Garrett Duke

I swear Mother Nature has something against me...after a long and very cold winter, we finally had warmer weather. All the snow melted...only for it to snow last night. Of course half of it is melted now and am sure spring is about to come, but still...can really live without seeing the white ugly stuff for another year or a hundred years...lol. And to bring this around to NASCAR...there is a 75% chance of rain today at Bristol...and they are on FOX right now with the pre-race show and guess what...it is RAINING. Though according to Clint Bowyer the sky is cleaning up. Michael Waltrip is doing his grid walk going to motor home to motor home talking to the drivers who came out to talk to him. Well they just said that it is suppose to lighten up or get better...so they say. I hope they are right. I don't know if I have said this before but Bristol is my favorite track! Bristol has lights so they can race tonight if need be...if not they said yesterday that they will race tomorrow at noon. I really hope to get the race in sometime today...I would really hate to miss a race...especially at Bristol! (I will be at work at noon tomorrow so I will not be able to watch it if they race tomorrow...) I am starting to believe that a huge rain cloud just follows NASCAR from track to track...and hate it. Though I have heard them say a year or so ago that the pressure and the all with the cars going so fast that it brings rain or something like that. Then again they haven't raced today so they can't blame that. LOL RAIN, RAIN, GO AWAY....COME BACK TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well I was meaning to come on here and say this earlier but didn't have time and don't have much time right now...but thought I would send y'all a good update... FB has accepted John back and apologized for their error or something like that. No FB isn't life or death or anything serious. It could have been a lot worse. It was more or less on how John was treated that got me. I never thought I would get on FB but after finding a couple of freinds were on it as well as Jeff Gordon I had to join. It is a great way to read upon my favorite drivers, sports teams, and singers...as well as keep in touch with family and friends. LOL. But it also has it's downfalls and you have to watch what you put on there... Anyways...John is back on FB. Just too bad he has too many friend request that I can't send him one. Sadly I don't have that problem...LOL.

You are in my thoughts and prayers MM...so sorry to hear that you are going through such a terrible time. Hope the surgery goes well and you will recover well. Praying for you.

I get where you are coming from with two hundred more laps added on and your driver having a bad race, but need more accidents? Really? Nope. I refuse to hope for more accidents. I refuse to be the fan who watches for the accidents. Not in me to hope for the bad for anyone. No matter how I feel about a certain driver. It is easy to sit back and think more accidents mean more excitement and for the most part they all walk away just fine from them...but not all the time. Accidents do put in more drama or excitement into the race, but that's not what I want more of this season. Or any season. Besides...I know my luck. My luck is now that you are WANTING more accidents...it will involve Jeff Gordon or Jimmie Johnson or Dale Earnhard Jr or Kasey Kahne . And when/if it does....I am going to blame you Hoss! Remember that. Go ahead, wish for more accidents for your race...just leave NASCAR alone with wishing more accidents upon. I will take two hundred more laps any day over more accidents. Even if Gordon is having a bad day. But yeah...it does make for a long race when your driver is having a bad day...

