Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting!

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(photo by Leon Hammack)

The question of the night is; Can THE WEASEL make it into the Chase for the Cup??

I think that we will see an  extremely aggressive Kyle Busch tonight!  If you think that he is normally a very aggressive driver, watch the race tonight!  Ol Kylie will be driving tonight like he has a “HELMET FIRE”!!

So if he fails to make it into the top 12 tonight, be prepared to see a very short, whiny, caustic, hostile, typical ol Kylie Busch.  It is my prediction we will see THE LAS VEGAS WEASEL personality at it finest!!

What is your take on the race tonight?  Who will make into the Chase?  Who is going to be left out this year?

Tonight is bumping, beating, banging, and some aggressive racing at  The Chevy Rock and Roll 400! Check you emotions and feelings at the pit gate, it is time to “LET THE BIG DAWG EAT”!!  IT IS TIME TO GO!!

Pull those belts tight, pull your gloves up over your elbows, and get ready to mash on the loud pedal!!

“Saturday is alright for fighting”, Elton John!

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRFJKrl0jTg

Kyle Steps On His Crank!

Kyle Busch trashes the trophy after race at Nashville Superspeedway earlier in the season.

(The infamous guitar smashing event)

Following his win at Bristol, Kyle Busch went to Nashville to compete in a Champion Racing Association event at the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway.  Sparks started to fly WAY before the waving of the green flag for the start of the race.

Busch told a track PR representative that it was “STUPID” to incorporate his (Busch’s) pre-race press conference with that of Chase Elliott, the 14 year old son of “Awesome Bill from Dawsonville” Elliott, and the 16 year old female driver, Johanna Long, who was to start on the pole for that race.

As the press conference began, Busch was asked if he regretted the smashing of the guitar that Sam Bass had custom crafted for the winner of that event at the other Nashville race track back in June.  “Nope”, replied Busch. “we had a great time and a lot of good has come of it.”

When asked another question about the guitar smashing, Kyle Busch snapped, “You have been told to ask only about the CRA (Champion Racing Association)”.  One of the Busch entourage heatedly confronted the reporter whom he called a“BLEEPING” idiot” for asking Busch about the guitar incident.  That same unidentified person made a slashing motion across his throat signaling Busch to end the exchange with reporters, which had become very heated!

One veteran TV sports reporter said that the press conference was the most heated, tension-filled press conference he had ever witnessed.

Once again ol Kylie Busch (The Las Vegas Weasel) lives up to his childish, spoiled little boy, bad loser, very arrogant, pompous, self-centered reputation!

Will he ever grow up?

AGAIN, I LOOKED IT UP SO YOU  THAT WOULDN’T HAVE TO!

The Fireworks Are Coming!!

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(photo by Leon Hammack)

Nearly halftime at NASCAR as the boys visit Daytona for the second time this season.  For my analysis of the first half of this season join me at:

www.workingonmyredneck.com

This is the third of the four “wild card” races for our fantasy league.  These 160 laps Saturday night under the lights will be just one big “Saturday Night Shootout”!! The double file restarts will also add to the excitement of the pack of 43 bumble bees swarming around the 2 1/2 high banks of Daytona!

The 13 of us have picked 8 different drivers to win, that means there just might be some shifting in the standings when the night is over and the fireworks have subsided.  In light of his lack of performance this season, Dale, Jr. is longer the overwhelming favorite of the fantasy league to win at Daytona.  However, he is still one of the favorites picked  by 3 have picked to win the 2009 Coke Zero 400.  The other favorite, picked by 3 as well, is none other thanTLVW (ol Kylie).

So Saturday night it will be time to light the candle. twist the wick, press the loud pedal, pull the belts tight, and let the big dog eat!!!

Logano Scores First Win!

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(photo by Leon Hammack)

The Lennox Industrial Tools 301 is now in the record books.  Like last year’s June race, the weather played a very significant roll in the outcome of the race!  Like last year when the “Blue Duece” driven by Kurt Busch, aka ELB (Ears Laid Back) waited for the race to be called because of the rain, the #20 Home Depot Toyota driven by Joey “Sliced Bread” Logano, too, waited for the race to be called.

