Racin'
& Internet Stuff:
12/8/2011
First:
It’s been a little hectic – this last week or so. The e-mail problem, as of Sunday evening when
I’m doing this part of the column, is basically fixed so I can both send and
receive e-mails on my Yahoo mail. I’m
still waiting to see if either part or all of what was deleted from my mail can
be restored, no thanks to some hacker.
My apologies to all that received the bogus e-mail about me being in
The broken shifter cable was replaced, thanks to my son, Eric,
grandsons Josh and Brett and Mike Jr. – co-owner where my son works. It’s kind of remarkable how difficult some
things can be when working on today’s cars, isn’t it?
Second:
Somehow,
this isn't a surprise. Sponsors were not
happy.
Penske
Racing fires Kurt Busch
For
the second time in his Sprint Cup Series career, an off-track issue has cost
Kurt Busch his job.
Busch
will not return next season to drive Penske Racing's No. 22 Dodge, multiple
sources confirmed to the Observer and ThatsRacin.com on Sunday night.
An
official announcement of Busch's departure from the organization is expected
from Penske on Monday.
Just
over a week ago NASCAR fined Busch $50,000 for the use of an obscene gesture
and a profanity-laced tirade directed toward a media member during the Cup
series finale race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
The
incident with ESPN reporter Dr. Jerry Punch, which took place in the garage
after Busch's car broke its transmission, was caught on video and posted on
YouTube.
At
the time, Penske Racing officials issued a statement saying they were reviewing
the matter internally.
Asked
if he could confirm Busch as the driver of the No. 22 team in 2012, Penske
spokesman Jonathan Gibson referred to its previous statement and said the
organization would have no further comment at this time.
In
November 2005, less than one year after winning his first Cup series
championship, Busch was fired by Roush Fenway Racing after he was cited for
criminal reckless in Avondale, Ariz., in what police described as an
alcohol-related incident.
Busch
sat out the remaining two races of the 2005 season. He began driving for team
owner Roger Penske in the 2006 season.
Since
joining Penske, Busch has won 10 races and his highest finish in the series
standings was fourth in 2009.
This
decision comes very late in the year and puts both Busch and Penske in a
difficult position.
There
are no quality rides currently available for next season for Busch to pursue,
and no drivers with a resume on the track similar to Busch's
presumably available for Penske to hire.
Several
drivers who competed in the Cup series this season remain without rides,
including David Ragan, Brian Vickers and David Reutimann.
Link: http://www.thatsracin.com/2011/12/04/80040/penske-racing-fires-kurt-busch.html
And
more on the above:
In
part:
“Kurt
Busch and Penske Racing have agreed to a mutual split, the team said Monday.”
More can be read about it here:
http://espn.go.com/racing/nascar/cup/story/_/id/7318544/kurt-busch-leaves-penske-racing-mutual-split
Note: Uh say what?
A “mutual” split? I take it Kurt does realize that there are
not that many rides available for the 2012 season?
Third:
On the subject of Kurt Busch and where he might end up – there’s an
interesting thread on this over on the Track Forum, titled: Kurt Busch to
RLLR? - for
those of you tha tmight not know – that’s the Rahal/Letterman race team. Has Kurt ever been in an Indy car? Yes, he has.
And, according to one of the postings on the thread, he’s also driven a
Ford Focus Midget, too. So, might it be possible for
him to end up driving in the Indycar Series?
Check out what’s being said, over on the Track Forum, here:
http://www.trackforum.com/forums/showthread.php?158232-Kurt-Busch-to-RLLR
Fourth:
Further down in this column, I make mention of a Richard Golardi. I got to
meet him back in 2006 when the wife and I took a trip down to
Rich has come quite a long way as far as his writing and taking photos
goes. Here is his latest:
Red Bull Kart
Fight - IndyCar Driver Participation – some excellent photos from Richard
Golardi
Fifth:
And over on the Track Forum, he, Rich Golardi,
posted a link to a video. Check it out!
Somehow, I just can't visualize today's Indycar drivers doing this, whereas, back in the day, they did. How the times have changed! Yes, to turn left, you must turn right. In a way, methinks that what is missing from today’s Indycar racing and it losing fans is due to the fact that the drivers don’t race other types of race cars, like Midgets and Sprint Cars, like they used to do when an Indy car (Silver Crown) race was close by.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itfXkpA1L-s&feature=youtu.be
Sixth:
Four-time Sprint Cup champion Jeff Gordon breakdances
A video of it can be seen here: http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/blog/from_the_marbles/post/Four-time-Sprint-Cup-champion-Jeff-Gordon-breakd?urn=nascar-wp5547
Note: Sorry, but Jeff Gordon is NOT a FOUR TIME SPRINT CUP champion. Sprint wasn't sponsoring Cup racing when he won championships.
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (often shortened to Sprint Cup or the Cup Series) is the top racing series of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR). The series was originally known as the Strictly Stock Series (1949) and Grand National Series (1950–1970). While leasing its naming rights to R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, it was known as the Winston Cup Series (1971–2003). When a similar deal was made with Sprint Nextel Corporation, it became the NEXTEL Cup Series (2004–2007).[1]
Seventh:
I wonder how this might affect his popularity?
Joonyer has a girl friend!
http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/blog/from_the_marbles
Eighth:
As for that "Bogus" e-mail that was sent out
saying I was stranded in
Here are a couple that were sent to me via e-mail - with no names mentioned.
“Dear Tom.. You now owe me $78,561.25 as that is the amount I sent to your London address....If you don't have the cash now you can move into my garage and maintain my race cars and be our chief cook and bottle washer !
Dusting, snow shoveling and toilet cleaning will also be among your duties until the debt is repaid..
Have a great day”
And:
“I sent you $1,000 and now I want it back.”
As for that second one, I copied the first one and sent it to the second one telling him he'd have to wait in line until I finished with the first one.
As for the phone calls – it’s really great to know that there are some out there that will help a friend that is in need. The callers had an idea the message was bogus, but they checked on my well being anyway. Yes, they would have assisted me if it were true.
Ninth:
I’d say that the majority of those that read my columns are located here in the Northeast.
I guess we can all expect some troubling times – with some possible BIG troubles in the not so distant future.
From our local paper on Monday, December 5th:
Questions we should all be asking about
Published: 2:00 AM - 12/05/11
If you think Bob Dennison, after 36 years of building roads and bridges, has answers, you'd think wrong.
What Dennison, a third-generation civil engineer at the state Department of Transportation, has instead are questions.
Perhaps more questions than he had four years ago, when
he was promoted to chief engineer — the DOT's No. 3 job — following an
eight-year stint as its
The big question, before he started overseeing the $1 billion-plus that the DOT spends on capital improvements every year, was "How do we fund infrastructure?"
