Garrett Duke

As for Lagono and Biffle...that would be interesting to find out. Though don't think it is right for Lagono's dad go yelling at Biffle in pit road - you don't see anyone else's dad out there yelling at the other drivers when they are wronged. Don't know, my opinion I guess. He is young and it is good to see his parents supporting him, but at the same time no one else relies on dad to help bail them out out there.

Very true about what they said about Johnson being jealous. That was houw I was looking at it too, but still...LOL.

As for me...am frustrated with it. Was a great race up until the last few laps or so. I mean first Johnson goes out and has his issues and the announcers made that catty remark about how he's not gonna win it. (like duh!) Sorry I like them (the announcers) just the comment bugged me. Then Gordon gets into the back of Kahne to wreck Kahne and the announcers made that big deal of how Gordon started it. And then Gordon wrecks on the last lap and they really don't even show until way past the end of the race and I still don't know what happened to wreck him. 26th and 35 finishes for my two drivers. ERRR. HOw frustrating it has to be for Gordon to be wrecked at the last lap and not be able to finish it!

As for Talledega...I understand that safety should come first, but I don't think slowing the cars and all that will be the answer they are looking for. I think you are right that it will push people away. Carl's accident was scary for everyone - there is no getting around that. I am glad he was ok as well as everyone else for the most part - but even he himself said it was his own fault. NASCAR needs to pound it into the driver's head to not drive so aggressively and to put penalties out for those who don't follow. That is the only thing I can think of to do. If it was the car's fault that caused the accident and the fact they were going so fast, then I'd say they are right in doing what they are doing. But that's not the case.

As for the last accident on Sunday's race...I really can't say what happened. One of the announcers said that someone weas trying to push Jr ahead to help him out and pushed too hard. Took out eight drivers including Jr who came from his 36th starting spot to eleventh at that time. Also took out all four Petty drivers . Felt bad for Kahne...he was involved in the accident that had happened only laps before this one only for that one to take him out for good. Can see him being upset, but I don't think it was done intentionally or anything like that.

As for writing...be yourself and write what you are comfortable writing. Just keep writing and practicing and it will work it's way out. Sometimes writing exercises may work or help out as well. One thing I came to realize with my character or muse Garrett, you follow him where he takes you otherwise he'll stop cooperating - that is if he is cooperating with me at all. (In other words, follow your muse to where it takes you - as long as it is somehwere you are comfortable going in your writing. Sometimes that means leaving your original plots and ideas as well). Well hope that helps a little bit. Hope you are having a good week.

As for your apology for worrying me, don't be. I am glad you took time away for yourself and to deal with whatever it was you are dealing with. I just hope that things are better for you and will continue to get better for you. LIke I said, I tend to worry a lot about things especially if I don't know and that is when my imagination gets a hold of me. I use to have a Duke/NASCAR fan who liked Jr and in fact raced herself. Use to send e-mails back and forth (this was when I first started getting into NASCAR and would ask her questions about it) well one day I stopped hearing from her all together. I still don't knwo what had happened...but was worrying about the same with you and that something bad had happened. I am just glad to hear back from you. As I said, I hope that things will get better for you.

As for your question...I remember liking it when I was around five or so when the show was taken off the air. Then became a bigger fan of the show in '97 when the show was on TNN...the show started to air on TNN in '96, guess I was a year late. I am glad to hear you found what a great show the Dukes is!

As I put on the page or thread, I enjoyed the pictures or signs you created. Very artistic work!

As I said earlier, I work in a day care. It was kind of funny because there was a kid there that I got close to and his parents are NASCAR fans. His mom told me she couldn't stand Gordon because he wins too much (as if that's a bad thing. . .LOL) Anyways, her favorite driver was or is Dale Jr (I think she was a Dale Sr fan) and dad's favorite driver is Martin - I got the child and his older brother going for J. Gordon. (Oops did I do that?) Now onto my two year old neice...LOL.

Not so much a fan of the car of tomorrow or of today now either, they dont' seem like they go so fast. But it is good that they have the safety upon it as they do. . .especially after seeing how bad of accidents Gordon has gotten into the last couple of years as well as other drivers.

I think the drivers should have enough insentive to win than to rely on more points to motivate them. The who points system frustrates me on how it is set upt just because if someone has a bad year but has a few wins, then they are placed on top in the points (such as Busch and Martin - though Martin has had a decent year). Where as other drivers who have had great years, but not as many wins get shuffled down and then forth. But that is my opinion...which could be very well tainted by the fact that the new point system has robbed Gordon of at least two championships since it has been implanted. But it does what it is suppose to do and that is to make it interesting and exciting...as long as your driver is in the chase that is.

Two more days to Atlanta. Am looking forward to it...am going through my NASCAR withdrawl . . .LOL.Well I guess I watched the Nationwide Series race, but still, there is no Gordon or Johnson or Jr in those. LOL Hopefully all our drivers have a good race under the lights...am excited if you can't tell. First time for a night race in Atlanta. Who knows...perhaps Bo and Luke will be in the grandstands LOL

Truck Series Race...I know a few of the drivers, but can't think of their names off the top of my head. There was a driver...Ron Hornaday I think it is that won five races in a row a few weeks ago in the truck series. Kyle Busch drives in them every once a while. Like I said, I don't really watch that race or the Nationwide race, but have caught a few laps here and there and usually see who wins when I go onto NASCAR.com.

Edwards would be a natural choice for you to chose him being from so close to you. Plus he seems to be a great guy and a good driver to boot for you to go for. I often say he is my favorite un-Hendrick Driver. LOL. I think it is him and Ambrose now that I like after my Hendrick boys. There was a guy named Cassil that drove in the Nationwide Series race that was from Iowa (where I am from) but haven't really seen his name this year so I really don't know what happened to him.

