Garrett Duke

Jesse Duke sits silently in his old truck as his old mind wanders quickly from thought to thought that only seems to stir the dark emotions that has swept over him this morning. First it was Enos' stubborn silent treatment he had given Luke and Cooter when they had went in to question him over the prints and Boss' associate. Then there was Bo who he had just left from visiting. Same as last night and despite Jesse's firm and stern order to eat and get some rest had only eaten a few bites and perhaps taken a short nap. Well, Jesse had worried idly long enough. Visiting Rosco and Bo, worried over both of their situations was doing nothing to help Jesse. Only to make it worse. So looking at his reflection in his bug splattered windshield, the strong realization hits him. Hits him hard. He has to do something to help Bo. Help prove his innocence. No matter what Luke and Cooter had to say about it. Luke had included him in his plans in small minute plans, plans that Luke knew Jesse wouldn't get hurt or in trouble in. He was trying to protect his uncle. As always. Well despite what Luke thought, Jesse didn't need his protection. And if Luke wouldn't include him in any major part of his own plans he had going with Cooter, he would come up with his own plans to help his youngest nephew and to clear his name. So now, he sits in his old truck in the parking lot of the hospital, staring blankly at the all too familiar convertable Cadilliac that sits parked two rows over. Patiently waiting for his old moonshine buddy to leave the hospital in hopes of him leading Jesse to his new associate. In hopes of seeing or hearing who had framed Bo. Of who had done that to Rosco. So while Luke and Cooter were chasing down the law aspect of the frame up and of Bo's situation, Jesse now stubbornly is set on the trail of the bad guys. It breaks Jesse's heart to see Bo so down on himself, so torn up, that he was willing to do anything in his moral power to help him out. Even if it meant facing the person who went out of their way to kill the sheriff in hopes of clearing Bo's name. In hopes of finding the real truth and proving it Boss once and for all.

By the time that Gordon and Bo returned to the brush where Luke and Finley were standing, Luke's guilt was at full blast within him for how he had belittled Bo. Silently, in his mind, he can hear Jesse impatiently explaining to him that Bo was only trying to help, that he looks up to him, and wanted to do what Luke was doing, to impress Luke. As Jesse had often said to him in the past, while growing up. They they may be grown up, but deep down, Luke knew there was still truth in all that Jesse had said to him back then. Luke jumps as Finley throws the gun up over his shoulder and Luke slowly turns around to find Bo and Gordon silently making their way to him. "Calm down, Finley. You sent Bo out to retrieve our friend. Here they are," Luke states, his hands up in surrender. "I know that. I may be old, but I have a memory a mile long. Ask that uncle o' your's!" Finley snaps, "Who's the friend?" Gordon, Bo, and Luke all eye each other with the question. "I'm Jeff Gordon, sir," Gordon speaks up for the first time, "I drive on the NASCAR circuit. I took a drive down these here parts only for your sheriff to run into my car and now is accusing me of all these made up charges. These two boys came to my rescue and now they're in trouble with him too." Finley eyes them all suspiciously before lowering the gun and snorts. "No surprise there. The law in these parts is as crooked as they come. With that said, any friends of the Dukes are awright with me. Espeically if they're on the run from the law here," he gives them a crooked smile before turning around, "follow me. Must not stay out here too long. They'll see us." Gordon nods as the Duke boys follow the old man into a small shack and Finley is quick to close the door behind him. "Thank-you sir for helping us out," Gordon states. "Well as Luke reminded me, I have little to no choice. I owe their uncle a big one. So," he eyes Luke with harsh eyes, "here it is. How long you here for?" Luke nods as he eyes Bo who stands quietly by the door, his back towards them while he eyes out through the thin curtians. "Til I can think of something to help Gordon out of his predictament that Rosco put him in," he cautiously states, "Bo move away from the window. We may be in the middle of no where, but I don't want to take any chances." Bo eyes Luke momentarily before moving across the room, away from the window and farther away from Luke.

Happy birthday Uncle Jesse! I hope you have a great day tomorrow!

