Garrett Duke

66 more days until the Daytona 500...66 too many days that is.

I will try to stop by for a little while...not like I can go anywhere with this nasty weather and oh yeah a seemingly dead car battery. Just got it fixed up on Tuesday and now this...if it isn't one thing, it is something else. Anyway...internet willing, I will try my best to make it to chat this year.

OK I think I probably have posted this commercial before...if not, I should have. If I have, I apologize, but love this commercial and have to post it...perhaps it has something to do with that it reminds me of something I would do. LOL 69 more days until the Daytona 500...or ten more Sundays. Either way...much too long for this 24 fan.

Luke's heart suddenly comes heavy as the commissioner's angry voice booms over the CB in The General and he slowly dares a glance over at Bo whose knuckles turn white with his death grip upon the steering wheel. "Alright," Luke breathes heavily out before motioning to the a deserted area ahead that is well hid by the thick trees. "if Boss wants to do it the hard way, we'll do it is his way. Pull over there." "What?!" Bo questions angrily, "We are on our way to go visit Gordon and not to go on your wild adventures. If you -" "Will you stop already?! Going and visiting Gordon now makes little to no sense what so ever. Pull over in them trees and perhaps we can discuss this like adults," Luke snaps back, "not like -" Luke cuts himself off. "Never mind. Just pull it over there." Bo eyes Luke angrily for a silent moment, not trusting himself to talk. Looking forward he reluctantly pulls over to where Luke had instructed him to pull over. "Well now, we're parked," Bo interupts the awkward silence, "and wasting Gordon's valuable time. Tick, tock." Luke glares at him and shakes his head before he leans over and opens the glove box and pulls out a small black rectangle. "Look Bo. As I said before, I am not too happy about this myself. But as of right now, Boss and Rosco are locking Gordon into solitary confinement for obviously not agreeing to his so called race," Luke pauses to look at the foriegn object in his hands, "which means that this has turned from bad to worse. Remember what Gordon said to do if things get worse?" Bo shrugs. "Call his lawyer," Bo sighs as he slowly sees where Luke is going with all of this only to force his anger to reverse from Luke to himself. "That Gordon's cell phone." "Yep," Luke says wakining the cell phone with a chipper ding. "Press nine and it goes right to his lawyer. No office, no family member. Just Bernie Aussler. His lawyer. So sit tight while I talk to him and get him over here...if Bernie is all that Gordon says he is, ol' Boss will be begging Gordon for forgiveness by the day is out." "Ten four," Bo sighs out, hating the fact that once again, he is forced to sit tight and not do a dang thing to help out. Forcing him to feel as if he is more in the way than he is of any help. Pressing the number nine on the number pad on the small cell phone, Luke puts the phone to his ear and is relieved to hear the ring tone, meaning he had followed Gordon's instruction good enough to work. After the third ring a rough voice says, "Jeff. Is that you? Never mind...it's your phone. Has to be you, right?" Luke hears a rough cough, "Where in the world are you? The media is loving this right now...the four time NASCAR champion is missing. You are all over the head lines. Your family is scared to death. The police are out looking all over for you. Hendrick and everyone there has been working hard to find you! You better have a damn good reason for this wild disappearance of your's! According to Mr. Hendrick you have missed several prime sponsor meetings...you know what that means? No sponsors, no number 24 car out on the track! Are you alright? You gone and lost it after twenty years behind the 24 wheel?" After what seems like forever, the lawyer's rant ends long enough for Luke to speak up. "Mr. Aussler," Luke glances over at Bo who stares out of his open window, "this is not Jeff. This Luke Duke. Our friend Jeff has found his way into a lot of trouble in our small town of Hazzard, Georgia. He was falsely accused of running into the sheriff when in actual, the sheriff ran into Gordon as he drove through Hazzard." Luke calmly recites the horrific events Boss has been putting Gordon through. "How I know you aren't making all this up? That you kidnapped Gordon and this is your way of asking for money?" the lawyer questions. "Because we don't got Gordon. We got a crooked law that will do anything to get a dime and now they are trying to use Gordon's good name to get money while Gordon is in jail for something he didn't do. He gave me his phone to call you in case things got worse. Well by the sounds of things, things have gotten worse. I am sure with all your computers you can look up Commissioner J.D. also known as Boss Hogg and his sheriff, Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane. They are as crooked as they come," Luke grasps at things to convince the lawyer of his story. "OK, ok," he slowly states, "I can be there in a couple of hours. I'll bring a few of my best guys, alert the police, and will be there. Where can we meet you at to get the run down on it all? You can take us to the police station." Luke nods in relief before he recites the farm's address. "Thank you Mr. Aussler. We will be looking forward to meeting you and your crew and hope that we can work our way out of this mess our law has gotten Gordon into." "See you in a couple hours Luke," Aussler states before hanging up. "OK we got a couple of hours to spare before his lawyer and his crew will arrive. Lets go back home and fill Jesse in on all that is going on," Luke states and as Bo goes to say something, Luke cuts himself off, "we go ahead and visit Gordon, will only upset Hogg even more than what he already is. Probably throw us in jail for no reason. Won't be no good to Mr. Aussler or Gordon if we are behind bars." Bo sighs before he slowly pulls out and heads the way they had just come. "You know Luke," Bo slowly states, "for once, it would be nice if you were wrong...and I was right."

