Yesterday’s Crown Royal Presents the Heath Calhoun 400 was a rousing success because Tony Stewart had a new blonde girlfriend with him on pit road during the pre-race ceremonies. It’s not everyday Tony has a woman with him on pit road. Actually it’s been quite awhile since we last saw him with his arm around anyone. So yes, I’m that friggin’ nosey.
I wonder if Tony knows that there are thousands of women out there that think he should get married and have babies already. And I’m sure half of those women think that he should do all of that with them. I, for one, think that he would make some cute kids so he should get crackin’.
There is soo much going on in this photo that it’s making my head hurt.
(Left to right) Anheuser-Busch Sports Marketing Manager Brian Dunlap shakes hands with Darrell Waltrip, who also raced this paint scheme at one point during his career. Kasey Kahne will drive the No. 9 Ford at Richmond International Raceway this weekend. (Credit: Harold Hinson)
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2009 turned out to be Michael Waltrip’s last year as a full-time Sprint Cup Series driver. It’s bittersweet because on the one hand he’s making room for a young driver — Martin Truex Jr. — to grow in the sport, but on the other hand Michael won’t be competing every week.
I’ve always liked Mikey because he’s so freaking funny. There isn’t another driver around right now (ok, maybe Kenny Wallace) that is as charismatic and entertaining as Michael Waltrip. I always want to hear him talk, about anything.
So now that Mikey will have more time on his hands next year, he’s only running a part-time schedule, I figured it might be a good idea to give him a couple suggestions on what he could do to fill up the rest of his days.
1.) Dancing with the Stars: Fans that follow MW55 on Twitter have already sent this idea to him, but I don’t know what his reaction has been. I really think he should be in the next group of stars to learn ballroom dancing on ABC’s hit show. I have no idea what Mikey is like on the dance floor but I think that he could win over America with his charm and that would help him to go far in the competition. Besides, IndyCar was represented by Helio Castroneves, and now it’s time that NASCAR was in the mix. Oooh! What if Darrell Waltrip did it too? That’d be hilarious AND awesome.
2.) The Bachelor: It would be the greatest season of The Bachelor EVER if Michael Waltrip was doing the choosing! Oh my gosh, I would pay money to watch the show if it happened, and this is from a woman who hasn’t watched a full season of The Bachelor in, like, years. Mostly because it just doesn’t seem realistic, they never stay together. But what’s more realistic than a 46-year-old, divorced (I’m assuming it’s official at this point), part-time NASCAR driver with two children?? Are you kidding me? Again, I would PAY to watch this show. Picture this: 25 women in firesuits taking laps around a racetrack in order to earn a one-on-one date with Mikey. I could just see them all having to learn lines for an Aaron’s commercial, who ever delivers the pitch best wins alone time with him! Seriously, ABC really needs to make this happen.
I have a new contest to share with you and this time you have the opportunity to win an actual piece of a NASCAR race. For the Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Superspeedway back on April 26th of this year Jeff Gordon’s No. 24 DuPont/Pepsi Throwback Challenger Chevrolet sported Darrell Waltrip’s championship winning 1983 yellow Pepsi Challenger paint scheme. The retro paint scheme celebrated Pepsi Throwback, limited time only products inspired by the ’60s and ’70s that are sweetened with natural sugar in a retro-look package.
Jeff didn’t win the race, he got caught up in one of the infamous Talladega “big one” crashes, but in this particular instance that’s sort of a good thing for you because I get to giveaway to one lucky Fast and Fabulous reader actual pieces of Jeff’s car from that very race. This is the part where you say “ooooooh!”
I suggest checking out the Pepsi Throwback site for very cool retro wallpapers, photos and videos to “Throwback” your blog or Twitter page.
The Talladega Pepsi Throwback prize package includes the following:
Enter Now! Contest ends on Friday June 19, 2009
That subject line has absolutely nothing to do with this post but it’s been running through my head for the past 5 days so I had to use it. Thanks a lot Kelly Clarkson!
I watched Crown Royal presents the Russ Friedman 400 from the guest bedroom of my sister’s house in Los Angeles.
Saturday day was her baby shower and Saturday night was the fight party to watch Ricky Hatton get his head knocked off his shoulders by Manny Pacquiao. Anyway, everybody was camped out in the living room watching the Celtics beat the Bulls while I was having a grand old time watching the race by myself, with occasional visits from my nephews who asked questions like “You’re still watching this?”
Anywhoo, Kyle Busch won the Russ Friedman 400 in a car sponsored by Combos. I’m not a big fan of the Combos snack. I think they’re gross because they remind me of the dog treat Snausages. Ech. So it figures Kyle would win.
All in all though, it was a great race. There was suspense and intrigue and those are two attributes I dig most in a race. Obviously I would have loved it more had anyone else won, but what can ya do? Is it lame that I didn’t really want Jeff Gordon to win ’cause I knew that his daughter Ella wasn’t there? I didn’t want him to have another win without her being there to greet him in Victory Lane. Yea, this is the type of stuff that goes through my head. Jeff can’t win a race unless Ella is there, that’s my new rule.
Pole-sitter Brian Vickers and Darrell Waltrip joke with fans during “Trackside Live” on SPEED. (Photo Credit: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR)
David Poole was an excellent writer and I will miss his insight and perspective.
