Garrett Duke

Where have you been Roger? My Cubs did WIN the World Series this past season...and it was no fluke! They had 102 wins...they earned that World Series trophy! Ironically, this past weekend I bought a WS Cubs sweatshirt that was on sale for $18. When I bought it, with tax...I kid you not, it was $19.08. The last time the Cubs had won the WS. But OK back to the topic on hand...I do believe that the screen and the news had gotten it all wrong. No way the Patriots won when they weren't playing...it was the Bears in disguise! LOL. (I will admit, I was torn on what team I wanted to win. I wanted the Falcons to win since they haven't won it before and they are in GA, but was also wanting the Patriots to win it for Donnie Wahlberg. LOL) Despite the Falcons being in Georgia...we all know the Dukes are die hard Chicago Bears fans. Yep...they love their Bears and Cubs.

I haven't watched enough Coy and Vance episodes to pick any of them out. I think I only watched that season once to give them their credit...so I can't say anything about them other than that I am not a fan of Coy and Vance. Sad thing is, they could have made it work a lot better if they didn't have them dress like Bo and Luke and make them someone they are not. The poor actors didn't stand much of a chance, in my opinion. But even if they did do them differently and had their own personalities, I'd probably still prefer Bo and Luke. As for Bo and Luke episodes..."Strange Visitor in Hazzard" ranks at the top of my short least liked episodes. It'd be nice if they at least kept some sort of reality in Hazzard (my opinion). Second would be "Luke's Love Story". I have to admit I loved the fight with Bo and and the bad guy in Cooter's garage...thought that was great! But I really didn't like how they portrayed Bo or Luke in that episode.

Spike -Where did you hear that at? I haven't heard about it being switched like that. That format works for the All Star Race because it's a different race. It's not a points race...and it's only for one race. I really hope that that rumor is wrong. Brian France has done enough to ruin NASCAR with this horrible Chase format (that's my opinion...) and then to add onto it. Personally, I don't blame the older drivers for dropping out like they seem to. To me with this format now, they seem like they are just asking for drama that doesn't need to be there and focusing more on the drama than on the racing...my opinion once again. Yeah...I really hope that rumor is blown a way real quick like. Thanks Roger. Have missed this place and would love to do a review for NASCAR. Sadly with events that happened last year, I didn't get to watch a lot of the races, but am hoping to watch more this year. I need to support my driver...ol' seven time! I like Chase Elliot and I think he has a lot of talent and I can see him winning a race or two this season. It's coming. But I am still having a hard time having him drive the 24 car. 24 will always be Jeff Gordon to me. Always.

Well y'all..I am out of hibernation. For now at least. Thanks to Roger. Life is just busy with two jobs and two dogs . . . and well life. I am beyond devastated to see Carl Edwards retire...Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart was predictable (whether I liked it or not...) but Edwards? Edwards is only 37 years old...and him and Jimmie Johnson are probably the most fit out of all the other drivers on the track. I was kinda predicting Dale Jr to be the next one to retire after this concussion like symptons he had. Reportedly his fifth concussion. (Trust me, I love Dale Jr...so am glad to see him hang around, but he also has to look out for himself and his health.) But Carl Edwards? Not at all. As for me, Carl Edwards was always my favorite driver outside of the Hendrick camp. He is always positive, has a smile on his face...and who doesn't like his backflips? So yeah...I am bummed. First Gordon, then Stewart...and now Edwards. I am just glad that Jimmie Johnson is hanging around...I would be beyond devastated if he was the one to retire - especially with no warning. So I guess it could be worse and for that I am thankful. Well if y'all forgot how much I love NASCAR, let me tell you...I am BEYOND ready for Daytona. Six more Sundays...

I predict the Chicago Bears will win the Super Bowl this year. Say what you wanna say, but that trophy is going home to Chicago...whether you like it or not. Chicago Bears...there's my prediction and I am sticking with it.

