The weather is warming, the days are getting longer. The calendar on my desktop tells me there are now only 23 days til we will see the #39 rocketing down the backstretch at the Daytona International Speedway.
I am daring to get excited about the NASCAR 2011 racing season.
After watching the car on the track already, this proves to be a great season. Thanks to Speed TV for streaming the Speedweeks testing.
Didn't the Daytona track look fine? Nice and smooth.
In only 15 days, we will be able to enjoy our first official race--the Budweiser Shootout. How exciting is this???
I'm feeling good about the new points structure implemented by NASCAR.
After seeing the way Ryan Newman ended the last season, I'd say he has momentum on his side. With a new baby girl and a new sponsor in WIX Filters, plus that tried and true U.S. Army motivation and yummy Tornados, I expect Newman to be consistently 'on' this year along with his boss/teammate Tony Stewart. Wouldn't it be fun to watch the two of them battle for the lead?
Stewart/Haas Racing has two excellent drivers in the right position to get the job done. I can hardly wait.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Friday, November 19, 2010
Congratulations to Ryan and Krissie Newman
Nothing compares to having a first baby. Nor is there anything more splendid than looking into the face of your newborn. There is a sense of familiarity, not just for the mother who nurtured the tiny infant, but for her father as well. It is that first monumental moment when you realize that all things really are possible.
I'm so happy for Ryan and Krissie Newman. Ryan announced the birth of their daughter, Brooklyn Sage Newman on Thursday, when he reported via Twitter and Facebook that mother and child are doing fine. I can't wait to see first pictures, hear the first interview.
These are two beautiful, caring people whose very nature is loving and nurturing. Brooklyn is a lucky little girl to have such caring parents.
Congratulations to the happy couple and Happy Birthday to Brooklyn.
I'm so happy for Ryan and Krissie Newman. Ryan announced the birth of their daughter, Brooklyn Sage Newman on Thursday, when he reported via Twitter and Facebook that mother and child are doing fine. I can't wait to see first pictures, hear the first interview.
These are two beautiful, caring people whose very nature is loving and nurturing. Brooklyn is a lucky little girl to have such caring parents.
Congratulations to the happy couple and Happy Birthday to Brooklyn.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Sick of religion and politics in NASCAR
Isn't there a little too much religion and politics in NASCAR?
I think Jamie McMurray's little speech in Victory Lane after his win at Atlanta Motor Speedway was totally uncalled for.
I like McMurray. He seems like a genuinely nice person. But to go into a diatribe about why he cried in Daytona months earlier and then to give credit to God for getting into Victory Lane was a bit much.
I never want to take anyone's religion away from them. But, I don't want it foisted upon me at a public venue either. What if I don't happen to share McMurray's religious beliefs? Do unto others as you would have others do unto you. What if I stood up and said, "Jamie, you fool, there is no God." I'm sure he would be offended by that. Well, I was offended at his religious remarks.
It would have been just offensive had he said he was a Buddhist, Muslim, Catholic or proclaimed that Karma, the Virgin Mary, or Allah pushed his car to the lead.
Enough is enough.
Why does NASCAR insist on an invocation before every race anyway? If the drivers want to say a prayer as they prepare for a race, that is not objectionable. But to force the paying public to sit through Joe Gibbs giving a sermon is a little much.
NASCAR wonders why they have empty seats. Maybe their lack of inclusion, due to their religious beliefs, not to mention their politics, has something to do with it.
With regard to religion, I think it was a little over-the-top to invite a candidate for governor to participate in the start of the race recently, just to give a political boost to the Republican non-incumbent candidate.
What's the matter NASCAR, hasn't the Obama Administration sent any earmark funding your way? Good, NASCAR should not receive public funding.
I think Jamie McMurray's little speech in Victory Lane after his win at Atlanta Motor Speedway was totally uncalled for.
I like McMurray. He seems like a genuinely nice person. But to go into a diatribe about why he cried in Daytona months earlier and then to give credit to God for getting into Victory Lane was a bit much.
I never want to take anyone's religion away from them. But, I don't want it foisted upon me at a public venue either. What if I don't happen to share McMurray's religious beliefs? Do unto others as you would have others do unto you. What if I stood up and said, "Jamie, you fool, there is no God." I'm sure he would be offended by that. Well, I was offended at his religious remarks.
It would have been just offensive had he said he was a Buddhist, Muslim, Catholic or proclaimed that Karma, the Virgin Mary, or Allah pushed his car to the lead.
Enough is enough.
