Will Ryan Newman Return To SHR In 2013- Jeff Gluck for SBNATION.com

Whittling Crew Chiefs Down To Top Ten- Terry Blount for ESPN

Newman’s Gone Fishing- Ryan Newman for NASCAR.COM

TV Reporter Juggles Motherhood, NASCAR’s Grinding Road- Nate Ryan for USAToday.com

NASCAR At Darlington: Kurt Busch, Ryan Newman Teams Scuffle After Southern 500- Jeff Gluck for SBNation.com

If I Were A NASCAR Owner, I’d Hire Kurt Busch- Jordan Bianchi for SBNATION.com

Faith On The FrontStretch: A Speedy Apology Calms A Conflict- Beth Reinke for SkirtsandScuffs.com

Gratuitous Tony Stewart Picture:

Tony and Danica in the garage at Darlington (Again photo blatently stolen from the Official Tony Stewart Facebook Page. Click on Photo to see the original).)

Tony Stewart, driver of the #14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet, drives through the garage area during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Bojangles' Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on May 11, 2012 in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photo Credit: Tom Pennington/Getty Images North America)

So back to the race report? I honestly don’t have much to say about Darlington. I know…what is WRONG with me- having nothing to say.  Tony finished well- a very respectable 3rd (missed it by that much!). Of course I was hoping Tony would get his first win at Darlington but it wasn’t in the stars I guess.  Tony is still 7th in the points despite his 3rd place finish.

Notes About Darlington:

1. Kurt Busch was fined $50,000 for his actions during and after the race as well as put on probabtion through July 27th.  One of Kurt’s crew members, Craig Strickler, has also been placed on probation through December 31st.  Ryan Newman’s crew chief, Tony Gibson, has been placed on probation  through June 27th and the gas man, Andrew Rueger has been placed on probation through June 27th and fined $5,000 for his part in the postrace altercation.  I didn’t see the pitstop where Kurt purportedly burned out through Newman’s pit box- but if he did that while members were over the way- that was not a very bright thing to do. Again if he did do that I can see why Andrew Rueger was so pissed off.  I am, however, unclear, what Craig Strickler’s part in the altercation was- all the release would say was “interfering with a member of the broadcast media.”

Gratuitous Tony Stewart Picture:

Tony at Darlington (I think he's watching Danica practice). (Photo Credit: Stolen from the Official Tony Stewart Facebook Page- click picture for original location)

We have the All-Star Race on Saturday and the Coca-Cola 600 on the 27th- both at Charlotte.

Tony Stewart, age 8, helping his mom (Pam Boas) during a Powder Puff Race). (Photo Credit: Submitted to NASCAR for Media Use)

“She’s a pretty patient woman. Anyone that could actually raise me and not want to kill me or kick me out of the house has got to be a very patient person. That’s my mom. She’s a very patient lady with a great heart and she’s really good with people.”- Tony Stewart

NASCAR Driver Tony Stewart, with mom Pam Boas. (Photo Credit: Submitted to NASCAR for Media Use)

Love To Hate The 88- Ryan McGee  for ESPN Magazine

Too Many Wrecks at Talladega?- Jay Busbee for YahooSports!

Vines and Wines: Jeff Gordon Cellars- Jack Berninger for Richmond Times-Dispatch

Danica Patrick Says She Did Not Mean To Wreck Sam Hornish- Bob Pockrass for Sporting News

Dale Jr Reaches New Level of Consistency- JD / Bumpdrafter

One-on-One With Jeff Gluck- Amanda Ebersole for Skirts & Scuffs

Gratuitous Tony Stewart Picture:

Tony at Talladega. (Photo Credit: The official Tony Stewart Facebook page- click picture for link)

1. See a race in person at Martinsville.
2. See a race in person in Charlotte.
3. See a race in person at Bristol.
4. See a race in person at Indianapolis. (Ok so the list of tracks I would love to watch could go on and on so I am going to limit it to three four).
5. Tour race shops in Charlotte (related to number 2).
6. Interview Jeff Gordon for this website in the same manner we have Tony Stewart.
7. Tour a hauler at the track (and no I am not talking a merchandise hauler). The haulers always have fascinated me and I would like to be inside one…just to peek.
8. Stand on top of a hauler during practice. This will probably never happen because even IF it was offered to me I probably honestly wouldn’t do it…being majorly afraid of heights and all. Still a part of me wants to do it.
9. Attend a race with access to a VIP hospitality suite. I want to see how the other half watch a race. Hey a girl can dream right?.
10. Camp at a track- but my definition of camp is: Have access to a very nice motor home/trailer with all the amenities of home so I don’t have to visit that very scary looking group shower trailer I saw in the campgrounds at Las Vegas that one time I went through the campgrounds in a golf cart with Brad Keselowski (Yeah still can’t believe Misty and  I got to do that- it was SOOO fun)!
11. Drive to my favorite track (Phoenix) in a Chevy Camaro and blog about the experience. I don’t have a Chevy Camaro and renting one is a bit cost prohibitive for the thrill of writing a couple of blogs about the Camaro. Ever since the Camaro has come out I have this vision of me driving it Phoenix (picking Misty up along the way in Vegas) and taking pics of the car along the route. Plus California car rental places tend to put a cap on the miles you can drive without incurring a fee- and it’s a long way to Phoenix.
12. Stand on the spotters stand- just to see the view. Spotters have always fascinated me as well. This will probably never happen either because of that wicked fear of heights…they would probably laugh me off the stand because I would have a death grip on the rail (there is a rail right?) and panic in my eyes (possibly along with tears- it just happens I can’t help it sometimes no matter how much I try.  I told you all about the time I decided it was time to get over my fear by going up to the observation deck of the mock Eiffel tower in Las Vegas right? I ended up panicking in the elevator stuffed with people on the way up AND people in the elevator LAUGHED AT ME- which only made it worse. I was in full tears by the time we reached the deck. I did manage to get out of the elevator but I was miserable and just wanted to go back down).
13. Do a ride-along with Tony. But this is going to sound really weird but I would want to do it in a street car and not a NASCAR. Kinda like that thing that Carl Edwards did for the Ford commercial here…but with Tony Stewart and a Chevy (Camaro? Vette?). If this were to ever happen- I would have to warn Tony that it probably wouldn’t take much before I would be squealing like the girl that I am and screeching “Far too fast…far too fast.”
14. Sit in a garage stall during practice and watch them work on a car. Any would do but of course you would know that I would like to do it with Tony’s crew best. Just sit in a corner and watch and listen (and knowing me bite my tongue not to ask questions).
15. Interview Tony Stewart for this website.
16. Ride around in a golf cart with Brad Keselowski delivering beer to fans while Misty interviews him as we speed around the camp grounds. (Ok so that probably would have honestly never been on my bucket list- only because I would have never thought that would actually happen to me…but it did so I think I should be able to tick it off).

