Garrett Duke

Well the Las Vegas race has just gotten over and talk about the differences one week makes. Last week I felt like I was on top of the mountain, so to speak, with Gordon's win. And well...now I feel lower than low. Gordon had a pretty good race. Top ten car. Not a winning car, but not bad either. Well right before green flag pit stops started on lap 195 his tire blew and he hit the wall hard. Main thing is, is he's OK...but boy is it disappointing going from a win last week to finishing 36th...and dropping from fifth in points down to 19th...unofficially. Kyle Busch had his problems as well...he first cut a tire which brought out a caution. Then older brother Kurt spun around to bring out another caution. Right after that caution, Kyle Busch's engine blew and his car caught on fire. Luckily, he was OK. There was a lot of pit road penelties...one coming from Tony Stewart who was leading at the time. Stewart had led the most laps and came home second on a track he has never won at before. Due to pit road strategies from Stewart and Edwards, Edwards left the last pit stops first and ended up winning at Las Vegas! He's not Gordon nor does he drive for Hendrick, but I do like Edwards and it is always great to see him do his famous backflip he does off the window edge of his car after he wins. Here is the top ten finishes at Las Vegas: 1. Carl Edwards 2. Tony Stewart 3. Juan Pablo Montoya 4. Marcos Ambrose (Great to see him get a top five finish!) 5. Ryan Newman 6. Martin Truex Jr. 7. Denny Hamlin 8. Dale Earnhardt Jr (Letarte and Gordon's old crew seems to be doing good with Jr...now is 10 in points - unofficially) 9. Kurt Busch 10. Brian Vickers (Talk about a bad race...not only did Gordon do bad, but so did all my fantasy drivers. I am doing horrible on my fantasy team!) Sadly there is NO race next week since they have an off week. Wish they had an off week this week...lot easier for me to live off a win for two weeks than a 36 finishing spot for poor Gordon. Guess that's life for ya. There will be an hour special about the Daytona race with commentaries by Gordon, Trevor Bayne, and others. Some footage never seen before, so they say. I think it is on at one or noon next Sunday on Fox. Then two weeks from today they are at one of my favorite tracks...Bristol! We'll be going short track racing. Now that should be fun:popcorn:.

(This role play will be wrote between Roger and myself (Garrett). We have placed it here since Jeff Gordon will have a role in the story and he was not a DOH character. . .) Bo Duke let a sigh of frustration out as he slowly steps out of the old farm door, letting the screen door slam behind him. Staring off into the familiar distance, Bo's thoughts wonder aimlessly within him only to enforce raw mixed emotions to wash over him. His all time favorite NASCAR driver, Jeff Gordon, won the Atlanta race only two hours ago. Normally Bo would still be filled with excitement at the win and what the win would mean for Gordon's season. But today his excitement is washed away by the events that had surrounded the race earlier this afternoon. He should have known that today was going to be a bad day just by how it had started. Not only had he tripped over the shovel Luke had thrown onto the ground last night, this morning, to force him to clean up his bloody nose and to change clothes before church, but he also got caught in the sheriff's speed trap. And as if that alone wasn't bad enough, Luke had to rub it in his face that Bo should have known that Rosco was there. Afterall, that was his favorite speed trap location. Which had only angered their uncle who was quick to remind Bo that money didn't grow on trees and that they already were having troubles finding money to pay off next months mortgage payment not alone to have to pay off his speeding tickets. Even if he wasn't speeding. Then the race had made things seem a little better as Gordon drove a smooth race, had great pit stops, and avoided being collected in a couple of big accidents. He won the race which put him higher up in the points. But then just as soon as the race was over, Daisy left to go to work, only to back up into The General. Bo being who he was, was the first one out the door to examine the damage upon his own beloved race car. Bo saw how sorry Daisy was and how bad she had felt, heard her explain that she thought there was enough room. But once Bo saw the large indent and the torn paint, his emotions and his temper took over and he was quick to tell her how upset he was. Only to upset everyone else at him for over reacting. Bo sighs once more as he looks down at the bumper of The General, staring blankly at the indent and torn pain that had seemed so large and horrible only an hour ago. Now seeming almost trivial now that his emotions and his temper had cooled down. Shaking his head in anger at himself for the words he had spoken in anger at Daisy, Bo slowly glances up in relief. Relief at seeing the sky grow darker. Relief at seeing the day that had started out bad, slowly fading away in hopes that with when the sun returns tomorrow that things will look and feel better for him. In Bo's mind, the only good thing that had came out of this day, so far, had been the race. Had been Jeff Gordon's win at the track that only sits an hour away from where he was raised and where he lives.