The race at Las Vegas has just gotten over and o nce again, there isn't much to write about. I think there was four cautions...all for debris. After winning last week's race at Phoenix and leading some laps to day, Kevin Harvick had some break issue go on and had to take it to the garage. They said he was planning on coming back out on the track, but never saw him again to know if he did or not. I think all of Stewart-Haas Racing cars had some issues going on. Stewart and Kurt Busch ran in the back all day. Almirola got into Danica Patrick at some point in the race. The most exciting (and disappointing for me...LOL) part of the race came right to the end where Dale Earnhardt Jr was leading the race and had for some time with the knowledge he may be a bit short on fuel at the end. This was a fuel strategy race (have I ever said how much I don't like that? LOL). Well they were right...half a lap to the checkered flag, Brad Keselowski caught up with him as Jr ran out of gas. Brad Keselowski won the race at Las Vegas...but Jr was able to hold on to get a second place finish. His third top second finish in a row. Best start of a season for him (I think...lol.). Jr was oh so close to getting his second win of the season...and honestly, I am not a big Keselowski fan. I was rooting pretty hard for Jr to win at the end. But came up short. Congrats to Keselowski. It is the crew cheif's job to gamble on the gas calls like that (Jr didn't go into pits in the last caution...) and you win a few that way and lose a few that way. Here is the official results: 1. Brad Keselowski 2. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 3. Paul Menard 4. Joey Logano 5. Carl Edwards 6. Jimmie Johnson 7. Ryan Newman 8. Kasey Kahne 9. Jeff Gordon 10. Matt Kenseth 11. Kyle Busch 12. Denny Hamlin 13. Brian Vickers 14. Martin Truex Jr. 15. Jamie McMurray 16. Austin Dillion 17. Jeff Burton 18. AJ Almendinger 19. Kyle Larson 20. Trevor Bayne 21. Danica Patrick 22. Greg Biffle 23. Clint Bowyer 24. Marcos Ambrose 25. Aric Almirola 26. Kurt Busch 27. Ricky Stenhouse Jr 28. Casey Mears 29. Michael Annett 30. David Gilliland 31. Justin Allgaier 32. David Ragen 33. Tony Stewart 34. Reed Sorenson 35. Ryan Truex 36. Cole Whitt 37. Alex Bowman 38. Timmy Hill 39. Travis Kvapil 40. Parker Kligerman 41. Kevin Harvick 42. Josh Wise 43. Michael McDowell Is it just me or does these races keep going by faster and faster? Know the drivers feel differently, but would really appreciate it if NASCAR would add on another hundred or two hundred more laps. I'm not asking very much at all. It seems like it starts and a few minutes later it is over...just like that. As I said, congrats to Brad Keselowski on his win...read a title on Yahoo sports where this was the second time of using the knockout qualifying and both times both Penske cars (Logano and Keselowski) got the front row at the start of the race. Guess it suits their style. Personally, I am excited to see all four of my Hendrick boys with a top ten finish today. Sorry Hoss to see Stenhouse Jr didn't fare too well at the end. He had a great starting position. I think he may have gotten caught speeding in the pits and that may have costed him. Not sure what went wrong with the 17 team. They said 19 drivers were tagged with speeding penalities at the Las Vegas Nationwide race yesterday...I think there was just a few of them today. Nothing like that of the Nationwide....know Gilliland and Larson got tagged speeding. Think there were a couple more...Stenhouse Jr may have been one. Seemes like I remember them saying his name with it. Don't quote me on that. Race number three is in the books...will start a new thread for points when they become official since we are not getting a little deeper into the season. Guess what y'all...we are going to my all time favorite race next Sunday!!!!!!!!!! We go from a mile and a half track at Las Vegas to the shortest track on the circuit...we are going to thunder valley! Bristol Tennesee! I am not a huge fan of short tracks, but I love Bristol! Especially the night race in August...but will definately be excited to see Bristol next Sunday! Though on a downfall to Bristol...I think today's race went by fast? Well Bristol goes by faster...or at least they go faster! LOL. And where I didn't have much to write about these past couple of races, well Bristol brings out a few wrecks here and there as well as a lot of tempers being thrown into the mix. Will give plenty to write about. Personally, I can live without the wrecks....always gets me worried about whether or not my drivers are in it or if everyone is OK. But put wrecks aside...I do love Bristol. I never been to a race before, but I have been to Bristol a couple of times as well as to Chicagoland once. Have to admit that helps rank the track up on my favorite list.

Yeah...don't know how they can determine John isn't who he is especially when he is giving them info like that! Seems like something is either missing from the story? or what is going on. Don't make sense at all. Just maddening and frustrating to see John get treated like this. Not having FB or getting kicked off isn't the end of the world by any means, but it is just the matter on how they are treating John and why they would do this for. Or how they even begin to question his identity. If they are doing it to him, perhaps they should start questioning everyone's identity...feel like I am missing something here. Am I the only one?

