Garrett Duke

Just a reminder...Baseball season has officially started with the Miami Marlins and the St. Louis Cardinals game tonight. My baseball season starts tomorrow in Chicago...Cubs Vs Washington Nationals. Ryan Dempster will take the mound for the Cubs aganst Stephen Strasburg (Sp?)...and since I will be at work, will have to read up on the Cubs opening day win. HA HA. GO CUBS GO!!!!!!!

Well sadly NASCAR.com just fixed their finishing grid of today's race and Gordon was right...he came home 14th thanks to the accident and running out of gas. I try to be a positive person . . . in fact have a hard time having much patience with negativity, but this season thus far has me wondering what else can go wrong? Here is the new top ten finishers: 1. Ryan Newman 2. AJ Allmindinger (they even had the second and third drivers mixed up!) 3. Dale Earnhardt Jr 4. Matt Kenseth 5. Martin Truex Jr. 6. Denny Hamlin 7. Tony Stewart 8. Aric Almorila 9. Brad Keselowski 10. Clint Bowyer Once more...the next race is April 14th...we'll be going night racing at Texas!

Well I really don't know how I should start this write up. It was the longest race at Martinsville. Kevin Harvick led the first 21 laps until Jeff Gordon passed him. Jeff Gordon had a fast and great car today. He led over three hundred laps before being passed by his own car driven by Jimmie Johnson. They then fought for awhile...toward the end, Gordon had a better car and passed him just as the caution flew...thanks to David Reutimann who had brake problems for ten laps and didn't go in to pits until his car stopped on track. (A lot of drivers has expressed their dislike about this...including Jr on TV just now...) NASCAR has called Reutimann into the trailer after the race. Then everyone but Gordon and Johnson went in and got two fresh tires and gas...so on the restart, Bowyer went to pass Gordon only to get bumped by Ryan Newman. Bowyer hit Gordon and then hit Johnson...Jr said he hit Gordon from behind. Ryan Newman went on to win the race. Here is the top ten finishers of the race at Martinsville: 1. Ryan Newman 2. Dale Earnhardt Jr 3. AJ Allmindinger 4. Brad Kedelowski 5. Martin Truex Jr 6. Jeff Gordon (this is what NASCAR.com says, but Gordon says he finished 14th. Prefer the 6th place, but don't know who to trust.)7. Denny Hamlin 8. Matt Kenseth 9. Aric Almirola 10. Tony Stewart Well we have an off weekend next Sunday for Easter. The next race will be April 14th for a Saturday night race at Texas. Love night racing!

Hey Roger...I just heard from Boss Hogg and he is wanting his crooked calculater BACK. Seeing how this is the CUBS year to win the World Series ring...am so glad to hear that this time next year, you too will be a CUBS fan!!! Four more days til the boys of summer will be taking the field...CAN'T WAIT! GO CUBS GO!!!!!!!!!!!

You got it...Gordon has won 7 times at Martinsville where they are racing today...am hoping he'll get his eightth grandfather clock that they get as trophies when they win at Martinsville. HA HA.

Well y'all know how much I love NASCAR so it won't be surprised that I love NASCAR commercials. Especially the NAPA / Michael Waltrip commercials. Love the new ones this year with Waltrip and Mark Martin. Especially this one... Love the part with Martin cleaning the car's headlights and Waltrip reminding him that they aren't real...

LOL Hoss...you had me going there. Was about to say I don't like the idea at all... Funny thing is, is that I am watching the prerace s how on Fox and just as I opened the link they started talking about the google car. And then said it was an April Fools trick. Michael Waltrip (Darrell's youngest brother...also an announcer this year) said that sometimes he thought his car would have been better if it had been driverless. HA HA. It would be something interesting if they could make that happen, but still don't think I would like it at all. The driver's characteristics and who they are make it all that more exciting. Without the drivers, well, I think it would reduce the excitement in half... My opinion of course. Thanks for the laugh Hoss!

The Sprint Boys will be doing some more short track racing tomorrow at Martinsville! The race will be on FOX at 12:30 EST. Here is the top ten starting grid: 1. Kasey Kahne (Second pole for Kahne this year and his first at Martinsville!) 2. Kevin Harvick 3. Denny Hamlin 4. Clint Bowyer 5. Ryan Newman 6. Brian Vickers 7. Brad Keselowski 8. Kyle Busch 9. Jeff Gordon 10. Joey Lagano Well Gordon is at least starting in the top ten and hope he will finish in the top ten...hopefully higher than he starts. Sounds like he has a pretty good car this weekend...