The Kobalt Tools 400 in Las Vegas will be ran today at 2:30 ET on Fox . Jeff Gordon won his 83rd win at Phoenix last weekend to tie Bobby Allison and Cale Yarborough...one more win he'll be tied with Darrell Waltrip (Fox NASCAR announcer.) Last time he won Phoenix he tied win record with Dale Earnhardt Sr...and then he won the following race to make it two in a row. And he's been pretty hot at Las Vegas the last few races here...could he make it two in a row today? (I sure hope so!!!!!!!) The Rousch team has ran pretty good here at Las Vegas, I have been hearing. Matt Kenseth, Greg Biffle, David Ragen, and Carl Edwards are the Rousch drivers. Also Kyle and Kurt Busch are from Las Vegas and are one and two in points. Will there be a brother dispute at their home track? Oh...and a driver by the name of Jimmie Johnson is pretty good at Las Vegas as well. Perhaps he'll get his fifth Las Vegas win today... Those are just a few things I've been hearing or reading about online the past day or so...am looking forward to seeing how things will work out today. (Am really hoping to get the tie with ol' DW today with another win from Gordon...) Here is the top ten starting postions: 1. Matt Kenseth 2. Kyle Busch 3. Ryan Newman 4. Carl Edwards 5. Greg Biffle 6. David Reutimann 7. Martin Truex Jr 8. Tony Stewart 9. Joey Lagano 10. Denny Hamlin Well there is my prerace preview. HA HA. GO JEFF GORDON GO!!!!!!!!!!

Skunk

Omelet

"Home" Blake Shelton I really like this song...has either a haunty or sad sound to it. Puts such emotion into it.

I don't care what the Dixie Chicks had to say about this song...it's a great song! Toby is another one of my favorite Country artist (though am not too big of a fan of his latest songs...). Great song, great video!

*Disappointed look momentarily at his idea being shot down so quickly before a thin cold smile crosses face and silently nods* Well if I can't start a riot, I'll be more than glad to be the one to sneak in there and have a look. *Eyes Roger before looking at the crowd while forming an plan. Nodding at Roger, he slowly walks away from him as he inhales from his cigarette before throwing it down and stepping it out with the heel of his boot. Hands in pocket, Garrett makes his way to the road and slowly makes his way around the court house to the back. Taking the long way around as to not gather any unwanted attention.*

birds

Well the Nationwide Series raced at Las Vegas today and again, I missed out on it. Guess I probably won't be catching them this year unless I get a Saturday off sometime. HA HA. Here is the top ten finishes: 1. Mark Martin 2. Justin Allgaier 3. Brad Keselowski 4. Danica Patrick 5. Trevor Bayne 6. Carl Edwards 7. Denny Hamlin 8. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 9. Jason Leffler 10. Kenny Wallace Wow...52 year old Mark Martin won the Nationwide race today. Perhaps that will boost his confidence for tomorrow's race. Am impressed with Danica Patrick's fourth place finish...could be wrong, but do believe that is the best finish she's had in the Nationwide Series. Last year she didn't do very good or at least didn't have good finishes, a top five finish isn't too bad. Tomorrow will be the Sprint Cup race at Las Vegas - prerace show starts at 2:30 ET on Fox.

Sadly I am very serious. Jeff Gordon won his fourth and last championship in 2001...ten years ago. Though I am looking for that drought to come to an end this year when he achieves his drive for five. At least I highly hopes he does so...last week shows he is still capable of doing so. The only streak I know of, of championship runs was Cale Yarborough when he won three in a row. Gordon won two in a row himself...think it was 96 and 97 or something like that. But JJ is sitting high and dry with five straight championships...he's the only one that's done that and probably the only one that will do that. At least for a while...

Well I don't know what episode it is in, but think it was said in the first season or so. I can't even recall what was happening when he said it...it's been that long since I've seen that ep or the Dukes in general thanks to my busy schedule. But this line had popped in my head for some odd reason a couple of days ago so I thought I'd post it... Waylon: Y'all have heard the calvary is coming...well they ain't.

