Garrett Duke

Saw a couple of them pictures and it was neat. Today is his anniversary and it is neat that NASCAR is marking the date and remembering him.

Well Roger consider yourself lucky...lol. I hope you enjoy the program...sounds like it has a lot of good music, great artist, and an awesome spokesperson in John. I don't have dish and I know I don't have that many channels, so I'll have to miss out on it. Though...it is too bad that Kenny Chesney wasn't on there, he'd make it complete.

Home

Tree (Hoss...nice one! What a great song!)

Well the Duels were today to see where everyone started at Daytona...Jeff Burton and Kurt Busch were the two winners. Congrats on your driver winning, Roger. Just don't get use to it too much, cause now that it's show time, Gordon will be taking home the trophies. Here is the top ten starting positions for Sunday's race: 1. Dale Earnhardt Jr (he will be sent to the back of the due to going to another car.) 2. Jeff Gordon 3. Kurt Busch 4. Jeff Burton 5. Regan Smith 6. Clint Bowyer 7. Kevin Harvick 8. Michael Waltrip (Darrell Waltrip's brother...am glad to see him in the race!) 9. Matt Kenseth 10. Kyle Busch 11. Kasey Kahne GO JEFF GORDON AND TEAM 24!!!!!!!!

Makes a lot of sense, Roger...don't believe I've been this old in my life either.

