Garrett Duke

Thanks Hoss...did think about doing it yesterday but thought I would keep my good news up a little longer to make sure more people would see it. Was planning on doing it today...

Dang it Roger...give me some good news won't you? I've got Beltre on one of my three fantasy teams that I have...and am failing at. Someone's gotta help me. LOL. Anyway...let's go Cubs. You Pirates may have swept the Rangers...but not my CUBS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And out of all this...Penske and Furniture Row is now on probation til the end of the year. At the moment I am unclear if that involves the drivers or just the team owners in their deal of the thing.

LOL. Darrell Waltrip just wrote that he was suspicious of the word triskaidekaphobia and was wondering what he meant...thanks to you, I now know what he means. But don't think I have that today...today the number 13 seems to be one of the best numbers (besides 24 and 01). Jeff Gordon is the 13th driver in the 2013 Chase on September 13th. Yep...must be a GREAT number!

Well y'all...I have just received the best news ever and after the past several days spent worrying and being upset over Gordon being robbed of the Chase by how others have manipulated their way into the Chase...I am beyond excited! JEFF GORDON IS NOW IN THE CHASE!!!!!!!! As I posted above they had a press conference on Fox Sports One and due to not having cable at the moment and missing it online, I didn't know about it til now when Jeff Gordon announced on Facebook that he has just gained 1250 points into the Chase...and Yahoo has just added an article on it. So now it is OFFICIAL! So instead of having twelve cars in the Chase as has been the case for the past several years, there wil be thirteen cars in the 2013 Chase. Still think they should have taken Bowyer out of the Chase, but it is what it is...and hope we can Richmond behind us. I am very proud of NASCAR for finally stepping up and facing the entire issue and not part of the issue. . .and considering Jeff Gordon just a ripple effect as they had earlier this week. Though it would be interesting to know just how much Gordon's fans had an impact on NASCAR's decision in all of this. There was a petition going around Facebook for fans to sign asking NASCAR to put Gordon in (do believe pulling Bowyer out MAY have been part of it too...) as well as people sending NASCAR's main phone number around Facebook asking people to call in support of Jeff Gordon. Sadly I wasn't one of the 10,000 signatures or called...too chicken to call (plus didn't know how good it would work...) and didnt' sign the petition due to them asking for my street address. We may never know that and at the moment, it doesn't matter. What matters is that Jeff Gordon is where he deserves to be...IN THE CHASE! JEFF GORDON IS THE 13TH DRIVER IN THE CHASE!

Well Roger I salute you for trying to see the enemy's ...*cough* *cough*...I mean Clint Bowyer's point of view in all of this. There may have been some team order in all of this. I know Michael Waltrip got fined $300,000 for the orders he sent out...but that could be for his call to bring Vickers into pits when he had no need for pits just so Penske driver, Joey Logano can get into the Chase. Though the drivers have contracts and if they are like the ones in MLB and NFL...it would be hard to just rip it up just because he didn't illegally spin out when told to. As for Logano and Gilliland...I have read or seen in different places that Logano's team owner, Roger Penske, may have made a deal with Furniture Row Racing...who Gilliand races for for that move to happen. It just saddens me that people will stoop so low as to manipulate the Chase as they had done at Richmond and it disappoints me that NASCAR only partially addressed the problem. Whether it was Gordon or not who was affected by all this...which it is Gordon...I would think that Bowyer is not deserving to be in the Chase...not if he is going to drive like that. And if Michael Waltrip had ordered the spin, he too should be on the outside looking in. Perhaps away from the track for the rest of the season. NASCAR needs to set an example to stop this from happening next year or next week or whenever. As it is Bowyer didn't get punished at all...and he is the one who has done the act. Just sad...all the way around. There are Jeff Gordon fans ready to give up on NASCAR completely. I am not one of those...I am too big of a NASCAR fan. But still upsets me! Though on other Michael Waltrip news...they are getting to know what the ripple effect has to do with them too...seeing as how all three major sponsors...5 hour Energy Drink, NAPA, and Aarons are now investigating the incident and are thinking of pulling out of Michael Waltrip Racing. What ya know...sposnors don't seem to want to sponor known cheaters. (Sorry...that wasn't too nice, but am proud to see people and companies that are willing to care about what is right and what is wrong. ) Though...have heard something on Facebook just now. I don't want to get my hopes up...but in one of my Jeff Gordon groups that I am in, one of the members or owner has just posted that according to Fox Sports 1 Jeff Gordon has just been added to the Chase. I haven't see that anywhere else so right now I don't know what to believe. Know what I want to believe...will let you know when it becomes official.

