johnson in the points chase, but after Jimmie's win at Dover last week, the margin is only 10 points. I hate to say it, but it looks like Jimmie and the 48 team are peaking and might carry off a record 4th Cup in a row.
There were very windy conditions here on Friday when the Cup cars first hit the track, but today's weather should be quite calmer, yet chilly...65 degrees...when the race commences today at 2pm Eastern. Mark Martin took the pole and should be strong today. I am hoping Mark can stretch his lead today.
My predictions for today...
3). Kyle Busch
2). Joey Logano
1). Mark Martin
Have a great Race Day!

Or as I like to call it...Ben.

Get it? We're in Dover. Ben Dover. And the weather is nasty today. It has been pouring off and on! It looks like it will blow over by the time we need to go racing.
The Chase is on and the old man, Mark Martin, is busy schooling everybody else. He took his points lead going in and added to it with a win at Loudon last week. He didn't qualify well, but he has the big mo with him right now. Another guy who is proving the skeptics wrong is JPM. Juan Pablo finished with a strong, but controversial 3rd place last week. He and Denny Hamlin were battling for 2nd and 3rd when the race was called on the yellow flag brought out by the AJ Allmendinger wreck. At first, the scoring said JPM was 2nd, but under closer examination, he was just behind Denny at the last scoring mark.
The track will be very green today since the rain has washed off all the rubber laid down from the Nationwide race from last night. The temperature will be around 70, so if the sun comes out, it will be a wonderful day for racing.
My predictions for today:
3). Juan Pable Montoya
2). Denny Hamlin
1). Jimmie Johnson

On a side note, tonight is the season premiere of The Amazing Race. One of the racing couples are friends of mine. If you watch the show and need someone to root for, Brian and Erica Kleinschmidt, the yellow team, are great people!

Have a great race day!

Raceday in New Hampshire...

It was a frigid 34 degrees as we entered the compound today here in Loudon, NH. A bit too chilly for my taste, but I don't pick when and where they race, or it might be called the Sprint Bahamas Cup.
After a rousing response from yesterday's revealing post (0 responses), I thought I should pay it off by letting you know that I turned the mattress upside down and found no label. Sorry. I know hundreds of you were wondering what the brand was.
I think there is a thin line between a blog and a diary.
On to racing...no one has more momentum right now than Brian Vickers. He has scored more points in the past 10 races than anyone else. Will that momentum keep him going throughout the Chase? Juan Pablo Montoya, the first foreign born driver to ever make he Chase, captured the pole for today's race. He also was fastest in most of the practices. Kyle Busch will drive like a man who has nothing to lose and everything to prove. I expect him to win about half of the final 10 races which will be a huge statement from a guy who just missed the Chase.
My predictions for today:
3). Denny Hamlin
2). Jimmie Johnson
1). Kyle Busch
Have a great Raceday!

Sleepy sleepy...

I may have mentioned this before, but I have a strict routine on the road as far as sleep goes. When I first walk into my hotel room on Thursdays, the thermostat begins its nosedive to 65 degrees. I love a cold room. Now, just so you don't think I am wasting electricity, I do shut off the A/C whenever I leave the room, but while I'm in there, turn on the 'fridge! I also like a room pitch black to sleep in...and as quiet as possible. Now some folks like to sleep with a tv on or some noise of some kind. Not me. I am a silent sleeper. Now the few days a week I do get to sleep in my own bed at home, I do not have these things that I treasure...it is quite warmer, curtains are open and, of course, Larry is on one corner of the bed snoring like an 80 year old man with a sinus condition. I say all that to say, I love this week's bed in the Courtyard by Marriott in Manchester, NH. The room is cold, pitch black and the bed is wonderful. I'll pull the sheets tonight to see the manufacturer and let you know what I discover. Now as I was drifting off to sleep last night, I was harkened back to my youth with the cover pulled tightly around my neck. I think that may be why I like a room the way I do. As a youth, I shared a bedroom with my brother. It was quiet and, especially in the winter in Indiana, quite cold in the room. Maybe a room dark and cold is my security blanket.
Through my lovely wife, I have discovered a new bedtime treat. Now get your mind out of the gutters. She likes to have noise on in the room as she sleeps. I guess that's why Larry never bothers her. She introduced me to a new feature on Ipods and Iphones called Pandora. It is a virtual radio station. You select Pandora, pick a song you like and it will play that song and then play songs that are similar to that song until your heart's content. She will pick a great worship song and then Pandora will play worship songs found on the internet all night long. I don't know how it works or how they don't have to pay the fees to play them, but, I gotta admit, I really like it. It was interesting to have songs that I hadn't heard in a long time and great current worship songs playing all night. But when I'm on the road, I still like the stone cold silence...at 65 degrees.

So, we're racing in New Hampshire again at the Miracle Mile. The Chasers were determined last weekend. I was right on Vickers getting in, but missed Kyle Busch getting in. I was pretty surprised he didn't make it, but I am glad that Brian Vickers made it instead of Kyle. I'm not a big Kyle fan. The points have been reset with all 12 Chasers sitting at 5000 points, plus 10 points for each victory earned this season. That puts longtime favorite Mark Martin in the lead with 5040 points since he captured 4 victories so far this season. Mark is having the time of his life driving the 5 car for Hendrick Motor Sports. He is so happy he came out of semi-retirement to join them that he signed an extension to race with them through the 2011 season. I am pulling for him to win the Cup. He's been a bridesmaid so many times, I'd like to see him win it all. If Mark can't pull it off, I am hoping my favorite driver, Tony Stewart, win it all. I am amazed that he, as a first year owner/driver, has put himself and his teammate, Ryan Newman, into the Chase.
Have a great Saturday...I'll be back tomorrow with some more NASCAR insider news...bahahahaha!

2 for 1...

Ok, since I didn't post for last week's Atlanta race...I'll make my post prediction. I think Kasey Kahne will win last week.
Yes! I nailed it!
Now, for this week in Richmond...this is where all the work finally culminates and the the top 12 slots are nailed down. Those are the Chasers. Anyone can still win a race, but only those in the top 12 can win the Sprint Cup. I really feel for those who don't make the top 12. They are really cast off and ignored from this time forward. Back to the top 12...the point standings, after tonight's race, are reset to 5000 each, plus 10 points for each victory so far this season. So that means if Mark Martin makes the Chase, he will have 5040 points because he won four races this year. Basically everyone is even in the top 12, but those few "reward" points might make a difference in the end.
This is one of our biggest nights of the year. This is the final day of the regular season and the playoff teams get set. It's pretty fun. The top 4 spots of the 12 are already locked in. Those drivers are Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon and Denny Hamlin. There are 11 guys who can make the final 8 spots. That makes it pretty fun. The calculators will be whirring throughout the race. By the way, my mom is happy that this race and the final 10 races, all the races in the Chase, will be seen on broadcast TV...ABC. Yeah!
My predictions for tonight:
3). Brian Vickers
2). Kyle Busch
1). Mark Martin
And I think Brian Vickers and Kyle Busch will vault themselves into the top 12 by bumping Greg Biffle and Matt Kenseth out.
My best high school friend, Chuck Chalfant, is coming to the race with a couple of friends and one of his daughters! It will be great to see him again!
Have a great raceday!

Hmmm...I think I'll stick to stock cars...