CHAPTER THREE Jesse Duke looks sadly at Daisy as she hugs onto his arm as Jesse slowly opens the closed door leading to where the sheriff lies. Inhaling heavily, Jesse forces a smile at her before looking up and forces himself to take a step into the room before closing the door behind him. Daisy let's go of his arm, as Jesse walks forward to step up to Rosco's bed to send fear and worry deep within him. Fear and worry at seeing the bruises and cuts that surround the sheriff's head and bare arm, while his right arm lies tightly covered in a thick white cast. Daisy gasps besides him as she reaches the barred in bed and Jesse looks over at her and hugs her slightly. Jesse nods at her, not knowing what to say to calm her fears when he is gripped with his own fears. Fear for Rosco, but also for Bo who's fragile future lies in the hands of which way Rosco may fall once he comes out of the coma; life or death. "Rosco," Jesse finds his voice as he reaches down to caringly wipes a strand of lose hair across the sheriff's bruised forehead, "Jesse and Daisy are here to say how sorry we are that this happened to you. To see you this way. We hope that you will wake up and recover." He stands back up as he takes in the medical equipment as he feels a tear break through his shield and roll down his cheek. Looking back down at Rosco he states, "Please wake up. Hazzard needs you back. You need to set Boss straight. I know us Dukes and you and Boss aren't always on the same side of the law or see things the same way," Jesse goes silent once more, "but you gotta know Bo wouldn't do anything to hurt you. Not like this. None of us would want this to happen to you." Jesse goes silent, knowing there isn't much else to be said. The doctors and the hospital has done everything in their powers to help Rosco to wake up and recover. The rest was up to the Good Lord above and Rosco himself. "Please wake up, Rosco," Daisy breaks the silence before biting her lower lip to stop her emotions from coming out, "you've gotta be OK. Hazzard wouldn't be the same without you." Jesse nods weakly and hugs Daisy before motioning towards the door. "Well Rosco," Jesse states as he feels Daisy walk away from him and towards the door, "we will let you rest. Hopefully you'll be awake and alert next time we stop by...please be OK." With that Jesse turns and walks towards the door where Daisy holds it open and they walk out before closing it behind them. They walk the wide and brightly lit hallway in silence as they both deal with their own harsh and raw emotions. "Yesterday at this time, everything in the world seemed right. Was perfect," Daisy breaks the silence as tears streak down her face, "now the world has been shaken up and turned upside down. I don't know what is worse," she pauses as they reach the waiting room, "Bo locked away, by himself, for all of this. Or seeing Rosco like that." Jesse nods as they come to a halt as a couple of familiar figures come into view in the oncoming hall. Turning away from them, he turns to Daisy and comments, "One moment can change everything. But it'll all work out somehow, some way. We can't do much for Rosco. That's up to the Good Lord above and to Rosco himself," he pauses as he faces the two oncoming figures as Luke and Cooter's image comes clear, turning to Daisy he continues, "but we can help Bo if we can prove someone else was responsible for Rosco's brakes going out. If we can't, we can help by just being there for him and perhaps finding a lawyer we can buy to represent him." "A lawyer? We don't have no money for no lawyer!" Daisy exclaims as Cooter and Luke enter the waiting room. "I'll sell the farm if need be. I'll find a way," Jesse firmly states before turning to Cooter and Luke, "Tell me you two bring some good news. We can really use some right about now." Luke digs his hands deeply within his back jean pockets before shrugging slightly. "Well Cooter here found that all four of Rosco's brake lines were cut completely through," he slowly states as he pulls a hand out of his pocket to run it nervously through his thick hair. "Which means someone tried to kill Rosco!" Daisy exclaims in horror, "But who would want to do that? Bo wouln'd do a thing like that..." "We know he wouldn't, but Boss sees differently," Luke calmly states, swallowing hardly, "he's now added attempted murder onto Bo's charges." "Attempted murder? J.D. has gone and lost that little brain of his! Everyone knows Bo wouldn't try to hurt Rosco like that!" Jesse yells angrily and the few people in the waiting room looks up at him. "He don't care. He just wants to blame someone and Bo's in the right place to be blamed," Luke adds shaking his head, his thoughts go back to how lost and alone Bo had looked in his cell when they had told him of the news, "but don't lose hope. Enos is going to dust the car for prints, see if he can come up with someone's prints other than his own and Bo's. Perhaps if we do some searching on our own, we can come up with someone who would want to harm Rosco." "Yeah," Cooter chimes in, "perhaps it has something to do with whoever did rob Hank's store. Perhaps a frame up gone bad?" "It's a place to start," Jesse reluctantly states, feeling his hopes deflate, "while you do that, think it is time I have a word with the local defense lawyer here in town. See what he'd want to take Bo on. Right now, I don't see any choice, but to face the reality of the situation." "Life seems to go on. I have to go to work in another couple of hours. Don't see Hogg letting me take the day off due to it all," Daisy sadly states, "perhaps I could keep an eye and ear open to see if anyone knows anything or if anything seems out of place." They go silent for a long moment, eyeing each other and lost within their own fear filled thoughts. "Sounds like a plan for now," Luke nods, "how's Rosco doing? Me and Cooter thought we'd go visit him before we begin snooping around town." Jesse nods. "Doesn't look or sound very good. The doctors are giving him only a thirty percent chance of waking up. Said he suffered a bad concussion and internal bleeding that they couldn't get stopped. Plus other injuries," he goes silent as chills rush up his back as he quickly states, "we gotta do something. If we lose Rosco, that attempted murder charge will change to murder." He goes silent again, quickly dreading the last statement knowing that it'll only make it worse for everyone to think of that. "Not if we can help it. We know Bo's innocent of them charges," Luke confidently states, "and if Bo didn't do it, then that means someone else cut them lines. Me and Cooter will do anything and everything it takes to get whoever cut them linese and make them pay for what they did to Rosco...to Bo." "Be careful," Jesse abruptly states, "I don't want to lose the two of you in attempt to prove Bo's innocence. That won't help him or us any." "Yes sir," Luke states. "Very good. Keep us posted," Jesse pats Luke on the shoulder, "I need to get Daisy home to get ready for work before heading back into town to visit the lawyer before he leaves his office for the day." They nod silently before waving good bye to each other and Cooter and Luke watch as Jesse and Daisy slowly walk down the hall they had came through. "Let's go see Rosco," Luke slowly states turning around to begin walking towards Rosco's room while silently attempting to think of a plan of how to free Bo of all of his charges.