Now, from the perch of a post-retirement gig at VHB Engineering, Dennison says the big question is still the big challenge, especially in the Northeast, where roads and bridges — and water and sewer systems — are among the oldest in the country:
I'm fearful we'll lose our infrastructure to gradual decay, rather than catastrophic failure, if we don't start investing in it soon. Our roads and bridges are old; they're safe — if they're open — but they have to be maintained. It will start on the edges with the secondary roads; it won't be the interstates. We'll find a crack and suddenly another piece of the system will no longer be in service. Is this where we're going? Are we becoming a third-world country?
A tipping point?
I'm reading "The Big Roads" (Earl Swift's history of the interstates) and what's striking is how people, back then, wanted the roads to be fixed. We don't have that today. Every time a water main breaks, it's always a 100-year-old main, but people don't say fix the water system; they're not dying of cholera. All we have is a bunch of engineers talking about how bad it is. How do we get public opinion to a tipping point?
Who decides?
Who chooses what has to be done? If engineers choose,
then we get a federal transportation bill with 6,000 earmarks, with somebody
else's choices. Do we widen Route 17 and then not be able to drive anywhere
else in
Is there a will?
The work is there, the need is there, but is the will there? We're still dependent on state and federal gasoline taxes to pay for roads and bridges, but we haven't raised them in years, in part because we've always assumed people would drive more and more. Well, they haven't, and now we're promoting alternative-fuel vehicles and more fuel-efficient vehicles. Think about it. Is this a plan?
Then, just in case you don't get the big picture, Dennison gives you a little one:
Do you have any detours because of Irene? Are you used to them yet? You will be.
Note: The sad thing is – it isn’t just in our area, but nationwide where things are getting old and failing.
Tenth:
Some more "local" stuff from my area:
I
know where you live there are nursing homes.
How are they funded? Tax
monies? Here in my area there's kind of
an on going battle on one particular Nursing home. The county wants to unload it. The majority of the citizens in the county
want to leave it as is. Here's something
that came out in our local paper - the Middletown Times Herald-Record on
Monday, December 5th. Quite interesting,
to say the least!
MY
VIEW: Orange
By By Patrick J. Berardinelli
Published:
7:41 AM - 11/29/11
Last
updated: 7:43 AM - 11/29/11
It's
time to set the record straight on Valley View. It is despicable that the CSEA
Union and its members have the audacity to terrify the residents of Valley View
with half-truths and outright lies about the closure of Valley View. A recent
county-wide mailing by CSEA starts out with a quote that read, “County
Executive Ed Diana is attempting to unload the
A
second flyer said, “Please call and email targeted legislative members daily
until they amend the 2012 Budget…tell them to avoid the closure of Valley View,
and Valley View budget must be fully funded!”
While
it is the Legislature's responsibility to review and approve or change the
What
is not right is that the residents and family members of Valley View are given
prepared statements that state Valley View will simply close its doors and residents
will be put out on the street. It is also not right, in fact it's downright
hateful, that residents are urged to call legislators and tell them not to
support Ed Diana and his
I
have been to every public meeting and listened to the public The
vast majority of speakers or participants at those meetings were primarily CSEA
members voicing concerns about losing their jobs if Valley View were to close.
They have that right and the legislators listened to their comments and
concerns. However, despite all the rhetoric and suggestions by CSEA, the bottom
line has not changed. County taxpayers will have to continue paying millions
more each year to keep Valley View solvent.
Having
listened to their suggestions, I have the following suggestion for the CSEA
Union: CSEA should buy Valley View. This would be a first in
Let
me recap for our readers some of the union's suggestions to save money:
Fire
the county management team and hire a new county administrator.
Fire
the professional security company and hire more CSEA employees to do the same
job.
Purchase
a new lift system to transport patients to showers without having to lift them.
The
union thinks they could do what is needed to save the facility. If what is
being said by the union and the Valley View employees – that they could do a
better job running Valley View – is true, then I think they should be given
that chance. They should be given a chance to implement the changes that they
say are needed to turn Valley View's financial problems around and make it into
a profitable business.
CSEA
is quick to talk about solutions to the Valley View problem and quick to point
fingers about what Orange County Government has not done.
For
those reason, I say to the CSEA Union and its members: If you think that you
have the solutions, then put your money where your mouth is and buy Valley
View. Show those of us in county government what we are doing wrong and how you
can do it right. I, for one, am not afraid to learn from the experience of
others.
Patrick
J. Berardinelli is the chairman of the Ways and Means
committee in the Orange County Legislature.
Link: http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20111129/OPINION/111129814/-1/OPINION04
Eleventh:
I have to imagine that by now you’ve either read about or heard about the US Mail will be “slowing down” some – supposedly that happening by next spring. It will affect most all types of mail, but I’m somewhat concerned about racing publications like the AARN that get published on weekly basis. Hey, folks bitch and moan now when their paper is late – imagine what will happen when things “slow down”? Yes, I think the US Post Office will be putting some more nails in the coffins of magazines and papers due to the lateness of deliveries – along with most info almost instantly available for us on the Internet.
Twelfth:
So how do you fail a majority of the time in your “job” and still make a million bucks or more a year? Well, per a small article in my local paper this past Tuesday, the average salary of a major league baseball player is now $3,095,183.00. That’s for 913 players. Oh, and the New York Yankees topped the list with a payroll of $6.54 million. Now when I say “fail”, I’m looking at batting averages. You’re considered to be a great player if you only get one hit for every three times up – an average of .333. As far as I’m concerned, the pay for athletes has really gotten out of hand, and way overboard. I’d venture to say that, as an example, the Yankees might have a difficult time paying their highest paid player his salary for one game if it depended on the fans in the stands. Oh, right, ticket prices are also rising, right? No more “common folk” able to even afford going to a game, today.
Think
about this: Who could very well be
responsible for the high salaries in professional sports today? Any idea? I have.
For those of you old enough - think back to “Broadway Joe” Namath and
the New York Jets. Way back when, it was
big news when the Jets signed Joe to a contract at the unheard of amount of
$400,000.00 a year. Uh huh! And one other thing – why don’t the contracts
between the teams and players have some kind of “performance clauses” in
them? And once a player signs a
contract, why is it possible to not fulfill that contract, but to re-negotiate
for a different one?
Thirteenth:
For sure, it ain't easy for a guy named Suh (Remember the Johnny Cash tune “A Boy Named Sue”?)
If
you recall, Suh was suspended for two games after
stomping on an opponents arm while the player was on the ground. Then he had a car accident. Now, more about that accident has come up:
Passengers:
Ndamukong Suh lied about
car accident:
In
part:
"According
to one of the passengers in Ndamukong Suh's(notes) car when the Detroit Lions defensive tackle
hit a tree early Saturday morning in Portland, Ore., Suh
lied to the police about the reason for the accident, the number of passengers
in the car and the extent of the injuries one of them suffered."
