I am a writer who just happens to be a race fan.
In my youth, I attended several drag races, but only one stock car event on a dirt track, that I can remember.
My racing roots may not be deep, but they are sturdy.
In my youth, I attended several drag races, but only one stock car event on a dirt track, that I can remember.
My racing roots may not be deep, but they are sturdy.
I have only been watching NASCAR since about 2004, thanks to my son Chris. Chris had been a race fan for some time. He kept telling me stories about this driver, Ryan Newman. Chris was pretty impressed with him. Finally one day Chris convinced me to watch a race. I've been hooked ever since, and have not missed one race since.
Our home was in a small town about 40 miles south of Chicago. In fact, long before I was interested in racing, I watched the construction of Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, the county seat for Will County, which is where we lived.
As a writer, I worked for the local newspaper. At one point, I even published a few pictures of the construction of the race track. (I wonder what ever happened to those pictures?) I recall thinking that the track was immense! Little did I know at the time that I would ever care about attending a race there.
In January, 2005, my husband John and I retired to the the hills of Arkansas.
There are no tracks nearby, so I have yet to attend a race, but even if there were, I doubt racing is something a couple of retirees could afford. I am content to watch racing on television.
When I watch racing, I don't just watch. Race day is an event at our house.
I usually make some sort of snack. My favorite is race-day guacamole. Lately though, we have been known to munch our favorite variety of Tornadoes.
Before the race starts, I set up the laptop computer, with the volume of the speakers set on maximum. I must hear Newman's in-car radio. His communication with Crew Chief Tony Gibson is often the only way to follow him and the other action on track. The commentators devote most of their time talking about Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Jimmie Johnson, or some of their other favorite drivers. The bias in the sport coverage is amazing! Newman is clearly not NASCAR's golden boy--something else I really like about him.
The lack of understanding generally about Newman's on-track performance due to poor or non-existent coverage of him is one of the reasons I wanted to start a blog that featured him.
Newman is an excellent driver, who rarely gets the recognition he deserves.
Our home was in a small town about 40 miles south of Chicago. In fact, long before I was interested in racing, I watched the construction of Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, the county seat for Will County, which is where we lived.
As a writer, I worked for the local newspaper. At one point, I even published a few pictures of the construction of the race track. (I wonder what ever happened to those pictures?) I recall thinking that the track was immense! Little did I know at the time that I would ever care about attending a race there.
In January, 2005, my husband John and I retired to the the hills of Arkansas.
There are no tracks nearby, so I have yet to attend a race, but even if there were, I doubt racing is something a couple of retirees could afford. I am content to watch racing on television.
When I watch racing, I don't just watch. Race day is an event at our house.
I usually make some sort of snack. My favorite is race-day guacamole. Lately though, we have been known to munch our favorite variety of Tornadoes.
Before the race starts, I set up the laptop computer, with the volume of the speakers set on maximum. I must hear Newman's in-car radio. His communication with Crew Chief Tony Gibson is often the only way to follow him and the other action on track. The commentators devote most of their time talking about Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Jimmie Johnson, or some of their other favorite drivers. The bias in the sport coverage is amazing! Newman is clearly not NASCAR's golden boy--something else I really like about him.
The lack of understanding generally about Newman's on-track performance due to poor or non-existent coverage of him is one of the reasons I wanted to start a blog that featured him.
Newman is an excellent driver, who rarely gets the recognition he deserves.
I also love his sense of humor and quick wit, as well the things Ryan and his wife Krissie care about. They are also things near and dear to my own heart.
I admire Ryan's love of the outdoors, his affection for fishing, hobby farming, his conservation concerns, affection for wildlife, restoring old barns, and of course the work of his foundation on behalf of adopted pets.
Much of what I admire about Newman mirrors my own life and interests.
My husband and I took in a stray cat and adopted a shelter dog who had been beaten. Our house is now full.
Before we were able to have our cat spayed, she busted out of a screened window on the back porch. She came home, only to give us five kittens, on July 11, 2007. I couldn't or wouldn't part with any of them. Because my obsession de' jour was NASCAR, we named them all after NASCAR drivers. The first born is Ryan Newman; followed by Kenny Wallace, Kasey Kahne, and Junior. Hah, when we took them to get spayed and/or neutered, I was shocked to learn that they were all girls.
I don't really like to claim to be a NASCAR fan.
I'd much rather say I am a racing fan who is partial to Ryan Newman. NASCAR as an organization frustrates me, which is obvious to anyone who reads CH on Track by the blog posts I've written.
My friends and family know not to call me on race day; I don't answer the phone.
My husband John once wrote an article that was published in the local paper, about what it was like to be a NASCAR husband. He's a funny guy.
I maintain two other blogs: http://chblog.ozarkattitude.com and http://rural01.blogspot.com
I also maintain a website at: http://www.ozarkattitude.com
I admire Ryan's love of the outdoors, his affection for fishing, hobby farming, his conservation concerns, affection for wildlife, restoring old barns, and of course the work of his foundation on behalf of adopted pets.
Much of what I admire about Newman mirrors my own life and interests.
My husband and I took in a stray cat and adopted a shelter dog who had been beaten. Our house is now full.
Before we were able to have our cat spayed, she busted out of a screened window on the back porch. She came home, only to give us five kittens, on July 11, 2007. I couldn't or wouldn't part with any of them. Because my obsession de' jour was NASCAR, we named them all after NASCAR drivers. The first born is Ryan Newman; followed by Kenny Wallace, Kasey Kahne, and Junior. Hah, when we took them to get spayed and/or neutered, I was shocked to learn that they were all girls.
I don't really like to claim to be a NASCAR fan.
I'd much rather say I am a racing fan who is partial to Ryan Newman. NASCAR as an organization frustrates me, which is obvious to anyone who reads CH on Track by the blog posts I've written.
My friends and family know not to call me on race day; I don't answer the phone.
My husband John once wrote an article that was published in the local paper, about what it was like to be a NASCAR husband. He's a funny guy.
I maintain two other blogs: http://chblog.ozarkattitude.com and http://rural01.blogspot.com
I also maintain a website at: http://www.ozarkattitude.com
