Well Tony pulled lucky number 13 (although not lucky according to Tony) in the Shootout draw…but he didn’t stay 13th for very long. He quickly moved forward and stayed strong in the front of the field. He also made one of the coolest moves sneaking through the middle of two on that march towards the front. Tony even led some laps (yey). I didn’t love Brian Vickers and Tony getting together in the last segment and Tony slapping the wall. Unfortunately he ended 9th I think (results are still unofficial as of this writing). It was encouraging to see Tony out so strong in the shootout. I have high hopes for Daytona…I would LOVE for Tony to finally win the elusive 500.

My only issue is that I read that the Shootout MUST end under a green flag- so I was pretty sure that Harvick had not actually won but I guess he actually did. I guess it was considered a green-white-checker finish rule? I was a little confused about that. Congrats to Harvick on his win!

I am so excited that the season is starting….let’s go boys!

FoxSports has a gallery up with 26  paint schemes of the 2010 top competitors in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series…including our Stewart-Haas Racing boys.

The biggest difference for Tony’s paint schemes can be seen in the Old Spice car which now is a two toned Red (the original bright read accented by a deeper darker red on the hood and down the side of the car). I actually like it because it sets the Old Spice car apart from the Office Depot car just a little bit more. The only change that I can see on the Office Depot car is instead of a jagged lightening bolt in black down the side its now less lightening bolt-ish and more…I dunno curvy-hillish (that right there is a highly technical term so don’t go snagging it!). Well see for yourself:

2010 Tony Stewart Paint schemes as posted by Fox Sports.

I am assuming Ryan’s Army Chevy is going to look pretty much the same but they did include his Tornados paint scheme:

Ryan Newman's Tornadoes 2010 paint scheme as posted by fox sports.

Some of the paint schemes in the above linked to gallery didn’t look much different to me (Kasey Kahne and Jeff Gordon come to mind). One I wasn’t too thrilled with was Jamie McMurray’s Bass Pro ride…too much red….now it will be just another car to have to figure out how to weed out of my field of vision.  I highly suggest visiting the above gallery- it’s pretty weird to see Matt Kenseth for instance in the Crown Royale purple car or Martin Truex Jr in the Napa car.

I have three major shopping vices: Book stores, office supply stores (so yey for Tony being the Office Depot driver now because I frequent Office Depot much more than I ever did Home Depot) and Dooney purses. I love to read. I have always loved to read. I love the feel of books in my hand and the smell of the paper and glue. No matter where I am I have a book with me…often tucked into my previously mentioned Dooney.  You will not find me with one of those digital book reader thingies until they stop making real paper books. Much like my tastes in music my tastes in books are fairly various and wide (for instance the second to last book I read was Pride and Prejudice and Zombies- told you I have odd tastes). Anyway several years ago I decided to combine two of my loves and started a collection of books about NASCAR. I started out with a couple of coffee table type books…and slowly expanded my collection.  My newest book in that collection just happens to be the last book that I finished- a book I wanted to tell you about.

The Weekend Starts on Wednesday: True Stories of Remarkable NASCAR Fans by Andrew Giangola is just what you would expect it be from the title and much more. I admit that when I read the testimonials on the jacket I was a little leary.  Specifically Janet Evanovich’s “I laughed, I cried, I wanted to jump in my car and drive really fast.” Um okay…that seemed a little cliche to me but whatever. It didn’t stop me from reading the book and it is now one of my favorite books on my NASCAR shelf.  The book really is an honest to goodness salute to the people who help make the sport go round (get it? I made a joke!) and round (and another one- I am on it tonight)- The FANS.

This book weaves part of the beautiful quilt that is NASCAR fandom.  The book is divided into several sections including sections for: Lifetime NASCAR fans (aptly titled Fans for Life), Dale Earnhardt Sr Fans (Remembering Dale),  Fans of the sport who are famous in their own right (Famous Faces including Tom Cruise and Mario Batali to name a few), Fans who are “well known” in the NASCAR community (Flirting with Fame), Female fans (Ladies Loving NASCAR) and other sections I just can’t remember off the top of my head.  The author strives very hard to make sure that NASCAR fans are NOT perceived as stereotypes. This book shows that fans of one of the greatest sports out there, come from all walks of life and backgrounds, and come together over the love of speed and personality and community.  This book sheds light on the community aspect of the sport and not the driver / personality aspect with the point being there is no stereotypical NASCAR fan.

I loved reading this book- and I must say I did laugh (the Tire guy? He cracked me up), and I did cry (Lucky Penny Girl- if it doesn’t make you cry you are a robot I tell you), and well I always seem to want to drive fast anyway so I guess the Janet Evanovich testimonial wasn’t so cliche after all.  I also have a new respect for news anchor Brian Williams and will be keeping my eye open for his 3 stickers on the rental fleet of America.  Author Giangola has quite the knack for adding in just enough flavor to set the scene without peppering the stew too much (which in my opinion can bring about the “stereotypical” NASCAR fan).  Of course it doesn’t hurt that my favorite two drivers wrote the foreword (TONY) and the afterword (KYLE). Both prove that despite their hard driving ways they too not only appreciate NASCAR fans, but are both articulate as well (despite what Tony says).

I recommend this book to not just the ardent NASCAR fan but to the on-the-fence line fan, the sometimes fan, and the curious onlooker.  You may just see yourself mirrored in the stories presented in this book or see the neighbor down the street, the news anchor on your nightly news, or the quiet tech support girl in the office upstairs.  This book makes me proud to be a NASCAR fan…(not that I needed much encouragement there).