Gratuitous Tony Stewart picture that really has nothing to do with the post…I just like the picture:

Tony Stewart in the garage at Talladega. (Photo Credit: Nabbed from the Official Tony Stewart Facebook Page- click picture for link)

So what would YOUR NASCAR bucket list include? Did I miss something that you have done that is completely awesome?

Tony Stewart, driver of the #14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet, pits during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway on May 6, 2012 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo Credit- Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images North America)

Tony did lead 16 laps early in the race at Talladega after jettisoning himself into the lead from his 8th place starting position, but then was mired back in traffic for most of the rest of the race.  Towards the end of the race he managed to make it up towards the front mostly through attrition- I think to 13th by the second to last crash but unfortunately Tony ended up a casualty of someone else’s wreck as often happens at this track. He ended up limping his car across the finish line in 24th position. This is how much of a wild card Talladega can be- because even though Tony came in a dismal 24th? He went UP one position in the points standing- up to 7th. Remember last week he finished 3rd at Richmond and stayed the same in the points. Race winner at Talladega was Brad Keselowski.

Tony Stewart, driver of the #14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet, jokes with a crew member in the garage area during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway on May 4, 2012 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo Credit- Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images North America)

Notes About Talladega:

1. It seems to me that in an effort to dissuade the tandem drafting, NASCAR’s package caused more issues with overheating cars than improving the “racing” at the speedway. I know it was hot in Talladega, but it often is there and you don’t often see so many cars having water temperature issues.  It’s not racing when the cars are having to move down to the apron or back off just to cool their cars. Tony Stewart said it (somewhat sarcastically- which I will talk about in a minute), Jeff Gordon said it.  Numerous cars were having issues. It was disappointing because as I mentioned a few weeks ago- races with too many mechanical failures make me sad- because that is not a race.
2. As I mentioned in the opening paragraph Eric McClure had a heck of a collision with the wall as part of a multi-car accident at Talladega during Saturday’s Nationwide race. He was hospitalized at University of Alabama Birmingham hospital for a concussion and internal bruising. He was released from the hospital last night.
3. Ahh the return of Tony Stewart- master of sarcasm (aka “old Tony” or as Stewart-Haas Racing tweeted- “Retro Tony”).  What surprised me about the whole deal? Was not that Tony was being sarcastic – no that didn’t surprise me at all.  What surprised me is that media members couldn’t tell if he was being serious or not.  Granted I was NOT there BUT I read it. Then I listened to it. Then I watched it. And at no time did I ever think that Tony was NOT being sarcastic. I propose a new position (perhaps an internship?)- a person to stand right there next to Tony and his PR guru Mike Arning (the guy in the red shirt in the video) during Tony’s media sessions. The intern’s sole purpose would be to hold up a SARCASM sign ala one of my favorite TV Shows- Big Bang Theory to help the media understand when Tony is engaging in sarcasm:
   

   Leonard (center) deploys a SARCASM sign so Sheldon (right, partially off-camera) knows when Penny (left) is being sarcastic. (photo credit: Stolen off the internet to prove a point)

Next race: Darlington on Saturday night.

Gratuitous Non Tony Stewart Picture:

Not Tony, but his crew chief Steve Addington this time. This picture cracks me up.

Tony Stewart, driver of the #14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet, talks to crew chief Steve Addington (R) in the garage area during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway on May 4, 2012 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo Credit: Jerry Markland/Getty Images North America)

Nationwide’s Eric McClure, his family, starting over a year after tornado- Dustin Long for Sports Illustrated

Kevin Harvick Gives Update on Josh Jones, Better Known As Twitters @Mother_Function- Jeff Gluck for SBNation.com

Tony Stewart Wins Denny Hamlin’s Charity Race- Hank Kurz, Jr For AP/YahooNews!

Paul Menard Crewman Goes After Hendrick Team Member After Pit Road Incident- Bob Pockrass for Sporting News

Stewart Not Happy With NASCAR, Pit Crew at Richmond- Jon Gunn for Sporting News

Hendrick Motorsports Still Searching For Elusive 200th Win- Dustin Long for Athlon Sports.

Scott Speed Interview (12 Questions)- Jeff Gluck for SBNation.com

The Daly Planet: Day Two: The TV Bait And Switch- The Daly Planet Editor

Gratuitous Tony Stewart Picture:

Tony Stewart at Richmond- (photo credit: Tony Stewart Official Facebook Page- click picture to be taken to original)