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Misty’s ‘Mazing/Messy Moments: Las Vegas

Posted by Misty in General | Guest Entries | NASCAR - (0 Comments)

Far and away the most amazing thing about Race 3 in Las Vegas was Jimmie Johnson’s runner-up finish after crashing in Happy Hour Saturday and having to start from the rear of the field in a backup car.  Within minutes of Jimmie losing control and hitting the wall Saturday afternoon, Chad and the 48 team were unloading the backup car. Amy and I had the privilege of witnessing much of the hardwork that went into getting the car race ready – I am sure it was a long night for the 48 team, but it paid off with that awesome finish.

Where There's a Chad , There's a Way (Photo Credit: Misty Bethany)

Now, the messy moment of the race for me probably didn’t even make it into the TV coverage, but it was a moment that brought out my potty mouth and made me bite my nails literally.  I think I may even have embarrassed Amy by my exclamation!  About 80 laps in, my driver was racing mid pack for P15 (I think) and a certain driver that I have had issues with before decided to go three wide into turn 1, causing my far more sensible driver to fall back a few places, where he then seemed to struggle the remainder of the day!   I wish that someone would pass out my “space bubble memo” at the next Driver’s Meeting, so that my driver can maintain a safe space bubble in which he can freely race however he wants and the heck with the other 42 cars.  :)

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The BG Tony Stewart Interview

Posted by Amy in General | NASCAR - (2 Comments)

I just got back home to the central coast of California from my race weekend in Vegas. I have A LOT to share with you (I took hundreds of pictures spread between two cameras. I know I will like only about 5 of the pictures but I haven’t even had time to take my cameras out of the bag yet).  I know Misty has some stuff to share too.

I wanted to get this out there first!  One of the first things we did for the site was interview Tony Stewart before his Office Depot appearance on Thursday March 8th in Las Vegas.  Now Misty and I had this interview planned for awhile, and we had been batting question ideas for Tony back and forth one day when Misty came up with the idea…why don’t we try videoing our interview.  I LOVED the idea.  I am always up for trying something new.

Fair warning- I hate the way my voice sounds…but doesn’t everyone? And yes I KNOW I SAID UM a lot – it’s been pointed out to me several times after the interview (like it even had to be…I am my own worse critic and noticed it right away). So…just ignore that.  I mean he is a three time Sprint Cup Champion after all and I may have been a wee tiny bit nervous!   So without further ado enjoy our video interview:

Special thanks to Misty for filming it with her steady hand!

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Amy’s Suggested Reading (and other stuff): The Leaving For Las Vegas Edition

Posted by Amy in General | NASCAR - (2 Comments)

Hey all! I am heading for LAS VEGAS today- because of that posting will be light to non-existent over the next week.  Be sure to follow me on twitter (and Misty too) as we will be tweeting during the race weekend in Vegas.  You can also follow me on Facebook (and Misty too).

In the meantime, here are some fun #NASCAR related things to check out:

Stewart  Not Alone Trying To Figure Out EFI Mystery – Joe Menzer, NASCAR.COM

NASCAR: Darian Grubb Took The High Road To Victory Lane With Denny Hamlin - Jenna Fryer, AP/Autoweek

NASCAR.COM’s Race Predictor and Chase Predictor – A fun page I stumbled upon Tuesday – provides picks for the race and the chase- says it’s “updated throughout the week.” Check it out.

If you can’t laugh at your driver- then you are far too serious. Kevin Boots made this for our friends over at LOLRacePics:

Not only is this funny (it might not be if you don't get the 2001 reference).

I love the new Coca-Cola NASCAR commercial (featuring all your favorite coca-cola family drivers like Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano and Jamie McMurray):

 

And finally- your gratuitous Tony Stewart picture of the day comes from the official Tony Stewart Facebook page…I think this one is just begging for a caption don’t you?:

What is Tony thinking about?