Wow Roger...sounds like your calculator is broken or perhaps...or more likely, sounds like your stole Boss Hogg's calculator. My calculator...which is MINE and is NOT broken, reads that your cheating Pirates only won by ONE game. So if anyone is lying, Roger, it is YOU. So go ahead and try to report you. They'll probably ban you for life for all your horrible lies and for supporting such a horrible team as the Pirates. So perhaps you shouldn't report it...even if you are LYING about the BEST team in baseball...the CUBS...I would truly miss you on the boards. And you may be PROUD of your ONE game better status that the Pirates have, but you better enjoy it while you can. This is the CUBS year...so come this time next year, it will be me bragging about who won more games than your Pirates. In case you have forgotten... CUBS ARE NUMBER 01!!!!!

Thanks Roger...I may not know much about much else, but I do know a thing or two about NASCAR. As well as baseball, too. HA HA. My two favorite sports. Cubs and Pirates rivalry may end up being more exciting than Gordon-Ragen rivalry, but I wouldn't give up on poor ol' Ragen as of now. He just got a whole NEW team, car owner, garage...everything. He went from Roucsh racing to a lower class racing as well. A lot of the success in NASCAR does come from talent, from t he driver and pit crew. But a lot also comes from who owns their cars and how much money they have or are willing to dish out for their team/cars. Like Hendrick (Gordon, Johnson, Jr, and Kahne) is the top team in NASCAR. Meaning only the best under the hood and in the car and in the shop. Rousch I think is like second...can't recall who Ragen is racing for at the moment, but it is for a lesser team that isn't as well funded as Rousch is - who Ragen use to race for. If that makes any sense. In other words, Roger, don't give up on Ragen. Give him a year or two to adjust to his new team, new car, and new owner. Perhaps next year he will be more promising. He is a talented driver and a great guy. With that said... GO CUBS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dang Roger...you are missing out on some exciting racing. Well perhaps not so much since Gordon has been plagued with Duke bad luck thus far this season. But am looking forward for him to pull out of that and go for the win this Sunday at Martinsville. As for Junior...you may be right. He is the best Hendrick driver thus far. As for the baseball thread...I saw that and responded. Be prepared to hear the truth... HA HA.

Wow Roger...it looks like you came ready to fight. Well since you are ready for a fight, I'd say you came prepared to lose. You supposedly precious Pirates may have one more win last year than my Cubs did last year, but that is only because your little Pirates got on that lucky streak the first half of the season. Obviously you didn't know the Cubs have a new coaching staff...and they are coming into the season ready to WIN! Just as the Cubs have came to win...I also came to win in fantasy baseball...prepare to lose! As for believing...I am a die hard Cubs fan whos motto every year is this is our year...so I will say it loud and clear for you THIS IS THE CUBS YEAR! THEY'RE TAKING HOME THE WS RING HOME IN OCTOBER! (If not my motto will then turn into "next year is their year"...LOL) I am sorry Roger...I am going to DISAGREE with you. I know a lot about baseball...only been a Cubs fan for 26 years now. (Way longer than I have been a NASCAR fan...) I know who the best team is...the CHICAGO CUBS. You've just got to learn and accept it Roger...sometimes, the truth hurts a bit. You want me to leave this board? That only means you're afraid that I am RIGHT. HA HA. Well as I said, your post sounds like you are ready for a fight. So here I am to say: CHICAGO CUBS ARE NUMBER 01!!!!!!!!!

