Awesome Commercial

This aired during the Daytona 500, and I think it was better than most (if not all) of the Super Bowl ads.

hehehe...

The Countdown Is On

Before we know it the NASCAR season will be in full force!!

Oh Boy!

Things here have been crazy since I was last here on Thursday! I ended up stay-in-bed-or-on-the-couch sick ALL day Friday & most of Saturday!

Of course, Sunday is football & race day! Woohoo; Packers baby! We're 7-1! I can't believe it and keep waiting for the bottom to fall out because aside from Brett (and my man Aaron Kampmann) we aren't that great. The next three weeks are kind of scary -- Minnesota, Detroit, and Dallas! I will be holding my breath all through those games...LOL!! The race didn't go so well!

Yesterday was another visit to the dentist. This time it is for that new crown I told you about a while back. The old crown is off, a temporary is in it's place, and the new crown order has been sent to the dental lab. I have to stop in there tomorrow for color match. Even the temporary is a HUGE improvement from the old crown.

Today was my day with grandma. She has been having some trouble with her right knee lately. She wasn't walking to well today so she wanted to cut the day short a bit. We went to her toe nail clipping apointment and the grocery stores. We had lunch at Culver's, and YES; I had frozen custard. ;) I needed, maybe even deserved, something soft & cold with all the dental work I have had done recently.

I have had a little time with all that going on to work a little on a quilt project and finally get all the wallpaper off the bathroom walls. WOOHOO! I will post some pics (and send some to you, C) once I have a sec after my camera batteries finish charging.

I Heart Widgets

While searching for a countdown widget to use in my side bar for the triathlon, I ran across cool widgets for NASCAR fans here.

Check out the sidebar on the left below the blogrolls! ;)

NASCAR "Cheaters"

The crew chiefs on five NASCAR Nextel Cup teams have been suspended. One of them indefinitely. The suspensions are for infractions discovered on the cars after Sunday's qualifying. Until NASCAR takes this seriously and suspends the ENTIRE team from competition it will continue. It is always the same teams. When will NASCAR listen to it's fans and penalize these teams so it really hurts? Are we becoming the WWE?

The points penalties are so small the teams aren't phased. The $25,000-$50,000 fines mean nothing to the multimillion dollar teams. The suspended crew chief can work on the cars all week long. He can have contact with the team during the race. He just cannot be at the track during the race weekend. In my opinion, NASCAR's "punishments" are jokes.

I am pretty sure when NASCAR tells a team their car AND driver will not take the track, the message will be heard.

PS...Carolynn, I know you don't watch! *snicker*

Are You Ready?

Go Tony Go!

May this season bring MANY opportunities to climb the fence!!

2007 Speedweeks Schedule of Events (from daytonainternationalspeedway.com)

Thursday, February 8
Noon - 5 pm		ARCA RE/MAX Series Practice
7pm		Budweiser Shootout drawing at the SPEED Stage outside of Turn 4
Friday, February 9
Noon		ARCA Qualifying (Two laps, all positions)
4:15 - 5 pm		NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Budweiser Shootout At Daytona Practice
5:10 - 6:15 pm		ARCA RE/MAX Series Final Practice
6:30 - 7:30 pm		NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Budweiser Shootout At Daytona Final Practice
Saturday, February 10
10:30 am - 12:30 pm		NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Practice
1:30 - 3 pm		NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Practice
3:30 pm		ARCA RE/MAX Series Driver Introductions
4:15 pm		Daytona ARCA 200 ARCA RE/MAX Series (80 Laps, 200 Miles)
8 pm		NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Budweiser Shootout At Daytona
		Driver Introductions
8:30 pm		Budweiser Shootout At Daytona NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Race
		(70 Laps, 175 Miles)
Sunday, February 11
2:10 pm		NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Qualifying for the Daytona 500
		(Two Laps, Two Positions)
Wednesday, February 14
Noon - 12:55 pm		NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Practice
2:05 - 2:55 pm		NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Practice
		(Final Practice Before the Gatorade Duel At Daytona)
3 - 4:20 pm		NASCAR Busch Series Practice
4:30 - 5:30 pm		NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Practice
Thursday, February 15
9 - 9:30 am		NASCAR Busch Series Rookie Practice
9:30 - 10:55 am		NASCAR Busch Series Final Practice
11 - 11:30 am		NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Rookie Practice
11:45 am - 1:15 pm		NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Final Practice
1:30 pm		NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Driver Introductions
2 pm		Gatorade Duel At Daytona
		Daytona 500 Qualifying Races (60 Laps, 150 Miles, Each)
7 pm		NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Qualifying
		(Two Laps, All Positions)
Friday, February 16
1:40 - 2:40 pm		NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Practice
3:05 pm		NASCAR Busch Series Qualifying (Two Laps, All Positions)
7:30 pm		NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Driver Introductions
8 pm		Chevy Silverado HD 250 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Race
		(100 Laps, 250 Miles)
Saturday, February 17
10:35 - 11:55 am		NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Final Practice for the Daytona 500
12:45 pm		NASCAR Busch Series Driver Introductions
1:15 pm		Daytona 300 NASCAR Busch Series Race (120 Laps, 300 Miles)
Sunday, February 18
2:30 pm		NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Driver Introductions
3:15 pm		Daytona 500 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Race
		(200 Laps, 500 Miles)

Benny Parsons

Benny Parsons, 65, died this morning of complications from lung cancer. He had been hospitalized since December 26.