I wasn’t going to watch. While I do get extremely  “itchy” for racing action over the off-season, I decided I wasn’t going to scratch my itch by having to resubscribe to HBO after I had just removed it from my cable line up since it NEVER gets watched.  Anyway I resisted the call of 24/7- The Road To Daytona. I resisted and even though the closer the show came to debuting the weaker my resolve got but I still hung on with determination that I was NOT going to resubscribe. Nope!

Then HBO did the coolest thing ever- and that was make the first episode available online to viewers…and damned if I am not hooked.  The show provides a fascinating look into the team that everyone loves to hate…the history making 4-consecutive championship 48 team.  However- it isn’t just the Jimmie show and the first episode at least strives to great lengths to illustrate that point.  I don’t know what fascinated me more- the small glimpse we get into the “jackass from El Cajon” (hey Jimmie said it – NOT ME) or the look we get into Chad Knaus that makes him seem more human and less like the super-crew chief who wears kryptonite underwear even if he is a bit of an “asshole” to work for (again- Chad said it not me)!

Even if you aren’t into NASCAR- if you have HBO I think you should try to check out HBO’s 24-7- The Road to Daytona if you are just the littlest bit curious. You can check out the first episode on the HBO site. I really hope that they put this out on DVD- because I would buy it.

Good news Tony fans. If you are going to be in the Daytona area Feb. 9th- Tony will be doing an autograph signing at the Office Depot in Ormond Beach, Florida (405 West Granada Blvd, Ormond Beach FL 32174). Tony will be there from 4-6 pm (East Coast time) on Tuesday Feb. 9th. 2010. Wristbands are required and will be given out starting at 8:00 am at the Office Depot location- so you may want to get there early if possible. The Office Depot Show car will also be there as well as the race simulator.

These are always a great opportunity- not only to meet Tony and get an autograph but to meet other fans! I haven’t been to an Office Depot event yet but I have been to a couple of the Home Depot events and always end up meeting some of the nicest people! Same goes for the time I met Kyle at MnM World in Vegas last year. If you can swing it I definitely recommend that you go! Just be prepared to stand for awhile (or bring a camp chair)!

Welcome to the new look of Amy’s Bad Groove (if you don’t see it try refreshing your browser). It was time to freshen up the look of Badgroove.com…I had been using the other skin for a little over a year. And frankly- I get tired of a skin afterawhile…  and while I loved what I call the TEAL theme…it was definitely time for change.

I have Charity of Eternal Stardust Designs, SmokeNation and several other blogs to thank for her tireless work on it and her patience with me asking for small changes here and there. I hope you all enjoy the new look that she worked so hard on… let me know in the comments if you have any issues or anything.

Towards the end of the chase there was a lot of talk about the points system…and how someone who ended the regular season in first place suddenly finds himself dethroned at the beginning of the chase because of the reset/bonus points structure;  how people LOCK into their positions sometimes far too early in the chase.  I know Tony himself said that he didn’t care about the old system, they all know the points system going INTO the season- they have been doing it for five years now and he didn’t want to talk about the old system anymore.  But I do…wanna talk about the chase points (I know beating a dead horse but I just can’t help myself…).

Between the race chase race in Phoenix and this very point I have seen my best friend, who is also a NASCAR fan three times in person (we live 500 miles from each other) and we both keep bringing this up.  The chase would have been closer points wise (and more exciting says me) had we be using the old system. Jimmie would have still one his fourth championship in a row mind you, but the points spread would have been much much tighter (thanks to the NASCAR INSIDERS for providing us with this information).

My friend is a math ninja when it comes to doing math computations in her head (me not so much).  And after discussing in depth the mechanics behind the math of the points system and the reset/bonus system…we have come up with the following idea for a points system (I wish I could take credit for coming up with this but the math ninja came up with it- but it sounds really good to me):

Keep the same points structure- (same number of points available per race) but at the reset point (the beginning of the chase) Do NOT zero every one out.  Instead let them keep their points but add  10000 points to their points totals to make the chase field distinguishable from the rest of the field.  Remove bonus points for wins….or at the very least significantly lower it to one bonus point per win (I say nix bonus points all together- math ninja says lower to 1 point per win).  We think the chase would be far closer points wise- and less of a runaway.  That right there makes it more exciting.  This system doesn’t just reward winning but rewards consistency of finish as well.  Just an idea…

As a matter of fact- that is what I will do for the chase this year…I will keep track of Our Chase System- to see the difference between where the current system stats end up…and were Our Chase Points end up.  It will be interesting to see.  You all haven’t heard the end of this idea…

Wow…am I the only one who thinks that there should be the SPACE ODYSSEY music every time you type (or write) 2010??

Anyway- today is- DELURKING DAY! YEY!!!!

What is delurking day? Well it’s easy- it is a day when you readers get to let me know that you are there…I see you in my stats people-so I know there are a couple of you out there.  I LOVE comments- they nearly always make me smile…and since delurking day falls on my birthday this year you all have to show me some love…or not. It’s totally up to you frankly but what better way to give me a free birthday present really.

Thanks to Chris Cactus of the Rude Cactus for always reminding me when Delurking Day is and perpetuating the legend. And thanks to Aimee of Greeblemonkey for the great graphic.