Well y'all...I got some sad and discouraging news for you. By what I gather out of John Schneider's blog...Facebook has gone and kicked him out of FB along with his accounts. Saying he isn't who he says he is. I really don't understand or see why FB is doing this to John Schneider and I will be honest with you, it makes me upset. They allow a lot of nasty stuff on FB and yet they kick out a great guy like Schneider for such a whimpy excuse? Totally bogus if you ask me. I guess worse things could happen than to be banned from FB and the world does go on beyond FB, but still to treat John this way is beyond wrong! It almost makes me feel like getting off of Facebook but doubt that would do any good and I would miss talking to friends and family on their as well as reading about NASCAR and other interest on FB... John Schneider's blog Above is the link to his blog...what y'all think?

"The Walk" by Sawyer Brown. I really love Sawyer Brown's music...and the band. I really miss hearing them on the radio...they were purely country. If only I could wind back time for Country music. Don't get me wrong...do like some of today's artists. . .and some of the songs on the radio. But it isn't the same the way it use to be. Really miss Sawyer Brown and their music....need more like them. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7i3pqJ2jqLo&list=PL7285A2E882A32D11

Thanks Hoss for coming to my rescue...came on last night but you already posted it. You probably do a better job at it than I do anyway and to throw on top of it I now have a bad head cold, so I probably wouldn't have made much sense at it. Second race where the Penske cars started one two...with Keslowski at pole and Logano at second. I went to check it out after work yesterday and it said Carl Edwards was first, got excited...until I realized that was only practice and that was the qualifying order. Seeing on how I got Edwards on my Yahoo (free) fantasy NASCAR league and my paid fantasy league, I liked what I saw first than what you reported. LOL. No offense to you. . .ah well, it counts more as to where they finish than where they start, but still...something excited to see your driver start up front. (Carl Edwards is my favorite non-Hendrick driver. If that makes sense...LOL). Great job as always...I read that Jimmie Johnson has won the most races at Las Vegas than any other active driver with four...but think his last win here was in 2010. Interesting to see if he can come back for his fifth. Both Kurt and Kyle Busch are from Las Vegas so this is their home track...know Kyle likes coming here. Don't know about Kurt...would assume so, but don't know. We are already going into the third race of the season...where has the time gone? How does these three weeks go by so quickly and the off season go by sooooo slow? Or is that just me? I really wish it was the other way around.... Ah talking about time, for all you that need to turn your clock ahead...don't forget to turn your clock ahead an hour before going to bed tonight. Love spring, but really hate losing that hour of sleep. GO JEFF GORDON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NASCAR Sprint Cup qualifying at Las Vegas will be at 6:40 (I assume EST) ... I won't be able to post the line up until late tonight or tomorrow. But have not forgotten about it. Carl Edwards will be the lead of the qualifying as he was the fastest at practice.

Sorry about that Hoss that Stenhouse finsihed worse than expected...but at least he finished ahead of his girlfriend. And for once, he didn't wreck her. LOL. (Sorry I couldn't help myself. It seems like those two have a way of finding each other on the track.) Yeah Roger, I got to admit, first and second place in the two races isn't so bad for ol' Junebug. Off to a great start...hope can keep it up. Am happy to see him doing so well so far. Though on a side note, Gordon does have two top five finishes in the first two races of this season as well. Not too bad either. Last time he was able to do that was back in 1997.

