Spike

Been a while so here's a big news update: Toyota to run the Supra in the Xfinity series https://nascar.nbcsports.com/2018/07/05/toyota-unveils-supra-for-xfinity-series-in-2019/ Bubba Wallace to stick around in the #43 https://nascar.nbcsports.com/2018/07/28/bubba-wallaces-deal-extended-by-richard-petty-motorsports-beyond-2018/ Leavine Family Racing switching to Toyota's next season https://nascar.nbcsports.com/2018/08/05/leavine-family-racing-leaving-rcr-technical-alliance-after-this-season/ in related news... Kasey Kahne is retiring https://nascar.nbcsports.com/2018/08/16/kasey-kahne-retiring-from-full-time-racing-in-nascar/ Rumor has it LFR will partner with Joe Gibbs Racing like Furniture Row Racing has so Christopher Bell has a cup ride for next season. Elliot Sadler is also Retiring https://nascar.nbcsports.com/2018/08/15/elliott-sadler-announces-end-of-full-time-nascar-career-after-2018/ Bil Elliot is coming out of Retirement for a 1 race deal with GMS racing for Road America https://nascar.nbcsports.com/2018/08/04/hall-of-famer-bill-elliott-to-drive-at-road-america-for-gms-racing/ Rumor has it Kurt Busch might replace Jamie McMurray @ Chip Ganassi Racing https://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/kurt-busch-monster-leaving-stewart-haas-replace-mcmurray-ganassi-/3156861/?nrt=119 Ford is bringing the Mustang to Cup for 2019 here's a picture https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DkK7H6WVsAEpEh3.jpg:large Brian France steps away from Nascar https://nascar.nbcsports.com/2018/08/06/nascar-chairman-brian-france-arrested-for-driving-while-intoxicated/ Finally a Hendrick driver won a race this season when Chase Elliot drove his Hendrick #9 Chevy to victory @ Watkins Glen a few weeks ago. Glad somebody could beat the Kyle Busch, Martin Truex jr, & Kevin Harvick show this season has become, between the 3 of them they have won 17 of 23 races. If Austin Dillon has a few really bad races he could be the first driver since the "Win and your in" Chase/Playoffs rules were started to win and not be in the chase, he currently sits in 20th place in the points standings. That's all for now folks...

Nascar buys it's rival oval racing series ARCA http://nascar.nbcsports.com/2018/04/27/nascar-acquires-arca-series/ sort of reminds me when WWF/E bought WCW back in 2001. Matt Kenseth is back @ Roush Fenway Racing http://nascar.nbcsports.com/2018/04/25/matt-kenseth-to-drive-no-6-for-roush-fenway-racing/

Just as I thought Ford will be running the Mustang in Cup Next year http://nascar.nbcsports.com/2018/04/17/ford-officially-announces-mustang-for-the-cup-series-in-2019/

Well it looks like an Earnhardt in a Cup series race streak ends this weekend as Jeffrey Earnhardt is out of the #00 Camaro http://nascar.nbcsports.com/2018/03/19/jeffrey-earnhardt-starcom-racing-part-ways/ I think this will be the first race since 1979 that an Earnhardt hasn't raced. Landon Cassil is taking over the wheel for the #00 Camaro for the next few weeks http://nascar.nbcsports.com/2018/03/19/landon-cassill-gets-cup-ride-for-martinsville-texas/ .

An Earnhardt @ Daytona tradition will continue for at least another year...Jeffrey Earnhardt to drive the #00 Starcom Racing Chevy Camaro for 2018 Season http://nascar.nbcsports.com/2018/01/30/jeffrey-earnhardt-will-drive-starcom-racings-no-00-in-daytona-500/

Because suv's and trucks are the big sellers these days. Though I don't really see the logic in not redesigning the Fusion as gas prices will inevitably go up sooner or later and then suv's and truck sales will slump as car sales rise again. Doesn't help that Ford's new president didn't even come up through the company's ranks, he was just on the board of Directors since 2013.

Looks like Ford will be running a new car for 2019 http://www.espn.com/espn/now?nowId=21-0747472127799597807-4 I'm guessing it will be a Mustang since the Fusion redesign has been scrapped by Ford's new president

Danica's got a ride for Daytona 500 in the defunct Tommy Baldwin Racing team #7 Chevy that has been bought by Premium Motorsports, Tony Eury jr will be the Crew Chief http://nascar.nbcsports.com/2018/01/22/danica-patrick-has-a-daytona-500-team-premium-motorsports/ DJ Kennington will attempt to Qualify for the Daytona 500 in the Gaunt Bros. racing #96 Toyota http://nascar.nbcsports.com/2018/01/22/d-j-kennington-to-attempt-to-qualify-for-daytona-500-with-gaunt-brothers-racing/ RCR finally confirmed they will be a 2 car team, #3 & #31 Chevy's driven by Austin Dillon & Ryan Newman http://nascar.nbcsports.com/2018/01/23/austin-dillon-richard-childress-racing-looking-to-be-leaner-and-meaner-with-two-car-team/

