Garrett Duke

Well this isn't NASCAR news worthy...but I apologize for not keeping up with my race reviews and so forth. Life has gotten busy and haven't had the time to really sit down and write any up...and have missed a couple of races here and there. Horrible...I know. Gordon's last year and I am failing him miserably...find it incredibly sad that this time next year, there will be a kid in his seat and not him. At least he will be up in the booth in FOX with Darrell Waltrip. Talking of the booth, tonight's race at Daytona will be the first race on NBC for the past few years. Will be interesting to see who will be in their booth and all that fancy stuff. (Just so you know...next year, my main driver will move over to my second favorite driver. Jimmie Johnson. I am interested in seeing how Chase Elliot will do in the Cup series, just wish it was in another car. 24 will always be Gordon for me.) Anyway Dale Earnhardt Jr got the pole due to the qualifying being rained out and they went by their finish in practice. So tonight is Gordon's last race at Daytona...really hope he will get a decent finish. For his last year, it hasn't been the best for him or his fans...so it is about time to turn that around. Jr will take the green flag 6:30 central time on NBC. Seeing how I have to wake up at four tomorrow morning, I really don't know how long I will stay up to watch it. According to my DVR, it has it ending at 9:30 central time...my time. Which is doable to be up at, but won't be putting me to bed any time early. LOL. So there it is...hope all has been great for you.

Well I am back as well...HNet wasn't accepting my password until now. Figured y'all got me kicked out. LOL. I will admit there was a time I that Kyle Busch kinda bugged me, but I have to admit I have slowly accepted the fact that now that he has matured in the past couple of years I do like him and have respect for him. I am super excited to hear of his return this weekend...though his wife is due any time now. So who knows if she has her baby this weekend if that would sideline him for one more race. It will be great to see him in the 18 car once more. Better yet, NASCAR has waivered him to be Chase eligible as long as he finishes in the top 30 in points with a win come Chase time. Normally the driver has to qualify their car and start the race in order to get points for the race and to be able to go into the Chase...and with Kyle missing two and a half months of races that would side line him come time for the Chase. But NASCAR is making an exception for him. Which they should. If they and Daytona International Speedway had put safety barriers on that wall, he wouldn't have gotten hurt as badly as he did. So super news for Kyle Busch and his fans.

Well if I didn't deserve to be fired a couple of weeks ago, I do now. Sadly, I only caught the last twenty or so laps of the Texas race last night. Just too bad NASCAR is so inconsiderate and doesn't follow my schedule. I mean, really? I am their biggest fan after all... So I guess I will let you know the of the few info that I do know... Kurt Busch started the race from the pole. Jeff Gordon had a car that he fought all day, but thanks to a late race caution where his cc Alan Gustafson gambled with a two tire change, gave him an eighth or seventh place finish Kasey Kahne finished seventh or eighth (he turned 35 on last Friday...). Kevin Harvick led a lot of laps...but not the lap that counted the most. He came in second...after bumping Dale Jr. out of the way. Which is very uncool of him if you ask me. I mean where he figures he can disrespect the sports' most popular driver that way? But to stick with the facts, Jr was second on the white flag flew, coming around the last curve, Harvick bumped Jr. So Harvick finished second, Jr. finished third. Jimmie Johnson who holds the most wins at Texas for active drivers led a lot of laps...and led the lap that mattered to win the race. All four of my Hendrick boys finished in the top ten. Carl Edwards got his first top ten of the season for his new team, team Gibbs. Sorry for my lack of a review. I was hoping to catch the race last night, but just didn't get home in time to do so. Other than to watch the last 27 laps or so. Though I did finally cave in and bought the special package to my NASCAR APP on my phone that lets me listen into the drivers' radio as well as watch from certain drivers screen points. I listened into Gordon's radio (imagine that, right?) for the last 35 laps or so last night. Thought that was pretty awesome. Though he sounded pretty discouraged on the radio...or maybe just tired. Didn't really say anything other than about the pit stop and congratulating Alan on a great call. We are at my all time favorite track next Sunday...BRISTOL baby!!!! Not only that, but Gordon's kids (Ella and Leo) will be the grand marshals for the race. I am so looking forward to it...and really hope to catch the race. . .and to do better with my reviews. I am not forgetting y'all...at all. I promise! Hope you all have a good week.

