Kyle Busch proposed to his longtime girlfriend Samantha Sarcinella at Daytona Thursday night and she said yes. She’s on Twitter now too, so go follow her. Let’s hope she posts the wedding day details!

Photo from @KyleBusch

In other news…

– Did you know that Nicole Manske married IndyCar driver Ryan Briscoe this past December? I know, I’m a lamer and didn’t. Anywho, I extend my belated congratulations to the couple and follow it up with another “Did you know?” fact. Nicole — who is now going by her married name Briscoe — and Danica Patrick are both from Roscoe, IL and went to the same high school, although a few years separate them. Cool right? And now, Nicole is married to a guy that races against Danica in IndyCar. Fun stuff.

The photo below is from an interview Nicole did with Danica on ESPN last week.

– On Thursday night Jimmie Johnson hit up the Jose Cuervo Platino Penthouse and Hotel 944 Party sponsored by Jose Cuervo and GUINNESS in Miami, Florida with longtime friend Nick Lachey. Also in attendance was Nick’s brother Drew Lachey and former Miss Teen USA Vanessa Minillo (Nick’s girlfriend). The group ran into rapper Snoop Dogg as you can see for yourself in the photo below. I have to wonder what Jimmie’s rapper name would be but I can’t think of anything good. Ideas??

NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson, rapper Snoop Dogg and singer/TV personality Nick Lachey attend the Hotel 944 Party sponsored by Jose Cuervo and GUINNESS at Eden Roc Renaissance Miami Beach on February 04, 2010 in Miami Beach, Florida. (Photo by: Vallery Jean /Getty for Jose Cuervo)

NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson, singer/TV personality Drew Lachey and singer/TV personality Nick Lachey attend the Hotel 944 Party sponsored by Jose Cuervo and GUINNESS at Eden Roc Renaissance Miami Beach on February 04, 2010 in Miami Beach, Florida. (Photo by: Vallery Jean /Getty for Jose Cuervo)

Actress/TV personality Vanessa Minillo attends the Hotel 944 Party sponsored by Jose Cuervo and GUINNESS at Eden Roc Renaissance Miami Beach on February 04, 2010 in Miami Beach, Florida. (Photo by: Getty for Jose Cuervo)

From the official press release:

As previously announced, Front Row will have two more full-time Sprint Cup programs in 2010. Travis Kvapil is behind the No. 34 Long John Silver’s Ford Fusion and Raybestos Rookie of the Year candidate Kevin Conway is driving the No. 37 ExtenZe Ford Fusion. Veteran crew chiefs Steven Lane and Peter Sospenzo have been named crew chiefs of each respective program. This is the first season Front Row Motorsports, based in Statesville, N.C., will field three full-time programs. The teams will be supported by Ford Racing and Roush/Yates Engines.

Gilliland comes to Front Row Motorsports having been a former teammate with Kvapil at Yates Racing under the Ford Racing banner.

“It’s going to be great to be back in a Ford with Roush/Yates Engines and teammates with Travis and Kevin,” said Gilliland. “Travis and I had a lot of good runs together in the past and I know that Front Row Motorsports has put a lot of efforts into their program during the off-season. I think we can surprise some people.”

I totally agree, they can kick some butt. I remember when I interviewed David he said that he and Travis get on well and that they like the same things in their cars. That’s gotta be helpful in building your teams and setups. Oh and FYI, Gilliland will be in the No. 38 again but with Taco Bell as a sponsor. Niiice.

In other news…

– On Monday night our 4-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion Jimmie Johnson visited the Late Night with Jimmy Fallon show and engaged in a little “Bumper Car” racing with Jimmy and actress Ashley Judd, who we all know is married to the adorable Scotsman and reigning IndyCar Champion Dario Franchitti. I love Ashley, she’s so cool. I have to admit that I’m planning on seeing the Tooth Fairy because of her (maybe not in the theater, but still), although the fact that Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is in it too helps. He’s friggin’ gorgeous, and his arms! Omigosh his arms. Okay, I’m getting off track. Videos of Jimmie’s appearance are below.

Also, The Late Night with Jimmy Fallon blog has a poll up right now asking you to vote on who you think is the best motorsports driver of all time. If you guys let Speed Racer win, we’ve got serious problems!