Joey Logano is still in the Chase after NASCAR's investigation...don't know if NASCAR did anything or not about Gilliland's part on helping him in the Chase.

There are team orders in NASCAR and I understand to lead a lap or two to help in points...but to help take someone out of the Chase and someone in? That is what I have a problem with. Logano as far as I know, the only teammate he has now is Brad Keselowski. At Hendrick (Gordon, Johnson, Jr, and Kahne's team) there is no team orders...which I like. I agree...I have a feeling that all of this is long from over. Roger - will be glad to keep you updated on all of this. I do believe we hav yet to see the conclusion to all this to play out...we got ten races to see what will come of this. Just sad it has to be this way. That is this way. And yeah, if you don't read up on NASCAR or follow them on Facebook it would be easy to overlook the seriousness of all of this...it just a huge mess. I liked your comment on Gordon's comments being classy. He seems to be a very classy guy and even through all of this as well as in life. Feel incredibly bad for his team to work so hard and as I have read in articles, had done everything right Saturday night...and yet still get robbed of the Chase. Here is an article I just read on Gordon's reaction towards it all...very good article on just how classy Jeff Gordon is: Jeff Gordon says MWR stepped over code of conduct line

Well I posted about the Richmond race "incident" under my race reviews...though I should have posted them here. When I wrote it all out, didn't think it would become such a big deal...even though it is a big deal. Just for recap: With seven laps to go, Clint Bowyer purposefully spun out in order to help his team mate Martin Truex Jr into the Chase while Brian Vickers' crew (Vickers is team member with Bowyer and Truex Jr) told him to pit despite him not needing to pit to give up an extra spot for Logano to ease into the Chase which would take Gordon out of the Chase. (Bowyer and Gordon have a history of not getting a long last year...after several times of Bowyer wrecking Gordon, and after getting wrecked while fifth or so with seven laps to go last November in Phoenix, Bowyer wrecked Gordon into the wall. Gordon go mad and finally retaliated and ran Bowyer into the wall in which Bowyer's crew attempted to attack Gordon and Bowyer ran after him - luckily Gordon's crew came to his rescue!) Well on reviewing Bowyer's spin out and listened to his radio communication (Bowyer was told right before he spun out that Newman was winning the race (if Newman won the race, he'd be in the Chase, and Bowyer's teammate Truex Jr would be out)...and came back with one of the biggest punishments in the history of NASCAR. They have taken Truex Jr out of the Chase (who didn't know a thing about the spin or it being on purpose) and put Newman back in the Chase (ultimately trying to undo what Bowyer did with his spin out), docked Bowyer 50 championship points (but since the Chase starts this Sunday and the points get reset, doesn't affect Bowyer one bit), put their crew cheifs on probation til the end of the year...and fined Michael Waltrip $300,000. And as for Gordon, NASCAR calls him the ripple effect of the spin out. Saying they can't determine if he'd be in or out of the Chase due to the spin...so he is still outside of the Chase with 13 in points being the best he can accomplish this year. (Needless to say, this 24 fan is NOT HAPPY about NASCAR's decision or punishment..Bowyer should be the one out of the Chase. He's the one that did the spin, not Truex Jr. Though I am not the only one upset by this call...there is alot of Gordon fans on Facebook that are not happy with it...) (Sorry if that is confusing...hopefully it sounds alright.) And if that is not enough...this dark snowball that MICHAEL Waltrip started by calling this to happen and by Bowyer's spin out...just keeps getting bigger and bigger with each passing day this week. Now their sponsorships (NAPA, 5 Hour Energy Drink, and Aarons) are thinking of pulling their sponsorships of MWR and are reviewing the actions at Richmond. And if that is not enough...David Gilliland's radio communication is now under inspection from NASCAR as he was told to let Logano past him with seven laps to go (after Bowyer's spin out) in order to help Logano into the Chase and which put Gordon out of the Chase. Which I doubt anything would change because of it...but there is a chance that more punishments will be handed out and another change in teh Chase. It just disgusts me that drivers and teammates are going out of their way to cheat in order to get team mates into the Chase like this. Whatever happened to race to see who has the better equipment under them, who has the better talent? And I do appreciate NASCAR stepping in the way they did and doing something...but do feel like they are punishing the wrong guy here and letting the guy who did it, get away with nothing. And Gordon a ripple effect? I just read Michael Waltrip's statement where he admitted to calling Vickers in at the last minute to help a team mate...though Logano isn't a teammate so I don't understand that unless he thought him pitting would also help Truex Jr out. Well in any count, I am proud with the fact that my driver, my team has more class and integrity than some of those out there that will stoop this low in order to help themselves or teammates get in the Chase...(That is my opinion of course. I have tried to keep my opinions here a minimum or on this topic so I apologize if I did express my opinion here...)