Gordon looks at the commissioner with a lot of skepticism, recalling Luke telling him to never trust Hogg. That he always has something up his sleeve. And by how quickly Hogg was willing to give in to his terms, only convinces Gordon of what Luke had said. Something was going on in that fat head of his. "I never agreed to race against you, Mr. Hogg. You said the citizens of this community and you aren't just a citizen. You are the commissioner. The judge and whatever you see fit to be, it seems. But not just a citizen. When I agreed to your terms it was to drive them, not you," Gordon slowly states, shaking his head, "I won't finish first, second, or last to you, seeing on how I don't drive someone I don't trust. Too dangerous. And to be honest, Mr. Hogg," Gordon shrugs, "I am finding it real hard to trust you and your law around here. The only people in this dark town of your's that I have met thus far to be trustworthy is the Dukes..." Gordon goes silent to let his words fill the room his cell is in. "Nope. The only way I am going to agree to your terms is if you keep it to your original plan of racing against the citizens of your crooked town. Not you. Not your sheriff. End of story."

I know, I know...it's rather sad how I count down the days, I just can't help it. Sunday's aren't the same without a race. The week is not the same without having a race to look forward to. Sure there is football, but it's just not the same...am I really the only one counting down the days until Daytona? Thanks for your compliments... I think you got it all wrong...I think it is too bad that you aren't a Cubs and Bears fan. I just don't understand how anyone could NOT be a Cubs and a Bears fan...

Guess what y'all...the number of days slowly keep going down. There is now 75 LOOOONNNNNGGGGG days until the Daytona 500!!! Football will never replace baseball and NASCAR in my book, but am very grateful for the Bears to be filling that empty space that took over after Homestead. Three more weeks and their season ends...and then what? 75 more days...

Yesterday was another sad day for this Bears fan. Yeah I think their Super Bowl dreams have gotten a huge hit these past few games...thanks to ALL of their injuries on the team. Sorry to hear your Steelers lost as well...sigh. Onto next week...gonna be a big game next week. Packers are coming to Chicago...LET'S GO BEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Think I'll have to watch that game with my eyes closed...LOL) Best o' luck to your Steelers, Roger.

