Garrett Duke

Well this isn't baseball or Dukes related, but am proud to share that the Stanley Cup is coming to Chicago with the Blackhawks! Have yet to sit down and watch a hockey game, but have kept up with the Blackhawks through Facebook and through fantasy hockey...am proud and excited that the Blackhawks have won the Stanley Cup!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Congratulations Chicago Blackhawks on a great season...and for winning the Stanley Cup!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!![/ Now if only the Cubs can follow suit and win the World Series...I would be beyond HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!

Rozzi fire works...you switch the i and the o around you have Rizzo. As in the Cubs first baseman, Anthony Rizzo! (I am actually wearing his jersery shirt as I type this. HA!) Sorry K, couldn't help myself when I saw the name. I hope that you will one day be able to experience a live MLB game...you will love it. Meanwhile support them from the TV...you can have your own bathroom and well, your drinks and food won't be as expensive.

You mean...you mean...you mean I lost...to you?! In fantasy baseball...? LOL. Congrats on the win...but it will be fun beating you in nine more weeks. I better to tune up my team before then. Since this team has failed me... LOL. As for NASCAR, thank you Roger. Second place finish feels like a win...best finish of the season as of yet. The win has to be around the corner somewhere soon. Right? I was and am very excited with yesterday's race...for Gordon and the rest of team Hendrick. Don't beat yourself up about your NASCAR Fantasy performance...road coarses are different where as there is a select number of drivers that excel at them while the others kinda suffer through them. I will be glad to give you pointers when they go to their second road race next month if you want. But don't be mad if I end up being wrong...I am wrong more than right. I thought I did pretty good with my team, but instead, I ended up slipping. Was disappointed in that...guess havign Juan Pablo Montoya run out of gas on the last lap didn't help me.

Dang it...you are right. I forgot to mention DW was the grand marshall! I was sooo excited when he got up there...it was great to hear his boogity boogity boogity again. I really miss that...I miss him. Musta been all them commercial breaks that got me distracted...think you are right Hoss. Feel like TNT shows more commercials than they do the race and feel the announcers are more negative than the ones on FOX. As I said, really wish FOX aired all the races...but that is my opinion for how little it is worth. You are right...I did like seeing DW and his command.

The Sonoma race has just ended and as I posted earlier, it started off with a bang. Last year they said their first caution was on lap 87 or something like that, but their first caution today was on lap seven after Pablo spun out Kyle Busch. No retaliation on Busch's part, but Kyle had a horrible race that was filled with bad luck. Seemed like he spun out a lot either by the help of others or by his own. Marcos Ambrose led the first few laps before Kurt Busch took over to lead a few laps. On lap twenty-four, Jeff Gordon goes in to make his first pit stop (he was tenth) and right before he made the commitment cone to pit road, NASCAR pulls the caution for rain...which put Gordon at the end of the longest line...and in 38th position. I bet you all can guess who was NOT happy. Kurt Busch goes into pit, his crew chief, warns him to watch his speed that there were others were caught speeding on pit road. So what does Kurt do? He gets caught speeding on pit road. Not only that, but as he went to do his drive through penalty for speeding on pit road...he gets caught again for speeding on pit road. He was put a lap down after that, but he managed to race his way up to the lead lap again and for a top ten finish. Danica Patrick spun out a couple of times today...She was helped put back on the main lap when car owner Tony Stewart caused an accident when he rear ended another driver. (Can't think of who it was at the moment.) Denny Hamlin got into the wall or grass area and caused an infield grass fire...which was quickly put out. Jeff Gordon on the other hand raced his way from 38th position to lead lap before the caution goes out with thirty laps to go...comes back out second to Joey Logano. Martin Truex Jr at some point took the lead and never looked back...breaking his two hundred plus winless streak. Juan Pablo Montoya ran second for a long time before his car ran out of gas on the last lap...which gave Jeff Gordon a second place finish. (Bet y'all can't guess who is excited about that?!) FINAL RESULTS AT SONOMA: 1. Martin Truex Jr. 2. Jeff Gordon 3. Carl Edwards 4. Kurt Busch 5 Clint Bowyer 6 Kasey Kahne 7 Marcos Ambrose 8 Greg Biffle 9 Jimmie Johnson 10 Kevin Harvick 11 Joey Logano 12 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 13 Brian Vickers 14 Paul Menard 15 Ryan Newman 16 Casey Mears 17 Travis Kvapil 18 Boris Said 19 Matt Kenseth 20 Aric Almirola 21 Brad Keselowski 22 Ron Fellows 23 Denny Hamlin 24 David Gilliland 25 Jamie McMurray 26 David Reutimann 27 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 28 Tony Stewart 29 Danica Patrick 30 Justin Marks 31 Jeff Burton 32 Josh Wise 33 David Ragan 34 Juan Pablo Montoya 35 Kyle Busch 36 David Stremme 37 Victor Gonzalez Jr. 38 Tomy Drissi 39 Paulie Harraka 40 Alex Kennedy 41 Jacques Villeneuve 42 J.J. Yeley 43 Bobby Labonte We will be back to making only left turns next Sunday at Kentucky!