You two got quite the nerve hijacking my thread for your own series of racing :roll:especially during a time like this...geesh! Well I probably should put this in the news section, but aw well... Jeff Burton will be leaving the 31 CAT car at Richard Childress Racing at the end of the year and Ryan "Rocketman" Newman will be taking over the 31 car starting the 2014 season.

Well y'all...I don't even know where to start with all this mess. NASCAR has went through Saturday night's race at Richmond...investigating Clint Bowyer's spin out at the end of the race that ultimately took Ryan Newman out of the Chase and put Bowyer's team mate, Martin Truex Jr in the Chase...also had taken out Jeff Gordon out of the Chase. Despite how obvious it is to me that Bowyer's spin out on purpose, I had assumed NASCAR wouldn't see it that way and wouldn't do anything about it. Well NASCAR has came out and said that they went through the tapes and what not and find Bowyer's actions and his communication with his crew to mean that Bowyer deliberately spun out...in turn to change the outcome of the race. I should be happy right? Well I am not... I have no clue what NASCAR is thinking by their punishment to Michael Waltrip (who owns Bowyer's, Truex Jr's and Vicker's cars...and to Clint Bowyer. Ultimately what NASCAR has done is they took Martin Truex Jr (who had NOTHING to do with the spin and as far as I know, had no idea it even happened!) out of the Chase and has put Ryan Newman back in the Chase. They have fined Michael Waltrip 50 car owner points...and Bowyer 50 championship points. Though (get this...) Bowyer's point reduction won't go towards the Chase. So therefore he will be going into the Chase with as many points as he was before this punishment...and will be seeded seventh in the Chase. Michael Waltrip was fined $300,000. Truex Jr's and Bowyer's crew cheifs were put on probation until the end of the year. And oh yeah...Jeff Gordon, who was also affected by Bowyer's move (as well as Waltrip pulling Vickers into pits...) is still outside of the Chase. Am I the only one having a hard time understanding what NASCAR is thinking in all of this? Bowyer barely gets slapped with anything...who was the one who spun out on purpose!....while Truex Jr is pulled out due to Bowyer...and didn't have a play in it?! Don't get me wrong, I am happy Ryan Newman got in since he was one of the drivers robbed of the Chase by Bowyer. If NASCAR wants to pull anyone...it should be the driver who did the act. My opinion... Here is the article I read...feel free to give your opinion - as long as it is respectful. NASCAR's Punishment for Bowyer's intentional Spin

Thanks for the laugh Hoss...sounds like fair punishment to me! Lizzy - you may be right, but that didn't stop NASCAR from punishing Jimmie Johnson a few weeks ago when he supposedly jumped the restart due to Juan Pablo Montoya laying back...or not getting started on his restart. Honestly, I didn't catch the restart until I turned the post race back on for a minute and the announcers were saying that Edwards may have jumped the restart. Personally I like Edwards so am happy for him to get the win, but if NASCAR is to punish one driver, it should go to all the drivers. Not just the ones they think should be punished...