Gordon is looks quick and hard up at the short fat man as anger races through his tense body. "Finish second to you? I don't care if you are Santa Clause...I don't finish second to no one on purpose. I drive for one purpose and one purprose only. And that is to WIN! Not a chance would I EVER let you win...EVER!" his voice echoes off of the brick wall and for a quick instant his mind falls back upon the blond Duke who was so excited to see him and so quick to stand up for him. After a brief moment of letting his anger and disgust die down a bit he eyes Hogg suspiciously. "Anyway...your supposedly crooked up plan was for me to race against local towns people. Not you. Not your joker sheriff. "You want me to race for YOU to EARN money off of ME, you are going to have to agree to let me find my own ride and to race against the victims of this town. And in victims, I mean the Dukes and the honest citizens of this crooked town. I agreed to sign autographs and to race for THEM and NOT you or your clown sheriff." Gordon finds himself pacing angrily in his cell as he fights through his emotions and fights for a way to get out of here and to make it to his next race. Coming to a halt right in front of the commissioner, Gordon stares fiercely at him, refusing to show any other emotion than anger and hatred. "Nope. Not a chance would I let a loser like you beat me. No matter what. So I guess I will sit down and let myself get comfy in this dark hole of a cell of your's seeing as how we don't seem to have an agreement no longer." Gordon shakes his head at the commissioner and slowly walks back to the ratty cot and sits down on it while kicking off his shoes. "You can try to shake away the thought of my lawyers not getting to you all you want. You only run a little shabby town that you get to terrorize at your free will. Well, I will not be terrorized or controlled by you. My lawyers will have a hay day with you and your supposed law. And when all is said and done, all you will have accomplished is dirtying your name and your town name up even worse than what it already is. You see, Hogg, I have a faithful team of followers. My fans. The media. The public. Once I get my story out, no one will ever want to come to your town. Eat at your restaurants. Sleep in your ratty hotel. No visitors, no money," Jeff confidently states, eyeing Hogg with a no nonesense look. "And while we are talking about money here...without us reacing an agreement to your crooked plan, I won't be racing or signing autographs and you won't be earning a single penny off of me. "On the other hand, when I do find my way outta here," Gordon leans back, letting his words sink in, "I'll sue you for all you got for false arrest. Perhaps see what kinda charges I can put on you. And with all the money I get from you, I'll give every cent of it to the orphanage I saw here in town and to other towns people that are in need of money. And perhaps, I'll even offer Bo Duke a ride in the Sprint Cup. I've heard a few good stories of how good his talent is. Talent that is being wasted in this junk hole of a town you run." Gordon lies down on his cot. "You can think about it and get back to me. We can either fight or we can reach an agreement. I am fine either way. Either way I will win. No way am I going to lose to someone as arrogant and spoiled as you are...and no way am I going to race you or your sheriff. No way I would ever let you win," Gordon pauses once again for dramatic effect. "As I said, you can think about it and get back to me. For now, I need my rest. Have a good day, Commissioner."

Gordon eyes the round man with suspion for a long moment, letting the proposal slowly sink in as he reads and rereads the poster. Anger resides deeply within him. It's not that the race or signing autographs upset him. He'd be glad to do that. That was part of his job. What upsets him is how the fat man was controlling him. "You know what Hogg. I resent how you are treating me. I appreciate the respect that you are showing me by finally getting my name right. What I don't appreciate is the fact of how you are trying to control me. Frame me and force me to do something I would have been glad to do from the start if only you had asked," Gordon finally speaks up,eyeing the commissioner firmly in the eye, "You know what, whatever. I need to get out of this place, out of this town. I need to get as far away from you and your hick sheriff as I can," Gordon shrugs, "I'll agree to your terms for Friday to race and to sign autographs. As I said, I'd have done all that if only you had asked...but that'd be too easy for you, now wouldn't it have, Hogg? Or perhaps to honest for you." Gordon shakes his head as a thought strikes him. "Oh on second thought. I'll agree to your proposial under one condition," Gordon pauses for dramatic affect, "that I get my own car. I'm not talking about my personal car or my NASCAR car." Gordon pauses nervously. He knows he is going out on a limb on this after all the only people he knows in this small town is the Dukes. But they had warned him of how crooked Hogg is and he is not about to trust Hogg enough to drive his cars. "I will find my own car to race. If that don't work for you Hogg, then I'm giving my lawyers a call and they'll have your behind sitting behind bars for false arrest and all sorts of other charges." Gordon gives a confident smile at Hogg. "Now that we are business partners and all, I am sure you will understand where I am coming from and will be glad to agree to my terms," Gordon pauses for a short moment, "right?"