Eventually, I ducked into Jennifer Azzi’s press conference. As I wrote a few days before the weekend started Azzi was on hand as the race’s Grand Marshal. It was cool to see her and I must admit that I totally missed my opportunity to introduce myself and tell her what an inspiration she’d been to me as a kid. I’m shy, OK. And I have to work up what I’m going to say in my mind before I actually do it and make sure it’s not lame. There never was a perfect time, but whatever, she’s on Twitter and I plan on saying something to her at some point over there.

So let’s talk about Marco Andretti. I don’t know what was up his butt that particular weekend but he was driving around on his scooter with a scowl the entire time. He’s rumored to be dating a Playboy Playmate so you’d think he’d be a little happier but who knows. Maybe he’s irked that he’s not contending for the Championship? His year has been pretty lame, he hasn’t finished better than 4th so far. Or perhaps it’s the fact that his ex-girlfriend is supposedly dating Graham Rahal. Hmm?? I don’t care who you are or what you do that’s gotta be kinda awkward right?

Oh! I forgot to mention that on Saturday I attended a press conference for iRacing.com Motorsports Simulations. They were talking up their agreement with the IRL, Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Dallara in creating a virtual Indy 500 where regular people like you and me can drive the infamous racetrack online. Justin Wilson was on hand to extol the amazing realness that is iRacing.com and I couldn’t get over how tall he was. When I walked into the press conference room was standing in front of the doorway right as you walk in and I couldn’t get over the fact that I had to look up at him and he’s a race car driver.

Anywho, I have to say that the iRacing.com simulation is really, really cool. Online sim racing has come a long way, baby. It’s super duper realistic. As the representative from Dallara Automobili said in the press conference, “This is not a video game. Forget. This is simulation.” I wish you could have heard him say that with his Italian accent, it was pure awesomeness. Basically, iRacing.com is no joke.

So back to Sunday, I watched the start of the Indy Lights race from the pits, or as I like to call them, The Coffee Bars. That’s what they look like to me. Plus there’s just so much more openness at IRL races. I felt like I could go pretty much anywhere. During the Indy Lights race people were standing in empty pits, even sitting on the pit road wall, which is impossible to do at a NASCAR race. I didn’t go that far, I love my fave spot at the back of pit road sitting on the little wall up against the grandstands right in front of the start/finish line.

And now it’s time to reflect on why I think it’s so important that more clothing companies like William Rast and Izod get involved in racing. William Rast, a clothing company started by Justin Timberlake and his BFF, Trace Ayala, sponsored the No. 20 Vision Racing team driven by Ed Carpenter. Their merch was like fifty times cooler than anyone elses because their brand and logo was made for clothing. I’d wear one of their hats in a heartbeat ’cause it doesn’t look like your typical racing gear. Izod is a sponsor of the entire IRL and as such you’ve got IRL employees running around in Izod all day looking “classy.” There’s a quality that sticks with you when you see that.

SO it is my fervent hope that more clothing companies will get in the act of sponsoring teams in both IndyCar and NASCAR. Plus, it’s stuff that the drivers and their families could wear in their off-time as well. Couldn’t you see Jimmie and Chandra Johnson rocking Lucky Brand Jeans together? It’d be supercute.

For the IndyCar pre-race festivities I walked out on to the track to watch driver introductions from the start/finish line area with other fans. As it happened I was using the same route as the drivers were to get to the stage area. I got a shot of Hideki Mutoh and Franck Montagny as they walked together behind me. Walking and taking pictures isn’t my specialty, and as such I didn’t realize that Dan Wheldon had been walking beside me for awhile. I was so annoyed I didn’t get a shot of him.

The IndyCar race itself was snoozeville. It started off great, with a melee in the first lap, but after that and until close to the end it was boring as all heck. I hoped that Helio Castroneves‘ bad luck would cause the field to bunch up and maybe give Ryan Briscoe and Hideki the chance to swipe the win from Dario Franchitti, who led the entire race, but it was not to be.

The top three drivers had to come into the media center to do a post-race press conference with the media and it was my first time experiencing Ryan Briscoe. He’s such a cool dude. He just had this relaxed air about him, like he wasn’t cocky or jerky, but just normal. I’m sure you’re saying to yourself “so what?” but that’s not a given with drivers, especially given the fact that he took over the Championship points lead that day.

I really like Dario so it was great to see him win. However I was disappointed his wife, Actress Ashley Judd, was not on hand as it would have been cool to see her reaction. Dario, was another cool cucumber, but I’m thinking some of that might have been the winner’s goblet of wine that he carried into the press conference. As he sat down he jokingly attempted to take another swig of the red wine left in the glass.