Pretty interesting event there in Southwick, MA. It had rained all Friday night and most of Saturday, so during the race, all I could see were about 30 guys on motocross bikes all in brown. They were covered in mud after the first lap. I don't know how the camera guys, the producer and director, anybody could tell who was who. There were 6 races and we put two of them to air on SPEED. We all got attaboys all the way around, so I guess we did good.
One fun thing yesterday was having lunch with Erin Bates, the pit reporter girl for MotoX, and her boyfriend, Brian Vickers, driver of the 83 Red Bull Toyota in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. It was fun talking to him. I don't ever get to meet the drivers, so for me to actually sit down and have a conversation was pretty fun. He is a very nice guy. His girlfriend, Erin, talks like a sailor. Don't tell anyone I said that, but wow! She's pretty funny!
I shared the Southwest flight home today with Jake Owens and his band. Jake is an up and coming country music star. Also on the plane was the Little River Band. Makes me want to do some Reminiscing. Get it...they sang the song Reminiscing.
Have a great week!

Two Wheels, No Waiting...

Well, here's a twist...the NASCAR Cup series is taking it's last weekend off of the season. Therefore, I should have the weekend off. But, alas, I have landed in Springfield, MA to do Motocross racing! It is so different from stock car racing...and the crowd says, "Duh!" It is one of those sports that the average Joe says, "I could do that." But seriously, Joe, you can't. These guys whip those motorcycles through the mud and dirt...they are athletes. I would like to ride the course, but at a reasonable speed. Energy drinks are the main sponsors for this sport, so most of its' stars are young pups hopped up on enhanced Mountain Dew!
I am tape producing this week which makes me basically a traffic cop for the tape room. Don't tell anyone, but I think I'm stealing money this weekend. That's kinda nice sometimes.
The shows we're working on air on SPEED Saturday night.
Next week I'm back to NASCAR in Atlanta...the dirty south!
Have a great weekend!

Best Night Racin' of the Year!

We're in Bristol and the lights are coming on as the engines are revvin'! I love this race! The beating and banging until the checkered flag waves...it's my favorite kind of racing!
The weather looks clear and we are gonna have 500 laps, 266 1/2 miles of fun!
My predictions for tonight:
3. Kyle Busch
2. Matt Kenseth
1. Mark Martin
Have a great Raceday...and to my family in Indiana, have a great party!

Finally, a Sunday race!!!

Wow, what a beautiful weekend here in Michigan. The weekend seems to go much faster when it doesn't rain. We will get this race in today and that makes me happy.
It's been Brian Vickers weekend so far. He got the pole for both the Nationwide and Cup races. He ran up front all night and finished 2nd in a great finish to Brad Keslowski. He kinda got into a scrap with Kyle Busch after the race. Kyle, who battled Vickers all day, said that Vickers raced him to aggressively and let the 88 of Keslowski win. Waaaaaah!
Anyway, Vickers starts up front again today and has a strong Cup car that should compete for the win. Roush cars are always tough here in Michigan and it always seems to come down to fuel mileage. The race in June was all but won by Jimmie Johnson and he ran out of gas on the last lap. Greg Biffle flew by him and the checkers were in his sites, then, putt, putt, putt...he ran out of fuel which opened the door for the 5 of Mark Martin to go flying by a mere 1/4 lap to the finish for the win.
The double file restart shootout style that NASCAR has instituted has raised the excitement level a ton. I think this will be another race that you can tune into the last 20 laps and it will be thrilling! Only 4 races to go to make the Chase. Tony Stewart still leads the points and I love that!
Today I have a couple of guests at the track. LeAnn Williams Greer and her husband are coming. I saw LeAnn at our reunion last month and met her husband. He is a huge NASCAR fan, so I said let me know if can get to a race and I'll try to hook you up. They called and said they wanted to go to Michigan, so I was able to get them tickets and pit passes. They should have a blast under beautiful sunny skies today!
My predictions for today:
3). Mark Martin
2). Brian Vickers
1). Carl Edwards
Have a great Raceday!

What-kins Glen?

So many of my fans have been clamoring for me to return from my blog hiatus. Well, actually, just Mom.
I decided to take a break because it didn't seem like I was writing anything new or had any new angle or insight from the last time I posted about whatever track I was at. So the question is, why did the blog return today? Is there some earth shattering news that pulled me from my sabbatical? Truthfully...no. But here's an update on what's been up lately.
We had the week off after Chicago. I went to my 25th high school reunion in Indiana. I stayed there until the race in Indianapolis the following weekend. Jimmie Johnson won. And the crowd says yea. Last weekend we were in Pocono, PA for the 2nd time in 7 weeks. Denny Hamlin won for the first time in about 50 races. It was pretty emotional for him because his grandmother just passed away on the Friday before the race. Which brings us to the annual Watkins Glen road course race. This one is entitled "The Heluva Good Sour Cream Dips at the Glen". Wow. Most of the drivers stink at road course racing, so this is one they just endure and look forward to the next oval. Some drivers and owners even use replacement drivers or "road course ringers". Some drivers who've come from another series, ie IRL, really excel at these courses. One such driver to keep an eye on today is Marcos Ambrose. He put on a clinic yesterday in the Nationwide series to take the checkered flag. There is no reason to expect any less today. He is a very likable guy, so it would be nice to see him get his first NASCAR Spring Cup win today.
My predictions:
3). Kyle Busch
2). Juan Pablo Montoya
1). Marcos Ambrose

By the way, the family is all good. All three boys are winding down from a whirlwind summer of fun. Zach absolutely loved his wrestling camp in Montana. The twins loved their trip throughout Texas and then their mission trip to Gulfport, MS. They are all now officially in high school. The twins are freshmen and Zach is a junior at Franklin High School.
Sandy and I are just "livin' the dream"!

The Windy City

Chicago...400 miles of driving goodness. Another race under the lights! A Stealth Bomber just flew over for the anthem. The night time is the right time!
I'm looking forward to a week off! I'm heading to Austin to meet up with Sandy and the twins and we're going to Schlitterbahn on Monday. Schlitterbahn is one of the best water parks in the country according to the Travel Channel. I'll spend a few more days with them in Brownwood, TX riding 4 wheelers and relaxing. Then I fly back home to Nashville, do some laundry and drive up to Indiana for a week and a half. My 25th high school reunion is the 18th, then I'll help Mom out at her house in exchange for room and board until I drive to Indianapolis to begin my work week on the 23rd. Zach, in the meantime, is in Montana at his wrestling camp. We haven't heard from him, but I'm sure he's having a blast! We all converge back in Nashville on the 26th...I think.
Here are my predictions for today:
3). Tony Stewart
2). Kyle Busch
1). Jimmie Johnson
Have a great raceday...I'll write again from Indianapolis in a couple of weeks!

Happy Independence Day from Daytona

Happy 233rd Birthday to America! We're here in Daytona for a Saturday night race under the lights! With periodic rain the past couple of days, there hasn't been much practice time and Cup qualifying was cancelled. The drivers will line up according to points. I look for Tony Stewart to continue on his torrid pace and place high. Since he starts on the pole, he should avoid the first big wreck that collects many. Daytona races usually tend to have exciting finishes and tonight should be no different.
My predictions for tonight's race:
3). David Reutimann
2). Tony Stewart
1). Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
Have a great 4th of july and a great race day!