I am not a fan of the Chase either and could go on and on with how I feel about that as well as with other issues NASCAR seems to have...but despite that, will always love NASCAR and seeing how I doubt NASCAR will get rid of the Chase...might as well as accept it for what it is. Talking of which...I finally got to watch a race yesterday. Most of it at least. I think I turned it on on lap 86 or something like that. Martin Truex Jr owned that race. Started on the pole and led 588 out of 600 laps to win the race. Never seen a driver be that dominant before. Jimmie Johnson was the only driver to pass him during green flag, but it wasn't for long. It's was a story book ending kind of story for Martin Truex Jr with all the rotten luck he's been dealt with. Not just this year either...was happy to see him win as he did. Onto Pocono next weekend...

I really miss out on a lot of stuff by not stopping by as much as I use to. Didn't even knew Ben was having issues...that is rotten for him. But on a positive note, that would be awesome to go see and to attend. I went to several Dukefests and had a great time. Highly doubt I will be able to go to this one, but we will see. Hope you have a great time Roger and all who does get to go.

Yeah, I hope he don't get in trouble for it either. Just found it cool. I am a huge DOH and NASCAR fan so I love it when the worlds collide like that. I don't have cable either due to money issues so if the races are on cable, I have to watch it at my parents' house. Frustrated last week...was home expecting it to be on FOX and it was on FOX Sports 1, so I missed it. Really wish all races would be on FOX. But that is just me. As for NASCAR and Brian France there is a lot that they do that upset me...like fining Tony Stewart for speaking the truth a couple of weeks ago. But they will do what they do I guess. As for Kyle Busch...NASCAR owed him a chance to earn his way into the Chase. Yeah he should work for it and he got the wins and the points to make it into the Chase. But the only reason Kyle Busch missed those races was because they didn't have the walls at Daytona safe enough. NASCAR by now should have every wall of every track with safety barrier on them...no reason not to. Especially after that hard hit Jeff Gordon took at Las Vegas several years ago that got that track's walls to be surrounded by safety barrier...every track should have changed right then to have the highest protection as possible. I am glad to see NASCAR give Tony a chance to make the Chase as well...hope can make it. Well that is my two cents worth, for how little it is worth.

Sadly due to life's circumstances, I have missed most of the races this year. I have been reading up on them...but did watch Talladega and was disappointed with the accidents. I know Talladega is known as the big one and for the accidents, but it got ridiculous. I felt like a lot of them could have been avoided if the drivers used common sense...such as Kurt Busch wrecking Jimmie Johnson. Just lucky no one got hurt. Anyway...I found this on Facebook and thought of y'all. I know James Best helped Ryan Newman with his animal charities as well as lived down the road from James. And now looks like he owns a General Lee. What a lucky girl to be picked up in The General Lee...;) http://www.foxsports.com/nascar/story/ryan-newman-richard-childress-racing-dukes-of-hazzard-general-lee-performs-dad-duty-051116

Hoss- I don't know if that would work in NASCAR...but if that was in NASCAR, the driver and team would be punished for having too many people over pit wall. Can't recall how many members can be in the pit area...think it is seven, but that seems high. Know there is a number set of how many can be on the pit wall. That is one fast stop!