For the full story join me at my new web site: www.workingonmyredneck.com

As I have stated previously, now that I have the new web site up and running this web site will be directed more towards our NASCAR fantasy league interaction.

COMMENTARY:

As I was watching the replay of the big accident at Louden on the restart at lap 174, several thoughts occurred to me.  While it is a given that TLVW can drive the wheels off of anything that he straps himself into, it appears that his “patience tank” is completely empty!  As long as he is out front of the pack, it never comes into play with this driver.

However on Sunday, with ol Kylie stuck back in mid pack for the restart, the driver of the #18 M&M’s Toyota was the instigator of the “The Big One” at Louden!  As the green flag flew for the restart on lap 174, Dale Jr. in the #88 National Guard Chevy, spun his tires as he hammered the “loud pedal”.  That backed up a couple of rows of cars, but TLVW gassed it up big, stuck his nose into a spot that maybe only a fly or gnat could fit into, and tried to make it three wide prior to the start/finish line!  As that small hole closed back up, ol Kylie got into the #1 TomTom Chevy of Martin Truex, Jr.’s left quarter panel turning him hard right, and sending him head-on into the outside retaining wall.  Ol Kylie’s impatience resulted in collecting several drivers, thoroughly blocking the racetrack!

I think that I have just figured out why TLVW continuously sticks his nose into places that you know that won’t work on the race track.  I think his near vision is grossly impaired!!  Probably if he were to go to an opthamologist to get a thorough eye examination and glasses, he will see that his nose just won’t fit into some of  those tight spots he insists on getting into.

What is your take?

Kyle, Guitar Smashing, Retrospective Thoughts

Getty Images

(photo by Getty Images)

 COMMENTARY

Just some after thoughts on ol Kylie’s guitar smashing celebration at Nashville last week.  In the days following that unprecedented guitar smashing in the post victory celebration, there were mixed reviews.  However, most of the journalists that cover NASCAR, both in print and video, were appalled at THE WEASEL’s smashing of the custom built and painted “Les Paul” Gibson guitar.  That trophy from Nashville has become one of the most prized and coveted trophies on the NASCAR tour!  

Smashing that guitar in Nashville is like launching a loogie at Whistler’s Mother in the Musee d’Orsay museum!  Nobody really gets hurt by that act, but it sure tells the rest of the people to go directly to HELL!

 That is the message that ol Kylie Busch, aka THE LAS VEGAS WEASEL,  seems to be sending to the entire racing world!! 

TLVW seems to revel in the fact that he is alienating a large segment of the race fans.  Is he trying to be the “cowboy in the black hat”??  There is no doubt that this talented 24 year old can WHELL a race car around any facility in this country!  But such behavior  is not only childish, but is idiotic by any standard!

What is your take?

Reminder to me:  Never lend a guitar to Kyle Busch, he is very hard on the instrument!

Has Kyle Gone To Far?