HA HA ! I love that Hoss. Well y'all...before the race has even started, there was an accident between two drivers as they went off pit road that had caused a delay to the start of the race as they had to clean the pit road. Bobby Labonte already having a bad day before the race has started. The race has started despite the rain. Now Bobby Labonte pulled off to the side, parked, saying engine problems. David Ragen just got spun out...crazy start to the race! Oh and Juan Pablo Montoya has just spun out Kyle Busch...I can guarantee you that one Kyle Busch is NOT happy with JPM right now.

Dang it...guess I should have double checked that before posting it. HA HA... Am sure it was probably a mistake on who ever does their website then...what ya know, I'm not the only one to make mistakes!

Forget the time start...dang I love that 24 car! Got to be the best looking car on the track. Well it is 1:18 central time here...so that would be 2:18 ET. TVGuide.com says it will start at two my time...which will be 3 EST. See Hoss, you got to have reliable information before posting...otherwise people will be disappointed when they turn it on and it is only TNT's pre race show. HA. I assume the 2:00 EST start included the pre race show...the three start time is the start of the race. Maybe? LOL

Well I could use that commercial, Hoss, but I found this awesome Jimmie Johnson commercial where JJ seems to be talking to you, Hoss...have to agree with JJ...shame to miss seeing JJ race due to your music. Just sad. (Sorry Hoss, couldn't help myself )

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LX8_vTgCFE I love Gary Allan's new song "Pieces"

Dang you too Hoss...I was just about to post this one. Beat me to it. LOL Stewart may not run in triathlons...but there is a few NASCAR drivers who do. Like Jimmie Johnson! And do believe JJ does well in them as well...does well in them as well.

Hoss- I love Clint Black's music and this is one of my favorite songs by him. And just as much as I loved the song you picked out, I am absolutely positive you will love the song I have picked out...as well as this awesome video. After all, how could you not love this song or video or band?

Well Hoss for your first remark...I did read that yesterday. Just didn't have time to write or add onto it.

So Hoss...does this mean I am fired? LOL It is interesting the different way they did it...did hear someone on Facebook or somewhere talk about group qualifying but didn't know what they meant by it. Thanks Hoss for keeping us updated. I didn't get a chance to watch qualifying and have been out all day. On a side note...AJ Allmindinger won the Nationwide Series race at Road of America. Personally, I really hope that AJ will find a good Cup series ride soon...know he messed up last year, but at least he is big enough to know that too and take the proper steps to make it right. Am glad to see he won today in the Nationwide Series... We will be making right turns tomorrow . On a sad note we lost another race car driver as Allan Simonsen when he wrecked early on in the Lemans 24 hour race (the accident happened in the first hour of the race). Simonsen was only 34. Another sad day in racing...RIP Simonsen!

Thanks Roger. I enjoyed every minute of it...except for when all the rude fans began booing the Cubs for a mistake or calling them names. Don't understand what good booing anyone does, but your own team? I will never understand that...at all. It was a great game, a great day. Wish I could go back tomorrow...

You are very welcome Roger. Feel like I failed this weekend and normally if something happens to Gordon, I watch for Johnson...or just to watch. But Gordon getting taken out on the sixth lap was frustrating...and figured it was time to get out to visit my grandparents. Did get back to watch the end of the race, but it didn't end any better than it had started. For me at least. Am sure there are other people just as happy with the end...but all that is racing. Am looking forward for some road racing at Sonoma next Sunday. Very tragic about Jason Leffler. He seemed to have been a great guy, a great dad. Just so sad.

Thanks Hoss...I heard on Facebook that Kasey's wreck was pretty bad, but didn't hear how bad. Am so glad that he is OK. Sad day for all my Hendrick drivers. But am glad they are all OK. Sad Jamie Mac had a tire blow too. Just a sad race all in all. Do like Biffle but rather have a Chevy up front. Ricky's top ten will come sooner or later, Hoss. This is his first year in Sprint...give him some time.