Loudon...it's like London, only different

Well, it's kinda like London. It's foggy and rainy here this morning. I wonder if we'll get the race in today. Chance of rain is 50% all day long.
BREAKING NEWS....Bill Webber has been fired by TNT this morning. He will not be doing play by play for todays festivities. He'll be replaced in the booth by TNT pit reporter Ralph Sheheen. It's gonna be a big story...not Michael Jackson's death size story, but big none the less in NASCAR circuits. It has been said that he whines and throws tantrums quite often and today's tantrum pushed them over the edge. I have no first hand knowledge of the situation, but the scuttlebutt is flowing in the compound. How often have you got to use the word "scuttlebutt". I like it!
In other news...Zach, Andy and Alex may have started a side business. Last Tuesday night, I took them with me to help our friends, David and Sharon Graham, move a bunch of boxes and such to a storage unit in preparation for a move. The boys went again Friday night and Saturday to help complete the move. They did a stellar job. David and Sharon couldn't believe how hard they worked, how they did not complain and how grown up they are. I couldn't be prouder!
On West Coast news, Sandy completes her recertification today for TaeBo in Los Angeles. She said that it may be as early as 5:30am pacific time, which is right now, so I am waiting on an update. Billy Blanks wanted them to do their routine that early. Sandy didn't really want to do it so early, but we'll see. She has been spending time with Billy's daughter, Shellie, who is in the process of moving to Franklin, TN, so that is a great God connection. Sandy was driving thru LA by the UCLA medical center on Thursday when all the Michael Jackson stuff was going down...she said it was a zoo!
Back to racing...Kyle Busch won the Nationwide race here last night and I look for him to repeat here today...if we race.
Predictions for today:
3). Jimmie Johnson
2). Greg Biffle
1). Kyle Busch
Have a great raceday!

Turn Left, Turn Right, Stand Up, Sit Down, Fight! Fight! Fight!

It's road course racing time here at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California. The weather is beautiful and it's time for the first road course of the season. Yesterday's practice seemed pretty tame. The only big issue was David Gilliland rear ending John Andretti on pit road. David looked down to check some gauges and just plowed into Andretti who was waiting to enter the track. Wow, maybe these guys are mere mortals. Oh, and from the land down under, Marcos Ambrose blew an engine and had to go to a back up. Marcos will still do well today, I predict.
Last year, Kyle Busch won this race and looks strong for this one, too. Brian Vickers won the pole and feels like he can do well today. One who usually stinks in this race is Jimmie Johnson. I think he'll stink again today. Juan Pablo Montoya won the race two years ago and should do well again today. The road course ringers, ie Ron Fellows, Boris Said, PJ Jones always make a nice showing, but never seem to be able to make that big of a difference and get into Victory Lane. Jeff Gordon is the road course king. Tony Stewart is also a master at turning left and right. Who do you think will end up in Victory Lane today? Do you like road course races? Do you think a road course race should be included in the Chase?
Well, here's my take...I do like road course races. It takes a much better driver to master all kinds of tracks. I think it would be great to have one road course in the Chase and here's my picks for today:
3). Tony Stewart
2). Jeff Gordon
1). Kyle Busch

Happy Race Day and Happy Father's Day!!!

Happy Father's Day from Sonoma

It's a first for me today. For the first time in my 43 years, a Father's Day is here without my dad. It seems like yesterday when he passed away and it seems like forever since I've seen him. What a great dad! He made it hard to rebel. He had long hair, tattoos and wore an earring. So what's a teen boy who wants to rebel to do? Go to more youth group meetings at church? There are so many great memories I have of my dad. I try to remember what made me feel the best growing up as a kid with my dad and I try to implement those things in my kids lives. I loved fishing with my dad and being out in nature, so I try to do the same thing with my boys. There are a ton more distractions today that keep us all inside, but I grew up outside. My dad taught me to appreciate the outdoors. I try to instill the love of the land and the genuine love for people my dad had into my own boys. I hope they get it. I think they do. I miss you, Dad!

Wine Country

Man, there's a lot of grapes out here. We had a great grape arbor at our house growing up. I loved it when the grapes were ready and I'd eat them for days! Well, out here in Sonoma, California...nobody eats 'em. They just squish 'em. Wait. Then drink 'em.
I'm not wine guy...I am a whine guy. That flight across the country was long! And now they don't have pillows on Southwest because of the swine flu. I had to ride in the back of the car from Oakland to Sonoma and felt quite car sick. See, I'm a whine guy.
This road course is fun. It is pretty out here and the drivers seem to like the change of pace. The new double file restart will be huge this weekend. Coming out of turn one and into turn two double file will cause all kinds of problems all day. Now there generally aren't a lot of yellow flags during this race, but when there are some, lookout!
It's been awhile since I've updated on the boys and Sandy. The boys are out of school for the summer, but have been having wrestling practice 4 or 5 days a week...sometimes two-a-days. I really think that all three of them can wrestle varsity this year. It will be a huge year for Zach. His confidence is high and he is focused on being in the best shape possible when the season starts. Alex and Andy are the new guys on the team, but have been to so many practices, that they are already accepted. Zach will probably wrestle 145 this year. Oddly enough, Andy is about that same weight. Andy has lost a lot and has grown so much taller. He wants to get lower, around 140, so he and Zach can both wrestle on the varsity team. The coach is wanting Alex to go at 112, but his natural weight right now is 119. I think he'll stay at 119, but he could tighten up and make 112, if he'd just stop growing. Sandy plans on wrestling at....wait...wrong topic. Sandy is in Texas this week preparing a recertification routine with some other ladies for the TaeBo class in California next weekend. Shelley Blanks, who now runs TaeBo International, just moved to Franklin...about 5 minutes from our house! Sandy is renewing her friendship with Shelley and could be instrumental in helping Shelley get TaeBo headquarters started in Nashville.
I, of course, am still out every weekend...watching cars turn left...and, for this weekend, right, too!!

Lifelock 400 @ Michigan

Great day for racing here in the Irish Hills of Michigan...I am thinking there is a chance that a "feriner" car could win the race today in the backyard of all the US car manufacturers...Brian Vickers sits on the pole and has a strong car this weekend. The other force to be reckoned with is Team Roush.
My predictions for today:
3). Brian Vickers
2). Carl Edwards
1). Greg Biffle
Have a great raceday!

The Irish Hills of Michigan...

Michigan International Speedway hosts 3 races this weekend. ARCA on Friday, Trucks on Saturday and Cup on Sunday. The wide open track lends itself to great speed. The winner of the first Michigan race last year was none other than the immortal Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Junior is finding it quite hard to get into Victory Lane. He won this race last year with a gas mileage maneuver and was pushed across the line by Kasey Kahne under yellow. I really thought that with his move to Hendrick Motor Sports last season, he would win his share of races. That has not proved to be true. Two weeks ago he changed crew chiefs with little results to show for it. Will he be proven to be just a regular driver with a legendary racing father, ala Kyle Petty? Junior's teammate, Jeff Gordon, has been suffering with great back pain the last few months. Some say it is from carrying Junior!! I was so happy last week to see my personal favorite driver, Tony Stewart, get his first win as a driver/owner. In reality, he gets his engines and bodies from Hendrick, so he is kinda a 5th HMS team. But it still takes skill to pull off a win.
It looks like rain in the forecast today, so we may get the truck race in, but I'm not counting on it.
Tomorrow looks like a great day, so it should be a beautiful day to run the LifeLock 400 at Michigan.