Well after telling Hoss how good Gordon's crew is...they gave the race away and thanks to the rain shortened race... Gordon comes home 26th. Am not happy right now. And since they called the race due to rain, Tony Stewart is the winner. 1. Tony Stewart 2. Kyle Busch 3. Dale Earnhardt Jr 4. Kevin Harvick 5. Carl Edwards 6. Greg Biffle 7. Ryan Newman 8. Martin Truex Jr 9. Kurt Busch 10. Jimmie Johnson

Well bad news, bad news, bad news...it is raining now in Fontana. So far no big news has been going on. Kyle Busch led a lot of laps, Tony Stewart is now leading with 71 laps to go...and raining. Hendrick boys (Gordon, Jr, Johnson, and Kahne) were all doing good for the first half. There has been a few speeding penalties as well as penalities with equimpent leaving their stall...as in Jeff Gordon. .Fifth in spot and his gas can got stuck and he left and the gas can man fell outside of the pits. He had to go back to pit road.. Took him a lap down. AM NOT HAPPY RIGHT NOW. Definately not helping his points. Jimmie Johnson was having a good but once the rain started his car started smoking and another driver let them know oil was dripping... If it goes back to green (WHICH I HOPE IT DOES!) I will let you know how it goes down the last 71 laps...

Love Fox's NASCAR Intro that is sang by Dierks Bently!!!!!!! It is Dierk's "Sideways" song... Well the pre race show is on right now and as of now, no rain. Darrell Waltrip said on Facebook this morning that they were predicting 80 percent rain...but then said they are wrong a hundred percent of the time. Hope he is right! Hate rain shortened races or even worse when they race on Mondays when I can't watch it.... GO JEFF GORDON GO!!!!!!!!

They are racing at Fontana California tomorrow at 2:30 EST on FOX...that is if it doesn't RAIN...rain is in the forecast, at least it was yesterday .... got a link to it on Facebook. Am really hoping for it NOT to rain...as always. And despite what I said earlier, will be able to watch it since my plans got postponed... Anyway, qualifying was last night...am not too happy since Gordon qualified 21st. Don't know why he is having so much bad luck lately...one would wonder if he was related to the Dukes or something. HA HA. Guess it is better for him to start there and not finish there...so am hoping he has a car he can move up through the pack with. He's gonna need it! OK...sorry, had to vent a little. Been looking forward to this season to start, as always, and the only word that comes to mind from the first four races...and the shoot out, is disappointing or frustrating for this 24 fan. Anyway, know you all aren't big Jeff Gordon fans as I am...so I will stop my complaining. For now. HA Here is the top ten starting positions for tomorrow's race: 1. Denny Hamlin 2. Kyle Busch 3. Mark Martin 4. Greg Biffle 5. Kasey Kahne 6. Ryan Newman 7. Kevin Harvick 8. Joey Lagano 9. Tony Stewart 10. Jimmie Johnson Once again...will be praying for NO rain in Fontana tomorrow. It can rain in Iowa all it wants, just not there!!!!!!!!!

Well I got the best news today when I turned on the computer, but then again, my opinion on this is biased...after all Jimmie Johnson is my second favorite driver (after Jeff Gordon, of course ). And it does affect Jeff Gordon as well since Gordon owns most of Jimmie Johnson's car... Jimmie Johnson went onto the final stage there is for appealing NASCAR's penalities against him that was given to him after the Daytona 500 race for failing car inspection BEFORE the Budweiser Shootout race. He was fined 25 owner points, Gordon was fined 25 car owner points, his crew cheif was fined $100,000 dollars...and both crew cheif and car cheif was to be put on probation for six races. Last week they went forward to the first option to appeal and lost against NASCAR. They took the appeal to National Stock Car Racing chief appellate officer John Middlebrook, who use to work for General Motors and has faced three other appeals prior to Johnson's. In all three he has reduced the penalties. Middlebrook has reduced Johnson's penalties in a BIG way...he took away the points fined against Johnson and Gordon (HUGE sigh of relief...) as well as the suspensions for crew cheif Chad Knaus and car cheif Ron Melec. Knaus and Melec will be on probation until May 9th...and Knaus' $100,000 fine still stands as is. Which means two things. One...Jimmie Johnson no longer is 17th in points where the 25 point fine had put him...he is now 11th in points! Two...he will have his crew cheif supporting him this weekend. Know there probably is a lot of people who don't agree with this since there seems to be a lot of people against JJ, fan wise that is. But I for one am excited and relieved about this. I agree punishments should be handed out if something is wrong or done wrong, but that was harsh for someone who didn't even take that car on the TRACK! Now if only Gordon could find a way to climb up in points...really hate seeing him stuck in 23rd in points due to BAD LUCK!

