Garrett Duke

Here is the top ten starting lineup for tonight's race at Richmond: 1. Carl Edwards 2. Juan Pablo Montoy 3. AJ Allmindinger 4. Clint Bowyer 5. David Reutimann 6. Joey Lagano 7. Paul Menard 8. Brad Keselowski 9. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 10. Kasey Kahne Sadly for my fantasy team, the best qualifying driver I have on my team is Paul Menard in seventh and Dale Jr in nineth. Am exciting to see Jr have such a great qualifying run (even if I don't get any starting points for my team.) I am hoping he can keep it up through the whole race tonight and get a top ten finish...think he needs momentum and self confidence to run on the next ten race to help him improve. Again the race will be on ABC tonight at 7:30 ET...6:30 Central time which is my time. (I know the Dukes will be on at that time too. Life is full of hard decisions it seems. As for me, I guess I'll be giving up the Dukes to watch the race. Afterall, I can watch them on my DVD's, I miss the race, who knows what I'd miss. ) Am looking forward to an exciting race...every driver has a different agenda for tonight's race. With the top ten already locked into the chase, sure most of them are going for broke to win the race for extra points for the chase. The ones on the bubble and looking for the elventh and twelveth spot will probably work at points racing to get the best finish they can get...or to have a better finish than the other bubble drivers. And the rest, I'd imagine would probably be going for the win maybe doing a little experimenting for next year. Who knows what they'll be going for...we'll have to wait and see for tonight to see what everyone does, what will happen and who all will be in the case. Not to be overly dramatic or anything. . . Make sure to look at the rest of the NASCAR threads, as I said before, I do tend to update them all at once if I do have more than one thread to write on.

Well this isn't exactly NASCAR news as the thread title describes, but didn't know where else to put this and didn't see fit of making a new thread out for it, so decided to put this little info here. On September 14th at 8:00 PM ET/PT CMT will be airing CMT Cribs, which episode will be about NASCAR King/legend Richard Petty! Richard will show his house as well as his racing mueseum as well as his garage. Richard Petty drove the number 43 STP car to win 200 races and won seven championships in his racing career. He now is a car owner for Kasey Kahne, AJ Allmindinger, and Elliot Sadler. (Kahne and Sadler will be leaving at the end of this year, but Australian Marcos Ambrose will be driving Kahne's number 9 car next year. AJ drives Petty's famous number 43 car.) Being a Duke fan before being a NASCAR fan that I am today, Richard was one of the first drivers I knew due to the Dukes "Repo Men" where the Duke boys bought a wrecked Richard Petty race car from crooked car dealer, Ace Parker. (The Richard Petty car was used in a commercial, Luke had said and wasn't his normal 43, but the number 71. Which I thought was different when I saw it last night.) I am hoping to record it to watch it later on when I have the time. I never got the chance to see Richard Petty drive or race since I didn't get into NASCAR until '97 or '98. Think Richard Petty's last race was at Atlanta (that had been the last race of the season at the time) beleive it was in '93. Some little info...Richard Petty's last race, was Jeff Gordon's first race. Kinda like passing down the torch if you ask me. Gordon will never get to 200 wins (Don't see anyone getting there in the near future) and maybe not seven championships...but he does have four championships (would be at least six championships if they had stuck to the old point system and didn't go to the chase format they have now (since '04)) and has 82 wins which I think is sixth or fifth in the standings for the most wins. Then again, my opion is way biased since Gordon is my all time favorite driver . Just thought I'd share the info to any other Richard Petty fans out there. May not have watched him race, but wish I had. He had an amazing career and helped NASCAR be what it is today if you ask me. Plus the Duke boys liked him, so he musta been pretty awesome. Him and Cale Yoroboro who had been on the show a couple of times...he had a pretty awesome career as well, then again, I didn't get to watch him race either. . .