Thanks Lizzy for explaining that to me...I thought I knew everything about NASCAR. Guess I was wrong. LOL. Actually I know more about the drivers/crew and most of the supposed rules of NASCAR than I do the actual technical car stuff. Though I always find that interesting. Jeff Hammond use to do a segment in the pre race show on FOX explaining different car info and stuff...I really wish he would still do that. I always enjoyed the info he gave out. As for Ryan Newman and his crew...as I said, I really don't understand why they would attempt to do that right after NASCAR came out saying harsh penalties would come out of it if caught. I know it is the crew chief to walk the line and push the envelope on the rules of the car, but really? A couple of days after NASCAR gave the warning? Just don't make sense to me.

Well y'all I owe you all a huge apology...I did watch last weekends race, but had my niece and nephew over so I didn't have my lap top up (dogs, kids...too many chances of someone knocking it over and what not. Plus...busy, busy, busy.) Anyways, right after the race, we left to take the kids back into town to meet up with my sister. And this being Holy Week, have been busy at church and will continue to be so this week. Wish I was here to say I was going to write a race write up, but I should be in bed right now... So I will agree with Hoss...I was highly disappointed with Jeff Gordon's speeding penalty. He was struggling with his car all race long, hung out in tenth or so for most of the race. He finally got his car up to par and up in clean air and only to get caught speeding. At least he manned up to it and apologized. He didn't get the win I was hoping for, but man it was amazing to hear him go through the field as fast as he did. I think someone said he restarted like 35th or so and in a handful of laps or so, he finished ninth. Maybe he needs to race mad more often. OK . . .just joking. I don't want Gordon mad. If Gordon is mad, I am mad. Just how it goes. Danica Patrick finished seventh or eighth. So way to go Danica! It is great to see her have some success and hope for more down the road. I do like her, just feel like she was pulled up to the Sprint Cup Series too early and above others that was more talented. Jimmie Johnson had several issues throughout the race...finished like 31 laps down. Jr had shifter issues and got caught up in a wreck. It was neat to see Gordon and Kenseth work with each other. I didn't see it happened (I missed the first part of the race...my niece had the TV and wouldn't give it to me...LOL) but I guess Kenseth door slammed Gordon at some point in the race. At the end at one of the restarts, Kenseth was first and Gordon radioed into his spotter saying that it would be nice if Kenseth would repay him for door slamming him by giving him the inside lane (I think it was the inside lane that worked more). Gordon said he was mainly joking, but Kenseth did it. Before the radio conversation came through on the TV, I was wondering why he would give him that lane and so was the announcers. It was just great to see none team mates work together like that. (Gordon just wanted the lane and had said he would let Kenseth past him once the race restarted...which he did.) Gordon and Kenseth didn't always get along so it was great to see them getting along now. I know I am missing most of the race...but Denny Hamlin ended up winning the race and taking home the Martinsville Clock trophy. I apologize that I am missing most of the race and the final results...I really shouldn't even be on right now. Kyle Larson was not in the race (Regan Smith drove for him) as he passed out during his autograph session Saturday. He was released from the hospital last night and is waiting for test results. Still not cleared to race...but they have this weekend off so hopefully they will figure it out before the eleventh when they will be racing at Texas. Before the race, NASCAR said drivers were cheating or doing something with the tires (I thought I read something about drilling holes in them? But I am thinking that has to be wrong and I imagined that...can't imagine how drilling holes in the tires would help them out any) and had said they would punish drivers if caught. Well Ryan Newman has been caught tampering with his tires somehow...his crew chief has been suspended for several races, he has been docked like 75 driver points, and I am sure fines were handed out as well. I really don't understand why they would go out and tamper with the tires just after NASCAR warned them about it. Once again, I apologize for failing at my job here and for doing such a bad job now. If I had more time I would do a better job at it, but four tomorrow morning will be here bright and early. Like every morning. LOL. Thanks Hoss for trying to cover for me. I had to admit I had to go and re-read your beginning paragraph after seeing your final result. I was about to yell at you for giving Brad Keselowski another win this past weekend...but then realized you were talking about last week's race (March 22). No race this week, they are off for Easter. And then they will be racing Saturday night, April 11th at Texas. I will try to do a better job at my reviews...