Well y'all...the Sprint Cup race at Phoenix has just finished...and maybe it is because of the super long rain delay they had at Daytona last week , but this has got to be the fastest race ever! I don't know about the drivers, but I am looking forward to Las Vegas next week! And for a race...there isn't much to report as what happened. Other than to say they were all chasing Kevin Harvick for the win (who led the most laps) and won the race. Danica Patrick wrecked but I think her and the other drivers were able to come back out. Tony Stewart was having some sort of problems with his car...which was too bad after his problem last week as well as the fact that his hero AJ Foyt was at the race watching. His other driver, Kurt Busch had his car (engine) blow towards the end of the race. Well at least one of four Stewart-Haas Racing had a good race today and he won! After his win last week, Dale followed it with another great and solid race...with a second place finish. Gordon backed his fourth place finish of last race with fifth...JJ came in sixth after finishing fifth at Daytona. The race may not have been action packed, but it was a great race all together. Here is the finishing line up at Phoenix: 1. Kevin Harvick 2. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 3. Brad Keselowski 4. Joey Logano 5. Jeff Gordon 6. Jimmie Johnson 7. Ryan Newman 8. Carl Edwards 9. Kyle Busch 10. Jamie McMurray 11. Kasey Kahne 12. Matt Kenseth 13. Clint Bowyer 14. Casey Mears 15. Aric Almirola 16. Tony Stewart 17. Greg Biffle 18. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 19. Denny Hamlin 20. Kyle Larson 21. Marcos Ambrose 22. Martin Truex Jr. 23. Paul Menard 24. Austin Dillion 25. Brian Vickers 26. AJ Allmendinger 27. Cole Whitt 28. David Ragen 29. David Gilliland 30. Justin Allgaier 31. Reed Sorenson 32. Brian Scott 33. Michael McDowell 34. Michael Annett 35. Ryan Truex 36. Danica Patrick 37. Blake Koch 38. Travis Kvapil 39. Kurt Busch 40. Joe Nemechek 41. Alex Bowman 42. Parker Kligerman 43. Morgan Shepard We are in Las Vegas next Sunday and I will do my best to do better at writing the qualifying up than I did this week. I will make a new thread sometime this week (will try tomorrow if I have the time...) to write up the points or would it be best to write the points here? Either way will post them once they become official.

Thanks Hoss...thought about writing it up last night, but was too tired and wouldn't have made much sense. I am really failing at this. I got on now to write it up to see you beat me to it. Isn't that the best video ever?! I just love it! Know I'd be freaking out if it was me in backseat...but would probably love it once I knew it was Jeff Gordon. Travis' (the guy Gordon was pulling the prank on) reaction was priceless...and great! What y'all think of it?

There could be a tie, right? LOL.

Well it wasn't only Gordon who they took spots away from...shame on NASCAR. Fourth isn't so bad, but third sounds so much better! LOL. And after the past few Daytona races for Gordon and JJ (except for JJ's win last year...) fourth and fifth feels like a win. LOL