Tough

Roger - I did think of that, but didn't know who to ask about the cardboard of Gordon...would really hate for them to just throw out such a great cardboard as that. Think it would look great in my living room...HA HA. And unless Gordon himself has a bubble surrounding him to put on Wal-Mart's Jeff Gordon oil change special advertising on, I am sure it wasn't Jeff himself. (Though would have even more excited if it was the real Jeff...until I stopped to think that he should be in Daytona if he is to race in the 500 on Sunday.) I'm sure Wal-Mart is aware that your driver won the Budweiser Shootout, but they are even more aware of who is going to win Daytona 500 - NASCAR's Super Bowl race this upcoming Sunday. Jeff Gordon...going for his fourth Daytona 500 win. (Plus they want to attract people to their store...they put a picture of Kurt Busch up, they're just bound to scare 'em all away! Sorry...I couldn't help myself.) Hoss - I can gaurantee you that there is no valcro on the bumper of the cars and even though it would be good for them to read the Bible on their break, I am sure that is not where the two by two racing came from. I don't think they had expected all of this as much as we didn't expect it. It is bound to cause accidents...Jr wrecked his pole winning car today during practice to put him at the back of the field come the start of the Daytona 500 race due to the two by two racing. You didn't miss anything, Hoss, as far as highlights go. The Daytona 500 race isn't until this upcoming Sunday so there wouldn't be any highlights as of yet for it...unless you get your highlights from the future. Talking about the 500...on lap three of the race they are going to have a lap of silence to honor the late Dale Earnhardt Sr who died ten years ago (Feb. 18 will be his official 10 year anniversary of his death.) He died in an accident on the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500 race where Michael Waltrip (Dale Sr owned his car) won the race being pushed by Dale Jr. Never was a big Dale Sr fan, but was sad to see him die like that and am glad to see NASCAR saluting a NASCAR legend like that.

Well Roger, will admit that you have a point there with his age and the dates. I guess I never stopped and thought or realized that. I was just glad to see a fun and clean show on TV and even more glad to see John playing one of the lead roles. Sorry that the dates and and age had upset you...

Copy cat...my cat's name is Daisy! Or Daisy Mae Duke if you want to call her by her whole name...but generally just goes by Daisy.