And this one just because:

Tony Stewart, driver of the #14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet, jokes with Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage during Media Day at Texas Motor Speedway on March 6, 2012 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo Credit: Tom Pennington/Getty Images North America)

#GoTonyGo #ImWithSmoke

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Misty’s ‘Mazing / Messy Moments (or lack thereof) : Phoenix

Posted by Misty in General - (0 Comments)

The Subway Fresh Fit 500 was a welcome change from the season kickoff at Daytona earlier in the week- it wasn’t rained out and red flags didn’t keep us chained to our couches for hours on end, but at the same time after the drama of Daytona this race seemed ever so ho-hum. I would have to say that I really don’t even consider the season to really be in swing until race 2 – Daytona is such a wild card and the results of that race really don’t say much about the direction the season will go.

I didn’t find any truly amazing or messy moments in this race, but there were a few things that caught my attention that I will pay attention to as the season unfolds:

* Darian Grubb bringing Denny Hamlin to Victory Lane. This pairing could be one to watch out for.
* EFI troubles for Stewart- Let’s hope this issue doesn’t become a reoccuring problem
* Jimmie/ Chad trying to rebound from a dismal Daytona and potential pts deficit (pending appeal to NASCAR).

Daytona was so crazy, Phoenix didn’t really stand much of a chance of living up to that craziness, and this fan, for one, thinks it was just the tame race she needed to regroup and pull my belts tight for the rest of the ride this season.

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Race 2: Phoenix

Posted by Amy in General | NASCAR - (1 Comments)

Oh EFI how you disappoint this Stewart fan.  Tony was within striking distance of the lead- and hanging out mostly right around 6th for most of the day.  Only to get quite the surprise when he switched his car off to save gas as requested by his new crew chief Steve Addington.

(R-L) Crew chief Steve Addington talks with Tony Stewart, driver of the #14 Office Depot/ Mobil 1 Chevrolet, in the garage prior to practice for the Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway . (Photo Credit: Tyler Barrick/Getty Images North America)

However the car would not switch back on. It was sad to see him sink further and further behind the field as he tried to refire the car multiple times.  Unfortunately he had to be pushed back to the pits to have assistance to get the car fired back up.

Tony Stewart, driver of the #14 Office Depot/ Mobil 1 Chevrolet, is pushed down pit road during the NASCAR SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway . (Photo Credit: Todd Warshaw/Getty Images North America)

URG.  He went from possibly in the hunt to 2 laps down in a flash. Unfortunately he finished 22nd, 2 laps down. He is now in 15th in the standings (but technically he is really in a four way tie for 12th with Brad Keselowski, Jeff Burton, and Paul Menard).

Notes on Phoenix:

- It didn’t take TIDE long to create a commercial based on their involvement in the cleanup efforts after the Daytona Jet Dryer Explosion did it:

My major thing is that it would flash across the screen and for a split second I would think MOLY! What just happened at PIR…but then I would realize…it’s that Tide commercial again.  You have to admit that was rather quick that they were able to take the footage from the wreck at Daytona (remember that happened on Monday night!) and make it into a commercial!

-Am I the only one who misses the dog-leg portion of Phoenix Raceway? I also hate that the drivers seem to cut across the apron now…it honestly looks like they are cheating and if they wanted the drivers to drive on that part – they need to re paint the yellow line.

- I totally admit that I was REALLY hoping that Tony Stewart/Steve Addington would get a win before the Denny Hamlin/Darian Grubb pairing did.  It’s because I am fiercely competitive when it comes to my driver…sigh.

Gratuitous Tony Stewart Picture:

Tony Stewart, driver of the #14 Office Depot/ Mobil 1 Chevrolet, reacts from inside the garage prior to practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway on March 2, 2012. (Photo Credit: Christian Petersen/Getty Images North America)

Next Race: Las Vegas Motor Speedway! I’ll Be THERE :-)

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Tony Stewart Autograph Appearance March 8th in LAS VEGAS!

