Garrett Duke

Thanks Roger...way to go. Come and rain on my parade why don't you. How'm I to afford that much road salt? Hey Roger...you don't have that much road salt lying around, now would you?

We should take this idea to NASCAR CEO or president Mike Helton...think he'd approve?

Thanks for giving me the chance to use this song...love this song.

Well they could have it end November 18th as they are this year and the next season start up November 25th. Sounds great to me .

There is four races left of the season...last race is November 18. The season always ends the Sunday before Thanksgiving. Though if you ask me, I think the season should NEVER end...then again, that is selfish of me. So perhaps they can have the month of December off and begin racing in January.

Well guess I messed up about my fantasy teams...that is just how I am ranked in the play off section of the season. Did look at the league where I was ranked first in on the over all season, I am second and only forty or sixty points down. Have four more races to either gain on him or to lose...LOL.

It was chaos and heartbreak for some drivers. Had to feel bad for Almirola going for his first win with the best car he has ever driven only for the win be taken away from him due to his tires. Bet Goodyear is back at the shop working hard on getting a better and softer tire for the track when they visit it again in the spring. Newly repaved tracks do present challenge. The old track the drivers know what to expect, how to build their car to fit the track. A newly repaved track leaves everyone guessing and not knowing what to expect. Plus the track has NO grip at all, which leaves for the slippery conditions and what not. Don't know how often they repave tracks...want to say ten years or so sounds about right, but that would be a guess. Really don't know for sure. They are going to Martinsville, short track racing. Hope for less wrecks than last week...always leaves me holding my breath hoping it doesn't collect to one of my favorite drivers. Was going to post this in news, but will just post it here...DALE EARNHARDT JR has been medically cleared to RACE AT MARTINSVILLE this Sunday. I for one am excited and glad to hear Jr is back to racing shape. Don't know if I should say anything, don't want to jinx myself. I am in two NASCAR fantasy leagues in NASCAR this year. First half of the season I did horrible...think I cursed my drivers I chose for my team thoses weeks. Hung out seventh or nineth in both of them for a long while. Had no hope of ever really accomplishing much in either league. But with four races remaining to the season, in one league I have climbed three or so spots last week to be sitting in third...in the other league, I am currently proudly sitting FIRST for the second week in a row. Never expected to get this high and now holding my breath that I can pick the right drivers to get me a win in one of my leagues...but know that is probably asking too much.

Sorry to interrupt your lonely thread, but...

I think the highlight of today's race was that we had fourteen cautions...a new record for Kansas...newly repaved. Goodyear will have their hands full trying to find a softer tire since most of the issues were tire related...hard tires. Am proud of Jimmie Johnson and the entire 48 crew. They had led a lot of laps before getting shoved back mid pack due to a pit stop. Back there he spun out and hit the wall. They had talked about taking it to the garage, instead they fixed it on pit road. Took the car home nineth today...great example to never give up. Aric Almirola led teh most laps today. Was leading until he wrecked, he fought back, was going for the lead and spun again. Several laps later he spun out and hit the wall hard - car caught fire for a bit and knocked the air out of Aric. Bet Richard Petty was proud of his driver today for the fight he gave today. Tony Stewart who started towards the back due to a poor qualifing effort...was tagged with a pit road penalty when his crew left the wrench in the back of his window. Served that...then spun out. Came home with a fifth spot finish. Danica Patrick purposely spun out Iowa native Landon Cassill...they were fighting for space for a while. According to Danica Landon had hit her on the side for no reason...Danica spun Landon out and she ended up hitting the wall hard and taking herself out of the race. As Landon had said "Rule of thumb, you going to spin someone out, don't wreck yourself." Or something like that. Even Danica's own crew cheif called into her after the wreck and told her there was no call for that. (Something like that...) Kyle Busch had spun out towards the beginning of the race and had continued racing until Ryan Newman spun him out to end his night...took Newman out as well. They interviewed Kyle and he said that at least Newman took himself out of the race as well and that he'll have another one coming later on. Kyle was loose all race long, Ryan surely didn't help him any - or make him any happier. Greg Biffle was another good car that had spun out and later had taken himself to the garage...chase car as well. Kurt Busch had hit the wall towards the end of the race, but not hard enough to draw a caution... As I said earlier, it was a CRAZY race. With all the cautions going on and everyone spinning, one would think we were at Daytona or Talledega - just not going as fast...though they were going faster than normal for Kansas due to the new track. I was just glad Jeff Gordon was able to stay clear away from all trouble today...had a hard week before Kansas, started out mediocre, before gaining ten positions in pits and stayed in the top ten...came home tenth today. Here is the top ten finishes of today's race: 1. Matt Kenseth 2. Martin Truex Jr 3. Paul Menard 4. Kasey Kahne 5. Tony Stewart 6. Clint Bowyer 7. Regan Smith 8. Brad Keselowski 9. Jimmie Johnson 10. Jeff Gordon Was happy to see that Regan Smith finish seventh today -proving how good he can be with great equimpent under him. Bet Dale Jr was pretty happy himself as well. Rick Hendrick (Dale Jr's, Johnson's, Gordon's, and Kahne's car owner) said before the race that Jr was cleared to race next weekend, but later came out and said that Jr had an incar test tomorrow he had to pass and an office type test on Tuesday he would need to pass to get cleared. So far so good for Dale Jr, so if he passes the tests, he will be back in the 88 car at Martinsville next Sunday. Will know for sure on Tuesday afternoon.

