Garrett Duke

Talledega just ended...87 lead changes throughout the whole race! It was apparent from the drop of the green flag, that finding a bump draft partner was important for today's race. (As is every Talledega race.) If all that didn't prove to the drivers that drafting would be a big deal, then I think Denny Hamlin proved it when he lost his draft partner and he dramatically fell back. He lost a lap, but was able to get back on the lead lap once again to finish nineth (unofficially). Tony Stewart's tire went down early in today's race and he went two laps down, but ended up on the lead lap. JJ and Gordon hung out in the back all day today in order to avoid "the big one". Though as of past Talledega races, the big one never really came. They had a couple of big accidents that involved a couple of cars, but not the one that collects half of the field as is normally the case at Talledega. With fifteen laps to, Chad Knaus (JJ's crew cheif) told him to go and Gordon got teamed with JJ and in three laps went from the back of the field to the lead! Though after leading one lap, Gordon yelled that he was going to blow and got out of the way as to not blow in front of JJ. Though, oddly enough, Gordon didn't blow up at all. He fell back to twentyth, but did get a top ten finish. Wish I knew what had happened...oh well. Am definately nto complaining. Though earlier in the race, Junior had a great race and was up in front most of the race. Led 24 laps. Burton had a fast car all day too and was drafting with others. The two were drafting and they didn't align properly or something and Burton went down and hit Jamie McMurray and went up to hit Jr into the wall. Jr did come back out but it was several laps behind everyone else. Burton was done for and was clearly frustrated when he kicked his car in the grass area of the field. Well as they went past the white flag, Kevin Harvick who was leading with a damaged race car due to another accident. Halfway through, Bowyer somewhat passed him when AJ Allmindinger got spun around and ended up going hood over wheels several times that had froze the feild. (NASCAR has a rule that if the caution comes out under white flag, the race is finished.) It took them a long time to see who was winning the race at the time the caution went out, but it ended up going to Clint Bowyer. Though I have to admit that I am kinda frustrated with how ESPN handled the whole thing. I understand that it was a close and exciting finish, but they gave little attention to AJ Allmindinger who hit the wall and flipped his car SEVERAL times. In fact the only replay of the accident that they showed at first was to see where Harvick and Bowyer finished. They did kind of show it later on, but they never talked to AJ once he got out of the incare field center and didn't say if he was OK or not until the very end of the program. Granted with the safety barrier on the wall and all the safety equipment in the car and on their uniform, that it helps them and protects them and gives you a sense that they are OK. But not neccesarily. To me, it was scary to see him or anyone roll like that and hit the wall that hard and yet they gave it little attention as they were paying all their attention to who won the race. Am I the only one that feels that way or saw it as that way? I was going to list the top ten finishes of today's race were, but I will wait until later this week to do it...I'll try for tomorrow when everything is made official. They had a hard time establishing as to who finished where...in fact at first they had Johnson finishing 8th and Hamlin finishing 7th which would have put Johnson only two points ahead of Hamlin.Then at the end they had Johnson seventh, Gordon 8th, and Hamlin nineth. I just went and looked at the finish positions and they still had Harvick listed as the leader and Gordon at tenth. (I'd take eightth over tenth for Gordon Though still would rather have a top five or better yet, a win )

*Bo hears himself yelp aloud in pain upon the contact of the beast's thick and heavy fist powerfully landing on his stomach, sending Bo flying harshly on the ground. Only to inflict more pain within his already throbbing body. Sitting up and waiting for the swamp to stop spinning around him, Bo's eyes adjust well enough to find the headless huge beast coming at him again. Despite the fear within him, Bo finds himself somewhat amused at the thought of being attacked by something headless. Fighting back his thoughts and emotions, Bo rolls away from the beast just as he goes for another blow at Bo and without Bo there, the beast loses it's balance to fall upon the ground with a large thud. Breathing heavily, Bo slowly pulls himself up and takes another look at the smaller beast to find Daisy and Luke pinning it against the tree. Looking back at the larger of the two beasts, he finds it back on it's feet and something protruding from it's chest. Instead of attacking the beast that attacked him, Bo stands and watches in amazement as the beast seems to shrink and a moment later a human's head pops out of the beast's upper body, where the beast's head once been. Only to insert relief and anger within him. Relief to find that it wasn't a real beast as they all had thought it was all along. Relief to know that it was only a made up beast that a familiar person hides behind. Bo may not be the best fighter, but at least, with people, he has a chance of fighting against with the hope of beating them if it comes to a fight. The beast he had little hope of ever fighting against and winning. But angry at the familiar person that had dressed up and had attacked his family, scared his family. Even Molly and Alice. With his body still throbbing from yesterday's attack along with the fresh ach in his stomach is enough to remind him of the pain the beast had inflicted; not just to him, but his family. But also anger at himself for being deceived by a costume. For believing in a beast; something he had always known as fiction before this adventure. "You low down piece of garbage -" Bo begins to state towards the beast before looking over at Daisy and Luke and yells, "This ain't no beast. I'm willing to bet that one ain't either. Just a bag of garbage!"*