More
on this can be seen here:
Fourteenth:
Maybe
it’s me and the fact that I’m getting older and more cranky, but ya know what bothers me – watching sports announcers on TV
when there are a few of them at the station, and when they talk to one another,
they look at the TV camera rather than who they’re talking to. Yeah, I know, I’m weird.
Fifteenth:
As
you probably know, I usually post news items that I find on Yahoo! in my
columns, on occasion. So, one has to
wonder - how authentic are the news items on Yahoo? Case in point: While checking out Yahoo! News on Tuesday
evening, I came across an item about a house that burned down in the state of
The
headline:
Guess
what, folks! There was a similar storyon Yahoo! News - maybe a year or so ago. And, I was not the only one to comment about
it really being OLD news in the comment section, either. So, why was something that is/was so old
being re-released again on Yahoo! News?
Heck, if my memory serves me right, I even made mention of this exact
same news item in a column of mine - way back when. But, guess what? This is actually the SECOND time this has
happened in the same town/county.
In
part:
"A
Vicky
Bell told the NBC affiliate WPSD-TV that she called 911 when her mobile home in
South
Fulton Mayor David Crocker defended the fire department, saying that if
firefighters responded to non-subscribers, no one would have an incentive to
pay the fee. Residents in the city of
"There's
no way to go to every fire and keep up the manpower, the equipment, and just
the funding for the fire department," Crocker said."
More
on this news item can be found if you go here:
If
you check it out, read some of the comments that are under the article.
So,
me being inquisitive, “Googled” the
Check
out the original article about ANOTHER residence that burned down, due to the
family not paying that $75.00 yearly fee.
As one posted in the linked to article above, the family didn’t spend
the $6.75/month for the cost, yet probably spend more a day or a week on other
stuff.
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2010/10/04/122193/county-firefighters-subscription/
Sixteenth:
Back to Kurt Busch – found on Jayski’s website:
Kurt Busch
Statement:
Kurt Busch issued
the following statement Monday regarding the news that the 24-time NASCAR
Sprint Cup winner and 2004 Cup champion had reached a mutual agreement with
Penske Racing to leave the team: "I am grateful to Penske Racing for six
very productive years. Together we won a lot of races 16 in all. I'm
proud that we won on a variety of tracks and this past season reached Victory
Lane four times. Another highlight was pushing my teammate to a Daytona 500
win. I also appreciate the lasting friendships I've made while working with our
great sponsors through the years, including Miller Lite,
Shell and Dodge.
Coming to a mutual agreement to go our separate ways is a positive step for me.
Over the Thanksgiving holiday I took time to reflect on what is most important
to me and realized I need to find a way to put the fun back into racing. It's
time for a fresh start. Leaving a great organization and a lucrative contract
is not easy, but it allows me to take a deep breath and work on things that can
make me a better driver and a better person.
I recognize the passion and emotion that have helped me succeed on the track need
to be better channeled off the track. The past few months I began working with
a sports psychologist to help me better deal with my emotions, especially
following moments of frustration during competition. I never want to take for
granted that it's a privilege to earn a living as a NASCAR driver. As I begin
this new chapter in my career, I'm excited about the future and committed to
making the changes necessary for me to enjoy racing again, to compete for
championships and to better represent NASCAR, my sponsors, my team and my fans.
I want to personally thank Roger Penske for the opportunity he gave me and for
his friendship, which will continue long into the future."(KurtBusch.com)
More quotes by Busch at the Associated
Press and SPEED.(12-6-2011)
Note: From above:
“The past few months I began working with a sports psychologist to help
me better deal with my emotions, especially following moments of frustration
during competition.”
Hmmm, doesn’t seem
to have helped any, does it – past few months????
Seventeenth:
Chili Bowl on TV:
As of now, it looks like it will NOT be telecast on a tape delay on SPEED TV. Kinda figures, I guess? I've seen postings on the Internet and also on Facebook that the telecast will be tape delayed on CBS and then on CBS Sports.
Asking about CBS Sports on the Track Forum, I was led to this link:
http://www.cbssportsnetwork.com/schedule
What
you have to do is type in your Zip Code and who is your cable
provider. I'm supposed to get CBS
Sports on channels 457 & 467. Uh
huh! So I checked and yes, we get 457,
as of now. Cool!
Eighteenth:
How I wish that both Jim Clark and Dan Gurney had taken some laps in this “Champ” car back in 1963!
http://www.firstsuperspeedway.com/blog/dirt-car-racing-1963
Nineteenth:
The Japanese attacked
http://www.radiochemistry.org/history/nuclear_age/06_fdr_infamy.shtml
And
a video of the speech – although the President is not shown giving the actual
speech, every word can be heard and photos show some of the attacks damage.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uCGxk-v-Mc
Twentieth:
Are you interested in Indycar racing? If so, here are some of the threads that are now on the Track Forum:
If
the 1.5 milers go away, what about.....2 pages, so far.
Listening
to Marshal Pruett on 1070 - I have no idea who he is, but it's up to 7 pages,
so far.
If
the DW12 remains slow....The DW12 is what they're
calling the new Indy Car - named after Dan Wheldon. -
2 pages so far
The
Mickyard revisited...What? Might Indy racing return to
Had
it with the oval moaning... (and the moaning about the
moaning) - lack of oval tracks - only one page so far.
Kurt Busch to RLLR? - That's the Rahal Indy
Car team - 3 pages so far
All
the above, and many, many more topics can be read, if
you have the time, if you go here:
http://www.trackforum.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?3-rev-ed-s-IZOD-IndyCar-Series
Coming up:
Indoor Go-Kart racing in
Yup, almost that time again – December 10, 2011. Back when my grandson was racing Karts, we
made a few of those shows. The racing
was top notch; the building the track is in was both heated and ventilated. The only downfall was the possible weather
conditions – you know –
Info on this event can be found if you go here, below, and check out
the upper left hand corner for additional links.
http://www.cnyroadrace.com/indoor/
The AARN's annual
Motor Sports show - January 20th, 21st & 22nd, 2012.
Greater
For GPS use this address:
484-754-3976
http://www.aarn.com/motorsports2012.html
Atlantic City Indoor Race 2012
February 3rd & 4th, 2012
Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall 2301 Boardwalk
http://www.aarn.com/acindoorrace2012.html
Are you aware that the
It’s website: www.needforspeedexpo.com
Banquets:
Orange County Fair Speedway Banquet from their website:
2011 OCFS Awards Banquet - January 7th, 2012
Posted: November 21st, 2011
Saturday, January 7th @ 5:30pm
@ Kuhls Highland House
For ticket info contact Bob Perran at 352-503-3847
Accord Speedway Banquet info from their website:
BANQUET UPDATE:
http://www.accordspeedway.com/
Found on Facebook (and also seen on fence between full and half covered stands at OCFS during ESW):
Found
on Jayski’s website:
The winners of the
2011 ‘Stewie Awards’ are:
Best Original Drama
– For the year’s most dramatic moment or sequence.