I apologize for my lack of a review of last week's race...I was out and missed the race. I had thought I was going to be able to make it back in time, but as it turned out, I didn't even get to watch any of it. I can tell you Kevin Harvick won. But that is about it...oh and that Gordon finished nineth, Johnson eleventh...Jr 43rd after a wreck, and Kasey Kahne finished I think fourth. But that is about it. So I am sorry. If all should go as planned, am hoping to watch the race on Sunday. But with that said...I have some sad NASCAR news. Brian Vickers who was sidelined with blood clots in his leg in 2010 and missed the beginning of this season due to an emergency open heart surgery in December, is now out indefinitely as they have once again found blood clots in his leg. He is on blood thinners and he is not allowed to race while on blood thinners. Brett Moffitt will take his car for him while he is out...Brett had drove for him while he missed the first two races of the season. Brian and his family is in my thought and prayers as he goes through this ordeal once again. Ironically, this is blood clot awareness week and Brian was scheduled to do some appearances for it before the race... On a happy note...Dwight Yoakam will be the honorary starter for the race. Love Dwight's music!

Well We are under way at Las Vegas. Jeff Gordon won the pole...his first at Las Vegas...only to get wrecked out in the second practice by Danica Patrick...and had to go to a different car. So he went from starting first to starting last. Or second to last because David Ragen had to go to a different engine and he had to start in the back as well. David Ragen is driving the 18 car for injured Kyle Busch...and will be in the 18 car until Kyle Busch comes back on track. Joey Logano and Kasey Kahne started on the front, but Joey was quick to get up front and distance himself from the rest of the field...but it didn't take too long until Jimmie Johnson got out front. Johnson led until seven laps after a green flag pit stop he got a lose tire and had to go back in to put him a lap down. On that pit stop, Tony Stewart got penalized for a lose tire that another car hit away. A few laps after that Brad Keselowski had a tire get away and got penalized and put him a lap down...and a caution. Kevin Harvick was quick to take the lead. Brad Keselowski and Jimmie Johnson was waiting for a caution to see who would get t heir lap back...well Jimmie Johnson hit the wall and Jeff Gordon got into the back of Jeb Burton to send him into the wall.(Gordon said in his post race interview that he was getting read to make a move past Jeb and when Jeb slowed down - due to Johnson - Gordon thought he was letting him go pass. He didn't know of Johnson's deal until after he bumped Jeb.) To bring the caution out and Brad Keselowski got the free pass back onto the lead lap. (For the record...I am a very unhappy Gordon/Johnson fan right now...) And if that isn't bad enough...Johnson hit the wall again due to tire issues. Sixth caution was when Carl Edwards ran Kasey Kahne into the wall. Kasey Kahne got mad and went back into Edwards to send Edwards spinning into the infield. Both cars suffered damage to their cars with the whole ordeal. Kevin Harvick went on to win the race...with Martin Truex Jr. coming home second. Official results: 1. Kevin Harvick 2. Martin Truex Jr. 3. Ryan Newman 4. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 5. Denny Hamlin 6. AJ Allmendinger 7. Brad Keselowski 8. Kyle Larson 9. Matt Kenseth 10. Joey Logano 11. Jamie McMurray 12. Joey Logano 13. Brian Scott 14. Greg Biffle 15. Brian Vickers 16. Regan Smith 17. Kasey Kahne 18. Jeff Gordon 19. Ryan Blaney 20. Austin Dillion 21. Clint Bowyer 22. David Ragen 23. David Gilliland 24. Sam Hornish Jr. 25. Casey Mears 26. Aric Almirola 27. Danica Patrick 28. Trevor Bayne 29. Ricky Stenhouse Jr 30. Michael McDowell 31. Justin Allgaier 32. Cole Whitt 33. Tony Stewart 34. Josh Wise 35. Landon Cassill 36. JJ Yeley 37. Brett Moffitt 38. Brendan Gaughan 39. Michael Annett 40. Jeb Burton 41. Jimmie Johnson 42. Carl Edwards 43. Alex Bowman On a side note, it was great to see Brian Vickers return to the number 55 car. In December, Vickers had open heart surgery and was told he wouldn't be able to race until this weekend. He had a great attitude of being grateful to be alive after the ordeal and looking forward to getting back into the car. I pray that all his health issues are a thing of the past...he is a great guy and hate to see anyone face what he had to face. Go through what he went through. Am so glad to see him on the track today. We are onto Phoenix next Sunday...