It is kinda sad how I picked Gordon to be my favorite...when I first started thinking I should get into it due to the Dukes, I was all about who was cute and so forth. (very sad, I know) Anyways, I got People's 50 Sexiest men or something like that and Gordon was in it...thought he was cute and was excited to see that he won championships and he drove a Chevy. At the time for some reason a Chevy was important and that he won was as well (I am a die hard Chicago Cubs fan -they've had a few good past seasons - but have the nickname as the loveable losers). So that was a plus that he would win as well...very sad on how I came to chose him to be my favorite, but trust me, it has come to be so much more than what it had started out to be. If that makes sense.

Well thanks for putting up with my novel long messages here about NASCAR. I love talking about it, but really don't have very many people to talk about it to. Other than my parents who are probably sick and tired of hearing about it. A thread or a club may be a good idea, but it would still be good (at least to me) to keep messaging like this! (If that makes sense as well) The book sounds very interesting! I love to read, sadly I don't have much time to read - you must be a fast reader to read a book in a week. I have never done that.

As I said, a long explaination to a short story. LOL. (The Cubs won all three games by the way )

Mercy Me and News Boys are both Christian groups. Mercy Me is my all time favorite Christian group. Sorry, I should be more explanatory sometimes.

It is awesome that all the kids (They are all around forty years old, but are called kids. LOL) have decided to get back together. you don't normally see that and they put so much energy and excitement into their concerts and music still!

Oak Ridge Boys are awesome. The guy with the deep voice is great, love his voice. I have a couple of albums of them as well. Yeah "Thank God for Kids" is the one I was thinking of. Kenny chesney sings it as well on his xmas CD. Elvira is a great song! Love "Counting flowers on the wall" at one time I had the song on Eric Heatherly's CD, but I think I got rid of it.

As I said, I didn't even know at the time why he was calling Kyle an idiot for. Just heard that part on the radio of him calling Kyle and idiot (atl east I took it to be him since they were showing his car while playing it) then his crew cheif calming him do wn. Idiot must have been a popular word in Las Vegas. Guess in the Nationwide Series Havick's crew messed up (Don't know how) but he was calling his own crew idiots. But then ended up winning the race anyway. As I said, just surprised me coming from Edwards.

As I said, I have my own issues with self - esteem and so forth, so I am not the best one to be telling this to you. But it is probably something everyone should hear and know every so often or so. I totally understand how you feel and I do feel for you, but trust me, you are who you are for a reason. So be who you are.

As I said, I will definately tell you if I decide to go...and it would be awesome to get to meet up with you and see you face to face! I'd be sooo excited about the race and to get to see you as well...Though I understand where you are coming from. I am sorry to hear about your job, but am glad to see that you are looking positively at it. You are right, things happen for a reason. God does have better things for you...especially since you weren't all that happy with it. It may be for the better. I just hope and wish you the best of luck that you will be able to find another and better job closer to home! you'll have to keep me posted on it.

As I said, was happy with Jamie winning, but was hoping for JR. He surprised me coming up like that...thought the announcers had made a mistake or something when they said he was in second! That was crazy good. Maybe the beard is a good luck thing for him...thanks! Now he'll never shave it! HA HA. Wasn't big fan of McGraw's beard and mustache. I liked him driving up in a race car. I am a big fan of Tim's so I enjoyed it.Though couldn't get past the beard...it just wasn't him. It was graying and all that as well! Oh well maybe it is to keep his face warm.

As I told my parents, I think NASCAR is going to be hearing about it for awhile now about the race - complaints like Newman had while interviewing him. Of how boring it was at the beginning and so forth. Stewart complained to his crew of how boring it was as well. Single file for Talledega - who woulda thought? But I guess it kept "the big one" at bay until the drivers pushed caution to the wind to begin 'racing'.

As ol' Rosco would say: "Oh goody!" Khee. Get any writing done? Hope Lori is cooperating with you. Better than Garrett is with me at least.

aww that was nice of him.

Awww I am sorry to hear that. I hate leaving when I think someone is mad at them or vice versa. Maybe you could write her an e-mail explaining what happened? Or PM her here? Just a couple of ideas. I hope that things will start to get better with you!

PS: Who is James Marsden? LOL -shows how little I know.

Awww I'm sorry for your block. I hope it goes away real soon. If it helps any, I haven't wrote in anything other than our story for a long time. Just cause I want to write, doesn't necessarily mean I can. Thank-you for your help.

Awww I'm sorry you don't have good days at school, it makes it even longer! I know how you feel!

I apologize deeply for my absense the last few days...my parents' lost their internet and I couldn't get on to do anything! I am not using my new computer at their house to use their internet. Trust me, I haven't forgot about our story.

Hope you will at least have a great weekend!

Awww Lori I'm sorry to hear that. I hope that you will get feeling better and soon! What a horrible way to spend the long awaited weekend. Get feeling better.

Awww Lori! I am soooo sorry you got sick on Christmas! That is the worst day of the year to get sick or to have a bad day...I hope that you are feeling better now. You were missed in the chat, but it was completely understandable - Mini had given me your message. As I said, I hope you are feeling better...as for the e-mail, it is ok if you had deleted it. I understand how that goes too.

Awww sorry that I missed you RedneckGirl!!!!! I hope you had a good day today and that tomorrow will be great as well!

Awww thanks Daisy . Will be looking forward to chapter two.

If you ever are interested in my stories, they are over at MaryAnn's site. www.dukesofhazzardfanfic.com under her submitted fanfic page. I go by Kristy Duke on the site because that is another my created characters and the one I went by when I had started out...before Garrett came and shoved her out of the way.

Awww thanks! You're too nice.