Tony Stewart
overcomes pit road issues, debris damage, a lengthy red flag and
down-to-the-wire challenge from Carl Edwards to win season finale Ford 400 at
Bonehead Move of
the Year Award
JJ Yeley pushes Matt Kenseth when
#17 runs out of gas at Geico 400 at Chicagoland but, since it is illegal to receive assistance
on final lap, Kenseth is dropped from 8th to 21st
place finish.
“Feels Like The First Time” Award – For the most notable “first” of
the NASCAR season.
On the day after
his 20th birthday, Trevor Bayne wins Daytona 500 in his second NASCAR Sprint
Cup Series start.
Best Vocal Performance
– For the year’s most memorable quote. (Visit www.siriusxm.com/stewieawards
to hear audio.)
Pastor Joe Nelms of
Best “Driver2Crew
Chatter” – (Visit www.siriusxm.com/stewieawards to
hear audio.)
The #88 crew helps
Dale Earnhardt Jr. mark his pit stall in the STP 400 at
Best Original
Comedy – For the year’s most entertaining “incident.”
Thinking Greg Biffle was racing dirty in the Heluva
Good! Sour Cream Dips at the Glen, Boris Said requests a “meeting” with “The
Biff” after the race. In the ensuing encounter, Biffle
takes a swing at Said and Said answers back with verbal TKO.
Hal Needham Award (Best
Stunt Sequence) – For the year’s most remarkable crash.
At the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at the Glen, David Ragan hits
wall at 100 mph. Ragan then hits David Reutimann who
cartwheels into Turn 2 fence. Everyone emerges safely.
‘Boys, Have At It”
Award – For the year’s most memorable on- or off-track bumping and/or dumping.
Nearing the
checkered flag in the Good Sam Club 500 at
The Social Stewie Award – For the year’s best social media quote.
Matt
Kenseth via Twitter after his wife’s “Better Half
Dash” practice injury. @matt_kenseth17: “Katie is feeling pretty good today, and I got to
learn something new…how to put a bra ON!”
“Stewie” Lifetime Achievement Award –
Sprint - NASCAR extend partnership:
Transcript: Sprint CEO Dan Hesse
from 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards Banquet:
Good evening. I agree with many of you. This was the best Chase for the NASCAR
Sprint Cup ever. Congratulations to all of the drivers and teams who
contributed to the excitement of this amazing series. Your passion for the
sport and commitment to excellence continue to "wow" us.
I am privileged to be among those recognizing Tony Stewart and the number 14
team for their third NASCAR Sprint Cup championship joining the ranks of
legendary drivers Darrell Waltrip, Cale Yarborough, David Pearson and Lee Petty, who all hold
three Cup titles. Tony's down-to-the-last second duel with Carl Edwards was a
stunning example of the competitive spirit that drives the sport and why we
love NASCAR.
Tony would not be here without the exceptional support of the Stewart-Haas
Racing organization, including co-owner, Gene Haas, crew chief Darian Grubb, and other number 14 crew members here
tonight.
Tony, on behalf of Sprint, I want to thank you for everything you do to support
our brand. You deliver value to your sponsors, which is evident in the great
relationships you and your team share with Chevy, Office Depot and Mobil 1. Of
course, tonight would not be possible without the resolute leadership of
NASCAR. They have made a number of bold changes over the past 18 months, from
adding Chase "wild card" spots, to revising the points system, to
allowing NASCAR drivers to BE NASCAR drivers. This leadership creates an
environment that allows the best drivers, crew members and engineers in the world
to deliver racing excitement that captivates us every week.
So, I could not be
more pleased than to announce and celebrate tonight, that Sprint and NASCAR
have agreed to an extension of our relationship, ensuring that through at least
the 2016 season, every Champion crowned will be a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Champion.
I would like to wish
everyone in the audience, and watching at home, a very happy and safe holiday
season. And Tony, I have a gift for you one that should make your holiday
brighter. On behalf of everyone at Sprint, I am proud to present this check for
$5.8 million to our 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion, Tony Stewart.(NASCAR)
UPDATE:
NASCAR and Sprint (NYSE:S) have signed a multiyear
agreement for Sprint to remain the entitlement partner of the sport's premier
series. The extension keeps NASCAR and Sprint as partners
through 2016, and ensures that the No. 1 finisher in the sport's top series
will be a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series" champion. The agreement
coincides with NASCAR's Five-Year Industry Action Plan, which is designed to
help grow the sport and reach new audiences.
"Sprint has been very successful in using our sport as a platform to
enhance its brand and drive their business," said Brian France, NASCAR
chairman and CEO. "They have been a fantastic partner and we are immensely
pleased to continue with Sprint as the entitlement partner for our premier
series. This new agreement aligns perfectly with our aggressive five-year plan,
which is laser-focused on continuing to improve our product, keep our existing
fans engaged, and reach new fans."
"NASCAR fans are great customers who reward us with their loyalty,"
said Dan Hesse, Sprint CEO. "We're very pleased
to continue to have our brand associated with the most competitive and exciting
form of racing in the world."
Since Sprint became the title sponsor in February 2004, it has activated the
sponsorship in a number of creative and innovative ways, including the
introduction of NASCAR Sprint Cup Mobile, the exclusive application that allows
millions of Sprint customers to keep up with every lap of NASCAR action on
their wireless devices each year; the Sprint Experience mobile marketing
display, which entertains more than 500,000 fans each year at NASCAR Sprint Cup
Series events across the country; and the introduction of Miss Sprint Cup, a
fan favorite who boasts more than 1.2 million followers in the social media
space on Facebook and Twitter.(Sprint)(12-3-2011)
Andy Lally honored as Sprint Cup rookie of the year:
Andy Lally was in an odd position this year as the only Sprint
Cup driver eligible for NASCAR's annual rookie of the year
award. Lally had a clear path to the title, yet
that, he said, brought more pressure than if he had competed against other
drivers. "It has been kind of an odd pressure this year of being the only
rookie eligible for this deal," said Lally, who
was honored Thursday as the Sunoco Rookie of the Year for the Sprint Cup
Series. "I think it was actually more pressure doing it this way than
having to beat two or three other guys because I knew we didn't have much to
compare to and we were going to be compared to the other 42 superstars that
compete week in and week out and trying to go for those top-10s, which were so
far away, and try to qualify as good as we could every weekend so I could try
to earn the respect of the 12 guys in this room and the others guys. [That] was
a monumental task and something that I really wanted to achieve so I could earn
their respect." Lally, who was driving for TRG
Motorsports, didn't score any top-10 finishes and finished in the top 20 only
once. He made 30 of the 36 races, failing to qualify three times and wasn't
entered in three races. Lally, a three-time Grand-Am
Rolex Series champion and former Nationwide and Truck Series driver, got his
first opportunity to run in the Sprint Cup Series this year.(SceneDaily)(12-3-2011)
Note: I could swear that I had read that Lally was leaving NASCAR and going back to Sports Car
racing.