Wow...it's been awhile since I posted on the news page for NASCAR. . . Well NASCAR has stepped forward with the punishments...or what NASCAR considers to be punishments...for Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick for their actions on last Saturday night's race. Both Kyle and Kevin were fined twenty-five thousand dollars (pocket change to them...) and put on probation (in all three series...truck, Nationwide, and Sprint) until June 15th (just over a month!). The rest of this post is of my OPINION and perhaps I am alone with how I feel, but I will vent anyway. . . Never have been a fan of Kyle Busch due to his way of driving and never thought I would be defending him...but I am now. (then again he has changed since last year. More mature. As a driver and as a person. Perhaps he has matured with age or marriage has changed him. Anyway it is, he has changed for the better in my opinion...) First off, twenty - five thousand dollars is only pocket change to them compared to how much they earn in a race and so forth. And probation over a month? Robby Gordon is on probation for the rest of the year for supposedly punching Kevn Conway before the season had started. Yet Harvick who punched Kyle through the window is only on probation just over a month? Or when Jeff Gordon shoved Matt Kenseth in '06 he was on probation for a half of year for his FIRST offense. This is not Kevin's nor Kyle's first offense as a driver. Yet... Second of all (where I defend Kyle)...Kyle may have changed, but everyone knows he will not take getting shoved around or hit on the track. Especially with five laps to go. Also Kevin Harvick had spun Kyle out at Homestead at the end of last year, so it's not the first time Harvick had hit Kyle like that. So what else was Kyle to do? After getting hit TWICE by Harvick, he hit back. Then Harvick parked his car in front of Kyle, walked out, and punched Kyle through the open window. Sure it was unsafe of Kyle to hit Harvick's car out of the way with people walking around, so he shouldn't have done it. But with Kevin punching him, what else was he to do other than get out and fight Harvick? I know NASCAR has the Boys have at it slogan and I can't complain too much since Gordon got away with shoving Burton last year after Burton wrecked Gordon during a caution. And it does draw attention and viewers to the sport, of which NASCAR needs, but there should be some line that NASCAR consistantly follows no matter who the driver is. Whether it is Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch who are top names or Robby Gordon who isn't a top name and gets probation all year. Well I apologize for venting and as I said all of that was my OPINION...which I know, I know, this is for news. Not opinions. But I love talking NASCAR and with it comes emotions I guess. Would love to hear what y'all feel about what happened and of the consequences.

Thanks Brian!