Raceday in Pocono

It's another beautiful day in Pocono, PA! Looks like we'll get the race in today, but rain is coming tonight...Let's get a green flag quickly!
We're preparing to go on the air with Raceday, a 2 hour live broadcast on SPEED. It is the flagship program of our weekend that is filled with interviews, features and fun stuff.
Yesterday during practice Tony Stewart wrecked his primary car and had to go to a back up. Oddly enough, he said he likes the back up better and wishes he would've wrecked the primary earlier so he would have had more track time in the back up. He and his teammate, Ryan Newman, were both very quick in Happy Hour, so I think they'll both be guys to keep your eye on today.
Here's my predictions for today:
3). Ryan Newman
2). Denny Hamlin
1). Kyle Busch

Speaking of Kyle Busch...he gave me another reason to dislike him last night. He won the Nationwide race in Nashville last night. That is not why I dislike him. He's a great driver. What he did in Victory Lane was, in my eyes, pretty classless. The trophy for winning in Nashville is a custom made Sam Bass Gibson guitar. Gibson guitars are manufactured in Nashville. All the Gibson brass come to the track and are there at the presentation. Kyle took the trophy, went around the front of the car and smashed it on the ground twice. He said he was going to do it like a "rock star" and give pieces to his crew. Those guitars are one of a kind...I just don't think it's cool to smash the trophy that so many people spent hours putting together. He said he meant no disrespect and has ordered two new ones for himself and one for his crew chief. I understand it is a fun thing to smash guitars and pretend you're a rock star, but it just didn't seem right. He probably wouldn't smash any other trophies he wins all season. Just my humble opinion. What are your thoughts?

Honeymoon Haven...Pocono

We've arrived back in Pocono, PA. This tricky triangle of a track is always an interesting race if for no other reason than the shape of the track. The triangle cuts down one corner and the frontstretch is over 6 football fields long.
We are once again staying at the "haunted" Mt. Pocono Inn. So far, so good. I walked their golf course last night for some exercise. I did get a bloodblister on my pinkie toe, but I don't thinks it's anything evil. I still sleep with TBN on the tv just to be sure.
The big news in NASCAR this week is that all restarts are going to be double file shootout style like they use in the All Star race. This will put the lap down cars back farther in the restart and put the front runners all together. It's a great move by NASCAR and something the drivers and fans have wanted for a long time.
Are you looking forward to this big change? What other changes would you like to see at the race track? What is your favorite color?
I'll update tomorrow with my picks and other exciting "insider" information...how's that for a tease?

Monster Mile with Miles the Monster

This weekend's festivities are taking place in Dover, Delaware. Delaware, the first state, hosts a race twice a year. This weekend has been fairly quiet compared to the last two weekends in Charlotte. Though we are in a storm right now at 8am, it will clear off and we will get this race in today. This concrete track usually has some big wrecks, usually off of turn 2. The pole winner this weekend was David Reutiman, who won last week's rain shortened Coke 600 winner. Dale, Jr. was in the center of the spotlight by getting a new crew chief assigned to him. His cousin, Tony Eury, Jr. traded places in the Hendrick organization with Brian Whitesell. Brian has been in research and development, overseeing a lot of operational things. Brian will be Jr.'s crew chief this weekend and next weekend Lance McGrew will be atop the pit box. They put the title interim crew chief on Lance, but my feeling is that he'll get that tag removed very quickly with Jr. finishing in the top ten the next few weeks.
Predictions:
3). Greg Biffle
2). Kyle Busch
1). Martin Truex, Jr.

But the biggest news of the weekend is that my twins, Alex and Andy, have turned 14 years old! My how time flies! They are having a huge blowout costume party today to celebrate their birthday. Those two are all about the party. They like gifts, but the party is the main focus. They are entertainers 24/7! We are planning a kayaking trip on Tuesday this week, so the celebration continues!

Still the longest race of the year....

Wow. Monday. Memorial Day. Still in Charlotte. Still at the track. Rain on the way. Hmmmmm.
Well, that's the way it goes sometimes. Last year we had about a half dozen rainouts by this time of the season,
so this season hasn't been that bad. But I feel stuck in Charlotte...
The word on the street is that if we don't get the race in today, they will try it again tomorrow. The second plan is
that it will be rescheduled to the off week in July, which is the weekend between Chicago and Indianapolis. If they cancel
today and try tomorrow, I think I get to go home in the morning and we forego the Victory Lane show. If they reschedule
it to July, that kinda stinks because that weekend is my 25th high school reunion. I could probably still work it and get
to the reunion that Saturday night. We'll see.
At least we're staying at a nice hotel...Omni Charlotte. The pillow are nice, the bed is nice, the room is nice,
but I'm ready to go home.
Have a great Memorial Day and I hope you take the time to remember those in the military who are serving and those
who have given their lives for our freedom. Thanks so much! Also, take a moment in your busy life to be thankful for
your family and remember those who have gone before us to make our lives great. Thanks, Dad! I miss you!!

The Longest Race of the Year....

Back in Charlotte...
When I get to go home Monday (hopefully), I will have been in the home of NASCAR for 12 of the past 14 days. I love the work, but sure miss being home.
This weekend is the Coca-Cola 600...600 miles of bumper to bumper, beating and banging. If lasts weekend's All Star race was any indication, this race will be a great one. That last 10 laps of the All Star race was some of the best racing I have ever seen. The best drivers going at it in a double file restart was incredible. And when Tony Stewart crossed the finish line first, I was so happy for him!
The term "war of attrition" comes into play when you are driving a race car for nearly 5 hours. The race begins at 5:45 Eastern time in the sunshine and finishes late into the night. Currently there is a prediction of an 80% chance of rain on Sunday, so we'll see if we get to stay another day!
Some of the favorites for this race are any of the Roush teams, Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Mark Martin and, of course, Jimmie Johnson. Lowe's Motor Speedway is affectionately known as "The House That Jimmie Built." He is the favorite.
My predictions are:
3). Mark Martin
2). Tony Stewart
1). Jimmie Johnson
Have a great raceday.!