Top-12 NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series Drivers Hold Nothing Back:
The 2011 top-12
NASCAR Sprint Cup SeriesTM drivers held nothing back
today at the third annual, fan-favorite NASCAR After The Lap held at Hard Rock
Hotel & Casino Las Vegas and sponsored by Coca-Cola and Ford. ESPN pit road
reporter Jamie Little hosted the event along with
co-host Miss Sprint Cup Monica Palumbo. A list of the top-10 unfiltered, driver
"tell-all" comments are outlined below.
Top-10 List
Number 1
· Ryan Newman was asked if he purchased his boss (2011 Champion Tony Stewart)
anything special after winning the championship.
· "No!"
· Jamie Little followed with "Ryan, you told me
earlier there was a waxing appointment but that no appointment was long enough
to cover Tony's needs."
Number 2
· Question for
Kyle Busch: "Kyle, we hear your wife cooked her first Thanksgiving this year&How did she do?"
· Response: "It was good. That's what she said."
Number 3
· Comment from host Little: "There are a lot of
single women in Vegas."
· Response from Stewart: "Why do you think I'm just happy to be
here?"
Number 4
After comments about brothers Kurt and Kyle Busch dressing alike and being
confused for each other, Kurt Busch responded:
· "When the fine comes in the mail, they know how to spell our name
right."
Number 5
· Question:
What if Delana Harvick
(wife of Kevin Harvick) showed up (to the race)
without a fire suit?
· Special guest and Blue Comedy Tour comedian Bill Engvall
responded: "We talking no suit at all? Cus, that would be
awesome."
· Harvick followed with "If she walked out
without a fire suit and I missed the race, you'd know why."
· "At least for the first 10 laps&" said Matt Kenseth.
Number 6
· Earnhardt Jr. was asked about his future wife&
· "Yea, she's real," said Earnhardt Jr.
· "Not real's a blow-up doll." Engvall
· Little asked if she was a blonde.
· "She's like Snooki ... he hasn't
noticed," said Gordon. Earlier in the show, Stewart had commented that
"For the first three episodes, I didn't even know Snooki
had a head."
Number 7
· Stewart was positioned in a chair next to Little who
was standing nearby. "Why do you think she sat me next to her? Always sit
the fat kid next to the tall girl."
Number 8
· Kurt Busch noted that he was "camera shy. I think the best form of
communication is cussing."
Number 9
· "I felt uncomfortable today for the first time in a long time because I
was changing next to Carl." Stewart
· "You'll always have me beat with that back hair." Carl Edwards
· "Hey, I'm out here working hard to represent all fat kids." Stewart
Number 10
· Four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion Gordon break
dancing for fans at NASCAR After The Lap.
(NASCAR)(12-2-2011)
Ragan in line for
the #22 ride:
Been told Ragan has
been released by Roush Fenway Racing and Ford to pursue other oppurtunities. Supposedly he was in line to run the #51
Chevy in 2012, but now hearing he will sign a one-year deal to run the #22
Dodge for Penske.(12-5-2011)
AND:
David Ragan was
given his release from Roush Fenway Racing on Monday, opening the door for him
to possibly replace 2004 Sprint Cup champion Kurt Busch at Penske Racing. Ragan
said he asked for his release Monday morning, after learning that Busch and
Penske Racing had mutually agreed to split. He then talked to Penske Racing
president Tim Cindric to express an interest in the
vacant #22 ride. "I want to be in consideration for that car," Ragan
said. Ragan said he had been disappointed when UPS informed Roush Fenway during
the season that it was not returning to the #6 car as a sponsor. "Sometimes
crazy things happen for a reason. I feel I've got a good shot to have a
sit-down talk with the guys at Penske," Ragan said. "We haven't
discussed that, but I have reached out to them and hopefully later on in the
next week or two we'll have more to talk about." Although Ragan didn't
have a Sprint Cup Series ride with RFR for 2012, he remained under contract
until he was given the release. The move now clears him to pursue the Penske
opening, as well as other potential vacancies in Sprint Cup and the Nationwide
Series.
Penske Racing executive Bud Denker acknowledged that
Ragan "and others" would be considered to replace Busch, whose
behavior on and off the track led to the split. He did not give a timetable,
but indicated it could be several weeks, as the process has just begun and
sponsor Shell Pennzoil will have to approve the winning candidate. Others
drivers who might be considered include David Reutimann
and Brian Vickers. Reutimann was released from
Michael Waltrip Racing, while Vickers was a part of
Red Bull Racing, which is folding its NASCAR operation. Denker
said that Sam Hornish Jr. will not be under
consideration, as Penske wants the former IndyCar
Series champion to focus on a full Nationwide Series run in 2012 before
returning to Cup. Hornish drove full time in the Cup
Series for Penske from 2008 through 2010, recording only two top-5 finishes and
never finishing better than 28th in points.(ESPN)(12-5-2011)
Ford out as
Hamlin's crew chief; Grubb in?:
Mike Ford was let
go Tuesday as crew chief for #11-Denny Hamlin after a disappointing season in
which the duo failed to contend for the championship. "I'm kind of relieved,"
Ford told The Associated Press. "It had been dragging on for so long, I'm
actually relieved there's finally a resolution." Joe Gibbs Racing team
owner Joe Gibbs met with championship-winning crew chief Darian
Grubb [formerly of #14-Tony Stewart] last week in
UPDATE:
Joe Gibbs Racing
announces that Mike Ford has been released from his duties as crew chief for
its #11 Sprint Cup Series team. "Everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing appreciates
what Mike has done for our organization over the past six seasons as crew chief
with our #11 team," said Joe Gibbs, owner of Joe Gibbs Racing. "We've
decided it was best to make a change with the team now to allow Mike the
opportunity to pursue other opportunities." There will be no immediate
announcement regarding a replacement crew chief for the #11 team.(Joe Gibbs Racing)(12-6-2011)
UPDATE 2:
Darian Grubb says he's close to announcing
his plans for 2012. The 2011 Sprint Cup championship crew chief attended
Tuesday night's Stocks-for-Tots
fundraising event at the NASCAR Technical Institute and said he hopes to reveal
his plans by the end of the week. "I'm hoping to get it all ironed out by
the end of the week because we have to get things rolling for 2012, and get
things going no matter where I go." With today's announcement of the
departure of Mike Ford as crew chief for the No. 11 FedEx Toyota and driver
Denny Hamlin, the open slot at Joe Gibbs Racing is one possibility for Grubb.