Well I did catch the race afterall... NASCAR had warned Juan Pablo Montoya and Ryan Newman to stay away from each other this weekend after their incidents that went on between the two of them last weekend. And they ended up listening to NASCAR and there was no reprecautions from last weekend... It was a good and exciting race. A lot of things did happen, especially towards the end. And despite NASCAR's warning against Montoya, Montoya spun Jimmie Johnson around and almost did the same to Brian Vickers. Luckily Johnson saved his car...in fact, think he spun out another team and did finish the race. There was a lot of cautions mainly for spinning out and stuff like that. But for accidents as well...last I saw, they counted 16 stripes on the Darlington wall from drivers hitting the wall. Kasey Kahne got the pole with the fastest qualifying run at Darlington and had led a lot of laps. Kyle Busch led a lot of laps as well until he felt a vibration and had to make an unplanned pit stop that had put him a lap down. He was passing cars like crazy when he came back out and he eventually got his lap back. Someone spun David Ragen who ran into Brian Vicker's driver door to peel the door off and tore his window net off...it reminded me of "Repo Men" when the boys welded them spikes on Cooter's truck and Bo went out peeling the bad guys' doors off with them. That's what it looked like. Even the announcers were awed by it and how they never saw something like that before. There was several mishaps on pit road. Jr knocked over the commitment cone so he got penalized. Gordon's gas man was still gassing his car when he drove off to knock his crewman on the ground (he was OK). Menard's crew was on the ground in front of the car trying to get someting off the grill when Menard drove off with the hand on the grill. Luckily he pulled it away and was fine... Well the big accident so to speak happened with five to go. They were in a restart after Jeff Burton's engine blew. Kevin Harvick went down the track and bumped Kyle Busch. Kyle Busch then got in front of Harvick and Harvick ran into the back of him. A half of a lap later, Clint Boywer and Harvick were besides Kyle (Kyle by the wall, Harvick besides him, and then Bowyer) well Kyle bumped Harvick and it slammed Boywer into the wall (feel bad for him. He was an innocent victim here.) Kyle hooked left and hit Harvick. (All that happeneing in front of Gordon...) Meanwhile, Regan Smith (Furniture Row) held off Carl Edwards on another restart to win his FIRST Sprint Cup race! Do like Carl Edwards, but am excited that Regan won his first race after so many ups and downs in his career. So while Smith was doing his victory lap, Harvick wouldn't let Kyle into the pits before they backed into the pits and Harvick parked right in front of Kyle. (As the announcers put it, Harvick went after Kyle.) Harvick parked there for awhile before he climbed out of his car and went back to Kyle and PUNCHED Kyle through the window...Kyle tapped Harvick's parked car to send Harvick's car into the pit wall and Kyle drove into the garage area. Needless to say NASCAR called both Harvick and Busch into the NASCAR hauler (where they go when they get in trouble) to have a talk. While they were in the hauler Harvick's and Busch's pit crew was fighting each other - being held back by NASCAR officials. Fox interviewed Harvick and asked him if it is over (after they were in the hauler) and Harvick didn't say it, but made it clear it wasn't over. Well I am not a Kyle Busch fan, but I admit he has changes this year, but even so, he can take so much of being hit. Not saying he was right to hit Harvick back, but Harvick had to know Busch wouldn't take getting hit like that with four or five laps to go. And Harvick parking in front of him like that and trying to punch him through the window, well I feel was uncalled for. Jeff Hammond, Fox NASCAR announcer, says NASCAR will be dishing out penalties on Tuesday after reviewing the incident farther. I'd have to say Harvick was more at fault here than Busch...that is my intake on it. Would love to hear what y'all's intake on it if you were able to see it on TV or see it on the computer. Am sure it will bring controversy to NASCAR this week (to take it off of Montoya and Newman from last week...) According to Harvick, sounds like we'll be seeing the rest of it next Sunday at Dover...the Monster Mile. Here is the top ten finishes of last night's race: 1. Regan Smith 2. Carl Edwards 3. Brad Keselowski 4. Kasey Kahne 5. Ryan Newman 6. Denny Hamlin 7. Tony Stewart 8. Greg Biffle 9. Jamie McMurray 10. Martin Treux Jr (Kyle Busch came in 11th, Gordon 12th...and Harvick finished 17th.) Well if that don't attract viewers for next week's race, well, I don't know what will. LOL. Not big on retaliation, but if it does happen, it better not be around Gordon or Johnson. They have both been plagued with enough bad luck this year, that they don't need to get any more bad luck finishes. I will definately let y'all know what NASCAR says about what had happeend when I read about it (probably put it on NASCAR news...). (Roger...read above post for my response on your previous post here. )

Thanks Roger...that's a great birthday wish! Too bad it didn't come true...he finished twelveth though had avoided the big one. He started out good, but didn't get the finish I was hoping for. A top five would have been great. Oh well, I guess. Don't think they were thinking of Abraham Hogg when they nicknamed the track that. Don't know how they came up with that name other than they count the Darlington Stripes each car creates. LOL. I do like night races, because they are different than the normal day races they usually have...they only have a handful of them, but don't know how many off the top of my head. Thanks for the birthday wish, Roger!

Well they'll be racing under the lights tomorrow night at Darlington where the lady in black lies in waiting...just hope she don't strike any of our favorite drivers. As noted before, don't know if I'll be able to watch it tomorrow night, but will be recording it just in case I don't get to watch it...my review may be shorter and later than normal.

Phillies (Don't know much about Pennsylvania but do know they do have two MLB teams...)

Welcome back Roger! I hope you enjoyed your break away from the computer and that you got a lot accomplished! Good luck on your book. That had always been a dream of mine - to write a novel. Never got to it. Then again, I am now finding it hard to write my own DOH fan-fics which is starting to get to me. Hope you achieve your dreams and that you'll get that novel wrote and published - keep me updated on it, please. Welcome back!