Getty Images
(photo by Getty Images)
Just when I thought that I might even be more positive about that “poor misguided soul” from Las Vegas, ol Kylie does something again that is so outlandish and asinine that I was completely dumbfounded!  Yes he can drive the wheels of any car that he gets into.  Yes he has become a very dominating race car driver in NASCAR.  Likewise, TLVW (The Las Vegas Weasel) is also arrogant, pouting, and very childish in his behavior!  But I believe that what THE WEASEL did last night, after dominating the Nationwide Series at Nashville takes the cake, period!  It leaves me asking the question, just what does ol Kylie have between those dumbo ears and behind that Alfred E. Neuman face of his?  Anyone have a clue?
Saturday night after winning and dominating in the Nationwide Series at Nashville, ol Kylie is presented the custom $2000.00 hand painted “Les Paul Signature” Gibson guitar, that for nine years has become the much coveted trademark trophy for winning the Nashville race.  What happened next was just mind blowing.
TLVWtook that custom Gibson guitar and smashed it on the ground into hundreds of pieces!  Does Busch think that he is part of the British rock band THE WHODoes he think he is Roger Daltrey or Pete Townshend with his “guitar destruction” fete at Nashville?  He even had the poor misguided thought to compare himself , afterwards in an interview, to those two from THE WHO, as well as KISS and Ozzy Osburne???  I am missing something here!  Kyle is a race car driver, pure and simple,  not a ROCK STAR!!!  REALLY C’MON KYLE!
Between TLVW’s pouting, rants, avoiding interviews, and infantile arrogance, this outlandish behavior is inexplicable by most who observed it!  Between his often aggressive driving style, and now his over- the- top celebrations, what will we see next from this poor misguided soul?  It is starting to look like a soap opera….As The Race Wheel Turns!
What do you think, is Kyle over the top or just good entertainment?

2009 Daytona 500

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This week’s story lines:

1.  Matt Kenseth wins the 2009 Daytona 500:

2.  Dale Sr. will be remembered on 2/18/09:(EGR PR)

3.  Gilliland to drive the TRG #71 car for the four races:(TRG PR) 

4.  David Starr to drive the Blackjack Racing #51 at Calif:

5.  Kyle Petty not happy about merger:(st.petetimes)

6.  Rusty Wallace, Inc. considering Cup move with RCR help:   (nascar.com)

7.  DirectTV Hot Pass free:(directtv.com)

8.  Is Dale, Jr. running out of time for championship?(espn)

 

Sunday February 15th marked the 51st running of The Great American Race, better know as the Daytona500.  With a testing ban at all NASCAR sanctioned tracks, the teams did little to no testing at all this winter.  So when the haulers pulled through the tunnel prior to the Bud Shootout, about ten days ago, it was the race teams first glance at “the world center of speed” since the race in July of 2008.

The races of Speedweeks 2009 were very exciting.  The Bud Shootout had a new format for getting into the race,which put a different twist on that race.  It has become a manufacturer’s race now.  Nonetheless, it was an exciting “shootout” Kevin Harvick taking home all the marbles!

The Duel 150’s were very exciting and really action packed races with Jeff Gordon winning the first race and (TLVW) Kyle Busch winning the second duel.  Both of those races were action packed and very tight racing!

On Friday, The Camping World Truck race lit the night sky at Daytona.  It was a very action packed 250 mile race.  There was many lead changes and of course the impatient drivers making risky moves!  But that is the hallmark of this series, which serves to increase the use of the “rollbacks” and tow trucks at the track! 

On Saturday the Nationwide Series was main attraction at Daytona.  It sounds repetitive, but the Nationwide boys also put on one whale of a race.  There was lots of side-by-side racing throughout the entire pack, not just the front runners!  The final results was that Tony Stewart(The Smoker), won the race in the #80 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy.  This new affiliation occurs because of  The Smoker’s new team, Stewart-Haas Racing, buys their cars and engines from Rick Hendrick.

On Sunday, under threatening skies, THE GREAT AMERICAN RACE takes center stage at Daytona.  With the threat of rain in the back of all the race teams minds, the green flag drops and the drivers strategy is that they need to race hard immediately.  The reason for that mind set is that the race may be called officially over once they complete the half way mark.  So the race pace and moves were furious and risky!! The racing was two wide, three wide, and sometimes momentarily four wide!!!  The drivers were racing every lap like it was the last one!   The drivers were really trying to get to the front by the halfway point, just in case the rains arrived. 

It reminded me of an old song by Steeler’s Wheel.  The lyrics go something like this “clowns to the left of me  jokers to the right, here I am stuck in the middle with you”!!!!!  The rains came and went intermittenly thoughoutthe race, but it finally cut loose and the race was called with Matt Kenseth in the lead and delcared the winner.