The race at Atlanta started with the cars drying the track from a small rain shower last night before the green flag flew with Joey Logano leading the field. Harvick who had qualified second started in the back due to an engine failure in practice...and a lot of the cars who started in the back due to the qualifying fiasco were quick to move up the field. On lap 24, Atlanta had the number 24 on the driver position tower to respect Jeff Gordon...also had the number 24 on the grass to thank Jeff Gordon. They had a competition yellow on lap 25 due to t he rain last night. They had another caution for debris when Austin Dillion had a flat tire and since NASCAR didn't list the caution to his tire, he got the free pass. A few laps later his tire went again to bring on another caution. This time NASCAR listed him as the reason to the caution. Landon Cassill's engine blows for the second time this season to bring out another caution. The guy can't catch a break this season. A restart from a debris caution sent Denny Hamlin, Jamie McMurray, and Jeff Gordon going three wide into a turn until Hamlin got lose and by the sounds of it got into McMurray and Gordon hit the wall hard to end their day. (The wall Gordon hit was concrete...just like Kyle Busch. I am just glad that Gordon is OK. NASCAR needs to wake up with their walls. It is 2015 - it shouldn't be this big of an issue!) On the restart, Greg Biffle got loose and caused a big accident involving Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Clint Bowyer, Tony Stewart, Joe Nemechek. They red flagged the race to clean the race track afterwards. Jimmie Johnson went on to win his 71st career win...his fourth win at Atlanta. 1. Jimmie Johnson 2. Kevin Harvick 3. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 4. Joey Logano 5. Matt Kenseth 6. Martin Truex Jr. 7. AJ Allmendinger 8. Brett Moffitt (driving for Brian Vickers - Vickers will be back next week.) 9. Brad Keselwoski 10. Ryan Newman 11. Aric Almirola 12. Carl Edwards 13. Paul Menard 14. Kasey Kahne 15. Casey Mears 16. Danica Patrick 17. Regan Smith 18. David Regan 19. Trevor Bayne 20. Justin Allgaier 21. Sam Hornish Jr. 22. David Gilliland 23. Alex Bowman 24. Clint Bowyer 25. Greg Biffle 26. Kyle Larson 27. Michael McDowell 28. Brendan Gaughan 29. Michael Annett 30. Tony Stewart 31. Mike Bliss 32. Josh Wise 33. Joe Nemechek 34. JJ Yeley 35. Jeb Burton 36. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 37. Cole Whitt 38. Denny Hamlin 39. Austin Dillion 40. Jamie McMurray 41. Jeff Gordon 42. Ron Hornaday Jr. 43. Landon Cassill We are onto Las Vegas next Sunday...

Good connection there Boss. Have been following that story too. Sad to see an under funded team get dealt this. He will not be able to race today bacuse of it.