"It's all still rumors at this point," Grubb said. "I've talked
to a lot of people and I have narrowed down my list a little bit and I still
haven't made any decisions myself. Hopefully, by the end of the week we'll have
some decisions made and get some announcements out there."(Motor
Racing Network)(12-7-2011)
Kenseth expects team to find
sponsorship:
Even in a tough
economy, the fact that Matt Kenseth is riding into
the off-season with a blank quarter-panel is a mystery. With Crown Royal's last
sponsorship dollars having been poured from the glass, Kenseth's
#17 Roush Fenway Racing team is looking toward 2012 from a rather lonely
position. The team does not have a major sponsor for next season, and time is
rapidly running out. Kenseth said he remains hopeful
that his Fords will carry major sponsorship when the team reports to Daytona
International Speedway in February. "I think they'll find something,"
he said. "I think we have too competitive of a team to be unsponsored.
From my standpoint, it's frustrating because I don't know how the whole process
works. But, from a driver standpoint, if you perform well and don't act like an
idiot too much, things are good.(SPEED)(12-7-2011)
Quite a bit of
interesting reading and thoughts can be found if you click on the link, below:
http://www.jayski.com/news/story?id=5547367
Might you be
interested in who might be driving for whom in NASCAR Cup racing in 2012? How about the 2012 “Silly Season”?
http://www.jayski.com/pages/2012teams.htm
Going back, in time – in
racing history:
Note# 1: Most of the following information was found
here:
http://www.wheelsofspeed.com/history.html
Note: 2: Yes, most of this info is mostly from Open
Wheel racing from “Back in the day”.
Covering
the days from December 9th to December 15th.
DECEMBER 9
1926
Ed Elisian
... Born ... Ed was an American racing driver, mainly competing in the National
Championship. He died in a crash at the Milwaukee Mile. In the 1955
1934
Wayne Weiler
... Born ... Weiler started as a dirt track driver in
1942
Sheldon Kinser...
Born ... He was the 1977, 81, 82 United States Auto Club (USAC) National Sprint
Car Champion. Winner of the prestigious Tony Hulman Classic at the Terre Haute Action Track, 1981.
Six time starter of the
1978
P.J. Chesson...
Born ... An American race car driver who most recently
competed in the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series.
1979
Larry McCoy... Died ...
Larry was born in
1992
Colby Scroggin
... Died ... AAA/USAC driver 1954 to 1963
2006
Dave Steele won the Sprint
Car race over Tony Elliott, Troy DeCaire, Jason
Blonde and Mike Ling at the DeSoto Super Speedway,
Note: That was a 400 lap Sprint Car race. You had to pit once prior to lap 200 and then
once after lap 200. From what I can
recall, due to problems just prior to the event being run, one of the
organizations pulled out of the event, leaving basically only the Sprint Car
group that ran at the track, with wings, to run in the race, minus their wings. It was just prior to this event when I first
met future Motor Sports writer Richard Golardi, who
wanted to tag along with me and see if he could learn anything. My daughter, Sarah, was also with me. If things work out right, there are a few
photos at the end of this column, with Sarah and Dave Steele, and two other
drivers.
DECEMBER 10
1950
Johnnie Parsons won the AAA
sanctioned Darlington 200 on the 1.25 Mile Paved Oval Darlington Raceway in
DECEMBER 11
1949
Bill Holland won the AAA
Eastern Sprint Car race at the Plant Field,
DECEMBER 12
1913
Rex Easton ... Born ... Rex
competed in some sprint cars, but was mainly a midget chauffeur who was always
up front in competition. His career was evenly divided between the AAA and USAC
years. In USAC competition, he won 21 features which places
him 21st in the all- time USAC feature wins ranking. Rex Easton won the 1954
Midwest Midget title and just missed taking the National Championship that
year, losing out to Jack Turner in the last race of the season. Rex placed
second in the 1957 and 1958 USAC National Midget Division points
races and won the USAC Midwest Championship in 1958.
1936
Wally Dallenbach
... Born ... East Brunswick New Jersey Modified Stock Car driver who went on to
drive URC and USAC Sprint cars and 180 USAC/CART Indy Car races between 1965
and 1979, winning five times. He is the father of NASCAR driver and commentator,
Wally Dallenbach, Jr.
1946
Emerson Fittipaldi
... Born ... A highly successful Brazilian race driver, winning world
championships in both Formula One and CART, and the
DECEMBER 13
1918
Bill Vukovich
... Born ... Before he began Indy racing, Vukovich
drove midget cars for the Edelbrock dirt track racing
team. He raced on the West Coast of the
Note: There is quite a large website devoted to Vuky and the day he died.
I must warn you, however, in the photos, there are some rather graphic
ones, maybe not suitable for little ones.
It can be seen if you go
here:
http://www.vukovichaccident.com/
1946
Mike Mosley... Born ... USAC/CART driver from 1967 to 1983. Mosley died in
an off-road vehicle accident.
2006
Bobby Santos III , in the Carl Edwards # 99, won the PRA / Champ Car race
over Bobby East, Teddy Beach, Chet Fillip, and Dave Steele at the USA
International Speedway,
Note # 1: I was there that day, too, along with my
daughter Sarah and future Motor Sports writer Richard Golardi. Check at the end of the column for a photo of
Sarah and Bobby.
Note # 2: It was during this race when Johnny Heydenreich had contact with another car and hit the
concrete wall backwards, resulting in quite a fire. A video of that is in the Video section in
this weeks column.
Also, a photo of Sarah and Johnny, at the end of the
column.
DECEMBER 14
1927
Hershel McGriff... Born ...
Hershel McGriff's racing career spans four decades of NASCAR competition --
from the rough-and-tumble 1950s to the finely tuned 1990s. In 1954, McGriff
made the most of his opportunity to drive car owner Frank Christian's
Oldsmobile and finished sixth in the NASCAR Cup Series points
race despite missing the first 10 events of the year. McGriff won four of the
last nine races in 1954, including back-to-back wins at
1940
Denny Zimmerman ... Born
... Denny began racing at the Riverside Park Speedway in 1957, driving in the
Sportsman Stock Car Division. From sportsman cars, Zimmerman moved on to sprint
cars and then tried his hand running at
1954
Alan Kulwicki...
Born ... NASCAR Winston Cup racecar driver. He arrived
at the highest and most expensive level of stock car racing in the
DECEMBER 15
1912
Walt Ader
... Born ... AAA driver from the 1940's to the early 50's.
1916
Clint Brawner
... Born ... Indy Car mechanic. His skill, work ethic and focus led to 51 Indy
car victories and four poles in the Indy 500.
1927
Bill Mackey ... Born ...
