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!