Walking into the police garage, Cooter Davenport feels chills wash over him at the violent abuse Rosco's patrol car hand endured. Eyeing the body damage upon the patrol car, Cooter's mind begins to wonder back to last night and of the small glimpse had gotten of the bloodied sheriff. Only to send fear and worry rapidly within of what the future holds for their sheriff and for Bo who sits alone in a jail cell. "Let's see what happened to ya," he hears himself whisper aloud to the car as he places a hand upon it. He takes a long moment to walk around the car, surveying all the damage that it had taken during it's roll last night before he reaches the hood of the car. Glancing up, he sees Luke standing against the metal fence, eyeing him expectantly since Deputy Strait was unwilling to allow civilians within the jail's garage. Since Cooter helped from time to time to distinguish what was wrong with a car for the sheriff's department, Cooter was allowed in the garage and to have a look at Rosco's car. Luke wasn't. "Whaddya see?" Luke questions impatiently. Cooter shrugs. "So far, all I see is what you see. A broken patrol car. I'll have to open her up and have a look to see if something was tampered with," Cooter slowly answers before turning his back to his friend and pushes the latch to open the hood of the car. Bending forward into the hood, Cooter is flooded with raw emotion of anger and fear to send a wave of nausa through him. "Damn," he hears himself say aloud, taking a couple of involuntary steps back away from the car. "What is it, Cooter?" Luke asks from the fence, his fingers laced tightly around the thin metal, "What's wrong?" Cooter eyes the car for a long moment before it slowly registers that Luke had said something, taking longer time for him to register what it was that Luke was saying. "All four brake lines are severed," he states as he rests back against an old rusted car, "as in someone cut 'em. All four of them, all the way through. Looks to be cut with a dull knife or something from the tear marks on the tubing." "Someone tampered with his car," Luke states the obvious, "well they'll have to let Bo go. I mean, we all know Bo wouldn't do something like that." Cooter grunts. "We do. But do they?" he motions towards Enos and Boss that are now walking towards them, "Deep down they hafta know he wouldn't do something as mean as that. But I'm afraid I agree with Bo," he pauses as he takes a step closer to Luke, "they'll just say Bo was the one tampering with it. Unless y'all can prove that it wasn't Bo." Luke takes an angry step away from the fence as he slowly nods in agreement. "Or we can prove who it was that tampered with Rosco's patrol car," Luke states before going silent as Boss and Enos approach Cooter. "Well boy," Boss states as he chews on the butt of a half lit cigar, eyeing Luke harshly before he looks back at Cooter, "you find what's wrong with Rosco's car?" Cooter nods sullenly as he glances down at his well worn boots before slowly looking up at the two. "Someone cut all four of Rosco's brake lines," Cooter states before going into explaination of what that means for the car, "in other words, Boss, Rosco's accident was no accident." "You mean someone tried to kill the sheriff?!" Deputy Strait exclaims, his voice squeaks in his horror, "Who would want to kill the sheriff for?!" "That lousy cousin of his," Boss points a fat finger at Luke, "that's who. We can now add attempted murder onto his charges. That is unless..." Boss abruptly stops and his shifty eyes fall away from Enos and back to Luke before he threatenly steps towards Luke before the fence stops him from reaching Luke, "You and your pathetic family better hope beyond hope that Rosco will wake up from all of this. If he. . ."he goes silent as his voice trembles in emotion, "If Rosco don't wake up, that low life cousin of your's, Bo Duke, will NOT be the only one to pay for this. Bo may be the only one being held accountable by law for what he done, but I'll make sure y'all will pay just as dearly as he does!" "Now Boss," Luke states, thrown aback by Boss' firm belief in Bo's guilt, "you know damn well Bo would never wish harm on Rosco or anyone else for that matter! Bo had nothing to do with this!" Boss shakes his head before glaring coldly at Luke. "You wanna be held as an accomplice to his crimes? Bo knew damn well Rosco was onto him for robbing Hank's...he cut them tubes in order not to be arrested for what he had done," Boss scolds Luke as he throws the butt of his cigar down on the ground, "and now he'll be doing time for his robbery and for attempted murder of a law officer. That is unless we lose poor ol' Rosco to you're cousin's evil ways. Then he'll be charged with murder!" Luke swallows hardly as he feels dread and fear wash over him once again at hearing Boss speak his fears aloud. "Luke's right, sir," Deputy Strait bravely speaks up, "Bo wouldn't do that to Rosco. We all know that and I believe deep down within yourself, you know that too. You just want someone to blame for what happened to Rosco. Someone to pay for it all." "Damn right I want someone to blame and pay for it all," Boss quickly responds, "and the person to blame and to pay for it all is the one sitting in my jail cell." "He's the wrong guy, Hogg," Cooter breaks his silence, "Bo didn't do this and you know it." "Which means the guilty person that cut them tubes and tried to kill Rosco is still out there," Luke quickly adds onto Cooter's statement, "free to do as he wishes." Boss shakes his head. "Wrong. I got the guilty person locked away so he won't be able to kill again. Y'all better have enough money for a good lawyer, because he's gonna need one," Boss states as he coldly eyes Luke before he turns away to walk back to the court house by himself. ALl three men stare silently and watch as Boss disappears back within the steel door before their attention falls back upon one another. "Enos you gotta believe us," Cooter breaks the silence, looking at their old friend, "Bo wouldn't hurt anyone. Especially on purprose like this." "I know he wouldn't, guys," Enos sadly states, "but there isn't much that I can do about it." Luke shakes his head at him. "Sure there is," he states with a small smile, "you could search them tubes and the car for prints belonging to anyone else other than Rosco." Enos slowly nods. "What if they belong to Bo?" he meekly questions. "Enos!" Cooter yells impatiently, "Bo didn't do that and you know it! If he didn't do it, his prints won't be on the tubing." Enos nods once again, looking unsure. "I can try. But Boss is set on blaming all this on Bo," he pauses, "he finds me searching into it more, he's bound to get upset." "Right now all I care about is Rosco waking up and getting Bo out of this dump," Luke responds, "because right now, the wrong man is paying for this while the guilty man is out there running free." "Yeah," Cooter agrees, "and who knows when and who he'll hurt next." Enos nods. "Yeah. OK, I'll do my best," he states as he looks over his shoulder and back at them, "I'll get back to you with the results." "Thanks Enos, we're much obliged," Luke forces a smile at Enos before turning to Cooter, "c'mon Cooter, let's run down and tell Bo of our findings before we go meet up with Jesse and Daisy at the hospital." "I'll meet you upstairs, buddyroe," Cooter nods before he turns and begins to walk towards the steel door, followed by Enos. Luke silently nods before backing away from the fence and slowly walking towards the front entrance of the court house, silently digesting all that was said and what it means for Bo.

