I missed the Carfax 400 at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday because I was busy driving two of my nephews (ages 9 and 11) from their home in Los Angeles to my mom’s house in the SF Bay Area. I love my nephews more than words can say but spending 7 hours in a car with them is not something I really want to do again. Who knew that doing word search puzzles could be a competitive thing??

Anyway, I did catch some of the race action from SIRIUS Satellite Radio’s coverage with MRN, but the boys were more interested in hearing music from Drake and, amazingly enough, Katy Perry’s song “California Gurls.”

In between pop music stints I did learn that Kevin Harvick won and that Dale Earnhardt Jr. dropped a couple curse words while being interviewed by ESPN’s Marty Smith.

So this post is going to be super duper photo heavy. Enjoy!

Delana Harvick takes a photo of her husband, Kevin Harvick (29), after he wins the Carfax 400 race at the Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, MI.
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They don’t call it “The Tricky Triangle” for nothing. The Sunoco Red Cross Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway was one crazy race, but in the end I’m so incredibly glad/relieved that Elliott Sadler was able to walk away from that gnarly crash, as well as Kurt Busch. Pocono has some serious work to do to make that backstretch far less treacherous in the future.

It’s amazing how you can go from winning one race one day to just making it out alive from another one another day. I’m super stoked and happy for Elliott that he won the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Pocono Mountains 125 race on Saturday.

Congratulations go out to Greg Biffle and the No. 16 3M Ford team for winning the Sprint Cup Series race. It was the perfect way to wish team owner Jack Roush a speedy recovery from his accident. He was upgraded to fair condition last night at Mayo Clinic, so that win had to have been the best medicine.

Matt Kenseth (L), driver of the Crown Royal Ford, holds his daughter Kaylin Nicola Kenseth on the grid prior to the start of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Sunoco Red Cross Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway on August 1, 2010 in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. (Photo by John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCAR)
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Dear Talladega Superspeedway,

I love you. I just do. You make me crazy and mental and while I always feel like I need a brown paper bag to breathe in just to make it through one lap, I still freaking love you!

Kevin Harvick’s amazing pass just before the finish line to take the win away from Jamie McMurray was one for the highlight reel. This win was HUGE for Kevin since he hadn’t won anything in the Sprint Cup Series in 3 years. I’m still shocked it’s been that long. I loved how his wife, DeLana, couldn’t watch the last lap. I don’t blame her, you’re such a nerve-wracking track! I’m so happy for them. We always expect such great races from you and you never fail to deliver.

Yes, I wish you could of gathered up some of that Native American burial ground mojo and used it to help Dale Earnhardt Jr. get the win instead but I’m okay with how things turned out. He’s still in the top-12 in points.

Oh! Before I forget, thank you for throwing another wrench in the relationship between Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson. I know I shouldn’t get excited when one person is mad at another person but it’s so freaking fun to watch Jeff Gordon get so pissed off. I wonder why it fascinates me so. I can’t get enough. I’m loving this season so far.

I can’t wait to see you again at Halloween! *JUAD* (that means I’m jumping up and down)

xoxo,
Valli

Sooo freaking close!
Kevin Harvick beats Jamie McMurray to the finish line by .011 seconds, the eighth-closest margin since the advent of electronic scoring in 1993, to win the Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Superspeedway. (Credit: Todd Warshaw/Getty Images)
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Overall I think Talladega went down pretty much the same way it would have gone down had NASCAR not instituted the new rules, smaller restrictor plate and no bumping in the turns. Those guys were going to hold off until the end and then crap was going to hit the fan in the final laps. Because really, at Talladega if you’re 35th you’re still in it, it’s all about being there in the end and getting in a good line up to the front.

I wasn’t mad about the whole no touching each other in the corners rule because of the rule itself, but more anxious about the enforcement of that rule. As it is, Talladega is a race that I love but one that also makes me crazy with anxiety because I’m hoping that my driver doesn’t get caught up in the “big one.” I hold my breath during Talladega because you just never know.