Well they had qualifying for the Sprint Series race today...for Sunday`s race in Atlanta. Or should I say some of the drivers had qualifying...seeing on how fifteen drivers were not given the chance to qualify at all. Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, Matt Kenseth were not able to set foot into their race cars to qualify for Sunday`s race due to running out of time. I guess they were stuck in inspection...some even got inspected two or three times. Though Gordon will get in Sunday`s race on last year`s points, Stewart, Johnson, and Kenseth will get in on their championships. Sounds like others who did not get a chance to qualify will not be able to race at all. NASCAR is really making a joke out of their qualifying. Last week it sounds like it was more like a demolation derby than qualifying and now they fail to let all drivers qualify? As Gordon says, it is embarrassing and NASCAR needs to apologize to its fans. Gordon, Johnson, Stewart, and Kenseth will at least be able to race...though will start in the way back of the field. Jeff Gordon and others upset after not being able to qualify With that said, Daytona 500 winner, Joey Logano has won the pole and will lead the field to the green flag Sunday at Atlanta...

Well y'all...I got some happy news for you. NASCAR SEASON IS FINALLY HERE!!!! I am beyond excited about it...but also a sad. Excited because life isn't complete without NASCAR...but sad that this is the last year that Jeff Gordon will be driving the 24 car. Can't imagine NASCAR without him. But am sure NASCAR will continue without him... Today was the Superbowl of NASCAR...the biggest race of the season. The race everyone has been waiting for. Jeff Gordon started the race on the pole with Jimmie Johnson starting besides him. Jeff Gordon had a fast car and led several laps on the opening of the race. First caution is for Landon Cassill as his engine or something broke. Second caution is for Matt Kenseth and Tony Stewart who hit the wall with heavy damage. On the restart Joey Logaono took the lead and Johnson second. Jeff Gordon has led the most laps at Daytona in his career and at the moment...Gordon has led 84 laps with 92 laps to go. They are just getting ready for a restart from a debris caution. Johnson got penalized for his crew getting over the wall too early and Edwards along with few other drivers got caught for speeding on pit road. (Sorry...am trying to type this as the race goes to see if I can remember more. Let me know if this is better or not...) Gordon had gotten the lead back but has slid back and Dale Jr. took the lead to lead several laps and now Joey Logano is now back in lead. We have 45 laps to go and they are on their final green flag pit stop and Logano is still in the lead. And now with 40 laps go go we are under caution because Brad Keselowski's car smoking up...a second caution due to engine failure. Jamie McMurray slid on Kesleowski's oil and went into the wall, Ryan Nemwan ran into the back of him. Gordon and a few drivers are pitting for fuel. Jimmie Johnson is now leading on the restart. Jeff Gordon has clinched most laps led today. Clint Bowyer has helped Carl Edwards past Jimmie Johnson after the restart. And now caution number five for Ryan Blaney as his engine blows as well... and now Joey Logano is voicing similar problems as his teammate Brad Keselowski. And now with seven to go, Joey Logano's car is still staying within and he is leading the race. Behind him cars are three wide. And with three to go Justin Allgaier and Ty Dillion get in an accident to bring on the yellow flag. And now they are red flagged as they are trying to clear the track of Allgaier's car off the track. They restart with Logano in the lead and on the last lap, Austin Dillion got in the back of Jeff Gordon to cause a big wreck to bring out the yellow flag and end the race. Joey Logano has won his first Daytona 500. Official results: 1. Joey Logano 2. Kevin Harvick 3. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 4. Denny Hamlin 5. Jimmie Johnson 6. Casey Mears 7. Clint Bowyer 8. Martin Truex Jr. 9. Kasey Kahne 10. Greg Biffle 11. David Gilliland 12. Sam Hornish Jr. 13. Michael Annett 14. Austin Dillion 15. Aric Almirola 16. Regan Smith 17. David Regan 18. Johnny Sauter 19. Matt Crafton 20. AJ Allmendinger 21. Danica Patrick 22. Cole Whitt 23. Jamie McMurray 24. Carl Edwards 25. Michael Waltrip 26. Bobby Lagonte 27. Paul Menard 28. Ty Dillion 29. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 30. Trevor Bayne 31. Michael McDowell 32. Reed Sorenson 33. Jeff Gordon 34. Kyle Larson 35. Matt Kenseth 36. Mike Wallace 37. Justin Allgaier 38. Ryan Newman 39. Ryan Blaney 40. JJ Yeley 41. Brad Keselowski 42. Tony Stewart 43. Landon Cassill Well...race one in the books. We are off to Atlanta next Sunday...perhaps Bo and Luke will be there. LOL

Am hoping that one day you will be able to meet them...don't give up. I never thought I would meet any of them. So if it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone. And yes, I was excited. I was shaking when I met them...