*Bo eyes Jesse with a bit of irritation. What he mean he didn't think he was coming along? Did he actually think Bo could sit back and watch Jesse do this all by himself? Bo sighs heavily to swallow back his annoyance at being left out in the dark. In his mind, Jesse knew fair and well that he was coming along, he had said so several times yesterday and Jesse didn't say one word about any plan. At least with Luke, Luke would let his ideas or plans be known to him so at least he could give his two cents worth if he had an idea or so to contribute to it. Not that he had really given all that contribution to Luke's plans. Luke's plans were significant enough to get the job done and most of Bo's thoughts, ideas seemed very inadequate compared to Luke's. But still, Luke would talk to him and tell him what he was thinking. Well, that's the difference between Jesse and Luke and it was up to Bo to let it slide and get over it. After all, Jesse was his uncle and he had the first and final say to about everything. *Bo shortly nods at Jesse as he slowly climbs into the passenger seat of the truck, hating the fact that yet agian he was not being allowed to drive. Slamming the door shut, he turns to Jesse and calmly states, "Don't matter to me what you decide to do. Tell me or not. I'm just use to Luke communicating what we're doing before we go ahead and do it. That's all. Heck just tell me what to do and as long as it is within reason, I'll do it," Bo goes silent for a moment before stating, "Well, I'm in. Let's go and get it over with."*

Dang you are loyal! LOL. I love the Dukes, but after "Repo Men" was over ( I think eleven PM central time) I turned the TV off and got ready for bed. And I got to sleep in this morning! Though was disappointed that Limo One was on when I got out of the shower, but by then it was half way over and I was on my way to bed. Should never have turned the TV on, but couldn't resist myself. I love Repo Men, but I think I like Limo One a little better! Was also disappointed that the Dukes weren't on this morning when I got up. Thought they were playing them straight through the weekend I guess. They don't come back on until one this afternoon my time. Don't know if I'll be able to get an ep in or two before church and the race tonight. Hopefully I'll be able to catch another episode or two or three before the weekend is over! It is great to see other Duke fans that love the show as much as I do! Never thought anyone would love the show more than I do...guess you are the exception since I gave up on them...just figured I do have all seven season on DVD plus most episodes on VHS as well so I can watch "High Octane" "Limo One is Missing" and all the other episodes whenever I find the time to watch them! Not that I generally do since it has been a couple of weeks since I last watched an episode on the DVD... Anyway, hope you have tomorrow off to sleep in and catch up on some of those zzzs you missed last night. HOpe you enjoy your night with teh Dukes tonight! I am just glad to see them back on TV (even if I don't have cable at my place) so that it can attract all the attention it deserves! YEE HAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good Time - Alan Jackson

*Bo looks up from packing his own small bag of goods with the sound of the ****-a-doodle-doo and sighs heavily before zipping the bag and throwing it over his shoulder. He takes a long look around the room he shares with Luke as if taking it all in for the last time. Finally he dares to take a step forward and another step forward to walk out of his room and through the shadowy living room to find Jesse sitting on the wood pile through the closed window. Bo is quick to notice the tint of sadness, dread, and worry in his wise uncle's eyes only to reinstall his own doubts and questions within him. Nodding at himself, he steps away from the window to walk through the kitchen, taking it all in once more as the strong fresh smell of eggs and bacon that continues to linger in the thick air from breakfast. The breakfast he forced himself to eat while fighting off his nausea that had hit him with the fear his nightmares had given him. He forced himself to eat knowing it may be the last meal he may have in a long time, if not his final meal if something did happen in the swamp. If he's going to die, he might as well as die with a full stomache. Plus, if he didn't eat, it would only rise questions and worries from his uncle and Bo knew he didn't need anything else to be worrying about today. So hungry or not, he ate a plate full of food as to avoid raising Jesse's attention and worry towards him. *Inhaling deeply he makes his way to the front door to throw it open and quickly walk down the porch steps with his small duffle bag on his shoulder. Reaching the truck, he eyes the farm as if knowing he was seeing it for the last time with hopes of returning by nightfall. Swallowing hardly he turns to Jesse and says, "Whenever you are ready to hit the road, Uncle Jesse, I'm ready." He pauses to watch a patrol car slowly driving by their drive way on the dirt road and watches it disappear, quietly wondering if it was Enos or Rosco that was driving it and wondering why they were out patrolling so early. Shrugging it off, he turns to Jesse and asks, "Not to question your authority or to try to talk you out of it, but are you sure you want to do this? Is going to the swamp with no plan to fall back on such a great idea? I mean, Luke always had an idea before we went to do things like this. Whatever you want to do, I'm behind you all the way. I'm just saying. . ." He lets his sentence drop before he walks over to the truck to throw his bag on the floor before his eyes land upon The General Lee and a wave of emotions hit him like a brick. He'd feel much better if he were able to drive The General, at least he'd have a sense of safety in his beloved race car. 'Oh well at least if something were to happen to them while they were in the swamp, Luke'd have The General to drive.' The thought abruptly hits him before he is quick to realize that if something were to happen in the swamp as the thought had assumed, that would mean he would never see Luke or Daisy again. Never able to give them a final good-bye. Worse yet, his final words to Luke before they left the farm were words of intense anger over the fight they had. And without the chance of telling Luke he was sorry or any other attempt to tell Luke what he thought or felt of him, that would leave Luke remembering him by the words he had spoken to him. The thought sends chills racing up and down his spine and he quickly looks away from The General and up at Uncle Jesse.*