Posted by Amy in General | NASCAR - (0 Comments)

Attention Vegas bound Tony Stewart Fans! The 2011 Sprint Cup Series Champion Tony Stewart will be signing autographs in advance of the race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway!  The autograph appearace will be March 8th at 1:00 pm at the Office Depot located at 1435 W Craig Road – Unit B  North Las Vegas, Nevada 89032.

As always to get an autograph you need to have a wrist band. Wristbands will be given away starting at 8:00 am local time the same day of the appearance.  There are 450 wristbands. One wristband per person. One autograph per wristband.

Get there early, wear comfortable shoes, and most of all: HAVE A BLAST! These are fun events! There will also be a show car at the festivities.  I will see you there!

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The 48 Smackdown: Overkill?

Posted by Misty in General - (0 Comments)

Pushing limits to be the best in any other field is called innovation and leads to better competition and tremendous advancements, but not in NASCAR. NASCAR says how much and how far and if the teams don’t heed there is hell to pay, or at least there is this time for the 48 team. Somehow throughout the years NASCAR has tightened its “rulebook” and standards to a point that no longer leaves room for anyone or any team to “push” the limits.

But, even worse that that, NASCAR does not seem to have consistent or predictable fines or penalties for infractions. The 48′s supposed rule violation before the Daytona 500 resulted in a dramatic penalty for the team that if not reversed through appeal by Hendrick Motorsports will make it virtually impossible for Jimmie Johnson to win a 6th championship in 2012.

Knaus’ last major violation was 5 years ago, so why issue such a steep penalty? Perhaps because of his comment last season to Jimmie at Talladega hinting at something? Well that car was inspected post race and passed. Perhaps past violations from Knaus? Did he not already serve his punishment for these? I say today’s extreme penalties were overkill by NASCAR. The car did not race – the problem with the c-post was found during pre-race inspection. Isn’t that what pre-race inspection is for?

So what should NASCAR have done? A probation for Knaus and Malec- sure, maybe even all season. Suspension for crew chief and car chief, too much for the first offense of season. Monetary fine- OK, heck double it even. Points penalty for driver and owner? Too much! Jimmie will go into Phoenix negative 23 points. As good as he can be, and like him or not, he can be good, that is a deep hole to dig out from especially without Knaus and Malec for six races.

Too often it seems NASCAR selects certain teams and incidents to use as “examples” and yet others skate by with hardly a slap.

I will say this for NASCAR’s decision, it has got some press and brought some attention to the sport (Chad Knaus was a trending topic on twitter today). So perhaps the only good that will come out of penalizing Five Time so steeply is some added attention to the sport from those that otherwise wouldn’t pay any attention at all.

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Misty’s Messed her unMentionables Moment: The Daytona 500

Posted by Misty in General | NASCAR - (0 Comments)

Since the Shootout I had been dreading the 500. The truck race and the NW race did little to curb the knot in my tummy. The rain delay only served to further my anxiety levels and when the race finally commenced at 4 pm Pacific on Monday, I found myself at work. Now, I am blessed to work in a friendly family office that is not only cool with me watching the race but actually accommodates us by having flat screens in each office. I turn on the race and didn’t have to wait long for the inevitable to happen. Sure enough at lap 2 a big wreck erupted. Forgetting where I was, I leapt up and screeched- searching the field to see if my driver was caught up in the mayhem and then I had to go apologize and explain to my co-worker that should he hear any screams or cursing to ignore them as it was just me watching the 500.  While this was just the start of the crashes and calamities that made up the Daytona 500, it was the moment when my pent up dread burst out and after that initial wreck, I was actually able to settle in and watch the race without as much trepidation.

I am glad the tandem draft is over and the “pack is back” at the super speedways – I think, but I have a feeling I am not going to get much sleep the night before the Dega races or the next Daytona race this season.

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