Sorry everyone for my lack of a review yesterday. It was ten thirty when the race ended...and having to be up at four this morning for work, well, I turned the TV off and went right to bed. I love night races...but not when I have to work the next morning. LOL. For the Daytona 500, it was a pretty good race. It had several big accidents that took out or affected numerous drivers, but they also went laps with no caution as well. I wish I wrote this last night...my review would be better because I am having a hard time remembering who was involved in what. It seemed like the same drivers kept getting involved in accidents. Like rookie Kyle Larson hit the wall a couple of times before the rain delay and do believe he was in a big accident right after they went back to racing. Rookie Austin Dillon who started from the pole was in at least three accidents...but think his were rookie mistakes. A lot of the times, he spent racing in the middle lane...I know I am nervous when one of the Hendrick boys gets trapped in the middle...one little mistake and it and will take cause the big one. Danica Patrick was invovled in a pretty hard accident where she hit the wall pretty hard, but she was taken out in one of the "big ones". As for Ricky Stenhouse Jr....finishing seventh is pretty good, Hoss. He was involved in one of the big accidents towards the end...thought of you when I saw it. He must not have gotten hit too hard to go on and finish the race. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Well that is a small summary and picture of it...in the picture it doesn't look like he got much out of the accident...which is lucky for him. It took Michael Waltrip out of the race. (Sorry not much info...all I remember is thinking of you when I saw Ricky was involved...was beginning to think I imagined it because I couldn't find any info online about it until I came to this...small article on it. LOL). As I said, seemed like drivers that were in accidents were in several...including Hendrick driver Kasey Kahne. (Confession time...I didn't see all of the race...I left to get ready for bed during some of it.) Can't remember what happened to Kahne or if he finished the race, though do know I do believe I heard him the maddest last night than I remember hearing him. And I can't say I don't blame him. Another driver spun out or was wrecking besides him (they were by the entrance to pit lane) so Kasey sped to get away from the accident...in doing so he went over one of the speed sensors in pit road. NASCAR gave him a drive through penalty for speeding in pit road! I understand the whole rule of speeding in pit road and why they penalize them the way they do...but really? Like Kasey said on the radio...his only choice was to get out of the way (which he did) or to get wrecked by the oncoming car! He wasn't speeding down pit road to get to his pit stall faster, to have a faster pit stop, or anything like that...it was to get out of the way. End of story. And he gets penalized for it. Some days you can't win for trying, I guess. Kyle Busch had a rough night. Before the rain delay went out, he drove off with some equipment stuck to his car (maybe the air gun?) which is illegal and he was given a drive through penalty. Which he didn't serve. So NASCAR black flagged him...before giving him the flag with a white mark on it that says if he didn't stop now, they weren't recording him on the track (as Darrell Waltrip said, that isn't a pretty flag! LOL). So he got that taken care of. Got a lap down. Then raced himself back to the lead lap (or perhaps a lucky dog was given to him...not sure. Didn't see how he got his lap back.) But with on the last lap he was in the top ten going for the win when he was involved in a big accident. Though he did manage to finish the race...even if it was in pit road and driving backwards! LOL. The end of the race was pretty crazy...with the white flag dropping and Jr having a solid lead, cars were wrecking all over behind him (inlcuding Terry Labonte who had said that this would be his last Daytona 500 race . He was doing so good up until the end.) But the race being under white flag and cars out of the way, Jr went on to win his second Daytona 500! Dale Sr. has to be smiling down on his son with that win. That is the happiest I have ever seen Dale Jr. Even the announcers were saying how Dale was like a little kid with his burn out and just how smiley and pumped up he was. Very emotional win for Dale Jr...I was very happy for for Dale to win like he did. And I am pretty happy with Gordon's fourth place finish and JJ's fifth place finish...great finish by my top three drivers! Though am kinda disappointed with NASCAR or don't understand where NASCAR is coming from. Gordon was in third place when the race ended...I went to bed thinking he finished third. Only to read up on Facebook this morning that he was tagged fourth when the accident happened. Which I guess he could have been. But if they are going to allow them to race to the finish line would think that is what would count...I don't know. Not going to get upset over one point, but still...he should have been placed third instead of Keselowski. Just my petty opinion...LOL. Though I have to report how FOX had replayed last year's Daytona 500 race while the race was under a four hour rain delay...well last year Jimmie Johnson won the Daytona 500. Soooo...Fox News reports that Jimmie Johnson has won his third Daytona 500 (his first being 2006 and then last year's Daytona 500) and supposedly this year's years. . .of course we were still under rain delay when they reported this. Guess JJ was getting all sorts of feedback on his win as well. LOL. (He did go to VL to congratulate Jr...does that count? LOL) They later apologized for it, but still too funny. Here is the finishing order: 1. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 2. Denny Hamlin 3. Brad Keselowski 4. Jeff Gordon 5. Jimmie Johnson 6. Matt Kenseth 7. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 8. Greg Biffle 9. Austin Dillon 10. Casey Mears 11. Joey Logano 12. Landon Cassill 13. Kevin Harvick 14. Jamie McMurray 15. Bobby Labonte 16. Reed Sorenson 17. Carl Edwards 18. Marcos Ambrose 19. Kyle Busch 20. Terry Labonte 21. Kurt Busch 22. Ryan Newman 23. Alex Bowman 24. Josh Wise 25. Brian Scott 26. AJ Allmendinger 27. Justin Allgaier 28. Cole Whitt 29. Parker Kligerman 30. Brian Vickers 31. Kasey Kahne 32. Paul Menard 33. Trevor Bayne 34. David Ragen 35. Tony Stewart 36. David Gilliland 37. Michael Annett 38. Kyle Larson 39. Aric Almirola 40. Danica Patrick 41. Michael Waltrip 42. Clint Bowyer 43. Martin Truex Jr. (His engine blew before the rain delay. Had to feel bad for him. He is having a heck of a time this week. His car caught on fire at the Duels and now this in his back up car. As he said...too bad he couldn't get a new engine in during the rain delay. Definately had enough time to that!) Sorry this is not my best work but have the worst memory ever! LOL. I am just glad my top three drivers got a top five finish...normally they are involved in a big accident or something happens to them at Daytona. All but Kasey Kahne is off to a good year for me. Hopefully Kahne can rebound next week at Phoenix!