Thank-you TXDaisy! You are very missed on this thread, TXDaisy. You should stop by more often...have you picked a favorite driver, yet? LOL (Seems like you said you are going with JJ (Johnson) but can't remember right now...my mind is too tired to think. LOL)

Well, Roger, I can honestly tell you that you were not the only one surprised at his new sponsor. I first read a link that said Gordon found a new sponsor and I excitedly went to the link and found it to be AARP Anti-Hunger, was very surprised. Was expecting some brand or store or something of the sort to be it, but not AARP. I am definately not complaining about it. It may do the world a lot of good putting the Anti-Hunger on his car and getting it some publicity. Perhaps help end world hunger while Gordon continues to rack up his wins...er continue to race I mean. HA HA.

Welcome to HNet GoJRRACING...glad you found our NASCAR forum. The more the better. I am assuming you are a proud member of Junior Nation by your screen name.

I agree...it seems timeless. I guess I never think of The Dukes as new or old. I guess if you look at the cars compared to 'new' cars it would give it away. But I never think of it an old show. If that makes sense.

*Bo fearfully takes it all in as his relief at the sight of the monster running from them is quickly comes to a halt in sight of the smaller beast. "Two?" he hears himself state before he sees a familiar figure nearby in front of the path of the beast.. The familiar figure that Bo recognizes immediately, but takes a moment to sink in. "Daisy?" he whispers before he eyes her and then the running beasts that is going right at her. His fear for his cousin is quick to stampede over his own fear for himself and Jesse and he begins to run through the thicket, several feet to the side of the beasts, in hope of reaching Daisy before the beasts do. Branches and thorns roughly grab at him to scratch against his throbbing body, but his fear for Daisy is more powerful over him than the pain. Ahead in the thicket, a bent over figure is apparent just besides the thicket and the path and several feet to the side of Daisy. Luke. Small relief sinks in at the sight of his older cousin who is so much closer to Daisy than he is. He takes a quick glance over at the beasts that continue to run towards them, closer to them than Bo is. Looking ahead, Daisy screams in fear as she sees the beasts coming at her for the first time and she seems frozen in fear in the path. "Luke!" Bo screams, knowing he has the best chance of saving her than he does.*

Leave it to you to be the one to point that little bit of info out, Roger. *Shakes head* Well if you have to know it is that exact group but according to an article I read yesterday, AARP doesn't really think of itself in that terms any more since they do accept people that are not of retirement age any more. They had a long fancy title that they defined themselves, but I can't remember it. If I recall this is their first sponsorship with NASCAR. Now before you go and start calling Gordon old or making fun of his new sponsor ship. He is ONLY 39 years young. They don't accept people until they are 50, so they said in the article I read. LOL. Which Gordon had said that he plans on racing beyond his three year contract and perhaps until he is eligable to get into AARP...that is if he is still in good health and competitive. :D (I'm still excited at the thought of him being around that long after everyone's talk and rumors of him retiring due to his kids and his bad back. NASCAR would NOT be the same for me when and if he retires!) Well since you didn't seem so excited in your post, Roger, I am assuming you didn't find that too interesting or newsworthy for you, either that or you are dreading the fierce competition Gordon is going to be giving your Johnson for the next three or more years to come! Or dreading the fact that Gordon is going to be ending JJ's championship streak next year when Gordon wins his fifth championship! HA HA. Next year is definately Gordon's year! (Sorry Roger *hangs head* I had to give you a hard time.)

I Wanna Feel Something - Trace Adkins

The Dance - Garth Brooks

Life's a Dance - John Michael Montgomery

Don't know if y'all would consider this newsworthy, but I am excited about it, so I thought I'd write about it. Then again, my opion here, is biased...LOL Jeff Gordon has been searching for a new sponsor all season long. Dupont has been with him since he started his Sprint Cup career (was Winston Cup then.) in 1992. But now Dupont is pulling back due to money, I think. Which has left Gordon looking for a sponsor and has had a few rumors going around. First Mobile One, but they couldn't since Quaker State has sponsorship with all Hendrick cars. So Mobile One is going to Tony Stewart next year, which is part of Hendrick due to their engines, but worked out well with Stewart. Then it was Wal-Mart for Gordon, but Wal-Mart pulled out stating they'd be interested more in something with all the drivers and not just one. Well Gordon, officiall as of Wednesday, has finally found his sponsor and will have him racing at least through the 2013 season (hopefully beyond that. I'd be so lost without having Gordon to root for!) AARP's Anti-Hunger will be sponsoring Gordon's car for 22 races, Dupont has agreed to sponsor 14 races, and Pepsi will sponsor 2 races. Something like that. Was surprised that it was Anti-Hunger that will be sponsoring Gordon, but will definately take it and am happy with it. (Almost anything that'll keep Gordon behind the 24 car I am happy with. LOL!) (According to Rick Hendrick, Gordon will be racing for awhile to pay off Gordon's new big house that is almost done being built in North Carolina where Gordon is going to be raising his two children. Don't know how serious Hendrick was about Gordon having to race in order to support the house. Though do know Gordon is building the house to raise his kids there. . .) National Guard has sponsored several races this year for Gordon is pulling out and will be putting all their focus upon Dale Earnhardt Jr. For me, a big 24 fan, will be sad to see Dupont leaving, at least partially. For 18 years Dupont has been Gordon's sponsor so it will be odd to see them not on the car as much as in the past. Though they haven't had as much sponsorship this year as in the past, it don't seem to me. Seems National Guard has been on his car for quite a lot of races this year.