 

COMMENTARY:

This reporter, along with his sidekick Jim,  arrived at Daytona for the four action packed days of racing starting with the Duel 150’s and culminating THE GREAT AMERICAN RACE, the Daytona 500.  There is something magical about Daytona that you must experience if you are a race fan!  There are only two venues that stand head and shoulders above the rest, Indianapolis and Daytona.  Having been to both venues several times, the atmosphere is charged with electricity and a great anticipation resonates throught the grandstands prior to the races there.  However, it is this reporter’s opinion, that Daytona has now far exceeded the gala at Indy( you can thank Tony George for singel-handedly mortally wounding open wheel racing)!!!  Tony George’s arrogance played right into the hands of NASCAR and allowed them to really grow their brand starting with the 1996 season, that was the first year of the IRL/CART split!

 

P.S.   There is candle light vigil at DEI headquarters tonight to honor Dale Earnhardt, Sr.  It was eight years ago the he lost his life on the last lap of the 2001 Daytona 500.  He was in third place behind the eventual winner Michael Waltrip , and in second was his son Dale Jr.  Both of those cars were out of his stable at Dale Earnhardt, Inc.  This repoter is reasonably sure that THE INTIMIDATOR is quite proud of the way his son has handled himself since that tragic day, February 18, 2001!!

REMEMBER, I LOOKED IT UP SO YOU WOULDN’T HAVE TO!!!

A change is coming!

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A change is coming, a change is coming!!  We have been hearing this on the political campaign trail for oh so long!  Well, this is my 100th post since the birth of this site and change is also coming here as well!!!  My tech people( aka Jason) have added a few new features/widgets to the sidebar that I/we feel will add value to this publication.

 

You will notice that I have added a NASCAR Race Countdown feature.  This will countdown to the next week’s race.  Also it wll list a few interesting items associated with that race (closely look at the background, it’s AMP!!).  The second new addition is the NASCAR Standings widget, which will keep us all up to date of the NASCAR standings.  Lastly, I have added a quotes widget.  It will post various quotes that I feel might be appropriate each week!  I will also, from time to time, have a poll on my web site so that you can cast your vote on certain items that are of interest.  This should make for, maybe, some intersting interaction and discussions!!

 

So as you can see this off season I have had my best people (Jason) working  diligently to try to make this site both informative and very user friendly!!!  That is ultimately my goal.

 

So as you can see, 2009  has brought/is bringing many changes to us, not only in Washington D.C., and in NASCAR, but to my web site as well!  I will not enumerate the changes in D.C., since we have been saturated with the campaign for about the last two years nightly.    

 

I tried to publish all the known changes in the Cup Series on my last post.  I am now going to try to update you on the changes to the Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series !

Nationwide Series:

1.   Larry Foyt to drive the #56 MacHill Motorsports entry

2.   Verizon to sponsor the #12 Penske Dodge driver by Justin Allgaier(Penske PR)

3.   Michael Annett full season in the Germain Racing #12 Toyota  (AnnettPR)

3.   Paul Menard drives 16 races in the #98 Yates Ford (Yates PR)

4.   Fastenal sponsors the #2 RCR Chevy driven by Bowyer and Truex

5.   Scott Speed runs some races for Michael Waltrip Racing (nascar.com)

6.   Ruetimann runs four races for Braun racing( Bruan Racing)

7.   Stewart (The Smoker) attempts Daytona in HMS #80 Chevy (HMS PR)

8.   Kerry Earnhardt to run #8 EGR(DEI) in Daytona

9.   Joe Nemechek (Front Row Joe) in NEMCO #78 Chevy

10.  Michael Mc Dowell drives the JTG/Daughtery entry(scenedaily)

11.  Kyle Busch(TLVW)  18 races for JGR (espn.com)

 

 

Truck Series:

1.   Ricky Carmichael drives KHI #4 Monster Energy Chevy (KHI PR)

2.   Max Papis six races for Germain Racing

3.   Kyle Busch(TLVW) in #51 Ballew Racing Toyota (scenedaily)

4.   Mike Wallace drives #71 TRG truck

5.   Johnny Benson moves to #1 Red Horse Racing

 

As is my tradition, I will tie in the picture to my post.  The picture is the 1959 Chevy that Junior Johnson won the 1960 Daytona 500.  That is when, as the story goes, Junior discovered a thing later called “the draft“!!!  His Chevy was so much slower than all the other cars, running by itself.   But when he was out on the track with other cars he could “suck” up  behind them, then pull out and sling-shot past them effortlessly!!!  The next year “change” came to Daytona when everyone  figured out how to “draft”!!!!