Why does NASCAR insist on an invocation before every race anyway? If the drivers want to say a prayer as they prepare for a race, that is not objectionable. But to force the paying public to sit through Joe Gibbs giving a sermon is a little much.
NASCAR wonders why they have empty seats. Maybe their lack of inclusion, due to their religious beliefs, not to mention their politics, has something to do with it.
With regard to religion, I think it was a little over-the-top to invite a candidate for governor to participate in the start of the race recently, just to give a political boost to the Republican non-incumbent candidate.
What's the matter NASCAR, hasn't the Obama Administration sent any earmark funding your way? Good, NASCAR should not receive public funding.
Monday, October 4, 2010
A blog post worth savoring
I just caught this blog post this morning. As I appreciate all things Ryan Newman, I thought this was worthy of sharing. http://tinyurl.com/2dat6gl
I didn't watch the second embedded video, but I certainly enjoyed the first one. Any day that starts with a review of that beautiful ending of the 2008 Daytona 500 is bound to be a good day.
I didn't watch the second embedded video, but I certainly enjoyed the first one. Any day that starts with a review of that beautiful ending of the 2008 Daytona 500 is bound to be a good day.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Did NASCAR affect race to the chase? Just wondering?
It is very interesting that Clint Bowyer's car failed inspection after his win at New Hampshire, the first race of the Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship. It is even more interesting that reports indicated NASCAR had a problem the previous week, but did nothing about it.
So, is it NASCAR that kept Ryan Newman out of the chase? Given NASCAR's history and apparent dislike for Newman, I wouldn't be at all surprised.
Had Bowyer lost 150 points at Richmond, when according to Steve McCormick at About.com, Bowyer's team "very nearly failed inspection," that would have kept him from that coveted 12th place spot in points. McCormick went on to describe the problem as, "while not exactly the same, it was in the same area of the car."
If Bowyer's penalty of 150 points would have been assessed at Richmond, it would have put Newman into the chase. At the conclusion of the race Bowyer was 142 points ahead of Newman. Biffle moved into the 12th position, 98 points ahead of Newman.
Had NASCAR's arbitrary decision to dock Bowyer 150 points after Richmond, Newman would have been in and Bowyer out. At the very least, this is an interesting development, especially given the lack of transparency in NASCAR's penalty policy.
Any indication of there being a problem with Bowyer's car after it was inspected at Richmond causes me concern.
I have to agree with Dustin Long's comments that The Chase became a sideshow after NASCAR's penalty to Clint Bowyer yesterday. And while Long referred to the potential manipulation of chse contenders through an appeals process that puts all the decision-making into NASCAR's hands.
Long also added, "The fact that NASCAR could not or would not explain the exact nature of the infraction, the fact that NASCAR seems to have in place a selective use of warnings, that officials have a cavalier attitude when it comes to motives (they said Wednesday that they don’t know if the infraction would improve performance nor did they care), that the car passed pre-race inspection is all going to lead some to think the penalty was excessive and arbitrary."
So, is it NASCAR that kept Ryan Newman out of the chase? Given NASCAR's history and apparent dislike for Newman, I wouldn't be at all surprised.
Had Bowyer lost 150 points at Richmond, when according to Steve McCormick at About.com, Bowyer's team "very nearly failed inspection," that would have kept him from that coveted 12th place spot in points. McCormick went on to describe the problem as, "while not exactly the same, it was in the same area of the car."
If Bowyer's penalty of 150 points would have been assessed at Richmond, it would have put Newman into the chase. At the conclusion of the race Bowyer was 142 points ahead of Newman. Biffle moved into the 12th position, 98 points ahead of Newman.
Had NASCAR's arbitrary decision to dock Bowyer 150 points after Richmond, Newman would have been in and Bowyer out. At the very least, this is an interesting development, especially given the lack of transparency in NASCAR's penalty policy.
Any indication of there being a problem with Bowyer's car after it was inspected at Richmond causes me concern.
I have to agree with Dustin Long's comments that The Chase became a sideshow after NASCAR's penalty to Clint Bowyer yesterday. And while Long referred to the potential manipulation of chse contenders through an appeals process that puts all the decision-making into NASCAR's hands.
Long also added, "The fact that NASCAR could not or would not explain the exact nature of the infraction, the fact that NASCAR seems to have in place a selective use of warnings, that officials have a cavalier attitude when it comes to motives (they said Wednesday that they don’t know if the infraction would improve performance nor did they care), that the car passed pre-race inspection is all going to lead some to think the penalty was excessive and arbitrary."
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