That's the Good Stuff - Kenny Chesney

Between the River and Me - Tim McGraw This interesting to see everyone's taste in music.

Happy birthday, Luke! Hope it was a great one!

The next race will be at Richmond International Raceway (RIR) on Saturday night at 7:30 ET on ABC (not ESPN). RIR is an oval track that is .75 mile - we're going short track racing! LOL. Dale Jarrett holds the fast Sprint Cup race there...suppose it was for the fastes lap - 9/06/97 he went 109.047 while Jeff Gordon drove the fastest qualifying lap going 126.499 in 1999. (Also for Sprint Cup Series...though think both of them at the time was Whinston Cup.) The race at Richmond this Saturday will be the last race of the regular season before the chase starts. We will know definately who is in and who is out after the race...though as stated elsewhere, the top ten have been locked in. Leaving only eleventh and twelveth to be up for grabs if Biffle and Bowyer have bad races. Which also means both Mark Martin and Dale Earnhardt Jr will be out of the race. To me it is just odd how seasons for drivers changes so dramatically. Last year all of the RCR cars did not make it into the chase and had dismal years. Now all three (Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton, and Clint Bowyer) are in the chase, not only that, Keven Harvick is leading the points (for now.) Whereas Mark Martin was competeing for the championship last year to finish several points behind Johnson for second. As for Jr...he's had a frustrating year this year...again. That part hasn't changed from last year or the year before, but if you look at the points, he has shown some improvement. If I remember rightly, he finished the year 25th last year. Then again he is 19th right now...hopefully he can use these next eleven races to work with his team and his car and experiement for next year. According to what I've been hearing, Lance McGrew will continue to be his crew chief next year. Junior is a very talented driver and has the best equipment under him that is out there, so sooner or later something has to click and he'll be back to his winning format he had been in several years ago.

*Bo feels himself nodding slightly at his uncle while giving him another small smile as he sets down the spatula that he had been holding while checking on his food. It wasn't his normal routine to make breakfast even if Daisy wasn't home, so he was slightly worried and over protective of what he was doing in order for it to be just right. Turning back around he freely gives his uncle a hug before stepping back to say* "Well thank-you Uncle Jesse. I feel the same about you," Bo goes silent for a moment, "who knows where I'd be without you." *Bo offers a nervous smile at his uncle before he turns around to check on his food and the smells of a fresh breakfast that would normally make him hungry now seems to only make him feel nausaus due to his fear and anxiety over what today will hold. He had went to bed late last night after talking to Cooter and showering and spent most of the night twisting and turning in his bed plagued with nightmares after nightmares of some huge beast attacking and eating his uncle with him watching nearby with nothing to do to stop the beast. So finally he decided enough was enough and that there was no way he was going to get a decent night sleep, he got up with hopes of surprising and helping his uncle out with breakfast.* "Well," Bo states as he fights back a yawn. Despite the fatigue that seems to linger over him, he knows good and well that there was no way of him going back to sleep no matter how hard he tried. He was up for the long haul and hopefully they'll be returning tonight with the whole thing done and over with. "you're up just in time. Breakfast is ready."*