Well I went to the closest Wal-Mart to me last night to run in and grab something real quick and was greeted by a cardboard poster of Jeff Gordon! I was excited to see that, but got even more excited when I was buying my items when I looked up towards the other entrance area where they had built Jeff Gordon's race car using pop bottles or popcan boxes...I didn't get a close look at it due to the lack of time...but was excited to see both of them.

Didn't noticed the color of the track...I will have to pay more attention on Sunday to it. The two car tango was odd to say at Daytona. Daytona is suppose to be fast and actioned packed...which it was, just in a different way. It is the kind of racing that you don't want to be leading unless it is on the last lap really, because otherwise the driver will be going back after awhile. Saw where they may try to do something to fix that before Sunday's race, but am not sure what that is or would be. Nice pictures, TRP Coltrane. A Stewart fan, huh? He's a talented driver and I do find myself wishing him well now that he has changed his attitude and driving style. Kansas looks to be a good track and am looking forward to see them race on it for the first time. I hope you get to go. I would love to go to a race...never been to one before other than the local dirt track and that has been ages since I have been there.

Hoss - Sorry you missed the show. Hopefully they will show it again for you to see. That was a neat movie...plus it was great to see John in it. Great picture!

Well they had qualifying today for the Daytona 500 next Sunday (YAY seven more days!!!!!!!!!) but it is different than it is for the rest of the races. Today's qualifying only assigned the first two starting positions...the rest of the positions will be determined in the two small races on Thursday that is called the Gatorade Duals. So here is the top two starting positions for the Daytona 500: 1. Dale Earnhardt JR has won pole position for the Daytona 500 with a speed of 186.089. 2. Jeff Gordon will start second (but on the front row, since they start double file) and was leading for awhile there until Jr pushed him down to second. He had speeds of 185.966. So we'll have two Hendrick cars starting on the front row at Daytona! Would much rather have Gordon get pole for Sunday's race, but second is pretty good. Hopefully he'll have just as great of a finish as he does a start...so far it looks like the new sponsor/paint scheme, cars/garage, and crew cheif/crew is working out pretty well for Gordon (and crew cheif/crew, cars/garage for Junior working well.) I will let y'all know the rest of the starting grid...or at least the top ten or fifteen starting positions Thursday or Friday (as soon as I possibly can. My week tends to be pretty busy sometimes, but I will try my best to keep y'all updated.) GO TEAM 24 - GO GORDON GO!!!!! (Sorry...had to up that. Hope y'all's drivers will have a great qualifying run as well.)