Yes it did...broke my heart big time. Very disappointing game for this Bears fan. Not only that we lost some great players today in today's game due to injuries. Earl Bennet out with a concussion, Tim Jennings shoulder injury, and Brian Urlacher tore hamstring or something like that. All those are from today's game...got a few others out due to last week's game. My Bears won't have much of a team if they all end up on the disabled list... Congrats on your win Roger with the Steelers...bet both you and MM were jumping for joy today. Guess that leaves me as the odd one out.

I really hope he wasn't intending to hit Kyle with a hammer...that could be deadly. I really don't know what Steven's intentions were, but hopefully they are dealt with one way or another. Understand being upset at Kyle for wrecking him, but throwing a hammer is taking it to the extreme.

Well don't know where to put this...there was some sort of race called the Snow ball derby today. Sounds like a lot of the younger drivers were in it. But thought of you Roger when I saw a tweet from David Ragen. Sounds like he was in it, led some laps (31), went a lap down, and finished 8th. I didn't watch it, though sounds like it was a good race to watch. Hendrick up and coming driver Chase Elliot who I have been following on FB and twitter started fifth and finished fifth. Matt Kenseth's son, Ross, was in it as well. Ross finished 11th. Erik Jones, a sixteen year old went on to win the race. But I think what is catching everyone's attention is Kyle Busch who was in the race and finished third. By what I gathered is, is that Kyle wrecked a lot of cars today. Made a lot of people angry. Including Steven Wallace (Rusty Wallace's son) who threw a hammer at either Busch. Like I said, don't know much that had happened...a lot of people are talking about it on Twitter right now where I got some info at as well as looking it up. Well I guess Wallace throwing the hammer at Busch doesn't make Tony Stewart's helmet throw at Kenseth this year look so bad any more.

Glad your hs team is doing good. That is always exciting to keep up with especially if you know the kids on the team. As for me...I am not a happy Bears fan right now. One would think that since I am closer to Chicago that Fox would air the Bears game, but no, they are playing the Packers game. Not a happy fan right now. Been keeping up with the game through Facebook and Twitter. But definately not the same as watching the game. Not bad enough have no race to watch today, now no football either. Sorry y'all, but needed to vent. Not that complaining about it has helped any, but still. . .

Oh trust me...them Duke boys will have JEFF GORDON out of jail way before Daytona gets here. You should never under estimate Bo and Luke ... (You are honestly forgiven Roger )

Sorry to disappoint you Roger, but they don't have the worst driver of the year award...besides only the top ten in points get to go the banquet. That is unless you win the most popular driver of the year award. Then you get to go. Lucky for Dale. Only the top twelve drivers get to go to Las Vegas for the victory lap. Sorry to let you down Roger, but poor ol' David wasn't even invited to the banquet. Life's not fair, ain't it? Perhaps next year David will be invited...but first he's got to earn the invite. Or better yet, you could become a Jeff Gordon fan...seeing how his drive for five (his fifth championship) is on for next year, he has to there. In fact if he wins the championship next year he'll get to sit at the front table and get everyone to congratulate him as Keselowski did this year. Yep...next year is Gordon's year. (Well I can always hope at least, right? ) I am feeling better, thank you Roger. Though you may have a point there...perhaps you could go talk to Brian France and tell him he needs to bring NASCAR back. Tell him I can't wait another 85 days for Daytona to get here.