Here is the top ten in points after the spring Richmond race: 1. Carl Edwards 2. Jimmie Johnson 3. Kyle Busch 4. Dale Earnhardt Jr 5. Kevin Harvick 6. Kurt Busch 7. Clint Bowyer 8. Ryan Newman 9. Matt Kenseth 10. Tony Stewart

Bo slowly walks back, grumbling to himself and feeling as small as he has ever felt. In Bo's eyes, Luke has always been his hero, the one that has always came to his rescue. Luke was smart, tough, and quick. Everything that Bo wasn't and no matter how hard Bo tried to help Luke, tried to prove himself to his older cousin, he always ended up failing in the end. If for once he could be the one to help get them out of trouble instead of the one getting themselves into trouble... He shakes his head as he approaches Gordon who stands straight and alert, awaiting his orders. "Where's Luke?" he questions suspisiously as Bo approaches him. "With Finley. We are suppose to join them. But I wouldn't say anything or do anything unless Finley or one of us says something to you. OK?" Bo questions and Gordon gives him a brief nod, "Finly is a grumpy ol' man that you need to know how to handle. Hopefully Luke knows how to handle him." Gordon eyes Bo for a long moment, his eyes filled with worry and doubt. "OK Bo," he finally says, "I just want to get out of here and to my family." Bo nods understandably. "Luke will figure a way out. He always does," Bo says with a sigh, disappointed in himself, "We don't want to keep 'em waiting too long. Follow me." Gordon nods silently before he begins to follow Bo through the brush.

Well I have just returned home from my little road trip and I have to admit that I have lied. LOL. I got into the hotel just in time last night to catch the whole race...I was really excited about that. Missed the prerace show, but am sure didn't miss much there -though I do enjoy listening/watching the pre race show on Fox with Darrell Waltrip and Jeff Hammond. They make things interesting and exciting. Anyway, onto my race review... I thought the race was pretty exciting. Before the green flag dropped they made a statement how there wasn't much cautions in the Nationwide Series race and how they predicted the same for the Sprint Cup race at Richmond. Well...they were wrong. There wasn't extremely a lot of accidents, but there was enough of 'em due to accidents and such not. Five time...Jimmie Johnson...spent most of the day in the back (Uncharacteristic of him) and a lap down. Him and crew chief Chad Knaus was getting frustrated at the race and perhaps with each other. Stewart was back there with him too. Though they both got pretty good finishes come time for the checkered flag to drop (if I remember right...). Juan Pablo Montoya (red Target car) was the pole setter and as soon as the race started fell back some. Then after a hundred or so laps, he went to slide in front of Ryan Newman (Army car) and Ryan Newman got into behind him to push him into the wall. Newman did get some damage in it too. I will admit to agree with the announcers a little bit, Ryan Newman COULD HAVE breaked a little more than he did, but it is racing. In my opinion, Montoya was at fault for sliding RIGHT in front of Newman as he did...am I the only one who sees it that way? Anyway, several laps later or so, Montoya, still upset at Newman for what Newman supposedly did to him, went back for retaliation and PURPOSEFULLY ran into the back of Newman's car and into the wall. Newman was upset and said he'd handle it after the race personally....after the race, they did interview Newman (Montoya refused to be interviewed) and Newman said he was taking it to the NASCAR hauler to see what NASCAR was going to do about it. Haven't seen or heard as of yet if NASCAR was going to do anything yet, but feel that Montoya was out of line going back at Newman as he had when I feel like Montoya was the one at fault to begin with. As I said, am I the only one feeling that way? Up that that point, the race was going alright...Gordon ran sixth to third most of that time with a brief stint up front. Well after a pit stop with a hundred laps to go, Gordon got shuffled back to twelveth spot or so. Clint Bowyer looked like he got into the back of Matt Kenseth who in turn hit Jeff Gordon and sent him up the track and into the wall. He then richoccheted down teh track, hit the concrete inner wall (no safer barrier) that sent him back up the track and into traffic. Luckily NASCAR has all the safety devices in the car and all that and thankfully, Jeff Gordon was able to walk away from the accident - he hit the concrete wall on the driver's side of the car! Which took him out of the car. Was very frustrated and upset about it, but am still thankful that he is OK after that (like he said, he seems to find the hardest part of the wall to hit!). Kyle Busch went on to give himself an early birthday present (he'll be 26 on Monday...) to win the race. Not a big Kyle Busch fan, but since I picked him for my fantasy team this week, was glad to see him win - I finally got a win for my team!!!!!!!!! LOL. At least one thing went right. HA HA. Here is the top ten finishes of the Richmond Race... 1. Kyle Busch 2. Denny Hamlin 3. Kasey Kahne 4. David Ragen 5. Carl Edwards 6. Clint Bowyer 7. AJ Almindinger 8. Jimmie Johnson 9. Tony Stewart 10. Brian Vickers We will be racing at Darlington next Saturday night for another night race under the lights ... am hoping Gordon will turn things around and go for the win (will make a great birthday present!). Sadly, I'll give y'all another warning, I may not be able to watch it due to going out of town to my grandparents' house. Am hoping to watch it there, but don't know for sure. So either way, my review next week will be late and may not be as detailed as normal if I don't get to watch it...