Believe it or not, I am still here. Just been quiet and busy. Life is busy. In fact, I haven't watched a whole race since Daytona this year. Sad, I know. I did watch part of Bristol last week...Bristol is my favorite track/race. Sadly I missed the last half of the race though. LOL. I do have some great news though...Tony Stewart will be returning to the number 14 car this Sunday. Stewart suffered a back injury before the season started and has been sitting out. Thursday he came forward saying he has been cleared by his doctors and NASCAR to drive this weekend. YAY. This is Tony's final season and will be retiring after this season. NASCAR will not be the same without him. NASCAR has also said that they will give Stewart a pass to allow Stewart into the Chase this season IF he can be in the top 30 in points and/or gets a win or two. NASCAR did the same for Kyle Busch last season after Kyle broke his leg and foot at the Xfinity Series Daytona race . . .Kyle made the Chase and won the NASCAR Sprint Cup title. So Smoke (Tony Stewart) still has hope... Though just as I was congratulating NASCAR on their right choice of giving Stewart the pass...they came back and fined Stewart $35,000 for some violation over what he had said earlier this week or last week. Stewart had criticized NASCAR's lug nut policy. Up until the beginning of last season, all cars had to have ALL lug nuts tight or else NASCAR would give them a drive through penalty. Well the beginning of last season NASCAR took the policy away allowing the crews/drivers to decide if they want to tighten all lug nuts or save time on pit road and leave some lose. Stewart said how dangerous that NASCAR is giving the teams the choice on leaving lug nuts lose...and he is absolutely RIGHT! Those lug nuts are what are keeping those tires on. As Stewart said, there will always be teams willing to push the envelope when it comes to see how they can save time on pit road and to get back out on track faster. Someone can get seriously hurt or worse if a tire falls off during the race or even if they are coming onto pit road and it falls off. NASCAR penalizing Tony for speaking his opinion...which is absolutely right...is beyond ridiculous and frustrating. Teams will be penalized if they lose control of the tires when they take them off on pit road, and yet they are allowed to test fate by not tightening the lug nuts? Just don't make sense to me that it is an option to leave them lose...thought that last year when they changed the rule. Welcome back Tony...here is your $35,000 fine for speaking the truth...:( Though of what I saw on Facebook, other drivers are chipping in to help Tony pay his fine. Which never should have been given to him to begin with. I am beyond done with NASCAR's punishment policy where they will fine a driver like Stewart for something petty and yet will allow others go by with a lot worse without saying anything. It has been like this for a long time...they really need to stop looking at who the driver is when they hand out the fine, and look at the deed and punish despite who the driver is. Don't get me wrong...I will always love NASCAR despite all this, just makes me mad and frustrated.

LOL Hoss...you are probably right. But his nickname is Superman. And this weekend he will be driving his Superman car...while Jr will be driving Batman.

Another reason to love Chase. He has done great so far and am looking forward to seeing how far he will go this season. Still have a hard time accepting him in the 24 car, but other than that, that he is great. But I am sticking with Jimmie Johnson...the man of steel.

Well I am glad you are finally going for the 24 car...guess it is better late than never. Chase is a great and talented driver...he has a lot to prove. I like Chase...though will admit that I do have a hard time accepting him as the #24. 24 will always be Jeff Gordon for me. Double that 24 number you will get the number of the driver of my favorite current driver. Will definitely follow Chase and see how he does and maybe in the future he will be my favorite driver once my current favorite driver retires...which will be never. LOL. Glad to hear you have found a driver to follow and one that will bring home the checkered flag in the near future.

I know, I know...I have to enjoy it while it lasts.

My boys finish 1-2 today. Johnson finished first...ties his wins with Dale Sr. at 76 and Dale Jr finishes second. So good to hear Jr sound soooo happy after the race. Chase Elliot finished 8th in the 24 car. Great race today...sadly for my fantasy team, I went with Kevin Harvick who led the most laps, but finished sixth. Shoulda went with my boy Johnson. LOL.

And who is in first place? ? ?

Beat me? Oh hog wash. I felt sorry for you last year...now with all this smack talk, I don't feel to bad. I am about to show you all who's boss...ME. LOL. Me and my buddy, Jimmie Johnson, is going to dominate this year!

Sounds like a great idea...sorry I didn't think of that when I created this one.