Thanks Hoss for covering for me...was going to do that once I got home from church today to see you beat me to it. Though how could anyone forget the Daytona 500???? :confused: Talking of which...pre race show is on now...driver introductions!!!!!!!!! I wish they would show the driver introductions every race...just love it! Think I am in heaven right now...LOL.

Well the Sprint Unlimited definitely didn't go as I was hoping it would go...and I am convinced that I jinx all my favorite drivers that I go for. LOL. They separated the race into three segments. The first segment Jimmie Johnson got lose and spun out into the wall. Ended his night. Second segment, Matt Kenseth started the big one that collected Carl Edwards, Kurt Busch, Carl Edwards, Tony Stewart...and JEFF GORDON. Danica Patrick almost drove through it until her boyfriend, Ricky Stenhouse Jr, with his hood up, ran into her. (We started the race with 18 cars, after this wreck, we had 9 cars left on track.) Then in the third segment, Dale Earnhardt Jr went up as Marcos Ambrose went up and they wrecked each other. They went to caution...only for the caution car to catch on fire and they went back to caution for the caution car. Kyle Busch almost spun out...but was able to save himself with minor damage. Denny Hamlin finished the race in the winner circle. This is the beginning of Speed Weeks. Tomorrow they will qualify for first and second place at the Daytona 500. Thursday will be the Duals that will determine how the rest of the field will line up. May not have been the race I was looking forward to...but it was NOT a point race...and it is kicking off the 2014 season. I for one am HAPPY!!!!!

Well y'all...it is FINALLY that time of year again! It is now NASCAR season...well the season doesn't officially start until next Sunday at the Daytona 500...but eighteen cars has just started their engines at the Sprint Unlimited (Used to be known as the Bud Shootout). Bet y 'all can't guess who is excited???? I AM!!!!!!!!!!!! The Sprint Unlimited is on Fox Sports 1. Used to be known as the Speed Channel. Will write a summary of the pre season race once it is over. As Rosco would say...I love it, I love it! Khee!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well NASCAR is on a roll with new changes for the 2014 season...and we are only 18 days from the Daytona 500! First it was the rumored change in the Chase, then the change to the qualifying, then the factual change to the Chase...and now this! The way they are going, they might as well as throw everythig away and start all over again! (I say that with a lot of sarcasm if you can't tell. Don't understand why they have to make such drastic changes all at once like this....) Anyway the new change is now in their penalty system. (Perhaps this new change will mean that they will be consistant with their penalties and not just throwing it at certain drivers and not others? I can only HOPE!!!! If that is what this change will do, I will be happy. But am not holding my breath on that....) So I guess they now have a six tier based system to go on. Starting with a warning for first time offenses or minor offenses. Then it goes from one to six...and since I really don't understand it at this time, I will post the link that will explain it more accurately than I would. NASCAR's new penalty structure (Yahoo.com article) Personally I really don't know what to think about this new change. Will have to go over it more and watch and see how NASCAR will handle it. If they treat ALL the drivers the same, then great. But what irritates me is when they will penalize one driver and yet won't penalize another driver for doing the same thing or worse.

Well, y'all, I just got finished with my new post in my blog about the qualifying changes and the Chase changes. I do believe I went more in depth in my blog as I had more time to do so. Please let me know what you think.... My new blog post!

