Garrett Duke

Thanks for your message Texas Daisy. Hope all is going well with you and your family! Hope you've been enjoying some good books...I love to read when I have or find the time as well as to write when my muses are cooperating with me...which is very rare. Thanks again!

Texas Daisy...is that what it is...your photo? LOL. All I could make out was the bottle of beer. Thanks to Roger for his reply there and pointing it out because otherwise I had thought of asking that as well. I have never seen an armidillo in person and definately not one drinking a bottle of beer.

Never understood where Waltrip got Junebug from Junior other than the first three letters of Junior, but always thought it was kinda funny. The other nickname that he has that I find even funnier is for David Reutimann where he calls him Reuti-tuiti (Don't know how to spell it) but it's funny to me. Perhaps not to David...LOL

The only nickname that he came up with that I can't stand is for Kyle Busch and that is wild man or something like that. Darrell says that Kyle reminds himself of him when he was young - I have a hard time seeing Darrell being like Kyle. Guess it all goes to show that they all do grow and mature and that there is hope for Kyle after all.

Well I guess you can call that the kid in me then...LOL. I like Digger. And you sound a lot like me...liking Fox and Darrell Waltrip and Jeff Hammond. I can't believe people wouldn't like them! LOL They do liven it up and make it excited. You can tell they are just excited about doing it as well - they are definately not boring. As I said, they are the only prerace shows that I do watch and will really miss watching them come late winter/spring.

I like the whole consistent start times and for the short prerace show or whatever you call it...I like for the most part. I don't watch the pre-race show when they are on TNT, ESPN, or on ABC. I just turn on in time for the race so for those races, that is awesome. Though I do like watching/listening to the prerace show on Fox with Darrell Waltrip and Jeff Hammond and Mike Myers. Those are my favorite announcers and wish NASCAR would stay on FOX for that reason. Oh well, they don't ask me. But still I will miss their prerace show on FOX and watching their gofer cartoon and all that. Once again...that is of my opinion entirely.

Have a great day tomorrow!

I just read an article on NASCAR.com that starting next year that the races will have a consistent starting time through out the year...depending on where the race is at. Like central and eastern races will be one PM EST... Western races will be three PM EST (I think that is correct, but perhaps I have the western/Eastern switched...) and night races will start 7:30 PM EST except for the longest night race I think at Lowe's track. Don't quote me on that. Though they are dropping the green flag fifteen to twenty minutes after the start time.

A NASCAR race...boring? *GASPS!* LOL. Can't recall the spring race off the top of my head but if I am remember the race correctly you are about right about that, though I would never admit so. I just hope Gordon can lead some laps and get more points....perhaps even WIN the race. LOL

Daytona in the chase...now that would be great. It would kinda be neat if they started with Daytona and ended the season with Daytona. Daytona or Bristol...that's a hard choice to make of which track to go. Or how about Chicagoland? LOL...so many great tracks and so little chase time!

I think you are right about Brad being up front and having a lot of talent. I do hoep you are right that he will become somehwat affiliated with Hendrick if not a Hendrick driver.

Talking about DEI...I just looked up (due to a co-worker asking me about it) that Dale Earnhardt Sr's grandson will be racing in the Nationwide series races next year - as much as they can in order to get sponsors. Jeffery Earnhardt is Kerry Earnhardt's son and will be driving Jr's old car - number eight.

It would be neat if Jr could at least partially own DEI. Too bad that his step mom isn't being cooperative with him and all that.

I saw that five drivers would be on the show. That will be interesting to watch to see how smart they really are. Too bad Gordon or Johnson are not on it. But Edwards would be good to see as well as the others. (I am definately not smarter...lol)

Thanks for summing up the article. As I said, I only got to read half of the debate due to my dumb computer. I agree...if chasers can bump and bang on each other, why not the others. I am kinda surprised that Kyle Busch hasn't really tried anything since teh chase had started. Then again, I do think he has calmed down a bit from last year - though still think he has a ways to go to become mature and all that. If that makes sense.

LOL ...I bet you are right. The plan was for him the share Martin's ride next year until Martin quickly stated he'd drive full time next year right after Brad won that one race. Then Martin said he'd driver 2011 full time too. So that pretty much left Brad looking for another ride.Either that or wait two years. So I dont' blame him for going elsewhere. He does have a lot of talent and it is good to see that. I am sure he will do good with Penske...

I am sorry if I vented too much or got carried away. It probably wasn't that big of a deal, jsut didn't make sense to me. (Just to be clear, they didn't say anything about only chasers racing and probably would NEVEr do that for the same reason you gave).

Fontana is OK...not my favorite, but it should make for an exciting race for the chase. As I said earlier, I think they should have Bristol in the chase.

The officials probably have their reasons for warning Brad and maybe Brad did something they didn't show or say. I don't know.I just want to be clear that I was only venting my frustration/confusion over the warning by saying they should just let chasers race if that is what they are going to do with non chasers. They didn't say that and would enver do that for it would take viewrs...a lot of them I imagine.

(For a Rookie, I like Brad) that came out wrong. It came out like I don't like rookies, I have nothing against them and do enjoy watchign them to see what htey have for the more experienced. I think I meant I liked Brad best over the rest of the rookies, but that is because he is Jr's protoge so to speak and is currently with Hendrick for the few races he races this year. Next year he will be in Sprint full time but with Penske .

Yeah I think if Gordon did have a few more laps he would have won the race which is kind of frustrating, but I'll take second seeing how bad his car had been handling the first half of the race.