All Star Weekend

Did you know that NASCAR has an All Star Weekend? You've probably watched the baseball All Star game, or the NBA, maybe even the football Pro Bowl, but, it's true, NASCAR has an All Star weekend. The NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, formerly known as The Winston until 2004, then the NEXTEL All-Star Challenge from 2004 until 2007, is a race open to race winners (either as a driver or a car owner) from the previous season as well as the current season, plus the past ten event winners and past decade's Cup Series champions. Drivers are also eligible if they are one of the top two finishers in the Sprint Showdown qualifying race (a 40-lap race in two 20-lap segments for drivers not qualified for the main event) or remain on the lead lap in the Sprint Showdown and get the most votes in a fan vote. There used to be another qualifying race following the Open known as the No Bull Sprint. Since 2003, only one qualifying race has been run. The following year, the fan vote was put into place to determine the second transfer driver. Michael Waltrip became the first driver to win the All-Star race after transferring in from a qualifying race in 1996. The first running of the race was held in 1985 at Lowe's Motor Speedway (formerly the Charlotte Motor Speedway) and has been run there every year except in 1986 when it was run at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Due to the nature of the race (only winning counts, and no points are rewarded regardless of finishing position), drivers often make crazy and reckless moves not seen in other races, and crashes are frequent - it is not uncommon to see less than half the starting grid finishing at the end. The winner of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race recieves $1,000,000 with each segment winner recieving a bonus prize.
The race has a unique format, which changes frequently. The current format consists of a 50-lap segment with a mandatory 4-tire green flag pit stop on lap 25, two 20-lap segments, a 10-minute break, and a 10-lap shootout to determine the winner.
Former Sprint Cup and Sprint All-Star champions are also eligible for the race. Until 2001, the rule restricted only champions of the past five Sprint All Star Challenge events, but in 2005, the rule became the winners in the past ten years of either the Sprint Cup or the Sprint All-Star Race. The Sprint Showdown was restricted to the top 50 drivers in either the final standings of the previous year or current standings in the current year.
In 2004, NEXTEL, predecessor to Sprint, added a vote of race spectators, internet users and Sprint cellphone users to add one additional driver not in the field, but in the Sprint Showdown, and finishing on the lead lap, to the final starting field.
So, that's what were doing...that's a lot of information, but it does help you understand who's in and why. That race takes place Saturday night.
On a side note, I came to Charlotte on Tuesday to work on a concert for All Star Weekend. The band was O.A.R. Now, I'm not hip like the younger crowd and didn't know who this band was, but apparently, they hold the record for the most sales of an independent band in history. They are huge on the college scene. They are signed now with a major recording company, and are bazillionares. I got to go out and listen to a few songs. I liked 'em.

It's a Darling Town...

Darlington, South Carolina. The Track to Tough to Tame. The Lady in Black. Lots of nicknames for this track that is famous for delivering "the Darlington Stripe" on nearly every car. This is a very fast track that slings the cars into the wall out of turn 1 into turn 2. Many a car will get "pancaked" on the right side. Already we've had 20 stripes laid down in cup alone, with 3 going to back up cars. Drivers love this track and the competition is always exciting.
On a side note, we were booked to stay at America's Best Value Inn this weekend. As we drove up there were two cars in the parking lots, both with flat tires. The pool had no water, but was full of bags of trash. The 3 vending machines in the lobby all had "Out of Order" on them, along with debris and lighting fixtures strewn about the lobby. Kind of a scary place. Well, they ended up moving us all to different hotels once they found out that there were 6 separate police incidents in the last 6 months.
We moved to the Residence Inn...nice.
Rain is here off and on all weekend, so we'll see what gets in and what doesn't...qualifying today looks like it may be a wash out.
In case I don't get to update tomorrow, my predictions are:
3). Mark Martin
2). Jeff Gordon
1). Denny Hamlin

Have a great day!

Rainy Richmond

Here we sit in Richmond, VA for a great Saturday night race under the lights...unfortunately, the rain my prevent that from happening. It is raining here at 3pm E, and the radar isn't looking too good. If they do get to race between the showers, it will be really pretty! Last nights race in the Nationwide Series was kinda boring with Kyle Busch once again taking the checkers.
It's been said that Richmond International Raceway is "the perfect racetrack". It has enough space for passing, but also lends itself to lots of beating and banging. The brakes are glowing and the cars are shiny under the lights. Hopefully we get in the 300 miles/400 laps of racing under the lights. Or at least half way so it can be an official race and we can go home tomorrow!
My predictions:
3). Jimmy Johnson
2). Jeff Gordon
1). Tony Stewart
Have a great raceday!

Sweet Home Alabama...

Sorry...I was late in posting today and haven't posted since we got to Talladega. It's not because I've been busy living it up in the famed Talladega infield, though. I had to move over to the tape producer position this week and it was a lot of busy work. Plus, I just plain forgot.
So here we sit, about 50 laps in and a "Big One" has already happened. Big speed, bumper to bumper, one twitch and 15 cars are junk. Dale, Jr. is worshipped here, so the cry "Junior!" is heard 24/7. Also, this place is big for camping and "RV"-ing, so the smoke lingers for a week and the truck smells of smoke for a month.
Here's my picks (which I am just making...with the benefit of seeing who's already out...)
3). Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
2). Denny Hamlin
1). Martin Truex, Jr.
Happy Racing!

Scenics from Phoenix

Wow...been awhile since we've raced, but here we are in Phoenix, AZ. It is so beautiful out here! If you're a follower of this little scribbling I do, you know that I love night races. This one is no exception. I like being out here...beautiful mountains, lots of sunshine, and sunshine is what I'd like to focus on today. This race starts at 5:30pm locally, and that is about an hour before sunset. The beginning of the race is so challenging as the drivers come around turn 3 into turn 4 and stare straight into the sun. The cars don't come equipped with sun visors like you and I have on our personal vehicles. They put gaffers tape on the windshield and also wear "tear offs", a thin sheet of plastic...kinda like sunglasses. They have several on, then peel them off one at a time, as the sun goes down. It's a pretty short race, only 312 miles...should be fun!
My predictions:
3). Jeff Gordon
2). Mark Martin
1). Jimmie Johnson....A Hendrick sweep!

Raceday in Texas

It's Raceday here in Texas and it sure is windy. I think it will be a factor in the race if it keeps up! It has been a beautiful weekend here, so the Cup guys got in a lot of practice. One surprise was the 00 of David Reutimann getting the pole. The Michael Waltrip Racing team has been pretty strong this season, except for Michael Waltrip. Reutimann and Marcos Ambrose are both well within the top 35 in points. Today's race should be under sunny skies with long green runs. (Sometimes long, green runs are considered a sign of unhealthy eating habits, but that's a story for another day.)
Yesterday, Kyle Busch dominated the Nationwide race leading 178 of the 200 laps. He won from the pole position. That was the first time that has happened here at Texas Motor Speedway. He is unstoppable in Nationwide. And I imagine that he'll be a huge factor in the final standings today in Cup.
My predictions for today's race:
3). Kyle Busch
2). Greg Biffle
1). Carl Edwards
Have a great raceday!

Texas Time...

This weekend we're at the Texas Motor Speedway just north of Ft. Worth, Texas. This is a very fast track that is generally owned by the Roush camp. Carl Edwards swept the spring and fall races here last season. Today's practice shows that the Hendrick team has done their homework because all 4 teams are in the top 6 in practice speeds.
We had some incredible wind here yesterday...gusts of up to 50 mph. Today it has calmed down and the temperatures will be in the 70's and 80's thru Sunday. Should make for some nice racing under bright blue skies.

Racing at the Paperclip

Martinsville Speedway is known as the Paperclip since it is a flat half mile track that from above looks like a paperclip. In Martinsville, beating and banging will earn you a checkered flag. With the new car design, it has replaced Bristol as the track where if you don't finish with torn up sheet metal and donuts on the side of your car, you didn't try. Since qualifying and most of practice was rained out, it is hard to judge who looks good here today and who's pretending. Points leader, Jeff Gordon, will start on the pole and, by virtue of leading the points, got to choose his pit stall first. The pits here in Martinsville are as tight as any on the circuit, therefore, there is only one good pitbox...pitbox number one. You can shoot straight out without having to turn to miss the guy in front of you. There will be many mishaps and fender benders in the pits today, so Jeff may have a huge advantage with the rainout of qualifying. I think the short track specialists will rise and shine today, so my predictions are:
3). Denny Hamlin
2). Jimmie Johnson
1). Jeff Gordon

Yesterday, Andy and Alex competed in the AAU National Wrestling Tournament in Kingsport, TN. Andy had an uphill battle all day and finished 8th in the nation. Alex marched through his competition and won the national tournament!!!! I am so proud of both of them. It may be a bit premature, but I smell scholarships!!!!