Complete story is at www.nascar.com

More Sad NASCAR News

I was checking to see if there was an update on Benny when I saw this sad news.

Hamilton, 49, dies after battle with neck cancer
By Ryan Smithson, NASCAR.COM
January 8, 2007

Bobby Hamilton, the 2004 Craftsman Truck Series champion and a four-time winner in the Cup Series, died Sunday. He was 49.

Hamilton, a native of Nashville, Tenn., had been battling cancer for nearly a year. He announced in March 2006 that he was undergoing treatment for neck cancer. He immediately turned over his driving duties in the Craftsman Truck Series to his son, Bobby Hamilton Jr.

"He will be greatly missed as a husband, a father, a grandfather, an owner and a friend," Hamilton's family said in a statement. "We want to thank everyone for their love and support of our racing operation and the outpouring of care and concern during his cancer battle. One of Bobby's greatest loves in life was racing and we will continue on in his honor."

Liz Allison, a family friend who co-hosted a radio show with Hamilton, said he was at home with his family in Mount Juliet, Tenn., when he died.

In addition to Bobby Jr., Hamilton is survived by wife Lori and a granddaughter.

If you are interested in reading the rest of the article, it can can be found here on nascar.com.

Benny Parsons is in ICU

I have posted a couple entries about Benny Parsons. Back in July he annouced he was diagnosed with lung cancer and in October said his cancer was in full remission. Unfortunately, he has been in the ICU at a Charlotte hospital since the day after Christmas due to complications stemming from his lung cancer battle. You can read the complete articale a nascar.com .

Jeff Gordon's Going To Be a Daddy

from: nascar.com

CHARLOTTE, N.C. --- On Wednesday, Jeff Gordon announced that wife Ingrid Vandebosch is pregnant.

"We're obviously very excited," Gordon said in a statement that appeared on his Web site. "Christmas came early for us this year.

"This is a very special gift for us -- one that we're both looking forward to. The due date is early July, and Ingrid and I can't wait to be parents.

"We've known for a little while, but we couldn't wait any longer to share the good news with our friends and fans."

Gordon, 35, married Vandebosch in a small, private ceremony in Mexico on Nov. 7.

Gordon and Vandebosch have been together since 2004. They appeared in the movie Taxi, in which the 37-year-old model played a bank robber and Gordon made an uncredited cameo appearance at her invitation.

Gordon announced his engagement to Vandebosch in Sonoma, Calif., in June and then won the Nextel Cup race the next day.

Good News In the NASCAR World

Here's an update to the sad news I posted about a few months ago!

NASCAR legend Parsons says he is cancer-free
By Greg Engle, Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

CONCORD, N.C. -- Benny Parsons, the 1973 Cup champion-turned NBC/TNT broadcaster, said Friday at Lowe's Motor Speedway that he is now cancer-free.

"Three months ago my family doctor called me into his office and told me I had lung cancer," Parsons said. "So Rick Hendrick told me if I was going to fight cancer, you have to get [oncologist Steven A.] Limentani. He helped Rick through his leukemia 10 years ago. So we did.

"The last three months we have been battling the disease. Then Wednesday, I had a scan and [Limentani] called me Wednesday afternoon with the best news: 'The cancer is gone ... see ya.'"

The rest of the story can be read at nascar.com.

On a less serious note, Kevin Harvick is the Busch Series Champion! Woohoo Kev!! :)

Race Fan Fashion for A Cause

I ran across the article below on jsonline.com today.
Track Couture, a Memphis company, usually produces clothing inspired by NASCAR and racing. But this time the inspiration is personal. Kathleen Smith, co-founder of the company, has unveiled a new T-shirt in memory of her late sister, Wendy Smith Rice, who died unexpectedly last year.

Smith Rice died from Long QT Syndrome (LQTS) Type 2, which causes more than 3,000 sudden, unexplained deaths in the United States every year.

The shirt, a white, long-sleeve tee with black sleeves and a checkered pink and black heart in the front, was designed to raise awareness about the disease and raise money for related medical research.

The shirts sell for $29.99, of which $19.99 will be donated to the Sudden Arrhythmia Death Syndromes (SADS) Foundation. For more information, visit www.trackcouture.com/charity.aspx. - Vikki Ortiz


It may be because I am living a rock (lol), but this is the first time I have heard of Track Couture! Fashion for race fans? I think I am in love!!!

The list of drivers they have merchandise for is limited, but my guy (Tony Stewart) is available. I am going to have to take a long look at the site and pick out some new race day gear.

How about Race Royalty or Pit Lizard? :)

Sad News In the NASCAR World

From NASCAR.com: Benny Parsons, 1973 NASCAR champion and television analyst for NBC/TNT, revealed Wednesday that he has lung cancer and expects to begin treatment immediately. However, he plans to continue working, beginning with the Aug. 6 race at Indianapolis.

You can read the complete story here.

Please Say It Isn't So

From nascar.com:

Scott Savol, who finished in the top five of American Idol Season 4, will be part of pre-race activities for the Pennsylvania 500 Nextel Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway on Sunday, July 23, 2006.

I just hope that will be one of the weeks they don't show the person who sings God Bless America!!