So then you add in the fact that my driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr., could get caught on some lame rule NASCAR cooked up an hour before the race starts, you’re just tacking on another layer of panic for me to deal with for the ENTIRE race. (more…)

I’m back from Vegas with two scratches and a bruise on my shoulder and I have no idea how I got any of them. Let’s just say it was an eventful, fun and productive weekend. I met some really awesome people from around the country and learned about some great products. For example, you should all check out Yoono. It’s a cool little web browser add-on that allows you to manage all of your social networking and instant messenger accounts from one place. And you should also check out Simon Pierce, it’s a company based in Vermont that makes amazing and beautiful blown glass pieces (think bowls, vases, etc.).

Most things that happen in Vegas should stay there but I have to share one very cool thing. Like I mentioned before I left Tim Ferriss, author of the book “The 4-Hour Work Week,” and musician Mike Shinoda of the band Linkin Park were the keynote speakers on the last day of the Blog World & New Media Expo event. Their talk only lasted an hour but I wish they could of tacked on a second one.

They talked about the stuff that really matters to me at this point in my blog career like how to brand yourself and get publicity, but in the right ways. Just before Ferriss left the convention center I went up to him and told him how much I appreciated his talk and how I wished he’d write a book about the topics he brought up that day. He gave me some advice and was very, very nice.

Ok, so about racing. On Sunday I didn’t get to watch the race live, yet again, which seems to be doing something for Greg Biffle because he won again for the second straight week, this time at Dover.

And uhm, that’s all I’ve got. Sorry! I’ve got a bunch of stuff to do like posting the rest of my Kyle Petty interview. So I’ll leave ya with some photos from Dover and news about a Dale Earnhardt Jr. auction.

In other news…

– Starting today and until October 3rd, 2008 you have the chance to bid on a ride of a lifetime with Dale Earnhardt Jr. Wrangler and Dale Jr. are auctioning off the opportunity to meet Dale and have him take you around the racetrack at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in his No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet. All of the proceeds from the auction go to the Victory Junction Gang Camp. Here’s more information:

Here’s your chance to be one of the first to ride with Dale Earnhardt Jr. in his Hendrick Motorsports No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet! You’ll ride shotgun with Dale for three high-speed hot laps — reaching speeds in excess of 170 mph — around Lowe’s Motor Speedway. The lucky winner will take home autographs, pictures and video captured from the in-car camera during their ride with NASCAR’s most popular driver. Earnhardt is also giving fans the opportunity to bid on two unique piece of Nascar history, including an autographed door panel from the infamous crash in his No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet. Also up for grabs are a pair of Wrangler Jeans worn and autographed by Dale Earnhardt Jr. himself! Thanks to Wrangler Jeans, all auction proceeds will benefit the Victory Junction Gang Camp, a NASCAR-themed camp for children with chronic medical conditions or serious illnesses. Head over to www.ebay.com/wranglerjeans to learn more!

Photos from Dover:

Even though he’s pulling double duty this weekend by competiting in both the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Camping World RV 400 and the NASCAR Nationwide Series Camping World RV Sales 200, driver Clint Bowyer is all smiles in the garage during Friday’s practice at Dover International Speedway. (Photo Credit: Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images for NASCAR)

Last week’s winner at New Hampshire, Greg Biffle (driver of the No. 3M Ford) chats with car owner Jack Roush in the garage during Friday’s practice at Dover International Speedway. Biffle will start fifth in Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Camping World RV 400. (Photo Credit: Chris Graythen/Getty Images for NASCAR)

Super cute kid photo of the day!

Fans watch the action from the stands during the NASCAR Nationwide Series Camping World RV Sales 200 on Saturday at Dover International Speedway. (Photo Credit: Grant Halverson/Getty Images for NASCAR)

Kyle Busch and the crew of the #18 Interstate Batteries Toyota look at the car in the garage area during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Camping World RV 400 at Dover International Speedway on September 21, 2008 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images for NASCAR)

Helloooo Scott Lagasse. I’m just sayin’

Scott Lagasse Jr., during qualifying for the NASCAR Nationwide Series Camping World RV 200 at Dover International Speedway on September 20, 2008 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

The NASCAR experience started on Thursday. I was driving through the city I live in — Concord, California — with a friend of mine on our way to get Starbucks. There were haulers for Juan Pablo Montoya’s team at a Holiday Inn down one street and haulers for Michael Waltrip at the Crown Plaza Hotel down another. It’s really not that interesting but it gave me that extra kick of excitement about this weekend. NASCAR really was coming!

