The layout of California Speedway is simplistic in theory but not really when it comes to actual application. Walking from the media center in the infield around to the midway section behind the grandstands is a trek indeed. When you add in the heat you’ve got a serious cardiovascular workout. I swear I lost 5 pounds on Friday just walking from my car to the pits.
After the seating debacle on Friday I was hesitant to ask if there was space upstairs in the press box during the race. ‘Cause here’s the thing, I didn’t fly to La La Land and then drive an hour and a half to watch the race on TV. So I asked and of course there was already a seating chart in place, which is totally ok, I get it, but the thing I didn’t appreciate was being treated like the complete nobody that I know that I am. I will say this, certain staffers were very nice but others were not. The thing about it was that the attitude from certain people was so unnecessary, so I have to mention it.
Once the race started I couldn’t stand the thought of sitting in the room downstairs all night, so I went up to the press box to see if I could stand in the back. Turns out the whole back row was empty. I sat there for the entire race with a great view of the start/finish line.
The race wasn’t that exciting in terms of crashes & cautions, but it was extremely fun to see Dale Earnhardt Jr. continually move up through the field every lap. Usually the top three finishers are available after the race for a press conference. This was my best and LAST hope of seeing Junior in person this weekend. On Friday before and after qualifying he bypassed the fans assembled outside the garage during qualifying. He also managed the same feat on Sunday before driver introductions. I did a couple laps around the garage and couldn’t catch a glimpse. So all my hopes were pinned on him getting into the top 3 and being in the press box after the race.
My Hopes = Dashed
They held the press conference with Clint Bowyer, who came in third, and Junior in a room I had yet to find but knew that it was in somewhere in the garage. Unfortunately for me the garage area was hot at that time and I couldn’t get in because I only had a cold pass.
The only driver that I saw in plainclothes after the race was Tony Stewart. He’d just hoped on a golf cart and was being whisked away to a helicopter or plane somewhere. Was it too much to ask for that to have been Junior? C’mon! 
One of the bright spots of my trip was getting to meet tallglassofmilk, the woman behind the website/blog Answer This. I’ve mentioned her site’s plentiful details on the love lives of NASCAR drivers before, and on Sunday we got to dish in person about the latest scandals.
Overall I had a great birthday weekend at the races. There were pluses and minuses but I still love NASCAR and what it’s about. I can say that this experience renewed my spirit to do more with my blog. Stay tuned.
Oh! This has nothing to do with the race at California specifically, it’s just good stuff. Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart.
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Yes, for a brief moment in time Dale Earnhardt Jr. was atop the pole for the Sony HD 500 tomorrow. He was knocked off of it by Kurt Busch. If you’ve read my previous blog posts you know how much that pained me to see. At any rate, I’m still excited that Junior will start the race in the 6th position. That lends great hope to him securing a place in the Chase this year.
In other news…
Bill Lester, who’s originally from Oakland, Calif., ended up not making it into the field for the race tomorrow. He flat spotted his tires and spun out, but still tried to make it around the track for his second qualifying lap. Unfortunately it wasn’t enough to get into the top 43. It’s a tough break, I was really rooting for him, but I’m sure this isn’t the last we’ll see of him in Nextel Cup racing.
I now have a photo gallery of my weekend at California, I’ll be updating it periodically tomorrow as well.
“I don’t go around wrecking people on purpose.”
Dale Earnhardt Jr., on the incident with Carl Edwards.
——-
Ok… Dale Jr. ran, with what seemed to be every other Nextel Cup driver in the series, the BUSCH Series Carfax 250 at the Michigan International Speedway this past Saturday. With less than two laps to go Jr. bumps into the back of Carl Edwards which causes Edwards to go spinning out of the lead and leaves Jr. to win the race. Edwards retaliated by slamming into Jr.’s car during the final caution flag laps and then walked into victory lane to exchange heated words.
All I can say is get over it Carl! Ha!
I have no idea why the fans booed Jr. And I’m not just saying that because he’s my favorite driver either. He’s one of the few drivers that I believe when they say that they didn’t mean to do it. The proof is that whenever Jr. has bumped or hit someone on accident in the past he’s immediately gotten on the radio and admitted fault. I don’t believe that he just turned into a complete jerk overnight and decided to wreck Edwards. Besides, Edwards got loose out of that turn and Jr. had no where to go. Well, no where to go if he wanted to still have a chance at the win.