AAA driver from 1949 to 1951. His name at birth was William Gretsinger,
Jr. He was killed in a sprint car crash at Winchester Speedway.
1981
Ralph Pratt... Died ... AAA driver from the 1940's and 50's. Inducted into the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 1998.
News
from the AARN:
From
their November 29th issue:
There
were a ton of articles and reports from the Turkey Derby race at Wall Stadium.
Sam
Hafertepe, Jr. will be in the Zemko
# 1 Sprint Car in 2012.
The
“Rumble in
Doug
Wolfgang, Brad Doty and Dave Argabright are three
well-known Motor Sports people that will be at the AARN’s
annual Motor Sports Show.
ARCA
will be returning to
Lotus Twin Turbo V-6 engines will power the Indycar race teams of Dreyer and Reinbold Racing, Bryan Herta Auto Sport and HVM Racing. Other engines for next year – Chevrolet and Honda. Nothing new on Ford, yet.
Lenny
Sammons:
In
his column, Mr. Sammons talks about how Matt Hirschman does not race like Kimmy Blewett (move ‘em out of the way, so to say), but is willing to settle for
2nd placel. Lenny is wondering, as I imagine quite a few
others are, as to why only 12 Dirt Modifieds showed
up to race at the Turkey Derby at Wall Stadium.
Some of those “Modifieds” were actually
Sportsman cars, I believe. When the
NASCAR Modifieds race at Loudon in 2012, they will
have to have quick change rears in the cars. – Yeah, another expense for the
teams, I guess?
Ernie
Saxton:
Mr.
Saxton was wondering, as are many others, today, did Steve Addington
leave as Kurt Busch’s crew chief because of Kurt Busch? TV viewer ship is up for NASCAR Cup racing,
which in a way, is good, but on the other hand, more
and more empty seats are seen at the tracks. The
Lplatt@phillynews.com to maybe have the
paper put more in about auto racing.
Note: I still can’t figure out why playing Poker is considered a sport, and gets TV time as such.
Earl
Krause:
Mr.
Krause makes mention that Cliff Krause – who I believe is no relation to Earl,
now has a three year lease to promote and manage racing at Wall Stadium.
Brett
Deyo:
Brett
makes mention that Kenny Brightbill is looking for a
ride for 2012. As you might have heard,
all drivers at the New Egypt Speedway, in 2012, will be able to race free –
after they purchase a $100.00 pit license (for insurance).
The
$10,000.00 to win “Clash at the Can” race at Penn Can, will be on June 12th,
next year. It’s a 60-lap race for both
Big and Small Block Modifieds. It will be a RoC
sanctioned race, and to take the green a driver will get $300.00.
Todd
Heintzleman:
The
rookie of the year in 410 Sprint Cars at Williams Grove is 21 year old Nicole
Bower.
Ron
Mentus:
Mr.
Mentus makes mention of how so many professional
media contacts do not show the common courtesy to respond to legitimate
inquiries.
Note: I’m not sure if it was a “typo” or not, but
in his column, there is no way to contact Mr. Mentus. Just saying…………..
Kevin
Rice:
Mr.
Rice is letting us know of some changes for Loudon in 2012. Gone are the K&N Pre Series East race in
July and the NASCAR Trucks in September.
Loudon saw fit to not have an Indycar race in
2012, which means that ACT and the Whelen Modified
Tour races are gone, too. There will be
a shorter schedule at Loudon, with no qualifying on Thursday for the Modifieds. They’ll
qualify on Friday.
Note: As many of you know, I’ve attended a couple
of the Vintage Race Car Meets at Loudon.
My daughter and I are planning on doing so again, this coming May. That is IF they even have that show. I’m not too fond of what I’ve been hearing
lately about this show, that’s for sure.
It seems that the expense is maybe getting somewhat out of hand, is the
best I can say, for now.
J
R Kennereup:
J
R is mentioning some of the changes for the NY/PA area in 2012 – like
Gary
London:
Continues his coverage of the NASCAR “Cup” races
here in the Northeast, covering the years 1956 – 1964.
John
Snyder:
Mr.
Snyder makes mention of there not being very many problems with Big Block
Modified racing today, whereas there have been a ton of them in the Small Block
class. Mr. Snyder does have some
suggestions – such as:
360 Cu in engines with any heads and intake
manifolds. Flat Tappet cams, dry sump only oil systems,
4 barrel carbs, basic MSD ignition, gas or alcohol,
with no time out for re-fueling and mufflers that meet the prescribed decibel
levels.
Note: Sounds pretty good to me. I’d also like to see some open tire rules,
too.
Ken
Kuhlman:
Ken
wrote about Flemington and the 70’s.
There were 283 Modified features and 37 drivers won them. Paul Kuhl came on
the scene in 1971.
In
1970, Dick Havens had the most wins with 8.
In 1971, the Tri State Race Car Owners Organization came about, and
caused some problems for a while. Mr. Kuhl and Don Jones, the East Windsor owner/promoter worked
together against the
Note: I, along with countless thousands of race
fans, drivers, car owners and other associated with racing at the Flemington
Speedway sure as hell miss that place!
Strange, that as successful as it was, no one has come out with a
similar track.
There’s
mention of a couple people that were involved with racing that have left us – Carolyn Boetticher, 74, on November 23rd. She was the wife of TQ owner and mechanic
Rudy Boetticher.
The second one to leave us was Micro Stock driver Brian Braddock on
November 21st.
In AARN this Week’s issue of December 6th:
In AARN
This
Week:
New
Central Pennsy-Based
360 Sprint Series Plans
Announced
Checkered Flag Fan Club
Hosts 60th Awards Banquet
Pocono Raceway, Mattioli Family
Honored By NASCAR
Keith Rocco Is Northeast's
Winningest Driver
Kurt Busch,
Penske Racing Part Ways
Ted Christopher Aims
For Atlantic City Indoor
TQ Repeat
Chase Elliott Wins
Snowball Derby at Pensacola's
Five Flags Speedway
Former
Looking a the entry
list for the Indoor racing at Atlantic City, I see that Eric Zeh is listed for the Champ Karts and Anthony Perrego listed for the Slingshots.
And for next year,
in racing at OCFS and, I would suppose the Northeast area, word is that Billy VanInwegen will, in some way, be hooked up with the
Sherlock team and Tri States Roofing.
More
racin’ stuff:
Back to that guy from
I
found it rather interesting because he goes back in time, to 2006, when we
first met, and he makes mention of the races that were held on December 9th,
13th, 14th and 15th and how they are no longer
around.
http://www.hoseheads.com/richard.html
Racing and
television:
Racing on TV - http://www.racefantv.com/USTV.htm
Note: If you go to the link, above, you’ll see that
it is now very much condensed with not much info, anymore, not like it was
prior to George Webster leaving the website.
