Garrett Duke

After the opening races of the F1 season were dominated by Mercedes, Kimi Antonelli could only qualify in second for the Sprint race yesterday, sandwiched between the McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. In the race, Kimi lost out at the start and McLaren went on to finish first and second. Although Kimi fought his way back to fourth behind Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, a penalty saw him relegated to sixth behind George Russell and Max Verstappen. Cadillac have improved slightly to be competing in the mid-field. The sprint race highlights are here.

In the qualifying for the main race, Oscar Piastri came close to an early exit, but eventually put his car in seventh. At the front, there are four different teams in the first four places. Kimi Antonelli got pole ahead of Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris. Qualifying highlights are here.

If anyone's planning to watch the main race live, please note that the race time has been brought forward three hours to 1pm local time due to a predicted thunderstorm. 

F1 is finally back this weekend with the Miami Grand Prix, but I'll post about that later.

First, I read the sad news earlier that Alex Zanardi died yesterday at 59 years old. The Italian driver spent a few years in F1 before moving to the US where he won the CART World Series in 1997 and 1998 with Chip Ganassi Racing. After that, he had another brief stint in F1 before returning CART. In 2001, he lost both legs in a terrible crash in Germany, and survived for nearly an hour with less than a litre (under two pints) of blood left in his body.

Undaunted by the injury, he returned to various forms of motor racing., but it was racing handbikes where he really succeeded once more becoming a four-time Paralympic gold medallist and 12-time world champion. There was a minute's silence for Alex Zanardi before today's Miami F1 sprint race.

There's a full article at bbc.com.

Hey Garrett! It's good to see you bud! Hey, just remember OUR race, the  Moonshine 400! Remember last year? You were the winner!    This year you will need to  defend your championship! I plan on giving The Moonshine Mauler an extra .....uh special tune up.....just to make sure you don't rough me up right at the last, like you did last year! LOL!   Not only will you need to guard against me but cousin Roger and his unequaled skill,  of driving with only one hand......while chugging Buttermilk straight from the carton!!  LOL!  
 

This is why Daytona and Talladega isn't a favorite to me. It's all about the big one and all the accidents. I am glad no one got hurt in the accidents, though. 

This is why Daytona and Talladega isn't a favorite to me. It's all about the big one and all the accidents. I am glad no one got hurt in the accidents, though. 

Well fellow Hazzardites....it's DOHD once again! ( Dukes Of Hazzard Day).  I'm going to have to pick up my wife later and then I'll come back and open a new 15pk. case of Milwaukee's Best Ice ( Ice beer is my fav.!  )  and I'll watch some of season 6 tonight and might get into season 7...don't know....I'll probably be back on here later as I watch the show and....uh.....celebrate the holiday!  Hey cousins! You guys need to get on here with me on DOHD and celebrate with me!  Roger, you can celebrate with Buttermilk!   We can all get wild and party on Friday night, the official DOHD !!  

Sorry but I have an astronomy event to go to in a place called Clarion Pennsylvania. I'll jump a creek on the way down though just to get in the spirit of DOHD. 
Yeeeehawwww!

Thank you Hobie and Roger. That all means a lot to me.  

Because I'm still close to the UK, I'm usually identified as English, and that's fine with me (although I didn't celebrate St George's Day on Thursday!). My nationality is British, and that's probably how I'd be known further from home where people aren't so familiar with the differences between the Home Nations.

Garrett is definitely a heavy hitter here on the HN....been here longer than me. 

I hope you have a good weekend Garrett.  You mean a lot to all of us here in Hazzard County!   

I am sorry you missed the pro bike race. Glad you missed the rain though. 

Thank you Roger and Hobie! You made my day  . 
They'll be racing at Talladega this weekend. Sadly I'll be out so I won't watch it, but I'll be rooting on #9 as always! 
 

I am sorry you missed the pro bike race. Glad you missed the rain though. 

Thank you Roger and Hobie! You made my day  . 
They'll be racing at Talladega this weekend. Sadly I'll be out so I won't watch it, but I'll be rooting on #9 as always! 
 

Thanks Garrett. 🤗 

That's fine. I'm happy with anything. It wouldn't be NASCAR without you.

And that's a fact!

I'm still really big into pro dirt bikes. Saturday they raced in Cleveland Browns stadium. That's the closest they'll get to me this year but I didn't go. It rained all day so I'm kinda glad I didn't go. 

Sadly no  I need to get back into that. Last time I tried watching it, it kept going in and out and I turned it off. I should try again...

You are welcome. I am sorry it isn't more detailed. 

I am sorry to hear that Skipper. Sorry for your loss. 

I am sorry to hear that Skipper. Sorry for your loss. 

Sadly no  I need to get back into that. Last time I tried watching it, it kept going in and out and I turned it off. I should try again...

Prayers needed for my family again. This time, my dad's sister, my Aunt Alice died on February 6, 2026.