My fave moment was when Dario made a veiled jab at Milka Duno’s permanent lame duck status. Someone asked him if there was a ever time during the race that he thought Ryan Briscoe would get past him. Dario said, “The only time was when the 23 car was cruising around in turn eight. The speed differential was such, a flat chicane there, the speed differential must have been 40 miles an hour. So I had to back off and time the pass so Ryan wouldn’t get a run on me. If I’d have gone steaming up there, he would have got running past me. That was the one real worrying point.”

You had to hear his tone when he said “when the 23 car was cruising around.” It was priceless, and I’m pretty sure a few people chuckled.

Tony Kanaan gets a ride back to the garage after the race on Sunday, August 23, 2009 at the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma at Infineon Raceway (photo credit: The Fast and the Fabulous)

Ryan Briscoe speaks with the media on Sunday, August 23, 2009 at the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma at Infineon Raceway (photo credit: The Fast and the Fabulous)

Hideki Mutoh and Franck Montagny walk to the stage for driver introductions on Sunday, August 23, 2009 at the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma at Infineon Raceway (photo credit: The Fast and the Fabulous)

Helio Castroneves walks back to the garage with his girlfriend, Adriana Henao, after the race on Sunday, August 23, 2009 at the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma at Infineon Raceway (photo credit: The Fast and the Fabulous)

It should be noted that I did not Photoshop Dan’s teeth.

Dan Wheldon chats with fans on Sunday, August 23, 2009 at the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma at Infineon Raceway (photo credit: The Fast and the Fabulous)

Dario Franchitti drives into Victory Lane on Sunday, August 23, 2009 at the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma at Infineon Raceway (photo credit: The Fast and the Fabulous)

Dario Franchitti chats with the media on Sunday, August 23, 2009 at the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma at Infineon Raceway (photo credit: The Fast and the Fabulous)

So the really big deal was the press conference set up to unveil Firestone’s new “Magic Circle.” They’re the tires they created specifically for the top drivers who are still in the hunt for the IndyCar Championship. The tires have a white wall on the outside so that they can be easily spotted in the field during a race. Just another way the fans can keep track of the Championship contenders. Before Sunday’s race there were 4 drivers mathematically still in the hunt — Tony Kanaan, Dan Wheldon, Scott Dixon and Helio Castroneves.

So I decided to stand outside of Victory Lane where the media had gathered for the announcement. I just wanted to try and get good shots of the drivers as they made their way over. What I didn’t know was that I managed to situate myself in the precise spot they were all going to stop their little motorcycles and scooters. Scott Dixon was the first guy to roll onto the scene right behind me. I find him to be incredibly cute and I can’t believe we’re the exact same age; he always strikes me as being a lot older. Then there was Helio who as far as I’m concerned seems to be totally over the whole Dancing with the Stars hubbub. Everyone loves to bring it up with him but he never goes into it and I can understand why. It’s been forever ago and he’s a race car driver, and that’s what he’s really about.

Finally Scott Wheldon rode up with his wife Susie on the back of his Target scooter/bike thingy. Instead of going around all the bikes where there was more room to walk, he had to walk on the inside of them causing me to try and squeeze myself against the Victory Lane fence. I think my bag hit him, but that’s what he gets.

Scott Dixon’s scooter on Friday, August 22, 2008 at Infineon Raceway. (photo credit: The Fast and the Fabulous)

Dan Wheldon and his wife Susie roll in for the ‘Magic Circles’ media event on Friday, August 22, 2008 at Infineon Raceway. (photo credit: The Fast and the Fabulous)

Helio Castroneves arrives at the ‘Magic Circles’ media event on Friday, August 22, 2008 at Infineon Raceway. (photo credit: The Fast and the Fabulous)

Scott Dixon walks in to the ‘Magic Circles’ media event on Friday, August 22, 2008 at Infineon Raceway. (photo credit: The Fast and the Fabulous)

Scott Dixon and Tony Kanaan pose for photographers during the ‘Magic Circles’ unveiling on Friday, August 22, 2008 at Infineon Raceway. (photo credit: The Fast and the Fabulous)

No outfit is complete without pockets!

Dan Wheldon speaks to the media on Friday, August 22, 2008 at Infineon Raceway. (photo credit: The Fast and the Fabulous)