Garrett Duke

Well Daisy I have to say you are one lucky person to go not only one night, but two nights...and in the third row! Sounds like you had a great time and I am glad to hear it. . .sounds like a couple of nights to remember. It is great to hear that after all these years that Tom and John still perform with each other and all. Glad you were able to go and had a great time, Daisy!

Trouble

Crime

I personally am excited to see the changes come into play to see for myself how they will work and how they will effect the drivers. From what I read, the new system is suppose to reward more winning and consistancy at the same time. Which to me, this new system doesn't give the drivers much reward bonuses as the old one had...but I guess if you look at all that they will lose if they have a poor finish, maybe that is what they are talking about. The wild card slots, I think, is a good idea. For example. last season, there was four drivers within the chase that did not have a win, yet you had Jamie McMurray who finished 13th or 14th with two major wins. So it would give him a chance into the chase due to his performance in those two wins over the poor finishes he had due to accidents and what not. So I see that as a way of rewarding wins as well as consistancy within the first 26 races of the season. Gordon was one of the four within the chase that sadly didn't have a win, but he was consistant. I am sure there is some negative aspects with the change, but for now, I am excited with the change and as I said, to see how they will effect the racing, the chase, and the drivers. It will make it much easier to follow. The 2011 season seems to be a season full of change...first the whole garage and driver swap at Hendrick that happened right after the season ended. I still have mixed emotions about that, though am excited to see what Alan Gustufson can do with Gordon's talent. And now all of this...now if only the repaved Daytona will actually get here, we can get on with the much waited for season... (Oh I guess the cars will have a different look to them to distinguish the manufacturer...something like that.) Which reminds me, Gordon will also have a different sponsor and color scheme after racing his entire NASCAR Sprint Cup career, til now, with Dupont as his major sponsor. Dupont will sponsor hiim with some races, but not as much...now AARP will be sponsoring him with their Anti-Hunger campaign. All this change must make for a great season!!!!!!!!!!! (I'm looking forward to the season to start, if y'all can't tell. )

Well Brian France has made all them changes I had talked about official tonight. . .which is and will stir controversal emotions around the sport as we had talked about earlier. They are going with the 43-1 point system in all three NASCAR devisions (the last place truck race driver will get eight points instead of the one because they have less drivers in it.) The winner getting forty-three points, second place getting forty-two and down to the last place driver getting one point. Bonuses are...three points will be added into their points once the chase starts (use to be ten) one point for leading the most laps (use to be five) and one point for leading a lap (use to be five). So a winning driver can win up to 48 points. They are also putting in what they are calling the wild card where the top ten drivers at the end of the first 26 races are in the chase and two drivers with the most wins from 11th to 20th place will be seeded 11th and 12th in the chase. A winning driver that earns his way into the chase by points will have three bonus points added come chase time, where as the two wild card drivers will not get the bonus points. I also read where they will qualify the drivers by their speed times, lining them up from slowest to fastest. Something like that...which is different. Drivers are allowed five sets of tires instead of six. I guess the points system won't make much of a difference than the old one when it comes to winning and second place, but makes it easier for fans to follow and understand. But it will hurt a driver who gets a DNF (Did not finish) due to an accident or engine problems or pit problems. Guess that is where they think the wild card system comes in handy.

Well Wednesday is finally here...LOL. Brian France has yet to have his press conference about the official change in the points. I guess he will come out later tonight with it...hopefully I can get a chance to come back on tonight in time to read about it to actually make an official news message. Though I did read through Yahoo!'s NASCAR page that they have been told by a source that the chase will now consist of the top ten drivers in points and then the two drivers with the most wins from eleventh place to twentyth will make the eleventh and twelveth spots in the chase. I've read this earlier too somewhere so I apologize if I had already posted this. This is yet to be made official since France has yet to come out with it to the public. I generally try to wait until www.nascar.com comes out with news to post it here just to make sure it is accureate or at least wait until it is made official. But I got to admit, I am getting impatient for NASCAR to start and will take any news that I can come across right now for a sign of hope that NASCAR is about to start...24 more days! (As I said, I will try to come back tonight to see if anything has been made official and let y'all know...though do have something to do tonight and tomorrow night. As soon as possible, I will let y'all know the official word. How's that? )

Well I guess I can't win 'em all...huh? At least you are starting to like AJ. If I hadn't liked NKOTB when I was younger, I probably wouldn't have given them a second thought. But I did and will be seeing them in concert for the sixth time in June. Besides, you can't go wrong with ol' AJ...him and Bo seem to have a few things in common. Both are from Georgia, both love cars, both have blond hair and blue eyes, and both are 6'4".

Hoss -I actually know that song. It is great how people have different tastes - it introduces others to different songs as well.

Well...another AJ song. I got his 34 Number One Hits yesterday so I guess his songs are the ones that are comin' to mind today..

Very nice, Hoss...once again. You are very talented and very artistic. I don't know about the correct saying or what not, but I got a laugh out of the Hogg sign...Pay now, die later. LOL :rofl:

Rust...Rusty Wallace? Dang Roger...I haven't gotten the chance to watch all the extras on the DVDs and if I have, it's been awhile...wish I could buy more time to watch the Dukes. Anyway...if Rusty Wallace isn't the answer, I am sadly stumped by your question. I should know what happens in the winter since we have a lot of snow outside my window right now...then again, you said NASCAR legend. (I'd say Richard Petty, but don't see how that would have any connection to what he has to do with old cars and salty roads...)

Another great AJ song...he wrote for his own late daddy, Gene. AJ is third on my all time favorite Country artist (Kenny Chesney and Keith Urban are numbers one and two on my list...)