Thanks Roger for putting this out there...anyone is welcomed to join. It is fun, free, and it is easy to play. Let me know and I'll help you get signed up. It is already very tough on me. I get anxious for Daytona...and then it hits me. Oh yeah, Gordon's going to be in the booth. Not the 24 car. Hard for me to accept that someone else is driving the 24 car...that will always be Gordon's car to me. Don't get me wrong, I am still excited for Daytona. Jimmie Johnson will be my guy to follow now that Gordon isn't out there. Just won't be the same. Please join Roger and I in a little fun NASCAR fantasy league...you don't even have to know a lot about NASCAR to play it. . . I have some sad NASCAR news though...Tony Stewart was in a bad non racing accident last Sunday. By what I read he was at a friend's house where they were driving the guys' sand buggies. At first, people said Tony flipped it. But now it sounds like he got separated from the pack and lost control of it. It must have went air borne and he landed hard on the sand. Sounds like he laid there for ninety minutes before the guy, Jeff Gordon, and Ray Everanham found him, helped him onto a helicopter and flew him to the hospital with a serious back injury. They later flew him to North Carolina's hospital where he had back surgery. Sounds like he broke his lower vertebrae or something like that. They say he will make a full recovery and should be able to return to racing later this season...but in the meantime he will have to find another driver to replace him for Daytona and until he is healed. Sad way to end his stellar career. Stewart said at the end of last season, that this would be his last season in NASCAR. Sorry to put the news here, but I didn't want to take away from my fantasy league. . .

I am highly sad that Christmas is here and over already...New Year's tomorrow. And back to work on Monday. Yuck. I like my job...just not ready to get up to the stupid alarm at three fifteen in the morning again. Oh well. Don't worry about me...I'll be fine in seven more weeks when NASCAR starts back up again. Seven long weeks...

OK...so I cheated. How many Jack songs can there be? Can't think of any Diane songs either...so I will go with and. "You and Tequila" Kenny Chesney https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8XkLrErSHw (btw...I copied and pasted this into the reply box and it still didn't show the picture. You may just be stuck with a link...)

So I couldn't figure out how to post a video on this newer version...so you'll have to handle a link. "Jack Daniels" Eric Church I will warn y'all that he does say the "A" word a few times in the song and for that I apologize. This is the only song I could think of with any of the words on the previous songs and well...I was determined to think of something. I dislike that he uses that word, but do love Eric Church's music. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQm4loeXc20