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nascar/2013/09/08/clint-bowyer-spin-martin-truex-jr-ryan-newman-chase-richmond/2781487/ Well NASCAR is saying that they are investigating the race from last night and won't say anymore until they come out with penalties or whatever they decide to do with what had happened. My guess they won't do anything...they punished Dale Jr several years ago when he intentionally spun out to save himself at Bristol...but only when he was talking about it afterwards. So I am doubting that anything will be done about it...but am hoping that I am wrong. LOL

No...Bowyer was looking everywhere but at Jamie Little during his interview. (Though John Darby...he is one of the leaders in NASCAR organization, don't know his title off hand. It was reported on Facebook that he supposedly looked that the video and thinks Bowyer's spin was unintentional. Though of all that I am reading of fans and what not on Facebook...he is so far the ONLY ONE that I know of to think that...) I didn't even catch the debris report...I knew they had a caution for a debris (maybe two.) I wish I could help you on that one Hoss. Makes you wonder...why can't they just race? Also in question was the final restart. Even the reporters during the post race show (I turned it back on for a minute) made a statement that Carl Edwards jumped the restart...and NASCAR gave him the win anyway..(or something like that). Don't get me wrong...I like Carl Edwards and was happy to see him win, but if he jumped the restart, NASCAR should've docked him for it. Several races ago, Jimmie Johnson was accused of jumping the restart (though I think half of his problem was that Juan Pablo Montoya didn't get going on the restart...) and NASCAR put JJ back of the longest line. And yet Edwards does it...and gets the win? Once again, we are back to NASCAR's lack of consistency with their penalties...

I am glad you mentioned the whole Bowyer spin out, Hoss, because that is a very highly controversial ordeal in the NASCAR world right now as it is being said that Bowyer spun out intentionally to bring out that last caution. When Bowyer spun out, Ryan Newman was leading (his crew told him this on the radio right before his car supposedly started to have problems and spun out) and most likely would have won the race. Which would have given Ryan Newman a wild card position in the Chase and would take Bowyer's teammate Martin Truex Jr. out of the Chase. So when Bowyer spun out and the caution came out and with the pit stops...Carl Edwards came out on lead and ended up winning the race. Which took the win and the wild card position away from Newman and gave it back to Bowyer's teammate Martin Truex Jr. (also is what took the point away from Gordon and gave it back to Logano. In case y'all have forgotten (I haven't ) Bowyer and Gordon has a history of not getting along with each other.). I have my opinion on the ordeal (you can probably guess what it is) but I will post the video of Bowyer's in car camera before he spun out and the communication he had with his crew before on the radio. Also interview of Bowyer, Earnhardt Jr who was behind him (who Bowyer is trying to blame...despite Jr not even touch his car), and then Martin's interview. Here is the video...feel free to say what you think...

Thank you Roger....I think it being by only one point is what makes that much worse. But he did give it his all and never gave up. Even after his crew didn't put the tire on all the way and he had to go back in to put him two laps down. To finish eight after all that shows just how hard he worked. Sadly eighth wasn't enough for the Chase. I will have to look up his post race interview...I was disappointed and had turned it off as soon as the race had ended. Plus had family over that was leaving at the same time. I did read what he said though and thought that was super big of him to say what he did despite how disappointed he must have been. He is definitely a class act. And no...he is definitely not one of those spoiled brat losers... Thanks Roger.

Thanks Roger.

Well the Richmond race has just gotten over and this 24 fan is highly disappointed so will try my best to be objective to it all. Jeff Gordon started the night off on pole and led the first 49 laps before falling back rather quickly. Brad Keselowski led the most laps before getting into a confrontation with Kevin Harvick that kinda slid him back. Kurt Busch had a great race to finish second and earn a spot in the Chase. Jimmie Johnson started in the back since he didn't qualify his car and was faced with several troubles from battery issues and then later brought out the caution when his tire blew. Then running fifteenth, Jeff Gordon had to go into pits with a loose tire...which put him two laps down. He raced himself up to a lap down before winning the lucky dog. He was in and out of the Chase all night today. He was in by two points ahead of Joey Logano who was having a rough race and two laps down...when Clint Bowyer spun out to bring out the caution with four laps to go. Carl Edwards went on to win the race with Kurt Busch second. Jeff Gordon missed this year's Chase by ONE point to Joey Logano. I think Jeff Gordon sums it up perfectly when he wrote on Facebook "Heartbreaking". Gonna be a long ten races knowing he has no shot at the championship but it is what it is and despite whatever happens, will always be a proud Jeff Gordon fan. Here is the top TEN finishes: 1. Carl Edwards 2. Kurt Busch 3. Ryan Newman 4. Jamie McMurray 5. Paul Menard 6. Matt Kenseth 7. Martin Truex Jr. 8. Jeff Gordon 9. Mark Martin 10. Ricky Stenhouse Jr Here is what the Chase will look like: 1. Matt Kenseth 2. Jimmie Johnson 3. Kyle Busch 4. Kevin Harvick 5. Carl Edwards 6. Joey Logano 7. Greg Biffle 8. Clint Bowyer 9. Dale Earnhardt Jr 10. Kurt Busch 11. Kasey Kahne 12. Martin Truex Jr Onto Chicagoland next Sunday afternoon....