Well I got back home to watch the last thirty laps... did feel bad for leaving the race after Jeff Gordon's wreck, but with him ou tof the race, felt like I should go visit my grandparents. But have to say after what I have ehard and read...well this Hendrick Motor Sports fan did NOT miss any thing. First, Bobby Labonte got loose and spun out in front of Jeff Gordon and wrecking Jeff Gordon into the wall. Gordon finished 39th today thanks to the wreck. Dale Earnhardt Jr. got his last two wins at Michigan, didn't get one today as of what I read, did have the car up front but then had his engine blow. Kasey Kahne had a dominant car when he got wrecked out of the race...think it was a tire. And then there is Jimmie Johnson. When I turned it on, JJ was second and going after Greg Biffle who was leading. Only with four laps to go he hit the wall (may have been a tire) and I don't think he even finished the race. After having to fight for first and coming home short last week at Pocono, Greg Biffle was able to hold onto the race and to win at Michigan today. Here is the finishing order: 1. Greg Biffle 2. Kevin Harvick 3 Martin Truex Jr. 4 Kyle Busch 5 Tony Stewart 6 Matt Kenseth 7 Clint Bowyer 8 Carl Edwards 9 Joey Logano 10 Jeff Burton 11 Austin Dillon 12 Brad Keselowski 13 Danica Patrick 14 Paul Menard 15 Trevor Bayne 16 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 17 Aric Almirola 18 Ryan Newman 19 A J Allmendinger 20 Juan Pablo Montoya 21 Casey Mears 22 David Gilliland 23 Marcos Ambrose 24 J.J. Yeley 25 David Ragan 26 Mark Martin 27 Travis Kvapil 28 Jimmie Johnson 29 David Stremme 30 Denny Hamlin 31 Dave Blaney 32 David Reutimann 33 Jamie McMurray 34 Ken Schrader 35 Kurt Busch 36 Joe Nemechek 37 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 38 Kasey Kahne 39 Jeff Gordon 40 Josh Wise 41 Mike Bliss 42 Michael McDowell 43 Bobby Labonte We are going road racing next week at Sonoma...

Well y'all, lap six and Bobby Labonte just wrecked Jeff Gordon into the wall. Gordon now out of the car and into the garage. Am sure y'all can guess who is not happy right now. Will probably be heading out for a while...which I wasn't going to do, but without Gordon in the race, well I might as well as go out. Will give my review on what I read after the race...

Well I finally joined the gaming world last month when I bought a Wii and some games last month from a person at work who was selling their's at a garage sale. Well this past weekend, went to a new and used game store at the mall and was very excited when I saw JIMMIE JOHNSON: ANYTHING WITH AN ENGINE in Wii. (For anyone who doesn't know...I love NASCAR and Jimmie Johnson is one of my favorite drivers.) So yeah...I had to get it! I was even more excited when I started to play it and found a SMALL Dukes of Hazzard reference as one of the characters (his characters for the races are not NASCAR drivers but these goofy characters) and one was Hazzard Hicks. Don't know if it has anything to do with Dukes of Hazzard...but he spells Hazzard the same way. Here is a small video for Hazzard Hicks: JIMMIE JOHNSON: ANYTHING WITH AN ENGINE. Hazzard Hicks Well bet y'all can't guess which character I am driving....

Thanks for posting this Hoss...but I didn't let the great game of baseball sidetrack me from doing my job. I was wanting to keep my tribute page up for Jason Leffler a bit longer for people to see. Starting position isn't as quite important as the finish position...but thanks for keeping us updated.

Some more pictures...

Well y'all I had an awesome afternoon at the ol' ball park yesterday. I do believe Wrigley Field is as close to Heaven one can get on Earth. Has got to be the best place on Earth...EVER! Almost as good as being in Hazzard. It was a great baseball game...My Cubs against K Dukes' Reds. Got to admit when I saw Reds' pitcher Mat Latos or Labos and his stats it did have me a tad bit worried especially since the Reds had just gotten done beating the Cubs three games in a row at Wrigley. But I am proud to say that the Reds did NOT sweep the Cubs at Wrigley this series...Cubs and the Reds must have been well matched yesterday as they both played good ball...though the Cubs did play catch up most of the game to the Reds. But the Cubs did come back to beat the Reds 6-5 in 14 solid innings. Sadly the guy that led the bus tour had said it was time to go at the top of the thirteen or fourteenth inning, so we missed the winning run...but it was a great game at the ol' ball park. Even one of the Blackhawks announcers (Eddie O...something. LOL. Have to admit, didn't know who he was until they said who he was) sang "Take me out to the Ball game". And well, I can't help but to take tons of pictures...even took a few of K Dukes' Reds...and of Joey Votto. Seemed to get a lot of player #19...though can't remember who he is. Sure K Duke knows who he is...and had to take a picture of Reds' manager Dusty Baker when he came to relieve the pitcher. Dang I miss seeing him in a Cubs uniform! All in all it was a great game...

I have read that Leffler's autopsy came back saying that Leffler had died from a neck injury he suffered in the accident. Just find this incredibly sad...