Sitting on the old and thin cot that lies tightly bolted onto the wall, Bo stares blankly ahead as he concentrates upon his violently throbbing head. The throbbing headache he had achieved last night when he had slid half way down the rocky hill in attempt to reach the unconsious sheriff. Staring forward, his guilt continues to yell at him that he is well deserving of his headach after what he had done. That he deserves more than his headache, but that it should be him in the hospital. Not Rosco. He jumps slightly as the soft foot steps beginning to descend the stairs screams loudly to his aching head and he glances up to find his family with Cooter following the stairs down to the lower level where he is locked up at. Sighing heavily, he quickly glances away from them to enforce a heavy wave of dizziness to wash over him and his throbbing head to seemingly worsen than it had been a second ago. "Bo," Daisy states in a half whisper as she reaches the thick bars and fresh tears build in her eyes at seeing her younger cousin looking so weak and vulnerable sitting on the thin cot. "Luke here tol' us what happened last night with Rosco and everything. Jesse tol' us that Enos arrested you for attempted manslaughter and for robbing Hank's. We all know you wouldn't do any of those things!" Bo remains quiet as he looks down at his leather boots, refusing to look up at the people he loved the most in fear of seeing the disappointment and accusatory that he knew had to be there. Despite what they have been saying. "Daisy's right," Luke states in his calm manner, "we all know you wouldn't do what they are accusing you of. Rosco falsely accused you as he always had done and his brakes went out or something when he went after you. This isn't your fault." Luke goes silent, seeing his attempt to help his cousin's guilt to lesson not to be working. "Cooter here joined us as we were getting out of the truck to come visit and he's agreed to have a look at Rosco's patrol car. See if someone had been tampering with his car before he began driving it yesterday." "Bet we find something, too," Cooter chimes in besides Luke, wrapping a grease stained hand around the old thick bar; his own fear building up within him at seeing how hard Bo has taken last night's events. "Don't matter if they find something or not. They'll just say I was the one tampering with it," Bo breaks his silence, his eyes fixed upon his scuffed boots, "I didn't tamper with it, but if I hadn't ran from him as I had, it wouldn't have happened. At least not from me, it wouldn't have." Swallowing hard, Jesse shakes the barred door momentarily to create a loud metal hitting metal noise in hope of gathering Bo's attention, only to fail. "Bo," he finally states in a stern voice as he lets go of the bars, "look at me." For a long moment, the room is silent as they watch Bo who remains looking down at his old boots as if refusing to follow his uncle's stern order. After a moment, Bo slowly looks away from his boots to look up at his uncle only to increase the sadness and worry within the Duke patriarch. Sadness and worry at seeing the intense pain and grief thickly filled his youngest's baby blue eyes. "Cooter," Jesse hears himself say and feels the mechanic tense up besides him, "go tell Enos to grab Bo some water and some pain medicine. I think his head's bothering him. If he don't comply, tell him, I'll bring some from home to give it to him." "Yes sir Uncle -" Cooter begins to say before Jesse's impatient look interrupts him and he goes silent, nods, and runs up the stairs. "I'm fine," Bo lies as he looks away from them again and this time stares across the cell from him. "Hogwash. You know how I feel about you lying to me," Jesse states half sternly, his worry overshadowing any anger he could attempt to create at his nephew's attempt at braving through his pain, "I can see the pain just as clearly as you're feeling it. You'll take the medicine without any struggle...ain't bad enough you sitting in here feeling guilty over what you had no control over and then having your head hurtin' to top it all off. You hear?" Bo nods silently. "Yes sir," he finally states as he forces himself to glance up as Cooter runs down the stairs with a glass of water and three brown pills. "This is all Deputy Strait was allowed to give me to give to Bo. It's over the counter generic for Ibprofen," Cooter states as he hands it to Jesse who nods his appreciation at him as he accepts it. Bo eyes it skeptically as Jesse pushes his hands through the bars, one hand holding the glass of water and the other a bag of the three pills. After a moment, Bo slowly and weakly stands up to take a couple of steps to the bars. "Look at me," Jesse states in a softer tone as Bo slowly takes the bag and the glass. As Bo glances up at Jesse, Jesse continues, "I know it won't help none, but I'll say it again. It's not your fault. You didn't do that to Rosco...Rosco said something about his brakes...it was his brakes that did it. Not you. As Luke said, him and Cooter are to get to the bottom of this while Daisy and I are going to keep checking up on Rosco. Perhaps he'll shed some light on it when he wakes up." Bo tiredly eyes his uncle as he opens the bag and Jesse helps him get the pills out. Bo swallows down all three pills at once with the water before setting the empty glass down on the floor. Slowly standing back up, Bo states, "If Rosco wakes up." "Have faith Bo. He'll wake up and we'll get this all cleared up. Until then, know we don't blame you or think you did any of what you are charged with," Jesse slowly states as he puts a hand through the bars to place a comforting hand upon Bo's shoulder, "we'll get through this. But for now, I think we should go and let you get some rest. Bye for now, Bo." Bo nods, knowing better than to argue with his uncle. "We'll get you outta this dump, Bo. I promise," Luke states as he leans in and does the same to Bo as Jesse hand done. Bo nods before Daisy looks in at him for a long moment before saying, "Bye Bo. We'll be by tomorrow to see you and let you know how things are going." "Bye now, Bo. We'll get this figured out," Cooter is the last one to leave. Bo watches them go for a long moment, watching his family and Cooter disappear upstairs before listening to their foot steps echo on the ceiling above him before he turns around to face his cell. He had been locked away for things he didn't do plenty of times in the past. But it was always with Luke besides him. Now he was charged, arrested, and placed in the cell alone to deal with his thoughts and to deal with what he had done.