Have a great raceday!

FREEBIRD!!!

You know, sometimes the travel gets long, boring, annoying and lonely...but somedays it is pretty cool...like today.
I got to the airport this morning to fly to North Carolina, then drive up to Martinsville, VA. I, as usual, flew Southwest. As I got in line, I saw a long blonde haired guy walk past. I got a quick glimpse, but thought "Wasn't that Johnny Van Zant from the band Lynyrd Skynyrd?" Now for all you "I only listen to old time Gospel music" types out there, Lynyrd Skynyrd is a rock band formed in the '70's. Though there are new band members mixed in now, Skynyrd is still playing today. They created the rock and roll anthems "Freebird", "Sweet Home Alabama" and scores of others. Anyway, they are one of my favorite bands of all time.
I got into what I thought would be the shortest security line and I was about 10 people behind him. I wasn't in full stalking mode yet...it was 6:10am and I was still foggy. I saw a few people stop him and talk to him. Once I got through security, I headed to my gate. I saw him getting a Starbucks and when he came out, I said hi and he stopped asked me my name and we talked for about 5 minutes. I was telling him about this season of NASCAR since he is a big fan and he told me about Skynyrd working on a new album called "God and Guns". We talked about how nearly 100% of NASCAR fans are Skynyrd fans and how he thought the band should try to do more with NASCAR. It was fun. I said bye and went to my gate. Our flight was slightly delayed due to fog, so I turned around to find a seat and saw Johnny sitting all by himself across the hall. I went over and we started up a conversation again. He told me the band was getting ready to tour Europe for about a month. He said one of the funniest things about Europe was a trip to Helsinki when the fans were singing along to "Sweet Home Alabama" with a Russian accent. We talked about being on the road, family, kids...it was a blast. I doubt Johnny Van Zant in blogging about meeting a guy in the Nashville airport today who works in NASCAR, but for me, it was a great time and a cool connection!

Rebel Award

I'm gonna take a break from writing about NASCAR and where we are going this week...well, we're going to Martinsville, the Paperclip, but I'll get into that later this week.
I wanted to tell you about the 2008-09 Franklin High Wrestling banquet last night. Sandy is the president of the booster club and gives about 20 hours a week keeping the club going. The banquet was fun...lots of awards given out and people recognized for their contributions. One of the awards that was given out was The Rebel Award. Now our school mascot is a rebel...an old southern countrified rebel...I didn't pick it. I believe it is just part of Franklin's history.
The coaches confer on this award and give it to the wrestler who best exemplifies determination, dedication and desire...oh, and doesn't complain. They gave the award to Zach!
I was so happy! That is the one award that shows character beyond victories, statistics or popularity. When the coach started to explain the award, all the wrestlers started pointing to Zach...it was great! He busts his butt every day at practice and his passion for the sport he loves continues to grow. He makes me proud! Next year...state champion!

It's Bristol, Baby!

It's Raceday in Bristol! I've said it many times before, but, again, this is my favorite track! I am excited about today's race. I really don't have any predictions today...you can't really predict who will win at this track. I really hope that mark Martin can take his pole start clear to the checkered flag. We'll see!
I did get a chance yesterday to drive 2 1/2 hours to see the boys wrestle in their AAU state wrestling championships. I missed a few of the twins first matches, but got there in time to see Andy and Alex both take 3rd place in state!!! Then the high school division started and Zach marched through the competition straight to the championship match against the boy that beat him pretty badly 2 weeks ago at regionals. The match was incredible...Zach was down 6-4 with 21 seconds left, then scored a reversal. With 13 seconds left he tried to turn his opponent to get some back points, but wasn't able to get him turned. Overtime! Both guys shot and were in what looked like a stalemate, but Zach was slightly out of position and lost the takedown and the championship match 8-6. He was pretty distraught because he was pretty sure he would win the match, but he showed a lot of character and I am proud. They all did so great. Andy and Alex were asked to be alternates on Team Tennessee, the traveling middle school team that has the national match in Iowa at the end of April. I was so happy to get to see them all wrestle!
Here's who I think will be top 3 today:
3). Jeff Gordon
2). Kurt Busch
1). Mark Martin

Thunder Valley

Back on the road again! We've arrived in Bristol, TN for this weekends NASCAR festivities. This is one of my favorite tracks on the circuit, but there's not a whole lot to do around here. This time we are staying in these new condos that were built right across the street from the track. It is a really nice place, but we are all have roommates this week. We do have our own bedrooms and bathrooms, so it is fine. Oh, and free wireless!
It was weird not working a race last weekend. I know we've only been at it again for a month, but I was already getting into a groove.
Mark Martin won the pole for the Cup race today, then he was our guest on Trackside. He is a funny guy who is still loaded with talent. I really hope he can take the win this weekend!
I'll update in a couple of days with some insights and behind the scenes info about this weekend's 500 mile race! Stay tuned!

Raceday in Atlanta

Good Morning, race fans!
It is a mere 3 hours away from the green flag here in Atlanta. No real notable things happening here at the track, except that the grand old man of NASCAR, Mark Martin, took the pole on Friday night. It was his first pole in 7 years. He is so happy to have switched to the Hendrick team this season, but the results aren't quite as high as he'd want. I expect to see him finish a lot higher today than he has so far this season. Kyle Busch won the truck race last evening, even though his truck lost 2nd and 3rd gear right before the last restart. He is amazing and I am starting to give in and like him.
Coming off last week's win, there is no reason to believe that Kyle couldn't win it again.
Predictions for today's race:
3). Juan Pablo Montoya
2). Kyle Busch
1). Carl Edwards

Over the weekend all three of my sons qualified for the AAU State Finals in wrestling. Zach got 2nd place Friday night. Andy got 2nd and Alex got 3rd on Saturday. They will all wrestle for state titles in two weeks! I am so proud of them!

Have a great raceday!

The South's gonna race again...

We've made it back to East Coast time with this week's race in Atlanta, Ga. The Atlanta Motor Speedway, located in Hampton, Georgia, is one of the fastest tracks on the circuit. There is room to pass and the guys can leave the pedal down nearly all the way around. This weekend only the Trucks and Sprint Cup teams are racing. The Nationwide guys get the weekend off.
I am expecting some great racing, especially in the truck race on Saturday afternoon.
Speaking of weekends off, next weekend will be racing free. All three series will be taking a well deserved weekend off.
This weekend my mom and big sister are heading to Utah to visit my niece, with a bonus trip to Las Vegas. I am sure they will take the time out of their busy schedule of gambling, watching Chippendales, and general hijinks to watch both races this weekend. Yeah, right.

Keno, Blackjack and Craps...oh, my...