Yeah...I do believe there is a couple of 'em lurking around here that need to be cuffed n' stuffed. Even Hoss said himself he was stealing it. At least he confessed to it.

I heard that too Roger and if that is the real reason behind the change well then...it is even more upsetting. Don't get me wrong, I do like Dale Jr. He is my third favorite driver...but you don't go changing rules just to help one driver. He was the main reason why they pushed the Chase field to twelve drivers. It was originally set at ten drivers but then one year Gordon and Jr didn't make it...so they shoved it to twelve to help Jr out. I get he is the most popular driver...but what ever happened to letting the best guy win? Oh wait...the entire Chase seems to be set against that idea. And to be honest...that idea came to mind when they first started talking about it...that this was NASCAR's way of trying to dethrone Jimmie Johnson. But personally, I feel like they will fail at it. I think it will take a lot to dethrone Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knaus. Even Richard Petty said that he won his seven championships under several different changes...want to say he said five, but am not sure. As for the qualifying order, sorry Hoss I didn't get the info correct. I got the general gist of it. I will try better next time. I am sure it does add for some excitement. Especially when drivers start wrecking each other to get the better qualifying run...just my fear of the whole thing. The qualifying change and the chase change. It was bad enough having Bowyer and Waltrip manipulate the points last year...to me it seems NASCAR is just asking for more of that with all this change. My opinion...

Y'all hijacking my thread again...I'm gonna have to call in ol' Rosco and report ya. He may just have to throw you under the jail for this! Well the 2014 NASCAR season has yet to start (there is a lucky number 24 days left til Daytona...though I wish it was only one!) and NASCAR has gone through and made some DRASTIC changes for qualifying and the Chase. Changes that has left this die hard NASCAR fan very unhappy....though I guess I will have to give it a chance. First off a week or so ago they came out saying that they will change the way that they qualify for each race. I guess they will do it different for the length of the track and I wish I had more info on that right now. But they are going to seperate them into segments. The first one they all will qualify together and then have a break before the top twelve will qualify together. At least that is at some of the tracks. Here is the link to the new change in qualifying...Changes in qualifying And drastic change number two was reveiled today...though it was talked about a week or so ago. I have to admit, I didn't like it then, and I don't like it now.... They are now changing the Chase format. Instead of twelve drivers going into the Chase, there will be sixteen drivers. (Pretty much makes it where you win, you're in.) And then every three races in the Chase, they will eliminate drivers until there is only four drivers competing for the win at Homestead. New Chase format Have to admit...I don't like this at all. I get that they want to empasis on winning. Winning is important, but what happens to the driver who is consistant throughout the entire season? Or what happens to the driver who wins the most but has engine problems at Homestead? Also what is to say that someone outside of the Chase won't wreck a Chase driver? And perhaps NASCAR should be reminded of what happened at Richmond last season with Michael Waltrip and Clint Bowyer...this elimination theory will only promote more of that. They keep saying that this is what the fans want...but the majority of the fans reactions that I have read on Facebook has been negative towards all this. I am not a fan of the Chase...personally, I'd rather them ditch the Chase all together and go back to the old format of racing. Going for points. Being consitant throughout the whole season. Perhaps I am a bit biased here, but in '07 Gordon had an average of fifth place and was four hundred points ahead of everyone before the Chase...he entered teh Chase second due to JJ having an extra win and the points wiped away. Gordon finished the season second behind JJ due to that win. Even if it wasn't Gordon, I find it totally wrong that he could have such a strong season and yet finish second due to this Chase. I will be a NASCAR fan no matter what. But this has me shaking my head and upset. Perhaps I am wrong, but with the qualifying changes and the Chase, all they seem to be asking for is chaos and wrecking each other out to get the best qualifying spot. To stay in the Chase. Well I gave my two cents worth on it all...what you think?

I don't know why it is giving everyone a hard time this year. You are not the only one who has said that. Dang thing. Am glad that you were able to make it work! I want you on my team.