Since Junior is one of, if not the most, popular driver in NASCAR today it was very disarming to hear fans booing him. Now, I was watching the race and I started to wonder what he would have to do for me to boo him.
It would take a lot, maybe if he started liking the Raiders or dating Paris Hilton. Oh, I can’t even go there, that would be a dark day indeed.
So my heart softened just a little bit for Jimmie Johnson this weekend. Normally he’s on my crap list, especially with that suspect crew chief of his Chad Knaus, but this week I could really sense genuine feelings and emotions from him, like winning this race really meant something to him.
And so it should, it was the Brickyard 400 after all, oops I mean the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard. This is one of the few times I’ll ever take issue with sponsors but when the race is at Indy it should be called Indy or Brickyard. They’re never going to change the Daytona 500 to the McDonalds 500 at Daytona. Indianapolis Motor Speedway is steeped in history for Indy cars, but not so much for stock cars. But if you watched the pre-race show on NBC you’d think Jesus walked on those bricks. I kid, I kid…
The thing I hated about the race was that the finish wasn’t a nail biter. It didn’t come close to this year
More from my ongoing e-interview with romance novelist Pamela Britton:
ME: NASCAR is definitely a fan friendly, no doubt about it. Which sort of leads me to my next question, in “In the Groove” you make mention of “helmet lickers,” a nickname for NASCAR groupies. Is this really the case? I don�t know if there�s really a question here but I�m dying to know what “helmet lickers” are like and how they gain access to the drivers, and how the drivers regard them. Do you have any first-hand stories to share about things that you�ve seen in the garage?
PAMELA: “Helmet lickers” — a phrase ( rumor has it) coined by the guys on Dale Jr.’s team. They were tired of the term “pit lizard” and so they came up with a new moniker.
Yes, there are “pit lizards” around. I’ve heard stories of gals that have followed the team haulers to parking lots and, um, made themselves friendly with the big rig driver (not the driver/driver). I’ve seen these women work the garage with my own eyes, traveling from hauler to hauler, hoping to catch someone’s eye — not just a driver, but crew members as well.
Yes, I have an interesting story about this. When we were at a race awhile back, there was a woman sitting on one of the director’s chairs near the back of the #16 hauler. That’s where I hang out and so when I saw her, I just assumed she was with someone — you know — one of the crew members or sponsors or something. But then she trucked on over to someone else’s hauler — another “single” driver. Then, about a half-hour later, she moved to another hauler. I was totally baffled. Normally, most people hang with one team. I wondered if she was a reporter. Or maybe with Goodyear or something. When she trotted back in our direction, I finally asked someone who the heck she was. Nobody knew. Everyone on the team had assumed she was with someone else, LOL. We were all floored because nobody had said anything to her the whole day, and there she was hanging out and being friendly like she was part of the gang. Un. Real. Needless to say, something was said to her then and I never saw her again that weekend.
I hear this is the MO for this type of woman, but I’ve also heard that if a “helmet licker” is spotted and/or ID’d, they’re banished from the garage. This type of behavior is truly frowned upon, especially by certain team owners.
This just in. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is selling his silver 2002 Mini Cooper on eBay.
As I type this the top bid is $33,700.00 with 12 hours left to go.
The following are the details of the sale from the eBay site:
Dale Jr. is looking to upgrade his car collection, so he is auctioning his 2002 Mini Cooper. This vehicle, which was purchased new by Dale Jr. in 2002, has been completely modified to provide the ultimate in performance and appearance. With only 3124 original miles, it is equipped with an upgraded computer, exhaust, transmission, clutch, and suspension. In addition, it has an installed super charger providing high-end torque to the 270 hp engine. The interior is custom carbon fiber and chrome plated. All modifications were completed by Mini Mania, the leading tuner in Mini Coopers. Dale Jr. has personally autographed the sun visor, and he is willing to autograph the dash if desired by the new owner. The winning bidder will be given the opportunity to receive the vehicle personally from Dale Jr. at his home in North Carolina. This vehicle is being offered through Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s company, JR Motorsports. In addition, the payment method will be processed through JR Motorsports. Once the auction is complete, we will contact you by phone with further instructions regarding acceptance of loan check or money order, and we will arrange a time and date for you to come and receive your vehicle personally from Dale Jr. You can bid with confidence, and we will be willing to answer any questions regarding the vehicle.
Notice how it says that the winner has the opportunity to receive the vehicle personally from Dale Jr. at his home? Uh yea, who wants to give me the money to bid on this? Anyone? Anyone?