 

As always, I looked it up so that you wouldn’t have!

GO#88!!

Auld Lang Syne!

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 THIS WEEKS STORY LINES:

1.   ROBBY GORDON REMAINS IN 3RD @ DAKAR RALL(nascar.com)

2.   2009 BUD SHOOTOUT FORMAT CHANGES:(2009 Bud Shootout)

3.   KESELOWSKI TO RACE SEVEN CUP RACES:(HMS PR)

4.   RUETIMANN TO RUN FULL CUP SEASON:(scene daily)

5.   TESTING AT MANY NON NASCAR SANCTIONED TRACKS:(speedtv)

6.   TIM MCCREADIE INJURED @ CHILI BOWL:(chili bowl.com)

7.   VERIZON BUYS ALLTEL:(AP)

8.   GILLILAND POSSIBLY OUT AT YATES:(scenedaily)

9.   MAX SIEGEL LEAVES DEI:(espn.com)

10.  MIKE SKINNER LOOKING FOR A RIDE(daytona beach news journal)

11.  REGAN SMITH IN #78 FURNITURE ROW CHEVY:(KUSA9NEWS)

12.  YATES AND HALL OF FAME RACING PARTNER UP:(sports business journal)

13.  BOBBY LABAONTE IN THE #96 HOF FORD:(nascar.com)

 

It oftens seems that even before one NASCAR season ends, the teams are already looking forward to the next season.  That is especially true for the non Chasers!!  Fortunately, thanks to one of the shortest off-seasons in professional sports, the wait is just about over ( 29 days,15 hours and 10 minutes from this writing)!!

 

 

You know that song you hear every New Year’s Eve?  You know that one about not forgetting old acquaintences?  Did you ever wonder what that phrase is in the chorus?

 

 

The most common song for most English-speaking people to sing at New Year’s Eve is the old Scottish song “Auld Lang Syne”.  Isn’t it a little bit odd how we sing that song and have no idea just what it means.  Would it be funny if it meant “Old Slow Buick Roadmasters” or something like that????  Actually, a good translation of that phase “auld lang syne” is “times gone by”.  So when we sing this song, we are saying, “We will drink a cup of kindness yet, for times gone by”

 

 

That might be true for the fans of the 2008 Champion.  As for the rest of us, our cups are brimming over with something else!!!!   It is extremely true for this reporter, last year was good but this year will be great!  A new year brings in all the hope and excitement, much like a child opening presents on Christmas morning.  This year is by far no exception.  There are more changes in the garage area than husbands on Elizabeth Taylor’s and Zsa Zsa Gabor’s resume!!!  There are drivers that are changing teams, crew chiefs changing teams, mergers of teams, emerging new teams, sponsors changing teams, and some established teams running a limited schedule.  Many of the teams are still searching and scrambling for that ever elusive sponsorship dollar!  The global recession has had a huge impact on the NASCAR community this off season.

 

 

Most of us don’t want to reminisce about the blown tire, Kyle Busch (aka The Las Vegas Weasel) crashing our favorite driver on the last laps of the race, or a bad pit stop.  Did I mention that we really didn’t want to waste time reflecting on TLVW crashing our favorite driver( read #88 JR) at Richmond and winning the race???????  All those memories are now relegated to the book called HISTORY!  History books are good to read, but the only books that I am intersted in reading regarding NASCAR focus on the future and this season!!!  The only Eve that I am now interested in is February 14, the night before the Daytona 500!!  I have an appointment with the Sprint Cup Tower row 48 seat 6 for the Dual 150’s, Trucks race, Nationwide race and the Daytona 500!!!