Well in that case ... will be at church during that time. Sorry...you will have to let me know how it goes.

Dang Hoss...you beat me to it. Again. But thanks for doing my job for me. Well Jeff Gordon looks to be starting Richmond off on the right foot as he was fast in practice and now looks like he was fast in qualifying too! Just hope he can keep it up come race time tomorrow...where it counts the most! Just for a heads up, I will most likely be able to watch the race...but at the moment do have plans to go with family as well so I don't know when I will get to the TV. Part of me wants to watch this race...the other part of me is too nervous to watch this race. HA. It all comes down to this for team 24...and I guess a few other teams. Will write my review after the race unless too late and then will do it Sunday. As for your race Hoss...having my race on Saturday night leaves Sunday open for the Bears opening season football game against the Bengals. Thanks again for the update Hoss...am super excited that Jeff Gordon FINALLY has the pole for this year! Jeff Gordon has now passed a new record...to have the most consecutive years with a pole...21 straight years of at least having one pole (if not more). How awesome is that?! LET'S GO JEFF GORDON AND TEAM 24!!!

Yes that is the picture I was talking about! Thanks for posting it...I finally gave up on it. Thanks for coming to my rescue!

Guess what y'all? Jimmie Johnson will be racing at Richmond tomorrow night!!!!!!!!!!! Well before you go roll your eyes and say what else is new...Jimmie Johnson's wife was expecting their second child around the time the Chase start and had Ragen Smith (who races for Jr in the Nationwide Series) practice and get use to the 48 car in case their second child came during the weekend. (JJ has been locked in on points for the Chase for the past few weeks...so it wouldn't have been a big deal if he were to miss a race...for the Chase that is. It would be a big deal for ME!) But not to worry! (In case anyone other than me was worried about this... ) Chandra gave birth to a daughter, Lydia Noriss Johnson, today. Making their three year old daughter, Genieveve Marie a big sister! Ragen Smith will drive the 48 car today for practice and qualifying, but Johnson will be back behind the 48 wheel tomorrow for the Richmond race. Ragen Smith for Practice and Qual, Johnson in for the race due to the birth of Johnson's daughter (Well Hoss, tell me if I did this wrong with the picture...have no idea on how to do this!) The picture in the article of Genevieve holding her little sister is so adorable...Genevieve looks so proud and happy of her little sister! Congrats Jimmie, Chandra, and Genevieve Johnson!

Say what, Roger? Do believe you messed up your post...we all know you meant the NASCAR thread is the best one in the history of the internet...right? Just kidding...am sure the behind the scenes are great and interesting.

Well she got her fifteen minutes of fame...hope she finds it worth $2500... As for the million dollars, I assume it is for the whole team to split up...but I am not a hundred percent sure on how they do it. I would have to look it up when I have more time. Great question Roger!

In the article I read, it didn't exactly come out and say that...but did say that Max went into Skeen's hauler to talk to him and his girlfriend got in the way (something like that) and Max shoved her aside to get to Mike. So, personally, it sounds like Mike and his girlfriend were trying to use that against Max. I guess it all depends on the way Max did it...but if the NASCAR officials were there as Mike had said, they would have fined Max as well if they saw him do something wrong against his girl friend. . .and I haven't seen anything that points at any wrong doing at Max after the claim. Which I am glad of. Max seems like a good guy...