"Honey, I'm home!" Luke sarcastically states as he walks into the old kitchen of the farm house to be greeted by a couple of anxious faces of Jesse and Daisy. "Sorry we took so long," he pauses as Bo follows him inside, "but ol' slow poke here held us up. If it weren't for him -" "Me?" Bo speaks up, anger laced thickly within the two letters of his question, "If I am not mistaken, it was you who ordered me to stop and watch Rosco...then ordered me to park where he was parked just so you could staisfy your curiosity! Ordering me around like a damn dog...heck you treat the dogs better than that!" "You will watch your language in this house Bo Duke," Jesse is quick to correct Bo who silently nods and looks away, "and no one here has said a dang thing about you two being late. So you two can stop your bickering about your timing as of right now. Am I understood?" Both Bo and Luke glance at each other and nods. "Very well," Jesse interrupts the silence, "so, what's going on?" Once again Bo and Luke glance at each other as if willing the other to speak up first. "What's going on?" Bo is the first to go on, "Gordon has been sitting behind bars while we have been sitting around doing nothing! Luke's genius plan." Bo gripes as he walks past his cousin, "Sit around and do nothing...just as if he wants Gordon to stay in jail. Oh," Bo stops, "that's right. It was his genius idea for Gordon to surrender to Rosco to begin with. Yeah," he nods, "he's real proud of himself this time." "Now wait a minute right now," Luke steps forward angrily, "it's not like that and you know it! I'm sorry as heck Gordon is in all of this and in jail and as I've told you before, I'm not any happier about it than you are! Perhaps if you weren't so blinded by your respect for Gordon and weren't so damn stubborn you'd -" "Both of you, stop, right now!" Jesse's raised voice quickly draws silence into the old farm's kitchen, "This is my house and in my house you will respect one another and you will talk civil to one another. Am I clear or am I clear?" "Yes sir," both boys state. "Bo you know dang well to trust Luke's ideas and you know dang well he is trying his best to help Gordon get out of jail. For a minute stop thinking of Gordon in jail and start thinking of Luke's plans. Perhaps if you have a better idea, then you should speak up. If not, then shut up and help him out," Jesse pauses to look from Bo to Luke, "and Luke. Perhaps you should stop and think of how Bo feels. Respect how he feels. You two start working together, perhaps you'd get somewhere." "Yes sir," once again both boys say at the same time before glancing grudgingly at one another. "Very well then," Jesse says with a small smirk, "I'll ask again, what's going on?" "Well as Bo said, I had him stop and watch Rosco," Luke is quick to speak up before Bo could get another jab in on him, "and it was just as I feared. He was hanging up a poster advertising Gordon in town and if you pay ten dollars you can race against Gordon." "Ah so Hogg's plan is finally publicized then?" Jesse questions aloud, "Just as we were fearing..." "Not only that," Bo says leaning against the living room entry way, "he can't even get Gordon's name right." Daisy grunts in disbelief besides Jesse. "How can you get Gordon's name wrong? Heck how can you even spell it wrong? It's spelled just as how you would say it..." "You'll love this," Luke gives a sarcastic laugh before nodding at Bo. "Yeah it's not Jeff Gordon," Bo adds shaking his head, "It's Gordon Jeff. Not bad enough he is framing Gordon for Rosco's lack of skill behind the wheel, not bad enough he's trying to gain money out of Rosco's lack of skill behind the wheel...he has to go get JEFF GORDON's name wrong." Jesse gives a small laugh and shakes his head. "Leave it to Hogg to get his name wrong," he pauses for a long moment, "What you thinking of doing now?" "Perhaps we should break into Hogg's office when he is not expecting us and show him how we feel about this so called poster he hung up," Bo is quick to insert. "We do that," Luke shakes the idea off, "we'll find ourselves in jail next to Gordon. And that my friend will do little to nothing to helping Gordon out of jail. No we need an idea that will be rational and something he won't be expecting," Luke pauses for a long moment, rethinking of his plan thus far, "if only we could find a way to prove that Rosco is at fault for the accident. A way to clear Gordon's name..." "That'd be too easy, Luke," Bo counters him, "you know that."

Well the NASCAR awards were on last night on SPEED and guess who DIDN'T get to watch it due to being sick and without cable. ME! Not fun being sick, even worse when you know you have to miss something due to it. Ah well. Don't have much to report about it other than that Jeff Gordon won the Myers Award -for lifetime contributions to stock-car racing - he is only the third active drivers to win that award. He won it for his extensive cancer fighting efforts. (I got that from NASCAR.com) Bet y'all can't guess who won the fan voted Most Popular award...give up yet? DALE EARNHARDT JR won the most popular driver award for the tenth year in a row. That's a surprise, ain't it? Sorry for the lack of info...have watched them in the past and it is nice to see the drivers out of their uniforms and in tuxes with their wives. . . Anyway...85 more days til Daytona! 85 long more days...