The No. 16 Ford of Greg Biffle is one of several cars to carry a decal honoring the late Charlotte Observer reporter David Poole who passed away earlier in the week. (Photo Credit: Drew Hallowell/Getty Images)
The crew members of Kyle Busch’s No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota celebrate winning the Lipton Tea 250 at Richmond International Raceway. (Photo Credit: Drew Hallowell/Getty Images)
Contest winner Russ Friedman poses in front of the logo for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series CROWN ROYAL presents The Russ Friedman 400 at Richmond International Raceway. (Photo Credit: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR)
The Brian Vickers/Dale Earnhardt Jr. incident has been and will continue to be well documented by others so I’m not even going to get into it. Well I will say this; I don’t think that Dale intended to spin Brian out. I think it was an accident and I’m not just saying that because I like Dale. I actually like both of them. I just don’t think Dale would do that knowing there’s an entire field of cars behind him that could be involved. He’s always been pretty honest about his on-track exploits so whatevah.
My Daytona highlights:
– FOX NASCAR racing analysts Mike Joy, Larry McReynolds and Darrell Waltrip laugh every time the Digger graphic comes up. I find it funny that they find it so funny.
– All of the NASCAR kids and babies on pit road during the invocation and National Anthem made my entire reproductive system want to explode from their cuteness. How adorable was Macey Waltrip helping her dad get settled into his car?
– Julianne Hough was supposed to sing the National Anthem but she came down with the flu and couldn’t travel. In her place they were able to secure singer/songwriter Gavin DeGraw who gave the most pitiful anthem performance ever. I like Gavin DeGraw in general but this was definitely not one of his best performances.
– Keith Urban performed a lot on Sunday. He performed acoustically at a press conference for the media (lucky nerds!) and then for everyone else with his full band behind him before the start of the race. Apparently Keith brought his wife, a little known Australian actress named Nicole Kidman, with him. If that doesn’t blow your mind enough Nicole’s ex-husband Tom Cruise was on hand to lead the field to the green flag in the pace car. I guess we should just call it a Days of Thunder reunion party. Side note: I have yet to watch Days of Thunder all the way through, but I have been on the ride at Great America.
Overall the Daytona 500 was a big ol’ anticlimactic mess for me. I mean, Matt Kenseth is cool and all but races that end with a red flag are just no good. It left me feeling gypped and bored with leftover 5-layer dip.
Oh, one more thing, speaking of Mr. Kenseth he’ll be in San Francisco this Wednesday for all of you Bay Area NASCAR fans:
Fans can see the winner of Sunday’s Daytona 500 this Wednesday at Willie Mays Plaza at AT&T Park at 12:30 p.m. during a fan rally and press conference. Matt Kenseth will be on-hand after taking a Victory Tour through the Streets of San Francisco on a motorized cable car. This marks the first time a Daytona 500 winner has visited SF. The day signals the Official Countdown to the Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR race at Infineon Raceway in June.
Photo fun time!
Some might say Jeff Gordon, driver of the No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet, may have had a couple of good luck charms Thursday at NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Gatorade Duel 1. Wife Ingrid Vandebosch and daughter Ella Sophia hang out with the four-time NASCAR champion the grid prior to the race at Daytona International Speedway that he won. (Photo Credit: Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Don’t tap on the glass, they hate that.
Three-time Daytona 500 winner Jeff Gordon signs autographs for fans during the final NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice on Saturday for the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. (Photo Credit: Geoff Burke/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Country star Keith Urban performs a pre-race concert prior to the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. (Photo Credit: Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
Matt Kenseth celebrates winning the 51st running of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Kenseth became the 33rd different driver to win “The Great American Race.” (Photo Credit: Geoff Burke/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Steve and Christine Deuker meet NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Ryan Newman (center) on Saturday at Daytona International Speedway. The Deukers honored Newman and their son, who passed away in 2001, by buying a brick from the NASCAR Hall of Fame. (Photo Credit: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Tom Cruise climbs into the pace car for some practice laps around Daytona International Speedway. Cruise led the Daytona 500 to the green flag in the pace car. (Photo Credit: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Tony Stewart reads a Valentine’s Day card before getting into his car for the final NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice for the Daytona 500 on Saturday at Daytona International Speedway. (Photo Credit: Sam Greenwood/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Never have I been so excited about the Budweiser Shootout. It signals the end of an offseason that has been dragging on and on like the movie version of The Horse Whisperer.
I am so freaking giddy that I get to wake up tomorrow morning and arrange my day around watching NASCAR.
From what I’ve seen of other NASCAR writers it seems like there should be a ton of stuff for me to talk about right now but I’ve gotta be honest with you, I’ve got nothin’. Well, sort of. The only thing I keep wondering about is how it’s gonna be once we get to the second race of the season at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California.
I’m planning on being there to witness it first-hand because I have to know if what Darrell Waltrip said in that wasn’t-meant-to-be-seen-tv-clip will come to pass. Everybody wants to be in the Daytona 500, it is the Daytona 500 afterall, but what happens after that?
If the number of driver headshots are any indication it’s gonna be interesting. The headshots for 2009 were released this week and there’s only 39 photos. Last year there were 52.
What a difference a year (and a crap economy) make. Although, who knows what the year holds for us, a lot can happen and change during the course of the season. I cannot wait to get this thing started.
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