It had some neat cars, but I guess I didn't pay close attention to them. My focus was on Tom...I even missed the General due to being too excited about meeting Wopat. Sorry.

Hamlin wrecked Patrick twice in one week, I doubt it was fake.

Got some more news on Kyle Busch and his accident. He has a compound fracture in his leg and a fracture in his foot, he is going to have to have surgery on it to put plates in. Will be out up to six months. Matt Crafton will be in the 18 car for Kyle for tomorrow`s race at Daytona. My heart aches for Kyle to be going through all of this. He is a racer through and through and for him to be sitting out for Daytona 500 and for that long has to be killing him. Especially since it all could have been prevented if only it had safety barrier walls where he hit...instead he hit concrete going however fast he was going. Guess Daytona is going to fix it so all the track has safety barrier walls, but a little too late for Kyle. He is in my thoughts and prayers.

Well today was the day. And it was a great one. We got there a few minutes late than when Tom was scheduled to be there, but it didn`t seem to hurt us much. There was a huge line and we started in the door way into the facility that had the cars and for a long time we just stood there. The line did not move at all and people were saying Tom was not even there. A half hour or forty minutes later I heard someone tell people move and that he had to use the rest room...I looked over to see Tom Wopat as he walked through the other door...and a few minutes later walked by again. After that the line started to slowly move. Turns out that Tom was held up by a delay at the air port. I stood in line for over two hours to meet him...and yes, it was worth the wait. Got to talk to a nice family ahead of me. It was great to see the the ten year old so excited for the Dukes and to meet Tom. Sounds like they were there for him to start out with. It helped to have people to talk to and after awhile the linemoved pretty quickly. Have to admit, I got nervous by the time he came into view and by the time I got to the table to buy a couple of things for him to sign and to buy getting a picture taken with him, I was really nervous. Do not know why. LOL. But Tom was super nice. Shook his hand and he asked what my name was and then said he was Tom. Got my picture taken with Tom and my Dad who was nice enough to take me. (I hate driving out of town...) Tom even thanked us for standing in line to see him.

On Monday the family court had decided that there was enough evidence in the case of Kurt Busch and his ex girl friend of abuse and have granted his ex girlfriend a restraining order against Kurt Busch. Kurt can not come within so many feet from her...want to say five hundred or six hundred but not sure. And has to go to therapy for his anger. And yesterday NASCAR has indefinitely suspended Kurt Busch from any racing....meaning he cannot race in Daytona 500 or any race until NASCAR says it is OK again. Regan Smith will be in Kurt Busch 41 car until he is able to come back - if he is able to. In MY OPINION, NASCAR has no right punishing Kurt Busch as of now. I understand that they have to punish Kurt IF he did what he is being accused of, but as of now, the court has yet to say one way or another if he is guilty of what he is accused of. Right now, it is only family court that has issued their opinion ... not the court that decides whether or not to charge him for what he is accused of. So what ever happened to innocent until proven guilty? Makes me upset that they would just suspend him before the verdict...now if Kurt Busch is innocent, he will be missing races and all the points that come with them. This whole story is complicated and hard to say for sure what really happened. I do not think anyone will ever know for sure what has happened other than Patricia and Kurt. Though personally find it hard that the court or that judge believed her side of the story over his after she was found lying under oath to start with...and she has changed her story three different times. But in other NASCAR news (I heard about this while writing the other part...) Kyle Busch was involved in a horrible accident in the Xfinity series race at Daytona. Looks like he hit the wall HARD at a place with no safety barrier. He left in an ambulance and as of now hear they are working with a right leg injury and he will NOT be in tomorrow`s race. My heart, thoughts, and prayers go out for him and his wife, Samantha, during this difficult time. Am so relieved he will be OK, but this has got to be killing him inside that he will miss tomorrow`s race and who knows how many races he will miss due to this. As Regan Smith had said in Facebook, there is no excuse for any track not to have safety barrier like this. All of this could have been prevented if only there was safety barrier. Hard to imagine a race without any of the Busch brothers...guess we will see one tomorrow.