*Bo glances over at Jesse as the snap of the safety going off on the gun breaks his concentration on the beast and he is relieved at the reminder that they have the gun to rely on. Swallowing harshly, Bo glances back up at the beast to find the beast stepping aggressively at him and for Bo the world goes still and dark as he is reminded of yesterday's attack. Bo was never one to admit to fear, even to himself, but as he feels the beasts heavy breath move his hair, there was no escaping the escalating fear within him. Fear at the strange feeling of hoplessness that the beast brings within him. In any other occassion, he would at least fight back against the opponent in his attempt to escape and to win against the 'bad guy'. But staring at the huge beast and it's sharp teeth and strong hands, Bo knows there is little he could do to fight against the beast without having a death wish for himself. His only chance for survival against the beast is to run and hope to be able to run fast enough to get away from the beast or to find a good enough hiding place as to the beast won't find him. Which is something Bo is unfamiliar with. He's always been taught not to run and hide from his problems, but to face them and to deal with them. Even if that does mean to fight or a confrontation. . . The beast being only a couple of feet away from him, running away doesn't seem like an logical option either. Yesterday proved that the beast would only reach over and plow him onto the ground. Bo snaps out of his transe as the beast snorts and Bo is forced to take a step back before the deafening shot explodes through the eery silence of the swamp. Bo freezes as he watches the beast snorts as it is thrown backwards and for a moment Bo is filled with premature relief. Relief at the sight of the beast being on the ground and thoughts of returning home is quick to flood his thoughts. Bo reluctantly looks away from the beast and over at Jesse who stands with the gun still pointed at the beast, his body is tense, and his attention remains fixated upon the beast. The beast gives out a loud angry snort to grab Bo's attention and shock fills Bo's body as the beast is quick to climb back upon his thick and large feet. Anger seems hot in the beast's dark eyes that is fixated upon Jesse and then Bo as if confused as to who had inflicted the pain upon it.*

Beautiful Mess - Diamond Rio Hoss...thanks for not going with another one word answer. LOL

DOH me. I should have sat and thought of what you said before just posting as I had. I guess I kinda thought perhaps that was what you meant, but wasn't sure and kinda thought maybe you meant that was what Busch was meaning to do, but didn't end up doing that. I didn't mean to get defensive or argumentative if that is how I came across. I am sorry about that, Hoss. You did well in your post, it was all me. Poor Hoss has to wait that long for the races...don't know if I'd survive that long. LOL. Then again, if I had to watch it on Wednesday, I'd probably wouldn't get to watch it, because I work during the day and have Catechism at night on Wednesday. Well it'll give you something to look forward to longer, Hoss, plus extend your season by a few days over ours since ours will end on a Sunday. LOL

Lonely won't Leave Me Alone- Trace Adkins

Fred

Well, I may not fully agree with it, it is great to hear what a neutral observer saw and feels about the incident. Being the huge Jeff Gordon fan, I know when it comes to him or Jimmie Johnson, my opinion is biased or tainted. LOL. I don't mean to imply that I fully disagree with your observation, but also feel like Kurt got what he was wanting when he spun Gordon into the wall. But once again, my opinion is biased which is good to hear a neatral observer. Gordon said that he went into the corner too fast when he was passing Kurt Busch and that is why or how he tapped Kurt Busch. As you said they say in F1, they also call it in NASCAR: Just a racing incident. I understand why Busch was frustrated, I'd be too if the roles were reversed, but he didn't need to hit Gordon as hard as he did to express his displeasure at it. A little bump back in return would have gotten the message across. . . Hoss, I hope you don't think I am arguing with you, I am not intending to do so, just saying my opinion. As I said, it is great to hear what an neutral observer observed of the incident, it helps give me a different perspective of what it may be. . . As for speed, don't recall thinking they were going slow, but do know that the laps were counting down fast! If you want speed, stay tuned for Talledega on Sunday! That track is so fast they have to put restrictor plates on the cars to slow them down!