Sorry the post is late today...sleeping off a huge hangover and gambling buzz...
Well, not really. I was in bed by 7:30pm last night and ended up sleeping 9 hours! Whoo-hoo!
Big race yesterday...lots of yellow flags and some big crashes in the Nationwide race. It was very
entertaining to watch!
Today's race could be historic. If Matt Kenseth can pull off the trifecta and win the first three races
of the season, it will be a first! I'd like to see it happen!
This track is one of the cookie cutter 1.5 mile tracks, but lots of guys have trouble in the corners,
and there seems to be a lot of crashes each race. Last year Jeff Gordon hit the inside retaining wall
in a crash that he said was the hardest crash he'd ever had. At that time there was no safer barrier
on that part of the inside wall. Due to that crash, the speedway did install the SAFER barrier, so hopefully
no one will hit that hard again.
Vegas is a fun city, and I hope Mom, Jackie and Jessie have a blast next week! (I would recommend
"Thunder from Down Under", but that might incriminate me...yuk!)
My predictions for today:
3). Greg Biffle
2). Jeff Gordon
1). Carl Edwards
Have a great Raceday!

Viva Las Vegas...

We've made another trek out west to the great city in the desert, Las Vegas. I was pleased to find out that only 2 of the 3 series were here this weekend. We will only have Nationwide and Cup here, so that will lighten the load a bit.
It will be interesting to see if Matt Kenseth can win the first 3 races of the season. Matt's crew chief, Drew Blickensderfer, was a wrestler at the University of Indiana, so, in my book, he has 2 great things going for him. Stay tuned this weekend to see if 3 is in the cards...get it, Vegas, in the cards...wow.
Speaking of gambling...I don't plan to do any. We are staying at an Embassy Suites, so it should be a nice, relaxing weekend. We are across the street from the Hard Rock Hotel, so "the kids" can go play if they want. I am not "a kid" anymore. I'd like to go see a show if I have time, like "Blue Man Group" or something tame like that...we'll see.
Next week we are in Atlanta and then a week off! Yippee!

Shrub goes for a triple...

Can it be done? Can a driver driving all three NASCAR series, Camping World Trucks, Nationwide and Cup, win all three races in a single weekend? Well, Kyle Busch may just be that man. He set a record yesterday by winning the truck race and the Nationwide race in one day...it had never been done before. There have been several times when a driver has won the Nationwide and Cup race in a weekend, but never two races in a day. And no driver has ever won all three events in a weekend. Though I am not a big fan of Kyle Busch's, I'd like to see him do it for the attention it would garner and the excitement of it. Now, some, ie. Rusty Wallace, are saying, during commercial breaks and not on the air, that he thinks the Joe Gibbs teams including Kyle Busch, Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin, are cheating. He thinks their aerodynamics are altered and giving them an unfair advantage. But I don't know...I don't see them coming in 1,2,3...so I think Kyle's driving may have something to do with his winning.
So we're two races down and one to go here at Cali this weekend. And like I said, the racing has been at a minimum. It was interesting to watch Michael McDowell do his "Mr. Inferno" impression...fire, fire, fire!
So on to my predictions...
My friend, Jeff Hamilton, will do the invocation. Well, that's not a prediction...that is on the schedule. He is married to Jayme Jones, Jay and Marilee Jones' daughter who I had a crush on from 1988-90. He's a great guy!
3). Carl Edwards
2). Greg Biffle
1). Jimmie Johnson
Have a great raceday, everyone!

Goin' back to Cali...

I know...I used that title last year when we came to California, but it's just so darn catchy...Thanks, LL.
I flew out to California yesterday, a day early, to "get the truck back in working order" after all the excitement from Daytona. That actually just means that I get paid an extra 1/2 day to do what I always do...yippee.
I slept so good last night...being on east coast time since I was in Daytona for two weeks, then getting out here on Pacific time, I was falling asleep at about 9pm last night. I didn't have to get up until 7:30...that translates into a lot of sleep! I did get up and go work out before I came in and actually worked out last night before bed, too. Unfortunately, the macadamia/chocolate chip cookies at the front desk negated any workout from last night. They were a tasty bedtiime snack!
California Motor Speedway, now known as the AutoClub Raceway or some such nonsense, is, and I hope the big wigs don't see this, one of the most boring tracks and ends up being the two most boring races of the season. The track is so wide that there just isn't the beating and banging you'd like to see. Plus, they guys get so spread out, a driver can actually lead from green flag to checkered. The trucks and Nationwide series will also be racing. They both have their races on Saturday.
I am glad I am out here. I love the weather! It is 74 degrees today and the humidity is nice.
I've also got some extra curricular plans on this trip. In the late '80's I moved out here to do an internship at Trinity Broadcasting Network. It turned into my first post college job and it was a great 3 years! Through Facebook, I have found a bunch of my old work buddies and we're going out to dinner on Saturday night. The last headcount came up with 20 people, so it should be fun remines-uh, riminish-um...remembering and telling old stories. Anybody know how I can lose 40 lbs. by Saturday night?

The Superbowl of Stockcar Racing...

The Daytona 500...the Superbowl of this sport comes first in the season. Odd, but true. This race pays the most and sets the tone for the season. If a driver has a great 500, that can boost their entire season. If just the opposite happens, it can put the team in a tailspin early on that they may not be able to recover from. There were 57 teams that tried to make it into the 500, but the field only holds 43. That means 14 teams failed to make the first points race of the season. Here's an interesting fact and the main incentive for a team sinking a lot of money into making the 500...if you finish last, that's last place, the absolute worst of the field, 42 cars finish ahead of you, you are the biggest loser...it pays $250,000...to lose! So making the 500 is huge! Many teams come to the 500 hoping to make the field and with that publicity try to get sponsorship for the rest of the season. One of those teams that did that this season is a brand new team with a very familiar name at the helm. Tommy Baldwin, crew chief of the 2002 Daytona 500 winning team was let go by Stewart/Haas Racing at the end of the year. He quickly put together a team called Tommy Baldwin Racing, hired Scott Riggs as his driver and they qualified for the 500. They parlayed that into some new sponsorship that just may get them into every race of the 2009 season. Baldwin and Riggs are both cast offs to a certain extent and now have the chance to "prove 'em all wrong". I hope he has a great day!
Another great story is the previously mentioned Stewart Haas Racing team. Tony Stewart, 2 time Sprint Cup Champion left the comfort of Joe Gibbs Racing, his home for over 10 years, to for SHR. He hired fellow Hoosier, Ryan Newman, away from Penske Racing to make a great 2 car team that is loosely affiliated with Hendrick Motorsports. They get their chassis and engines from HMS, so it is basically a 5th and 6th team for Rick Hendrick. Tony had to qualify on time to get in and did...Ryan also qualified well and both were in great starting positions for the 500...then came yesterday's Happy Hour...which was neither happy nor an hour for SHR. Ryan's right rear tire blew during the practice and he wrecked...it only got worse from there. As he was spinning, his car collected the car of team owner Tony Stewart and both cars were trashed. Therefore, both the 39 of Ryan Newman and the 14 of Tony Stewart have to go to the back of the field in backup cars. I am still pulling for Tony. Though many people don't like Tony because he is quite a jerk sometimes, I think he's an incredible driver!
I am also pulling for A.J. Allmendinger, a former open wheel driver starting in his first Daytona 500. Who's you're pick for today's race?
It will be an incredible 500 once again...if the rain holds off! With the chance of rain sitting at 70%, it doesn't seem likely that we'll get the whole race in today. If we can at least get halfway plus one lap, the I can go home tomorrow! I have been here since February 3rd and I'm ready to go home...for a day. I have to fly to California a day early, on Wednesday, to get the truck put back together after SpeedWeeks. Yippee.
I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, but, as you know, it may just be an oncoming train!
My projected top three is:
3. Denny Hamlin
2. Jimmie Johnson
1. Jeff Gordon
Happy Raceay!