However, there are links at
the top of the page to take you elsewhere, like this: CLICK HERE FOR U.S. LISTINGS WITHOUT THE
SPEED CHANNEL (PDF FORMAT)
http://www.racefantv.com/xUSTV-NS.pdf
And this: CLICK HERE FOR
U.S. LISTINGS WITHOUT NASCAR (PDF FORMAT)
http://www.racefantv.com/xUSTV-NN.pdf
Also this one: CLICK HERE FOR A PRINTABLE PDF VERSION
http://www.racefantv.com/xUSTV.pdf
Oh well, what can ya do? It was nicer
and more informative, previously, I think.
I
get e-mails:
Here's
an interesting one!
Not
all thieves are stupid.
This
gives us something to think about with all our new electronic technology.
GPS
A
couple of weeks ago a friend told me that someone she knew had their car broken
into while they were at a football game. Their car was parked on the green
which was adjacent to the football stadium and specially allotted to football
fans. Things stolen from the car included a garage door remote control, some
money and a GPS which had been prominently mounted on the dashboard.
When
the victims got home, they found that their house had been ransacked and just
about everything worth anything had been stolen. The thieves had used the GPS
to guide them to the house. They then used the garage remote control to open
the garage door and gain entry to the house. The thieves knew the owners were
at the football game, they knew what time the game was scheduled to finish and
so they knew how much time they had to clean
out
the house. It would appear that they had brought a truck to empty the house of
its contents.
Something
to consider if you have a GPS - don't put your home address in it.. Put a nearby address (like a store or gas station) so you
can still find your way home if you need to, but no one else would know where
you live if your GPS were stolen.
MOBILE
PHONES
I
never thought of this.......
This
lady has now changed her habit of how she lists her names on her mobile phone
after her handbag was stolen. Her handbag, which contained her cell phone,
credit card, wallet... Etc...was stolen.
20
minutes later when she called her hubby, from a pay phone telling him what had
happened, hubby says 'I received your text asking about our Pin number and I've
replied a little while ago.' When they rushed down to the bank, the bank staff
told them all the money was already withdrawn. The thief had actually used the
stolen cell phone to text 'hubby' in the contact list and got hold of the pin
number. Within 20 minutes he had withdrawn all the money from their bank
account.
Moral
of the lesson:
Do
not disclose the relationship between you and the people in your contact list.
Avoid
using names like Home, Honey, Hubby, Sweetheart, Dad, Mom, etc....
And
very importantly, when sensitive info is being asked through texts, CONFIRM by
calling back.
Also,
when you're being texted by friends or family to meet them somewhere, be sure
to call back to confirm that the message came
from them. If you don't reach them, be very careful about going places to
meet 'family and friends' who text you..
*PLEASE
PASS THIS ON
* I
never thought about the above!
As
of now, I no longer have 'home' listed on my cell phone.
Even
if this does not pertain to you....Pass it on to your family & friends
Some non-racing stuff:
How about this? From an e-mail I received this past Sunday from a nephew of mine:
Subject:
FW: AN IDEA WHOSE TIME HAS COME
Jails
and Nursing Homes
Here's
the way it should be:
Let's
put the seniors in jail and the criminals in nursing homes.
This
would correct two things in one motion:
Seniors
would have access to showers, hobbies and walks.
They
would receive unlimited free prescriptions, dental and medical
treatment, wheel chairs, etc.
They
would receive money instead of having to pay it out.
They
would have constant video monitoring, so they would be helped
instantly... if they fell or needed assistance.
Bedding
would be washed twice a week and all clothing would be ironed and
returned to them.
A
guard would check on them every 20 minutes.
All
meals and snacks would be brought to them.
They
would have family visits in a suite built for that purpose.
They
would have access to a library, weight/fitness room, spiritual
counseling, a pool and education....and free admission to in-house concerts
by
nationally recognized entertainment artists.
Simple clothing - ie. shoes,
slippers, pj's - and legal aid would be free,
upon request.
There
would be private, secure rooms provided for all with an outdoor
exercise yard complete with gardens.
Each
senior would have a P.C., T.V., phone and radio in their room at no
cost .
They
would receive daily phone calls.
There
would be a board of directors to hear any complaints and the ACLU
would fight for their rights and protection.
The
guards would have a code of conduct to be strictly adhered to, with
attorneys available, at no charge to protect the seniors and their families
from abuse or neglect.
As
for the criminals:
They
would receive cold food.
They
would be left alone and unsupervised.
They
would receive showers once a week.
They
would live in tiny rooms, for which they would have to pay $5,000 per
month.
They
would have no hope of ever getting out.
"Sounds
like justice to me!"
Is
this true?:
In
part:
"According
to the United States Supreme Court, Obama is ineligible to be the President.
That’s right, you read that correctly. The United States Supreme Court has
ruled that Obama is ineligible to serve as President.
It’s
not that you haven’t been paying attention lately and yes, you can be excused
for missing the ruling as it came down, not in the last few days but back in
1875."
More
on this can be seen here:
Video time:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gq6NYS58Ihc&eurl
Photos:
I’m posting a
photo a week for a while. Majority of
them will be from “Back in the day”.
This week, hopefully three of them will appear.
Note: The photos are not available on Dirt Track
Digest, only on New England Tractor - http://newenglandtractor.com/racereport/
From our trip to
First, our
daughter Sarah, pictured with the PRA Silver Crown
race winner Bobby Santos, III – prior to his race win, below.
Next, below, Sarah with Dave Steele, winner of the 400 lap Sprint Car race at DeSoto Super Speedway.
And, Sarah with Johnny Heydenreich, below, before he was involved in that accident that is featured in the video section of this weeks column.
Closing with these:
Three
friends from the local congregation were asked, 'When you're in your casket,
and friends and congregation members are mourning over you, what would you like them to say?'
Artie
said: ' I would like them to say I was a wonderful husband, a fine spiritual
leader, and a great family man.'
Al
said: 'I'd like them to say, 'Look, he's moving!'
Smith
climbs to the top of
The Lord replies, 'A minute.'
Smith
asks, 'And what does a million dollars mean to you?'
The
Lord replies, 'A penny.'
'Smith
asks, 'Can I have a penny?'
'The
Lord replies, 'In a minute.'
John
was on his deathbed and gasped pitifully. 'Give me one last request, dear,'he said.
'Of
course, John,' his wife said softly.
'Six
months after I die,' he said, 'I want you to marry George.'
'But
I thought you hated George,' she said.
With
his last breath John said, 'I do!'
More of these next week.
May “Guardian Angels” sit on the shoulders of all of our race drivers and race fans, and guide them safely around the tracks!
Drive safe!
As usual, you can reach me
at: ygordad@yahoo.com
Note: Thanks to my nephew, Robert Triebeneck, I was able to get my Yahoo e-mail working
properly.