Will write my review when the race is officially over, but had to stop by to say that if you are missing the race, well you are missing a CRAZY race. Into our eleventh or twelveth caution...83 more laps to go. Fingers crossed that Gordon will remain out of any problem. Just crazy...

You are very welcome, Roger...thank you for reading them. Thanks to the Dukes and the General Lee, I love talking about NASCAR. Am grateful that y'all gave me the platform to talk about NASCAR and their races. I hope you enjoy your corn maze with your grandson . Perhaps you and your grandson can have a race to see who can make it through the corn maze the fastest. Am looking forward to watching the race tomorrow and hope to write a review of a great race...one with Gordon in Victory Lane. Fingers crossed. LOL. Either way, will make sure to write my un-biased review after the race.

The Sprint Cup Series will be racing at Kansas tomorrow afternoon at 1:00 PM EST on ESPN - well I should say the pre-race show will start at 1:00...pre-race show is normally an hour or so long with commercials, driver interviews, more commercials, some talk, more commercials...LOL. They will be driving on a repaved Kansas track, so track conditions and the such may be different than how it was before... Here is the top ten qualifiers: 1. Kasey Kahne 2. Mark Martin 3. Clint Bowyer (Kansas native) 4. Kyle Busch 5. Aric Almirola 6. Ryan Newman 7. Jimmie Johnson 8. Joey Logano 9. Denny Hamlin 10. Kevin Harvick

No problem, Roger. Was wondering if that was the same article or not. Doubt Jr will sit out the rest of the season...it's probably killing him (not literally, of course) to be sitting out these two races. Plus with fans and sponsors, he has a lot of people to keep happy. Guess there is a price to pay for being voted the most popular driver for nine years in a row... Thanks Roger...it is very disappointing to see how Gordon's season has gone this year. He has had his good races and has had very good and fast cars, just not the finishes he needs and deserves thanks to good ol' bad luck. There is a bright side to this year? Believe it or not, I do like David Ragen...perhaps not as much as I like my Hendrick drivers, but do wish him all the best in his racing career. But yeah I guess Gordon could be where David is in points and all that. My hope for the next five races is that Gordon can have great races with at least one win (is that too much to ask for?) and perhaps to finish lower than nineth in points...and that either Kasey Kahne or JJ will win the championship. Really don't think I am asking too much, am I?

"Show me the Meaning of being Lonely" Backstreet Boys

Roger I am so sorry you are this upset and having this problem. I know very little about astronomy - most I know is to fear the full moon in knowing that a week before and to the full moon the kids at the day care I work at begin to act up a lot more than normal and can get a bit more stressful. But do know how important hobbies can be and would be equally upset if someone ruined my writing...though my own muse has seemed to do that for me. I hope you can get this all worked out for you.