The boys are racing at Richmond Saturday night this weekend for some racin' under the lights! Just a heads up, though, I am going to be out of town this weekend so I will most likely miss the race . I do plan on recording it, but I seldom get to watch my recorded races and tend to look up the results online before I get to watch it...with that said, I will try my best to give my best review sometime next week on either what I saw or most likely, what I read. I apologize ahead of time if it isn't as detailed as normal or if I miss out on anything. Am looking forward to this weekend, but dread missing a race. (Though if I am lucky, I'll be able to catch some of it at the hotel...) Just thought I'd let y'all know...

Luke gives Bo a stern eye before he slowly slips through the thick weeded and bushy area, inhaling heavily to calm his nerves and emotions. He loved Bo like a brother, but sometimes his eagerness mixed with his naiveity got on his nerves. As it is now. Bo was only trying to help, wanting to feel worthy of his family, to do his share. Luke knew this and he forces himself to remind himself of that and that he would have to find something for Bo to do to make himself feel useful. So he could justly claim that he came to his hero's rescue. Walking out of the bushy area, Luke switches his line of thought towards what he is about to do and how he will make this work. After all, Finley won't be too eager to help them out whether Jesse had saved his hide or not. Stepping onto the old moonshiner's land, the thin older man jerks up; grabbing his shot gun in a swift motion on his way standing up, and sharply points it at Luke. "What ya want you evil tresspasser?!" he hisses, his thin finger inches on the trigger. "Finley, relax," Luke puts his hands up in surrender, "I'm Luke Duke. Jesse Duke's nephew. I'm here to cash in on a little debt you owe our Jesse." Finley spits over the gun, eyeing Luke with hard eyes. "I was wonderin' when he'd come sayin' he'd come sayin' I'd owe him. It's been years since that happened and he said nothing of it since then. He claimed back then that I owed him nothin' for his kindness. Fact I was alive and free was payment enough. And now he's come to cash in on his so called kindness act. Shoulda known him to be nothing but a liar. Not only that, he's too chicken to come ask for it himself. He sends his dumb nephew over," he shakes his head in disgust, "I no longer have any respect for your supposed uncle." "Now wait a cotton pickin' minute there Mr. Finley before you go and accuse our uncle of all them aweful and untruthful accusations you just placed upon our uncle! He didn't lie to you. He didn't send us. We are here, knowing what he did for you. Jesse doesn't even know we are here," Luke sighs, his hands still up in surrender, "I'd be glad to sit down and discuss all this with you, Mr. Finley," Luke goes silent as he hears something from behind him and prays that it's not Bo trying to do something bold and brave, "but right now, my cousin, my friend, and I are in a little bit of trouble with the law. We need a place to hide out for a day or two. Then we'll be out." "So you want me to hide a bunch of fugitives on your uncle's supposedly clean name?" Finley hisses, shaking his head, his finger tight on the trigger, "I owe you nothing. Nor your cousin. Nor your friend. No way I'm holdin' a bunch of fugitives as yourself. You're likely to bring the law to my place and I don't want the law or no one at my place. When I mean no one, that includes you and your fugitive friends. Now git outta here before I blow your ugly head off them whimpy shoulders of your's!" "Mr. Finely," Luke protests, a thick stick snapping sound penetrates the silence behind him, "we have to talk this out. The law won't think of coming out here. If they do, we'll leave and take them with us." "Impossible to say that," Finley states before his thin chest heaves in and out in a loud sigh, a sigh of surrender, "but I reckon I hafta sympathize with your situation. I've been there a time or two myself," he looks around as if looking for the law before eyeing Luke, his finger on the trigger losens and the shot gun slowly lowers. "and your uncle did save my hide all them years ago. Damn it." He hiss in frustration and disgust at Luke and his call out for help. "Well OK -" he goes silent as another loud snapping sound sharply cuts through the silence, this one louder than the first and Finley has obviously heard it this time as his gun is quickly thrown up, aimed over Luke's shoulder and his finger tight against the trigger once again. "Who there?! You have a second to make yourself known before I begin shooting at anything in front of me...including Luke here!" Luke gulps his anger premature soars within him in full knowledge of who is there in his attempt to attempt to help. Despite Luke's warning. And now he's about to either get themselves shot or Finley's acceptance to help them out to be turned around. Despite knowing, Luke slowly glances around to see the bushes and weeds slowly moves and Bo cautiously steps with a sorry look spread across his face. "Don't shoot, Mr. Finley," Luke hisses turning around, "it's only my stupid cousin, Bo, who doesn't seem to like to listen very much." Finley eyes Luke for a hard moment, stepping threatenly forward before the barrel of the gun is shoved into Bo's chest who has his own hands up in surrender. "Well if he's stupid and don't listen, then I spose you and Jesse won't miss him very much then, huh?" he questions, eyeing Bo with crazy green eyes. "At the moment, I wouldn't object too much to you shooting him, but Jesse would for some odd reason be upset over losing him," Luke sighs impatiently, hoping Bo would get the hint of how upset he is over all of this, "and despite his several faults, he's still family." "Well excuse me for trying to help, Luke! You expect me to stand back and do nothing while you go off to play hero as if you think I am too dumb and weak to be of any help! Well I ain't! And I ain't gonna sit back and be treated like that, either!" Bo snaps, his hurt feelings clear in his angered voice, "Well, I'm sorry, for not listening to your commands to stop as if I was nothing but a dog, but I can't just sit there and listen to him talk about Uncle Jesse like that! Jesse ain't no liar!" Luke glances back, sighing heavily in recognition of the truth in what his cousin had just stated, yet not wanting to admit it in front of Finley or Gordon. Finley stares at Luke, as if waiting to hear his response before he presses the barrell harder into Bo's chest once more. "You said there was a friend, where is he?" he finally snaps, "I'm going to regret this, but we can't stand out in the open like this forever." Luke fights back the strong urge to tell Finley they could stand out here forever and no one would hear or see them. "He's back there. Where he was to stay until I got it worked out. Bo, go get him," Luke states. Bo eyes him, standing still for a long back before he turns his angry eyes on Finley who reluctantly drops the gun and Bo slowly walks back into the brush where he had came from only a minute or so ago.