I am so sorry for your losses, Jami. As I said, you are in my thoughts and prayers as you go through this difficult time.

beans

Well Roger, I thought of you when they said Kurt Busch had won. Am glad for you that your 'new' driver has won the Shootout...whaddya know, his first restrictor plate win and all. An exciting race for Kurt Busch, his crew, and his fans and a great way to start off the 2011 season. Jimmie who? I'm hurt that with just one win, you act as if you already forgotten about poor ol' Jimmie. Well you may forget who Jimmie is, Roger, but don't forget what he's done in his short time as a sprint cup driver. . .it might not be Gordon...or your Kurt Busch, but five consecutive championships is a pretty big deal if you ask me. Just too bad it wasn't Gordon. As for tonight's race, I think the whole race was action packed. It was apparent from the drop of the checkered flag that you needed a drafting partner in order to go anywhere fast in the race...two cars worked the best. I thought the first twenty-five laps were fast and exciting, but nothing big had happened. The accidents and cautions came during the second segment of the race starting off with Dale Jr, Carl Edwards, Lagono, and a couple other drivers getting into it. Then Mark Martin got into Kyle Busch which took both of them out. Stewart accidently spun Michael Waltrip out as well. And to end it all off...they had a dramatic finish. Ryan Newman was leading with Denny Hamlin drafting him...besides them was Kurt Busch being drafted by Jamie McMurray. Newman left the double yellow line (can't pass drivers under the double yellow line in restrictor plate racing) open a little bit and Hamlin tried to take advantage of it. . .but in doing so went under the double yellow line and instead of winning the race, got sent to the back. Kurt Busch got pushed by McMurray to win the Budweiser shootout. (It would have been a photo finsih, if Hamlin hadn't gotten black flagged and sent to the back. Very close finish if only...LOL) I think they said they had 25 lead changes...to make history in the 33rd running of the Shootout. Jeff Burton led the most laps...but with drafting, drivers kept going forward and backwards all night. The fastest lap they had was 207 mph...think they said it was another record. I think the 2011 Daytona 500 will be a lot different than past Daytona 500s. It was great to see the drivers all out there in a good mood and just racing for the fun of it (and for the two grand winner's prize...LOL). Then again, it was just great to see them back out on track racing all together. Next Sunday there will be 500 laps of what we saw tonight...can already hear Bo giving his rebel call. KHEE! Here is the top ten finishing results: 1. Kurt Busch 2. Jamie McMurray 3. Ryan Newman 4. Jimmie Johnson 5. Greg Biffle 6. Jeff Gordon 7. Kevin Harvick 8. Jeff Burton 9. Clint Bowyer 10. Bobby Labonte Well it was great to have a small taste of what the Daytona 500 will have. Tomorrow they will have qualifying for the top two positions for the great American race before they figure out the rest of the driving field on Thursday afternoon in the Gatorade Duals...ladies and gentlmen, welcome to speed week!

Welcome to Hnet! Always glad to see and meet another Duke fan!

sad

Think Darius Rucker is one of the better newer Country artist. He has a great voice and I really enjoy his songs - glad he switched over to country.

Here is the starting lineup for tonight's Shootout race: (They don't qualify for it, but they draw their positions out of Budweiser bottles...at least that is how they use to draw 'em.) 1. Dale Earnhardt Jr (that'll make a lot of people happy ) 2. Tony Stewart 3. Carl Edwards 4. Denny Hamlin 5. Kasey Kahne (Now racing the number four Red Bull Toyota) 6. Bobby Labonte 7. Clint Bowyer 8. Ryan Newman 9. Derrike Cope 10. Michael Waltrip 11. Greg Biffle 12. Jeff Gordon 13. Juan Montoya 14. Jamie McMurray (last year's Daytona 500 winner) 15. Jeff Burton 16. Kevin Conway 17. Kurt Busch 18. Kevin Harvick (has won the past two shootout races) 19. Matt Kenseth 20. Mark Martin 21. Kyle Busch 22. Joey Logano 23. Jimmie Johnson 24. Regan Smith Have been watching their practice runs off and on this morning and it looks to be an exciting race...an exciting Daytona 500 next week. Yesterday they reached speeds up to 203 mph and looks like drafting will play a part in it. Will be great to see them racing under the lights tonight. (8:00 ET on Fox)

Jamie - I am sorry to hear about your losses and to hear you going through such a hard time. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers as you face this difficult time. Welcome back...you have been missed.