I remember watching this for the first time at the ACM or CMA's or some sort of award show...if I remember right, it was November. What a sad and true song. Great way of expressing the feelings and emotions that followed 9/11.

I'd love to say Jeff Gordon, but I know I would be wrong... Cale Yarboro Well there's another NASCAR / Duke connection for you Roger. Greg Bifflle number 16 and Matt Kenseth number 17, Robby Gordon number 7 are current NASCAR drivers. Jason Leffler drives in the Nationwide Series...

Congrats to Brian and all the other Packer fans...bet y'all are excited to be off to the Super Bowl. Best of luck to them. (Packers won 21 - 14 over the Bears) Despite my Bears' loss , it was a good game; though I would have liked to see 'em win. (I guess I'll use my annual Cubs logo...next year will be our year. Now everyone has to wait to see who wins the Steelers and Jets game to see who will be playing the Packers in the Super Bowl. As for me...I have 27 more days until I will be watching Jeff Gordon vs the rest of the driving field at Daytona 500. NASCAR's Super Bowl race!

Enos

I have seen and read both sides of the argument online as well, Hoss, seems people have different emotions about the change they are talking about. As always, there are positives and negatives with the change, as well mixed emotions about them. I can see both sides of the argument and agree, as the change is right now, there would only be one point seperating first from second...leaving little extra incentive for winning. But then again, they have yet to address the bonuses that come in a race, such as in winning. The point systems that you pointed out Hoss in the other racing sports, do look like they would work out as well. Hopefully NASCAR's new point system will work out and that they will soon make the change official if they are going to make it and come out with all the little info as such as bonuses and so forth. I personally feel that there should be rewards for winning, but the drivers should have incentive to win despite which points format they are under. Glad to hear what you thought of it Hoss! I am always interested in hearing others opinions on NASCAR and such changes as this. I am excited to see how it works out, but then again, didn't have a problem with the old one either. Would enjoy to hear what others think of the upcoming change...

Well I guess more word will come out next Wednesday at Brian France's meeting he has in North Carolina (I think). Perhaps all this waiting will help strengthen my patience. LOL. (And people at Yahoo Sports must have different opinions, because an article I read today said that Jimmie Johnson still would have won under this new points system this year. Who knows...) Tony Stewart has came out and said he was embarassed over what had happened between him and the co-owner of the track. Stewart says he had been racing at the track for about five weeks and found the track conditions to be unsafe...that it was more than just one incident that led to the incident. He may face farther questioning by the Australian police. From today's date...it is exactly a month until Daytona 500...the season opener of the NASCAR season...

That is a great shot, Hoss!

Very interesting topic... Despite not liking Coy and Vance, I always felt bad for Byron and Christopher. They were put in a hard position. If the show had wrote for them, had their characters be their own characters and not a Bo and Luke clone, it may have worked. I don't think people would have chose them over Bo and Luke, but they would have been more accepted. I haven't seen a Coy and Vance episode in a long time...and don't know when I or if I will. No one will ever be able to replace Bo and Luke...nothing beats the real deal. I have read different things about differences between the cast and the writers or producers. Too bad that the cast wasn't respected or treated better and perhaps there would have been another season or two like you said. But like what also was said, who knows what really went on. All I have heard is from several cast members and their side. Coy and Vance may not be Bo and Luke, but they did serve their purpose and did extend the series. I can't remember a lot about the episodes, though do remember thinking that they seemed to be a little deeper than what it had been for Bo and Luke. As if they tried to compensate with a different plot lines than they used for Bo and Luke. If that makes sense. Perhaps it's just me; like I said, it's been awhile since I watched them. Like I said, if they dealt with Tom and John leaving like they did better by creating entirely new characters and not characters dressed to be Bo and Luke with different names, it would have been better for them and for the show. ..

Baseball (Detriot Tigers)

Dogs

Well I have some more NASCAR news to share with y'all...though it isn't official as of yet. It sounds like more news and info will be brought forward either at the end of the week or next week... Last year, 2010, Brian France...NASCAR chairman...made it clear that he was wanting to change the chase in some way. Well, the chase last year was the best chase they have had yet in the Chase four year history. So it sounds like there will be a few changes, but not as much as expected. The field will stay at twelve, but may consist of ten chase drivers with the remaining two spots be given to non chase drivers with the most wins. The best part for me, is the fact that they are not going to be eliminating drivers within the chase as it was rumored. Though they are considering changing the point system that has been set in place since 1975. As of right now the driver who wins the race gets 175 points and the driver coming in last gets 34 points (unequal increments). Under the new point system, if they do go with it, the winner will get 43 points, second place would get 42 points...and then all the way down to the last driver getting one point. They are unsure with what they would do with the bonuses...leading a lap, most laps lead, and winning. Well I for one would love NASCAR to just get rid of the chase and go back to the old point system and see a lot of people saying the same thing online. But I don't see them doing that no matter how many people complain about it and though I didn't have a problem with the old point system, am excited about the new system they are thinking about. Makes much more sense to me. Though it is sad to see them be away with a part of NASCAR history. As it is, if they went under the new point system this past season, Kevin Harvick would have been the champion, Edwards would have came in second, and Johnson would have finished third. (Gordon would have finished 6th...) As I said, it isn't official. The article I read said that more will be coming out during Preseason Thunder that starts this Thursday as well as next week. I guess they have a conference or something at a track that they will come out with more news. I will let y'all know as soon as I hear or read about whatever else is going to change or happen... Don't know about y'all, but I'm gettin' excited for Daytona!!!!!!!!! (32 more days!!!!!!!!!!! )