Calf

Well the Sprint Cup Talledega race has just gotten over and I think my heartbeat just finally went back down. LOL. Talk about an exciting packed race with such a surprising ending to it! As predicted, they raced two by two just as they had done in Daytona in February. Was exciting and fun to watch, but agree with Dale Jr about not liking it when they race that way. I'd much rather see them race everyone as they normally do than to see them speed dating as they had been calling it today. Talledega is normally known as having the 'big one' but there wasn't the 'big one'that one thinks about with 'Dega. There was a wreck that took out five cars and that was the biggest one - which is big enough for me. Sadly most of the wrecks was caused by Kurt Busch who didn't make such a great dance partner today. I apologize to Roger and the other Kurt Busch fans on this great site, but facts speak for themselves there. (Sorry Roger . . .) I was very impressed with how Jeff Burton, Ryan Newman, and Dave Blaney were able to expertly control their cars and prevent accidents from occuring. Newman saved his car twice towards the end of the race and had completely had his car turned sideways before saving it. Shows just why they are out on the track as they are. Hendrick cars, Stewart, and a few other drivers hung out towards the back all day. Jr and Johnson, Gordon and Martin had been teamed up all day through the race. But had made it towards the front with twenty or so laps to go. The finish of the race . . .well, I never seen a race finish THAT close! When they had dropped the white flag, Gordon was leading the race. Halfway through Clint Bowyer (who led the most laps today) caught up with him and was almost passing him. When they got to the line, Martin backed up for some reason and at the last second, Jimmie Johnson passed him and Bowyer to win the race by .002 seconds. Carl Edwards had snuck up between them and almost made it four wide, but ran out of room. Here is the top ten finishes of the race: 1. Jimmie Johnson 2. Clint Bowyer 3. Jeff Gordon 4. Dale Earnhardt Jr 5. Kevin Harvick 6. Carl Edwards 7. Greg Biffle 8. Mark Martin 9. David Gilliland 10. Joey Logano Well on a personal perspective, I was very disappointed to see Gordon finish third after being so close to winning the race. But if he was to lose it to anyone, it would be to Jimmie Johnson. Congrats to Jimmie Johnson and team 48!!!!!!!!! It ain't the win I was hoping for, but third isn't too bad either. Was disappointed that they didn't even interview Gordon after the race, but bet he was just as disappointed as I was. Was great to see Jimmie give Junior the attention and credit he deserves for pushing him to the front like that. He gave Junior the flag after Johnson had gotten it, that was neat. Looks like next week will be an off weekend for Easter, but they will be racing under the lights for some Saturday night racing on April 30th!