Yeah 18th hurt a little...very disappointing race for this 24 fan. Think his championship hopes are pretty much flat right now. Not giving up hope but sooner or later you got to face reality. But looking back at his season, am just thankful he made the chase. If he can't win the championship then a fifth or at least in the top ten would be great...top ten drivers in points get to go to the championship dinner or whatnot they call it. You telling me Roger that you know something about JG that I didn't know? I read an article that JG said he wouldn't have came forth with the concussion/headache if he was going for the championship, but have yet to hear him say that Dale should have kept his mouth shut about it. That has got to stir up some controversy - especially in Jr Nation. I will have to go look up at that and let you know if it went any farther. Did read an article that someone said this concussion COULD end Jr's career, but don't know how much I would put into that. Personally I think Dale needs to take care of Dale - even if it is sitting out a few races. Hate seeing him out of his car like this, but he needs to make sure he is healthy before going 200 mph. Heck...(it hurts me to say this, really it does. Dale is my third favorite and really am sad for Jr with all this) but it wouldn't hurt Dale to sit out the rest of the season to make sure he is all better. I mean we have five races left, he is out at least one more, and has no chance at all at making the championship this year - he has nothing to prove or to lose by sitting out and taking care of himself. Dale needs to do what is best for Dale...not for his fans, or for the sport. .But for himself.

Love this song...

Well, if you missed today's race, well, you didn't miss much of anything.. Personally, I hate missing any race, but today's race has left little for me to talk about. The race started off with a bang with Kenseth getting a flat on lap eleven (Tony Stewart got caught up in it), then on the restart David Ragen and Jeff Burton ran into each other to cause another caution. There was two other cautions after that throughout the race, but think they both were for debris. Jeff Gordon finished 18th...so no breakdancing tonight. Didn't have much of a car to begin with, but then got caught speeding in pit road...shame on him! Finished two laps down. This 24 fan isn't too happy as his championship hopes probably took a big hit tonight (Yep...from sixth in points to nineth. Fifty points down.) Ragen Smith was doing pretty great in Jr's 88 car, took it from 26th starting spot to tenth only for him to lose his engine and had to take it to the garage early. At the end of the race there was only six drivers on the lead lap...still don't understand how that happens. Has to do something with gas...once again, came down to a gas fuelage deal. Here is the top ten finishers of today's race: 1. Clint Bowyer (on my fantasy team this week ) 2. Denny Hamlin 3. Jimmie Johnson (on my fantasy team this week) 4. Greg Biffles 5. Kyle Busch 6. Mark Martin 7. Carl Edwards 8. Kasey Kahne 9. Joey Logano 10. Martin Truex Jr. (on my fantasy team) We are onto Kansas next Sunday...we are half way through the chase.

Well awhile ago I posted Eric Church's and this is another song from that album. Finally caved in and bought the album and love it!

Hope you enjoy your reception...but couldn't they have had it tomorrow when there is no race? Thanks Roger...hope Gordon can get the win tonight. If he does, he'll be doing some break dancing afterwards. Can't wait...only five races left after tonight.

Hope you had a great birthday Brian

NASCAR Sprint Cup will be racing TOMORROW night (Saturday) on ABC (not ESPN) at Charlotte...I think at 7 EST. Have some racing under the lights - love it! Though what I am not loving about tomorrow's race is the fact that Jr will be watching the race on the sideline or where ever he choses to watch the race and not in the 88. Nothing against Ragen Smith. He's a good kid and deserves the chance to prove himself with a top team...this his his chance to prove himself to the NASCAR world. But it will just seem wrong not to have Jr in the 88...in fact it will be just wrong not to have an Earnhardt in the race. Been YEARS since there was a race without an Earnhardt. (Read how long it has been yesterday, but can't remember exactly.) Before there was Dale Jr, there was Dale Sr...before Dale Sr there was Ralph Earnhardt (Dale Jr's grand daddy). And now two races, at least, without an Earnhardt. Though am glad Jr has stepped forward to take care of his health to get feeling better and not just go out there and race with it, he needs to take care of himself if he wants to be in the car for many more years. Just hate it for him and hope he will recover quickly and smoothly. Forward...LOL. Charlotte use to be named Jimmie's house due to how well he use to drive here...he still does, but not as dominate as he use to. Though read he has came in fourth in both practices, so he very well may have the car to beat tomorrow. Jeff Gordon on the other hand will have the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on his car (Leonardo on the hood for his son Leo) and has said several weeks ago that if he wins at Charlotte, he will break dance in victory lane. I for one, hope to see him breakdance again. He'll have turtle power on his side. Well here is the top ten qualifiers to tomorrow night's race: 1. Greg Biffle 2. Mark Martin 3. Ryan Newman 4. Clint Bowyer 5. Jimmie Johnson 6. Martin Truex Jr 7. Matt Kenseth 8. Kyle Busch 9. Denny Hamlin 10. Kasey Kahne

You are welcome, Roger. Of my list of favorite NASCAR drivers, Dale JR is my third favorite (after Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson) and if my news above didn't express it, I am pretty disappointed to see Jr sitting out for the next two races. Though am glad he was able to make the step forward to get the help he needs to get better...as he says, he still has a lot of racing to do and he needs to be healthy to do it. (Something like that.) Hate it for Jr...has to be rough for him to be facing this - hard couple of weeks for him and his team. Get feeling better Jr.

