Saturday, January 17, 2009

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.

Sunday, January 4, 2009

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!