Well it is only Saturday night and I am revved up about tomorrow's Sprint Cup race at Talledega. As always am. HA HA. Love restrictor plate racing, but am kinda disappointed to know that it will be a lot like Daytona this February was with two cars hooking up and talking to other teams on the radio and all that. Guess it makes great team work to do it that way, but would much rather see 'em all racing together as they normally would. Much more exciting to me to have them racing individually against each other than to see two cars hooked up racing against other two car mixes. Don't get me wrong, any sort of NASCAR racing, especially with Gordon and Johnson in it, is exciting and fun to watch. Just rather they wouldn't be paired up as they will be and just go for it as they do any other race or how they use to race. What y'all think about it? Any race I am excited about, especially the big ones like Talledega, but I have another reason to be excited for tomorrow. And that is because not only will Jeff Gordon have a much better starting position than he has the last couple of weeks where he started in teh twenties and thirties, but... Jeff Gordon has scored his seventyth career pole! He has finally earned a great starting position for 2011 and will be starting at numero uno when the green flag drops. Not only that, but Hendrick (my favorite team...) will be starting one, two, three, and four (all four teams...)! Here is the top ten starting positions for tomorrow's race: 1. Jeff Gordon 2. Jimmie Johnson 3. Mark Martin 4. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 5. Paul Menard 6. Landon Cassill (from Iowa! From only a half an hour away from where I live actually, though never saw him race or heard of him until he got into the Nationwide Series...) 7. David Ragen 8. Kurt Busch 9. Brian Vickers 10. Clint Bowyer Sadly, I know, even a pole or a top ten starting position, is great and exciting, but means very little once the green flag drops and the racing starts. Just glad to see my drivers finally get a great or good starting position - better than thirtieth or twentieth where they have been starting out at. In fact, I often say that Gordon does better if he starts fifteenth or so, but it is great to keep his pole rising in numbers. Also great for my NASCAR fantasy team since I have both Gordon and Jr on my team this week (though if I remember right, last year's spring Talledega race one driver got caught up in an accident and my three other drivers were involved in the "big one" that always happens at 'Dega. *GULP*). Well I apologize for talking about Gordon...he is my favorite driver as most you know, but I do try to keep my writings generalized and not just on him or Johnson or Jr who are my top three drivers. But had to share my premature excitement for tomorrow's race once I found out about his pole. Tomorrow's Sprint Cup race at Talledega is at noon on FOX EST...or 11:00 my time - central time. Don't know if I'll be able to watch the whole race or not since I am watching my niece, but am hoping to do so and will let y'all know as much as possible afterwards. Hope all your drivers will have a great and safe race!

OK I highly apologize for letting this thread slide as I have had. Not only have I not watched the Nationwide Series as I had hoped to this year, but have had a hard time writing the results of the race as well due to the lack of time. I am considering myself lucky to watch the Sprint Cup races... They raced tonight at Talledega and it looks like it had a wild finish with Joey Lagono pushing team mate Kyle Busch to his first Nationwide Series Talledega win. Here is the top ten finishes of tonight's Talledega race: 1. Kyle Busch 2. Joey Lagano 3. Joe Nemechek 4. Brad Keselowski 5. Elliot Sadler 6. Trevor Bayne 7. Justin Allgaier 8. Dale Earnhardt Jr 9. Reed Sorenson 10. Aric Almirola

You are very welcome. A guy at the grocery store in town here likes Kenseth as well, sure he was happy for him. Great to see drivers end their long endless streaks as Gordon done in Phoenix and Kenseth did last week. Now if only Junior could break his winless streak...