When I got to the track on Friday the temperature was in the 80s. It was definitely warm, hot even but not unbearable. That changed of course as the temps hit 107 at the end of the day when I left. Yes, I left at like 5-o-clock whilst qualifying was still going on but I have very good reasons. For one, I was literally melting, even in the shade. Second, and most important, my camera/video camera’s battery died and I didn’t have my charger with me. And third it was friggin’ hot! Since you have to wear pants in the garage area you’re totally screwed when it’s hot outside. So there I am in jeans so jealous of the fans in the paddock area behind the grandstands ’cause they’re in dresses and shorts.

Ok, so on to the good stuff. The top-12 drivers were available to the media outside of their haulers at various times before and after qualifying practice. There was only ONE driver that I wanted to see the most and that was, of course, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Dale’s media meet-up was scheduled for 2pm, the first one after the practice session. Before the practice session, I went saw Kyle Busch, Jeff Burton, Clint Bowyer, Kasey Kahne, and Kevin Harvick. While watching Clint answer questions I decided to try out my video skills. To be sure, they haven’t changed much from my experiment at the testing sessions last week (as evidenced in my earlier post). Anyway, I taped Kasey, Clint and Kevin, with various levels of pretty good sound.

It amazes me that anyone can hear anyone when those cars are grumbling in the garage. This was the first time I had ever attended one of the top-12 media press sessions before. So I wasn’t sure what to expect. The writers gather around the hauler doors before the scheduled time. It’s obvious that the majority of people know each other, which is incredibly intimidating to me since I’m the newbie. The PR reps are the gatekeepers and they’re not taking any crap from anyone. Kasey Kahne’s rep totally laid the smack down on some photographer who asked if he could get an autograph from him. It’s forbidden for media to ask the drivers for autographs, not to mention stupid. Why would you need an autograph when you’re there? I mean look at where you are!

OK, so picture it… You’re me and your computer is Clint Bowyer. That’s how close I was to him. I could have asked a question but I didn’t. For one, I had nothing prepared and two the questions I would want to ask would have nothing to do with the race this weekend.

Oh! I should say that I was given a cold garage pass. I wasn’t super worried about that, as I’ve found in the past that having a cold pass isn’t the worst thing in the world and I could still access a lot of things. So I wasn’t worried. Well not until practice began and the garage went hot. Dale Jr.’s press conference was the first one after practice ended and I was afraid they wouldn’t turn off the “hot” lights until it was too late.

And that’s exactly what happened. I wasn’t able to get back into the garage until after his session was over. I was so frustrated. I couldn’t believe it, out of all of the drivers, he’s the one I was looking forward to hearing from the most and then I couldn’t get in.

My consolation prize was seeing him walk past me as I sat on the ground outside the media center. He had just excited the men’s bathroom and quickly made his way through the fans that were looking for his signature.

One thing about the media center bathrooms, that is the place to be if you want to catch a driver. Jeff Gordon, Clint Bowyer, Jack Roush and Carl Edwards all made stops at the men’s room and really that’s the only time I have ever wished I was a guy. Haha.

This photo is kinda eerie ’cause it seems like Kyle Busch is looking right at me, as if to say “What the hell are you doing?” Frrrreeaaaky.

Kasey Kahne speaks with the media at Infineon Raceway (photo credit: The Fast and the Fabulous)

I looked down and happened to notice how cool Kasey’s shoes were, so I snapped a photo. I figured the Kasey Kahne fans out there would appreciate this.

Kevin Harvick speaks with the media at Infineon Raceway (photo credit: The Fast and the Fabulous)

Clint Bowyer speaks with the media at Infineon Raceway (photo credit: The Fast and the Fabulous)