*Raises an eye at Roger's last statement* Don't know where you got a crazy idea like that Roger. Ain't no way I'm going to paint 01 on my gas tank or any other part of my motorcycle or car. Why would I ruin such an awesome motorcycle and car by putting garbage like that on it? But no offense to The General...it's a great car if you like that type of car. Just not mine or my idea of how to decorate a vehicle. *Motions towards the jail* Meadowmufn's locked up? That's not something you see every day. The idea is kind of amusing to think about it...guess it goes to show that no one is protected from falling victim of being arrested in this here town. *Eyes the crowd once more and back at Roger* Hey Rog, great idea! Let's start a riot! That may bring out some answers. ..

Sun

Well, I don't know how newsworthy this is, but thought I would write it somewhere and this seemed the best place to put - plus it gives me another excuse to talk NASCAR! This Sunday they will be racing in Las Vegas (Kyle and Kurt Busch's home town) and will mark the third point race of the season. With two races done and in the books we have already began to see the effects that all the change that went on during the off season has on the races and points. The first is that just two races in with Jeff Gordon's new crew cheif (Alan Gustafson) and pit crew (all that was with Mark Martin last year) Gordon has broke his 66 winless streak with a win at Phoenix. Being the big Gordon fan that I am, hope to continue to see the change with the cc and crew continue to be positive and to bring more wins...and perhaps to achieve his drive for five. (Afterall, he won his last championship ten years ago...) But the biggest effects that the entire driving field is now seeing is from the change in the points system. I guess they had said before that a bad day will make it hard to bounce back...Gordon and Johnson had bad Daytona races, but with Gordon's win, he is now fifth or sixth. Johnson finished third and is 13th in points. As I read in a Yahoo article...one race won't kill a championship run or something like that. But you have drivers like Jeff Burton, David Reutimann, and Brian Vickers that got involved in accidents or had bad races in both Daytona and Phoenix. It was said in the article I read, that Kyle Busch (who is now leading the points) could skip out on the Vegas race on Sunday and still be leading points over those three drivers. (First of all, there is little to no way that Kyle would skip out on a race, especially his home track...at least I can't see him doing that. Second of all, he wouldn't be leading his brother or Gordon or probably not be over Johnson either...he'd just be ahead of drivers like Burton or Vickers...) To me, it is alarming to have someone like Jeff Burton in this big of a hole this early on in the season. Sure he has 23 more races until the chase starts...plenty of time to work on points, hopefully. Like I said, so far it isn't anything to get too excited about, but I felt like writing something NASCAR and this is what I was thinking about. It will be interesting to see how much more the changes will effect the racing and points the farther we make it into the season...such as chase time. Well thanks for listening to my NASCAR rambling...

*Garrett pulls his Harley to a halt at the curb and climbs off while lighting a cigarette. Eyeing the crowd around the jail with caution, he slowly walks up to Roger and asks, "What's goin' on?"

butter

Music

Happy birthday Cathy - hope your day was as special as you are. Happy birthday!

Forward Jami Lee- Ouch...that stings a little. Though I do like ol' June Bug (third on my list of favorites) I'd have to say you can't get more real of a number than 24. Hoss - Jack Bauer fan? Who's that? LOL...I know, I know the TV series 24. Looks like an action packed show, but never seen an episode of it. Sorry to disappoint you, but that isn't where or why I picked 24. Roger - That's a good question...could it be a coincidence that I randomly picked a number that ended up to be the winning car at Phoenix...or of the number of my favorite driver, Jeff Gordon? HA HA.

Trust me, Roger, I did NOT forget about Jimmie's year last year and he didn't start out in his normal dominant fashion that we are all accustomed to. (I still find it sad on how fast you were able to ditch him as your favorite driver...) I for one hopes that he will soon turn his season around for the better...I may want Gordon to take home the championship (as always) but do wish Johnson a good finish. Afterall he is my second favorite driver. At this point of the season we are way too early into it to say who's going to be hot and who's not...though I'd love to say that Gordon's win on Sunday was a great indication of his season. Johnson may only be thirteenth, but I am looking for him to make the chase and to be a threat. Bet you are hoping that Kurt's start to the season will be an indication to his season, too, huh Roger? You are very welcome...I enjoy writing about the race and the points...and well, anything NASCAR.

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