Take the Long way Home - John Schneider

Southern Rain - Billy Ray Cyrus

Like the Rain- Clint Black

How Do you like Me now?! - Toby Keith

*Bo watches his uncle leave the kitchen and once again Bo's mind falls upon Luke's absence and what that means for him. Luke would have known what to say to Jesse in an attempt to help him feel better or at least supply some comfort. Luke would go into tomorrow with a plan that would help Jesse and his friends out of the trouble or the predictament that they are now in. But Bo? He had no idea what he was in for or what he should do or say. *Once again, Bo reminds himself that this is his time to prove himself to everyone that he is more than what everyone sees or thinks of him. Sighing heavily, he slowly walks over to the phone and after picking up the handle, he dials the phone number he could dial in his sleep.* After three rings a groggy voice comes on the line, "Davenport." "Cooter?" Bo questions, surprised to hear his friend sounding so tired. "You in bed already?" "Well hey Bo," Cooter's voice awakens before going silent, "I guess I could lie to you and tell you I wasn't in bed, but truth is, I was in bed. Sleeping good before you had to go wake me up. Just been a little bored around here lately. Ever since Luke left business has been slow since you haven't wrecked any patrol cars and all and you seem too busy for little ol' me or either that or you just put up with me because Luke hangs out with me. So I've been a little bored, so figured why not go to bed and catch a few more z's than normal." *Bo lends Cooter a small laugh.* "Honestly Cooter, I've been busy. I've got my own chores to do plus Luke's chores. Someone's got to do laundry," Bo pauses, realzing just how much Luke and Daisy adds to the household. "I ain't got no time for anyone other than the farm. By the time I'm finished, it's already dark and I'm tired and I've got to wake up early to start it all over again. Besides," Bo goes silent, staring into the dark living room, "figured I was doing you a favor." "Yeah?" Cooter questions, "How's that?" "Well y'all know how I get or how I am when I get tired and all," Bo slowly answers only for Cooter to interrupt him. "Yeah. Grouchy," Cooter answers, "so thanks for sparing me." He pauses to laugh a moment. "Though I do realize that you have time to be calling me as of now and not any other night. Which makes me wonder what exactly you are wanting." *Bo inhales deeply, feeling his exhaustion growing within him and he slowly sits down on the old chair as he attempts to ignore all thoughts of what tomorrow might hold.* "Well Cooter. I have a huge favor to ask you," Bo pauses again to sort out his words, "you see something has come up in the swamp. It's got Jesse acting weird as well as a couple other people. Jesse has the mind to go up there tomorrow to see what all is happening in the swamp and see if he can be of some help -" "And you're figuring you have to tag along to be of some help yourself," Cooter once again interrupts him and Bo finds himself rolling his eyes at his friend in the dark, "but that'd leave the farm open and unattended. So you are calling me to see if I could stop by and keep tabs of it and take care of all them rowdy animals of your's? Is that it?" *Bo sighs and nods before answering aloud, "Something like that. The animals will have extra food so unless we are gone for more than a day, they should be fine. I just need someone to stop by once or twice a day to make sure all is as it should be and all." "That's all, huh? Well I suppose I can handle that," Cooter finally responds, "that is if you don't want me going with you and helping out. We all know how dangerous the swamp may be and the more people you got, the better." "Nah. Don't think Jesse would think too much of that," Bo is quick to turn him down though deep down wanting to tell him to come along. "Thanks for the offer. I'll owe you big time." "Damn right you will. Better hope you aren't gone too long, because the longer you're gone, the more time I'll have to think of what I am going to ask you in return," Cooter laughs which only seems to make Bo more anxious and tense than what he already is, "I'll be glad to stop by and take care of the farm while y'all are away. You just promise me one thing, OK buddy?" "What's that?" Bo asks fighting off a yawn. "Y'all be careful. Don't want to hear about you and Jesse dying out in the swamp or anything. Luke would be sure to have my hide if something were to happen to either one of you. Plus I'll be bound to live a life of boredom if the farm is left for Luke and Daisy to take care of. They'd for sure be too busy for little ol' me," Cooter goes silent momentarily, when he speaks up, his voice is full of worry and concert, "but seriously, y'all take care. You'll need to be present in order to pay me back for what I'm doing for y'all." "I'll do my best Cooter. I really don't know what I am up against," Bo goes silent as his fear crawls within him of what tomorrow will hold for him, "that's all I'll promise you. I'll do my best. But I better get going. I have a feeling Jesse's going to be wanting to leave nice and early and I am assuming I'd do better with at least a little sleep. I'll give you a call if," Bo catches himself quickly, "when we get home." "When you get home sounds a lot better. I'll have my radio up and handy if you need me, just give me a call. Be careful Bo," Cooter repeats himself. "Yeah OK. Thanks again, Cooter," Bo slowly says, "night." He then hangs up before finding himself staring into space through the thick darkness before realizing it and slowly gets up to move towards his room. *