They are good. Any of the current drivers you follow?

Well y'all it is that time of year again. Last night was NASCAR's Sprint Unlimited race...the pre season race that kicks off speed weeks. The race was accident filled that had started off with Brad Keselowski's accident when Kyle Larson went up the track and got into him. Later Greg Biffle got into the back of Jamie McMurray which collected Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin, Kasey Kahne and a few others. Later Greg Biffle got in another accident with Kevin Harvick got collected in a big accidents, Biffle hitting the wall hard. Matt Kenseth went on to win the race. After the race, Joey Logano got mad at Kevin Harvick and displayed his displeasure afterwards by bumping into him and parking behind Harvick...and then got out and confronted Harvick only to be forced away by his own crew. Personally, I don't see what Joey Logano was upset about...if anyone had a reason to be upset, it was Harvick. I don't understand why he was mad at all...the event that got Joey upset was where Joey was following Kevin and then ran right up into the back of him and into the wall. If anyone should be mad, it should have been Kevin. And to top it off, it wasn't even a points race. So it's not like that it really affected much of anything to either driver nor changed the outcome of whether or not either driver would have won. A lot of unnecessary drama... Today was the qualifying run for the Daytona 500 where it locked the first two (front row) drivers into the Daytona 500...the rest of the field will be set on Thursday by the Duels. I didn't watch the qualifying but it sounds like Clint Bowyer and other drivers were not happy by how they did the group qualifying. Know Clint Bowyer and Denny Hamlin were involved in a big accident. Jeff Gordon won the pole for his very last Daytona 500...and Jimmie Johnson has qualified second. So personally...I am beyond happy with how the Daytona 500 will start out...I just hope that it will end just as great. Well I will be posting the races reviews and results under this thread...would anyone be interested in the Xfinity Series (use to be Nationwide Series). I don't really watch that series, but do keep an eye on it so I could at least keep you updated on it. Just let me know. I don't know about any of you all...but I am excited. Just one more week!!! Talking of which...I am having my own fantasy NASCAR league at Yahoo again this year if anyone is interested. It is all for fun and all free. Will be glad to help out any way I can. Just let me know if you are interested. HAPPY SPEED WEEK EVERYONE!!!!

Well y`all guess what is on FOX....NASCAR with their Sprint Unlimited race. Preseason race. All for fun and not for points. Starts off speed week. Bet you all know who is excited....

That is how I feel about Gordon retiring...you may not be a fan of his. But I am. By the way who is your favorite driver?

Thanks everyone. Will bring a report... Know I am lucky...wish you all could go too. Hopefully one day you can meet them. Though will spend most of the time in a line...and very little with who i am going to see . Just hope the weather will be OK for it...

Well y'all you heard right...Tom Wopat is finally coming to my state and I will finally be able to meet him!!!! After going to a few Dukefests and other smaller Duke related events, he is the one living actor on the show that I have yet to meet or get an autograph (well I don't have Coy's autograph or met him...). And it is even looking like I will be able to go!!! So if anyone is interested, in the area, or what not...Tom Wopat is coming to Monticello, Iowa on February 21 and 22!!!!! I apologize, I do not have the times or exact location with me at the time. He will be at a car show. I thought I would spread the word in case anyone else can make it. I am a bit excited...even had a dream the other night about meeting him. LOL. I will be meeting...well hopefully...meeting him that Saturday and watching the Daytona 500 on that Sunday. Has to be one of the best weekend plans. LOL.

OK so this isn't news worthy but had to share because this is exactly how I feel about Gordon's retirement...