Congrats Roger...thought you would be happy about that. I would have done better, but I seemed to curse the drivers I picked and they end up wrecking out or having some sort of problems throughout the race. I am sure they all cringed every time I picked them to do good. Congrats Roger...you deserved it. Well the 2015 season has ended this past weekend and I for one am an emotional wreck about it. One: it was Jeff Gordon's very last race of his career. He is now retired. Though he will be in the Fox booth next season with Darrell Waltrip. And two: I hate NASCAR's off season...LOL. Long season short...after missing eleven races due to a horrendous accident in the Xfinity Series race at Daytona last February, Kyle Busch over come all that when NASCAR gave him a waiver to get into the Chase...as long as he was in the top thirty in points and a win. He strung along several wins to make it into the Chase...and he held on despite several shaky races by the 18 team...to win the championship. KYLE BUSCH IS THE 2015 NASCAR SPRINT CUP CHAMPION!! I know he is getting criticized for not being a true champion due to the eleven missed races, but if you asked me, NASCAR owed Kyle that waiver they gave him. After all, if that track had a safety barrier around the whole track, he probably wouldn't have missed those races. Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Jeff Gordon, and Martin Truex Jr. are the top four driver in points. I guess it goes without saying that I was really pulling and hoping for Gordon to win his fifth championship...to be celebrating with him - well from my space in this world...LOL. But third place is still something to be proud about. He had the best average finish in the Chase of all the Chase drivers...he had a great Chase with his one and last win coming at Martinsville. So hard to believe that Jeff Gordon is done. Finished. That there is now a new driver that will be driving the 24 car...Chase Elliot. Don't get me wrong, I do like Chase. I have followed him before his Xfinity Series start last year...after all he was tagged to be Gordon's replacement. But I am not ready to watch Gordon leave. Then again, I'll never be ready to see my hero walk away from the sport he helped me to love and follow the past thirteen years or so. Especially not ready to see someone else take over the 24 car...even if it was Gordon's idea for Elliot to take the 24 after him. Yeah, it is great to see the 24 continue it's legacy, but it is hard for me to see it being taken over by anyone. Just so you all know...I will always love Jeff Gordon. Look up to him. Respect him. Jeff Gordon helped change NASCAR, help NASCAR grow. Helped shape NASCAR. He has had a great career, one to be proud of. Not only does he have a great career to be proud about, but most importantly he is a great person and has done so much to help with children cancer. He even has his own children's hospital. He does a lot to help those children and give them some hope they all deserve. I am sure he will continue to do so and maybe more so now that he is retired. Last week I was an nervous wreck about this last race...thinking of all that could go wrong for his last race. I wanted it to be perfect for him. Well...I missed the race...but it sounds like it was less than perfect as he had a tire go down. He went in for a vibration and they worked on what they thought was wrong...only to find out it was a tire. So they got that fixed. So perhaps he didn't get the win I was hoping for and didn't win the championship, but he came home sixth on his last week, third for the overall season. Now I am sad to see him go, to say his career is over, but happy for him. He deserves to walk away when he is ready, and he is ready. I am just glad and thankful that he will be in the booth next year...even more so that it is with FOX and Darrell Waltrip. I love it when the races are on FOX and I love DW...so I will still get to see Jeff Gordon. Or more likely than not, to hear him. I think the number one question that I have been asked since he announced his retirement is, who will you follow next year? And the answer is an easy one...JIMMIE JOHNSON. Jimmie has been my second favorite driver for a long while now...because of Jeff Gordon. Jeff Gordon spotted his talent. Talked Hendrick into hiring Jimmie to race for him...which in turn, Rick Hendrick told Gordon to put his money where his mouth is. . .so Jeff Gordon is car owner of Jimmie Johnson. I see a lot of similarities between the two. If I didn't have Jimmie Johnson to turn to to follow next season, I don't know if I could get excited about NASCAR. Or as excited as I am. Especially after how frustrating this Chase is for me or NASCAR punishment policy. (I agree with what Kyle Busch said a couple of weeks ago...it all depends on the name above the driver's door on whether or not they will cast out punishment. Been like that for some time now and it is beyond frustrating for me.) With all that said, I will keep an eye on Chase Elliot and hope he will do great in the Sprint Cup Series as well.

Well y'all, remember me? LOL. Last I tried signing in, I either got the wrong password or it didn't let me in...and well just gave up after that. Life is busy. I do still watch the races, but unlike last year, normally just have my tablet instead of my computer out to write the write ups. I apologize for disappearing on you. But you seemed to do great with out me, so I guess it doesn't matter much. For better newsworthy news...Tony Stewart made it official yesterday. He is retiring after next year and Clint Bowyer will be taking his seat in the 14 car. After all Tony has gone through in the past few years, it is kind of expected. Though still sad. We are at Dover this weekend...it will be Jimmie Johnson's 500th NASCAR race. And they will start eliminating drivers after the race from the Chase...four to be exact. So hard to believe we are at this point of the season. We are in the Chase and have eight races (counting Dover) til we find out who will be the 2015 Champion. More depressing, it also marks eight more races left to Jeff Gordon's career. I am appreciative of having the chance to watch him race...even if just on TV...and to be a big fan of his. But hate the fact that he is getting ready to walk away from the 24 car...but am also glad that he will be on FOX next season. NASCAR will not be the same with out him. For the sport. Or for me, the fan. I have heard a lot of Gordon fans say that when he is done, they are done with NASCAR. That probably would have been me several years ago when Gordon was my main driver. He is and always will be my all time favorite driver...but now I also follow the rest of the Hendrick drivers. Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson are my two main favorite drivers...I get asked all the time who I will root for when Gordon calls it quits. Well my answer is always...Jimmie Johnson. Well had to throw in my hello and to spread word about Tony Stewart...