The race just got over and it definately didn't go my way. Gordon always has a good attitude when they interview him after something like that. Stewart hit the wall, but rebounded to finish 14th. Jr later got caught speeding in pits and went home fifteenth after leading a couple of laps. Have to admit was frustrated with him cutting Gordon's tire, but do have to agree with him, that it wasn't done on purpose. Always glad to hear them apologize for wrong doing. He was quick to send an apology to Gordon after it happened. Here is the top ten finishes: 1. Brad Keselowski 2. Matt Kenseth 3. Martin Truex Jr 4. Clint Bowyer 5. Brian Vickers 6. Jeff Burton 7. Jamie McMurray 8. Juan Pablo Montoya 9. Jimmie Johnson 10. Paul Menard Well we are onto Fontana California next week...don't know if I'll be home in time to watch it but will do my best to do a write up.

Well we have ninety laps to go at Bristol...Kahne got in an early wreck that took him out with Edwards and Kyle Busch. Brian Vickers who is racing part time with Waltrip racing is in his first race of the season and led a lot of laps. Gordon had a great car and was in the top five for most of the day until racing for position with Dale Jr. Dale Jr tale pipe hit his tire to give him a flat tire and into the wall. Which shattered Gordon's Bristol race. Very frustrated about it right now...can't believe the rotten luck he has had this year so far!

We're racing at Bristol baby! The pre-race show is on right now and here is the top ten starting drivers... 1. Greg Biffle 2. AJ Allmindinger 3. Ryan Newman 4. Jeff Gordon 5. Brad Keselowski 6. Regan Smith 7. Aric Almirola 8. Carl Edwards 9. Joey Lagano 10. Kasey Kahne Well y'all know I am a Jeff Gordon fan so this is not going to be any surprise to any of you, but REALLY hope that Gordon has a better race today than he has all season long. Hope his run of BAD LUCK is all over and he can go for the win today. Am really excited for this race...love Bristol racing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

TRPCOltrane...sorry you haven't been feeling the best. Hope you are feeling better. Hopefully Stewart's win helped you feel better as well. Didn't watch the end of the Daytona race...saw the jet dryer wreck and watched for the red flag but went to bed when the drivers were sent to their car. I get up at four AM so had to catch at least a little sleep..especially since BOTH Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson were out by then. Though was hoping Jr would have won it...came all so close. Love Bristol racing. One of my favorite tracks and love it when they got there. Especially for the night race in August. Jeff Gordon is great on this track and hope he will turn his BAD LUCK around this weekend. THat is if he isn't collected up in one of them accidents that is bound to happen at Bristol. Fingers crossed for a top five...or a win from team 24 this weekend. Glad to see you back online TRPColtrane and hope this is a sign that you are feeling better.

Thanks Hoss. Me too. I heard online that JJ's crew cheif's reputation has a thing or two to do with the harshness of it. Back when this car was new...they had it in a few races first before going full season with it. Well in one race they were using COT (Car of Tomorrow) both Gordon's and Johnson's car was found with illegal measurements on it...cc's were suspended, points taken. I didn't understand them being so harsh to them back then and still don't...you make them drive a new car, it's bound to take 'em awhile to get everything right. (BTW...Darian Grubb (who was Stewart's CC last year) was JJ's replacement during the races Chad was suspended and JJ won the first two races with him...) I know JJ's crew cheif Chad Knaus has been known to push the envelope so to speak a time or two...but as he said when he was suspended with Gordon's cc...they are paid to push the envelope as far as it will go. Sometimes it goes too far. But still feel like they should penalize him according to what was wrong and not what had happened SEVERAL years ago. Feel this is too harsh for what the crime is and really hope that the penalities will at least get reduced...

Well Rick Hendrick took the charges against the 48 team (Jimmie Johnson) to apeal this afternoon and it didn't do nothing. There is one last option to take it to another level...which he is going to do. Good for Mr. H. I agree if the part was out of proportion according to the rules that some penalties should be applied...but 25 driver points? Suspending BOTH car cheif and crew cheif for SIX races? Fining cc Chad Knaus a hundred thousand dollars?! Just WAY too much for what the charge is. JJ didn't even put it on the track, didn't even race in it...not even in practice! How can they fail the same car that they passed inspection at least four times last year? URGH just frustrated right now. Am really hoping the last stop will be the right stop for team 48...

Never got into horse racing, but that is awesome that one is named the General Lee. Hope he has a great career!