Not much to report but here's the latest: Circle Sport forms alliance with Go Fas Racing and leases charter for the #32 and will also run the #33 part time for 2018 http://nascar.nbcsports.com/2018/01/17/go-fas-racing-secures-charter-by-partnering-with-circle-sport-racing/ David Gilliland will attempt to make the Daytona 500 with startup RBR Racing http://nascar.nbcsports.com/2018/01/17/todd-gilliland-to-drive-no-4-for-kyle-busch-motorsports-father-to-fill-in-at-daytona/ If things go well it might turn into a full time ride. Danica Patrick has funding for the Daytona 500 & Indy 500 now she just needs to find rides for both races http://nascar.nbcsports.com/2018/01/18/danica-patrick-has-daytona-500-indy-500-sponsor-now-needs-ride/

I'm on the Western side of Lake Erie small world hehe. Kind of sick of the single digit temps as well, wouldn't mind some more snow though for some extra cash.

tortoise

Wife and I cut our Sunday plans short so I could Install a new battery in a relatives car in 20 degree weather with windchills near zero yesterday because said relative didn't feel like waiting at the auto center for an hour or more for their mechanics to change it Saturday . Would have been done taking the old one out and putting the new one in in half an hour if I didn't have to wait in checkout line at Walmart for 45+minutes, I kid you not it was over 45 minutes because some genius only scheduled one cashier to work the auto section yesterday . Luckily got back in time just before sundown to put the new one in the car.

bin

My ISP started throttling customers back in 2012 and then instituted new plans that include GB limits and when you hit the limit your internet is throttled to the slowest speed till the next billing cycle starts. Where I live I only have 3 choices for internet; my current isp, phone company which can't even get phone service right or a Satellite dish which I would have to pay a 'dish fee' to the apartment complex I live at which would offset the savings of switching. With the current administration businesses are basically in charge of Washington DC more than they have been in the last decade. So if you don't think some big ISP's will take full advantage of this you are living in a dream world.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year. Heading to the In law's on Xmas eve and maybe heading to the theater on Christmas to see Star Wars depending on how much snow we get.

Blocking websites I don't think will ever happen however I bet a lot of the ISP's will throttle users of streaming services especially where they have a stranglehold on customers.

I think he would have been a great fit at FRR but they are selling their charter for the #77 and don't seem interested in staying a 2 car team. All the really good teams are full but Penske could add a 4th or Chip Ganassi Racing could add a 3rd if they could find good sponsorship for Kenseth and buy one of the open charters. Daytona is quite a ways away so something could happen for Kenseth.

Kurt Busch signs 1 year deal with SHR and gets new Crew Chief Billy Scott from the #10 http://nascar.nbcsports.com/2017/12/12/kurt-busch-re-signs-with-stewart-haas-racing/ Michael McDowell fills the vacant seat of the #34 @ Front Row Motorsports and FRM continues it's partnership with Ford http://nascar.nbcsports.com/2017/12/14/front-row-motorsports-adds-michael-mcdowell-expands-technical-alliance-with-roush-fenway/ TMG and CircleSport part ways which leaves the #33 & Jeffrey Earnhardt's plans up in the air for 2018 http://nascar.nbcsports.com/2017/12/12/circle-sport-parts-ways-with-the-motorsports-group/ Matt Kenseth is still without a ride for 2018

Richard Petty Motorsports Switches to Chevy and aligns with Richard Childress Racing http://nascar.nbcsports.com/2017/12/08/richard-petty-motorsports-richard-childress-racing-announce-alliance/ Here's the updated Silly Season http://nascar.nbcsports.com/2017/12/08/silly-season-scorecard-holiday-edition/ and in the something you don't see everyday category... http://nascar.nbcsports.com/2017/12/08/talladega-superspeedway-morphs-to-talladega-supersnowway-with-rare-snowstorm/

PBS stations air quite a few British shows. One of the wife and I's favorites is the Great British Baking Show. Unfortunately that is also getting the American Reality TV makeover which is premiering this week on ABC stations and it looks like it will be unwatchable. We've also Enjoyed Lucy Worsley's British Documentaries and the Secrets of... series on various England historical sites.

Wife and I swapped in some nicer interior door panels into her car yesterday, just got the rears done though. What looked like an easy 10 minute job per door on Youtube turned into 3hrs hahaha will get to the fronts next time it's nice out.

Pinky ...haven't seen that cartoon in years Roundabouts are great as long as people know how to use them and always yield to the car on the left here in the 'states.

Will be interesting to see how long the Pit crew changes last. I have a feeling it won't last more than a few races if it proves to be too unsafe having 1 tire carrier doing the job of 2 tire carriers. I just don't see why they don't do what the open wheel and sports car racing series do and just have 4 tire changers and an air jack in the car.

Matt Kenseth to semi-retire http://www.espn.com/racing/nascar/story/_/id/21289690/matt-kenseth-no-plans-drive-2018-nascar-cup Here's the latest on the silly season http://nascar.nbcsports.com/2017/11/08/keep-up-with-all-the-silly-season-changes-for-2018-with-this-scorecard/

Here's the Schedule for next year http://nascar.nbcsports.com/2017/11/06/cup-series-start-times-tvradio-info-for-2018-announced/ Same amount of races on Broadcast stations; 17, the rest are on either FS1 or NBCSN. Only major change is the Clash is set for 3pm instead of 8pm and no race will start before 2pm eastern and some of the night races are pushed back half an hour to 8pm.