Well y'all I have got some devastatingly bad news...well OK to some I may be over exaggerating, but am I? Guess no one that I know have died and no one was SERIOUSLY hurt or injured, so one should be grateful. And I am grateful. With that huge wreck at the end of the Talledega race, everyone in the NASCAR world should be grateful for all the safety gear that is on the track, on the driver, and in the car. That wreck was ten times worse that Dale Sr's wreck in '01 where he sadly died in...so yeah, everyone is lucky and I am very grateful. But still...despite everyone walking away from that big wreck at the end of 'Dega, not everyone walked away without any harm. Dale Earnhardt Jr will be sitting out the next two weeks (this weekend's race at Charlotte and next week at Kansas) due to suffering an concussion in a wreck in August (that I heard nothing about, til now- was during a testing session at Kansas. Dale told his crew cheif Steve Letarte about it, no one else.) and thanks to the big wreck that his own buddy Tony Stewart caused by trying to block his lane, he suffered another concussion. After suffering with a lingering headache, he went to see a neurosurgeon that confirmed that he suffered a concussion in August and another one at 'Dega. Jr said he knew he got one after the wreck in August but was too stubborn to seek help for it in fear that he would be yanked from his car...well after having TWO concussions, he is yanked from his car for TWO WEEKS. After a stellar year...or well, at least one of his best years as of late, his wreck at 'Dega costed him four spots in the chase. If that wasn't a closer on the championship hopes, well this is. Ragen Smith, who use to drive the 78 car (last weekend was his last race with the team since Kurt Busch is taking over the 78 car) will be driving Jr's 88 car in his absense. Ragen Smith is said to be taking over Kurt Busch's 51 car, but while Ragen is driving for Hendrick, AJ Allmindinger will take the wheel of the 51 car - his first time back since being suspended. NASCAR checks for concussions when they take the drivers to the incare field center after a driver wrecks (mandatory) and said when Jr first got the concussion, that he passed all their concussion tests. (Dale didn't have to go to the incare center Sunday since he got his car started and drove to the finish line...) Dale's father, Dale SR was one of the drivers that got NASCAR's attention after he suffered a concussion, knew about it, but didn't say anything about it for weeks when he said he had one in an interview and how he had hard time communicating with his crew during the race as well as with focusing. So ok perhaps it isn't devastating that Dale got a concussion - it could have been a lot worse than what it is. Perhaps I exaggerated a tad bit in my reaction, but still hate it for Dale Jr that he is hurt and sidelined as he will be for the next two weeks. Worse yet, he got the news yesterday...on his 38th birthday. What a great birthday present...not. Get better soon Dale Jr!

You are welcome...I enjoyed writing that. I may not know much of anything else, but I do know a thing or two when it comes to NASCAR. Thanks Roger. That is a great way to look at it...one race will turn it around to him and he can prove Brad Daughtery wrong...again. But yeah, he'll need to keep it going right from then on out - but it can happen. Ah DR may be out of it, but he is still out there giving it all he has and they will be starting all over in February. Can't wait to play fantasy NASCAR too...even if it did entitle me getting beat by you. I understand where you are coming from...in my other fantasy sports I have been able to support my Chicago teams, but NASCAR, well I can only chose Jeff Gordon to start nine times out of 36 races...or any other driver. I think I have three or four more times for both JJ and JG on my teams ... while Jr and Kasey Kahne I have only one more turn left to use them. (They are in the B categories and in the B category you start two drivers. A category where JJ and JG are in you only chose one driver to start per race.) That is the hard part, but it also gives me other drivers to keep an eye on throughout the race - of course if it comes down to it, I'd much rather Jeff Gordon win it all whether or not he is on my fantasy team. It would be awesome to see Cale race...like to see how he would do with the cars they have today compared to the cars he drove. Or Richard Petty.