I wanna talk about me - Toby Keith

I would assume that the million dollars would go to the driver and his pit crew that got the thirteenth spot.

*Bo inhales deeply.* "I imagine something like that would whether or not you could do something about it. But knowing you, you did everything you could do not for something as horrible as that to happen." *Bo hangs his head momentarily and looks back up at Jesse.* "I'm going to the swamp to do all that I can do to be of help to you and everyone else out there. Whether you want me to or not." *Bo pauses to wait for Jesse's anger or his attempt to stop him. As Jesse continues to be silent, Bo continues* "Once you are off, I'll call Cooter and see if he can stop by the farm to feed and check on the animals as well as the farm. He owes me a favor or two, so I'm willin' to bet that he'll be more than glad to be of some help." *Bo slowly stands up himself, his own exhaustion weighs upon him.* "I'll be sure to be ready whenever you are wanting to leave. Night Jesse."* With that, Bo makes his way past his tired uncle and to the phone with thoughts of calling Cooter.*

Everyone is treated equal w/in the chase, I think. Just they reset the points...can't remember to what number. But just for example, lets say they start everyone at zero. Right now both Johnson and Hamlin have five wins so they will be both at fifty points when it starts, Kyle has three wins so he'll have thirty points. Since Gordon hasn't had a win, he'll be at zero. Johnson and Hamlin will have fifty points on him, which he can gain in one race if he has an awesome race and they finish below him. I don't think they get bonus points once they are within the chase already. If I remember right, everyone's points is reset, just the top twelve has the chance at the championship. Everyone else is fighting for thirteenth where they'll take home a million dollars. Now for Hamlin going into the chase, right now he is tenth, so he'll be going from tenth to I believe second since Johnson is higher in points right now...I could be wrong about that though. I hope that answers your question Roger.

Songs about Me - Trace Adkins

Me and You - Kenny Chesney

Long Black Train - Josh Turner

That's the Night the lights went out in Georgia - Reba

Well after the Atlanta race yesterday, the top ten point positions are locked into the chase. Meaning the only positions that may be available is eleven and twelve points. (Greg Biffle and Clint Bowyer) There is only one race left to go before the chase starts (is soooo hard to believe we are at this point already! Boy does the season goes by fast...why can't the off season go by this fast? LOL) Here is the top fifteen point positions: 1. Kevin Harvick 2. Jeff Gordon (-219) 3. Kyle Busch 4. Tony Stewart 5. Carl Edwards 6. Jeff Burton 7. Jimmie Johnson 8. Kurt Busch 9. Matt Kennseth 10. Denny Hamlin 11. Greg Biffle 12. Clint Bowyer 13. Ryan Newman (-117) 14. Jamie McMurray 15. Mark Martin This is what the chase would look like if it were to start today...at least I think it would, with the points reset. Though if Ryan Newman got into the chase next week, he would be number eight since he has a win to push Gordon to nineth, Edwards to tenth, Burton to eleventh, and Kenseth to twelve. I could be wrong, but this is what I kinda predict it looking like...that is unless Gordon or someone else within the top twelve gets a win next weekend or they move in points position! Don't quote me here, was just playing around to see what it would look like now and this is what it looks like. 1. Jimmie Johnson 2. Denny Hamlin 3. Kevin Harvick 4. Kyle Busch 5. Kurt Buscsh 6. Tony Stewart 7. Greg Biffle 8. Jeff Gordon 9. Carl Edwards 10. Jeff Burton 11. Matt Kenseth 12. Clint Bowyer