I read a title about Hamlin and Keselwaski havign some altercation in teh Nationwide Series race last week, but my computer wouldn't let me open it and see what it wasw about. Perhaps that is what NASCAR was thinking, I don't know. They didn't say anything about it in the part of the debate I had read (then again, my computer blurred out half of the debate so I only read the first half). Dang computer anyhow. LOL. I am sure they do have their reasons, it just don't make sense to me. For a rookie, I like Brad. I think he'll have a future in NASCAR. I was just wishing it was with Hendrick as he was wishing and thought he had instead of with Penske.

(As I said, I think that would cut the excitement of the race in half if they only had twelve drivers out there), but still, if they can't compete for the win, then they shouldn't be out tehre for that is iwhat they are out there to do.Perhaps he was racing them aggressively, but of what I saw, was doing it cleanly.

*Takes a deep breath* All that is of my opinion of course .

I read a little debate page over it on NASCAR.com where two journalists or whatever you call them debate over the issue...one for each side. I read a little bit of it, but I guess the reason that the officials warned Brad K. for driving the chasers aggresively was because he was a rookie...as if that makes any sense. I don't know...didn't see the interview with Brad, but he probably didn't think much of it or if did shrugged it off and did his own thing. But it still doesn't make much sense to me and does upset me that they would do that...as I said, if non-chasers can't compete for the win, then maybe they should park them for the rest of the season.

I was surprised with Johnson too. I kept waiting for him to come up and battle Gordon for second and so on. He never did. He don't normally struggle with his car, especially in the chase. Though California is next and like Gordon, he is good at that track too. A top ten isn't bad, but yeah, like you said, it isn't like him to have trouble with his car.

I hate having Johnson ahead of Gordon like he is...just because in order for Gordon to win the championship he'll have to get past Johnson. In order for that to happen, Gordon needs to be great and Johnson to have a little trouble. I want Gordon to win, but I don't want Johnson have any trouble either...I guess perhaps not trouble, but Gordon needs to be better than Johnson. I don't know...if all that makes any sense.

Was happy for Tony's win...though would have been happier if he got second and Gordong got first. LOL. (Was very happy with Gordon's second place finish - thought he had a great race. ) Tony is still surprising me with his team and how well he is doing and how much he has calmed down from a couple of years ago.

I felt horrible for Jr. Led for 41 laps and then the dang lugnut fell off to put a start of an end to his day as you put it. I was rooting for him. I felt bad for his crew as well. THey have so much pressure put on them and I am sure they felt horrible once they were pointed out their mistake. Yeah I am looking forward for next year for him. HOpefully he will have the same crew cheif just so they can have a clean slate for them both to work on and to start off on. If all that makes sense. He has talent, he just needs a little luck to go his way.

Yeah I don't know what is going on with Edwards...I was wondering that too this weekend when he got caught for speeding in pits. It is not like him to do that. Maybe the lady is slowing him down. LOL. This is just not his year...though I am not counting anyone out as of yet.

Eh Martin does look pretty good and strong standing there in first as he is. He has done better than I had imagined him doing when he first signed up for Hendrick and am happy for him. He seems like a great guy and is a great driver. Though California is next and there are several other tracks that is coming up that Gordon is good at...he's slowly getting closer. LOL

That's a bummer you got out voted...I think a NASCAR party would be great! LOL...but maybe next year he will be more excited about a NASCAR party.

I know what you mean about not getting to talk about NASCAR. I have my parents that I bore with my NASCAR talk and complaints, though I am sure they care little about it. There is a couple of people at work that like Jr, but don't know how big of fans they are to really talk in depth about it. And watching kids doesn't give much time to really talk about it. LOL.

I thought what Jimmie had said was funny - though I am now sure there is more that goes on than just driving in circles as he called it. LOL

OK I am sorry to be venting to you...I just had to vent to someone who may understand what I am talking about. I feel like Brad was doing his job and what he was suppose to do...competing for the win. Yet NASCAR warns him for doing so? I don't care if he is only racing seven races this season (or so) and is not a chase contender...the bottom line for all 43 drivers out there should be to compete for the win...as long as it is within limits and isn't wrecking anyone out on purpose! *takes a deep breath* Sorry to vent...just frustrates me and I don't understand the why behind it. Thanks for listening .

Maybe I am reading too into the statement, but that is what I am getting out of it. If NASCAR doesn't want Brad or any non-chase contenders driving aggressively for the win, then maybe they should only let the twelve chasers race and take everyone out - though I do think that would be a bad idea for the sport and make it not so interesting to watch. But still...if they can't compete for the win, then why should they be out there? As long as they aren't wrecking people or causing accidents or driving recklessly, where does NASCAR have the right to tell them not to drive the chasers aggressively?

What bugged me about the race and still does, is that Brad Keselowski ran a great race at the top of the race. I think he finished eleventh so that still isn't too bad. But what bugs me is that when he was racing up front...in the top five or so...NASCAR went to his pits and warned him not to be racing the chase contenders so aggressively! I don't understand where NASCAR has the right to be telling him to do so...it wasn't like he was wrecking them or causing any accidents. He was racing - at least of what I saw of. Maybe I have it all wrong in believing/thinking that a driver should give it all he has to win the race no matter if he is in or out of the chase. Because to me that makes it seem like NASCAR is telling him or any non-chase contenders to just back off from the chase contenders or am I wrong?