 

COMMENTARY:

 

 

As you can see in the story lines listed above, there are tumultuous activities going on in the garage area.  I strongly suggest that you click on to each of the links above and read those articles.  They are a good resource to what is happening this week in NASCAR! There are drivers with new teams, sponsors with new teams, merged operations, and a couple of new race teams all together!!  So get out your scorecard and sharpen up you memory skills, cause I can hear those V8’s starting to get warmed up!! 

This reporter’s New Year’s resolutions:

1. I resolve to be in front of the TV when the green drops each Sunday!

2. I resolve to solidly root for #88 each week and defend him against all detractors, foreign and domestic!

3.  I ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY NEVER EVER FORGET TIMES GONE BY!!!!

 

Now if you will go back and look at the picture of the Daytona Speedway above.  Notice the black square of seats just on the upper tight side of the Palm tree.   If you squint your eyes you will see this reporter sitting there waiting for the drop of the green flag for the Daytona 500!!!

 

REMEMBER, I LOOKED IT UP SO THAT YOU WOULDN’T HAVE TO!!!

T is for………

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THIS WEEK’S STORY LINES:

1.  EDWARDS WINS @ TEXAS:

2.  KYLE BUSCH DONATES $100,000 TO SAM ARD (espn.com)

3.  HORNISH BACK TO INDY CARS IN ’09? (yahoo sports)

4.  GILLIAND PARKS MONTOYA-NASCAR PARKS GILLILAND!(scenedaily)

5.  BRUTON SMITH REAFFIRMS DESIRE TO BUY NASCAR: (espn.com)

 

Most of the year T is for Talladega, but Sunday T was for Texas!!!  T was also for toughness, for teeth-clinching tussles, for high speed tangles, for two and three wide racing, and for tempers flaring!!!  But the REAL T was for thinning the points lead in the Chase!! 

“Cousin Carl” defied all the odds in fuel mileage logic!!  He and crew chief Bob Osborne turned a “mistake” in not pitting into a stretching of fuel mileage far beyond what was supposedly feasible!!  The theory of the fastest car wins the race definitely was proven totally wrong!!  For the last ten laps, Edward’s crew chief had to continually tell Carl to slow down, get out of the throttle, let it roll thru the corner!  It is a concept that is hard to understand, slow down to win the race!!!  Because the Office Depot #99 Ford did not stop when everyone else did, he inherited a huge lead and lots of track position!!!  So he slowed way down.  Lower RPM’s means less fuel burn per lap, thus allowing them to stretch their fuel out to 69 laps and win the race!!!

 

 

COMMENTARY

Ol Kylie Busch, aka The Las Vegas Weasel, won the Nationwide race in Texas on Saturday.  That win tied ol Kylie and Sam Ard with 10 victories in the Nationwide in one season.  That is quite a feat!  Last year Kevin Harvick came up one victory short of bypassing Mr. Ard’s accompolishments.  It is very possible that TLVW  may surpass Sam Ard’s record, with two races left this season!

Sam Ard had a brilliant but shortened racing career.  Back in 1984 he suffered head injuries in a racing crash that ended his career. In Sam’s days of racing, there were no “BIG PAYDAYS”. He raced because he was a RACER!!!!  Over the years, the Ard family has run across some extremely hard times.  Sam suffers from Alzheimers and is confined to a wheel chair. The family has used all of their funds just trying to care for Sam.  A few weeks ago Kevin Harvick bought and donated the “Shell Van” from the commercials to help the family’s transportation needs.  It appears that their automobile just recently “died”!!  

On hearing of the Ard family’s struggles, ol Kylie donates $100,000 to the Ard family to help.  Once again the NASCAR family comes to the rescue!!  As hard as this reporter has been on ol Kylie, I am very impressed that he appears to have a kind heart.