Talk About Being Petty....

We're still making tv in Daytona...The track is quiet Monday and Tuesday, except for the Petty Driving Experience cars making some laps. On a side note, I hear from some people who have done it, the Petty Experience is incredible...you ride along in a replica stock car at about 150 miles per hour on a real NASCAR track. Some even let you drive, but at a lower rate of speed. So if you have a lot of disposable income, that is a place to lay it down...or just give it to me...I'll find a use for it.
Today we had a very late call...1:30pm! It was so great to get to sleep in after such long days of 14-18 hours a day. I slept about 10 hours and still got a workout in...great morning!
We still have the Duel coming up on Thursday...two races that will determine the rest of the field for the 51st Daytona 500. I am pulling for a few guys to make the cut. One is AJ Allmendinger...he is a young guy that should do well this year with his new team, Richard Petty Motorsports. RPM is a combination of Gillette/Evernham and Petty Motorsports. AJ has done pretty well in his year and a half in NASCAR, but now with great equipment, I think should make it in the top 20 each week.
I was very happy to see my favorite driver, Tony Stewart, make it in the 500 on qualifying day. He has taken on his own team, so now as owner/driver, the pressure has got to be huge. Luckily, for Tony, he's got a new house to go home to. Well, it's being built as we speak. It is a 14,000 foot log cabin in Columbus, IN...and get this, it has an indoor pond for him to fish in..AN INDOOR POND!!!! I have a friend who is doing some lighting a electrical work on it and says the house is amazing. I'll bet you'll see it on MTV cribs very soon!
Still in sunny Florida!

1st Race of the Season...

The Bud Shootout is upon us. This is the made for tv race that up until this year featured drivers who won a pole the previous season and all prior Bud Shootout winners. This year, NASCAR has thrown a bone to the car manufacturers by letting the top 6 drivers by points of each manufacturer plus an extra "wild card" driver of the same manufacturer. So, Dodge gets 7, Toyota gets 7, and so on...28 drivers in total. They have also added 5 laps to the race. It is strange because some of the drivers in the race that is for money only haven't really paid their dues to be in the race. ie Scott Speed, AJ Allmendinger, Paul Menard...and some of the least experienced are in the front...it could be a disaster!
This is one of my favorite races because it just an all out slobberknocker! The cars they use are for this race only, and not used in the 500, so they don't really care if they beat the crap out of them!
This race is really for the fans, so hopefully you can tune in and enjoy it!

SpeedWeeks has begun...

Welcome to Daytona! The temperature is a balmy 48 degrees and will drop to 25 tonight, so all you folks up North can lower your jealousy meter...not quite a tropic vacation down here...but there is no snow!
We are leaps and bounds ahead of last year with our production truck. Since we got to keep the same truck, and we used it in January for Preseason Thunder, we are very well set up. We've modified a few things to make the back to back to back shows go smoother by moving one evs to the edit suite. That evs can ingest the packages for the next show while we're busy playing back for the current show. Since all the evs's are networked together, we will be locked and loaded for the next show at all times. Plus, it will cut down on the human traffic in our area while we are on the air. It's surprising how loud a producer, two talent and multiple production assistants can get...unless you have children, then you know.
Today is just a set day, but the buzz is starting...producers are floating in, dropping off tapes, sharing their philosophies on how to accomplish their goals...yada, yada.
But I have a new outlook on this season. I am going to happily do my job, not complain (as much), and smile more. It's just tv.

Here's a rabbit trail....I was thinking about my dad this morning as I was getting dressed. He used lots of phrases from his military days when talking to us that I didn't get until many years later. One such term was "scivies"...that mean underwear. I think it derives from "civies" meaning civilian clothes. I still enjoy running around in only my scivies. Another phrase that I was on the receiving end of quite often was "At ease!" My young ears heard "attease"...one word. I knew it meant get quiet immediately...and the louder it was proclaimed, the quicker one should get quiet. Not until I watched some military program on television later in life did I understand it was "at ease", meaning relax at attention. Just a window into my life...look through as long as you'd like.

There are all kinds of races during SpeedWeeks...qualifying races, shootout races, trucks, Nationwide and, of course, Cup. I'll try to update more often during SpeedWeeks as drivers, owners, crew chiefs, and numbers are all changing!

And on this day, February 4, 2009, I am picking two drivers that I will follow closely this year...hopefully to the Cup Championship...#33 Clint Bowyer and #14 Tony Stewart. Feel free to comment on the drivers you'll be keeping an eye on this year, who you want to win it all and who you think will win it all.
Welcome to SpeedWeeks!

Daytona, FL...Back at the track

Well, about a year ago I started this blog primarily to keep my parents informed about where I was at and what I was up to. Kind of a behind the scenes of the work I do for SPEED Channel. I also planned for it to be the last year that I did that. Obviously, those plans have changed. I am back at it again this year. My parents taught me long ago that I shouldn't voluntarily leave a paying job if I don't have another one to go to...and I didn't have another one to go to. I do have a couple of show ideas in the works, but it's not a paying job yet.
I'm here in Daytona during FanFest. It used to be a time when the NASCAR drivers would have a chance to practice, but during the fall of '08, NASCAR said it was canceling the 2009 testing as a cost saving measure. I was booked to do about 18 days of testing so some cost was saved on my pay....grrrrr. But no complaints. I have been more blessed than I could imagine.
We are doing some programs dealing primarily with the changes going on...teams have merged, drivers have changed teams or numbers, some teams have condensed or folded all together.
Most people across this nation are cold right now, but it is sunny and 55 degrees here today, so I am happy.
Welcome to Ridin' Shotgun Version '09.

Just doin' the do...

I haven't posted lately...but, no worries. I'm still working...still playing. We took some time over the holidays to go back to the ranch in Texas. This time Zach was with us. We had Christmas morning along with Zach's birthday at the ranch. It's so pretty there...maybe someday.
On the work front, I have been pretty much doing the same old winter stuff...Predators hockey games, Grizzlies basketball games, oh, and I worked the PapaJohn's.com Bowl. You may not have caught that one in the mix of 34 bowl games.
I have chosen to turn down a lot of games so I could watch Zach wrestle this season. It is a tough battle...needing to work to pay bills, but needing to see my son wrestle. Zach is winning so much this season. He has the most wins on the team as a sophomore. He placed 7th out of 22 yesterday at one of the toughest tournaments he'll have all season. 4 of the boys who placed higher than him will not be at his state meet since they are from private schools, so it looks good for him to place at state. The coaches really like Zach because he never talks back, works hard all the time, and is always the last one to leave the mat. I want to make sure I don't burn him out on wrestling, but he is very gifted, so I hope his passion doesn't wane.
I do have some NASCAR work later this month. I am heading to Daytona for "Pre-Season Thunder"...I don't know what it is, since no cars will be running. I guess just recapping last year and previewing this season. But 5 days in Daytona in January can't be all bad. And February...Speed Weeks...is just around the corner!