It’s funny when you don’t realize you want something so bad until there’s a chance it can actually happen. For me that was the possibility of AJ Allmendinger getting his first win at Watkins Glen yesterday. He was chargin’, running up front with those guys and it really seemed like it could of been his day.

Well, he didn’t win, Mr. Juan Pablo Montoya did, but I had a lot of fun cheering for AJ. I don’t have anything against Juan Pablo, but during the race when I was imagining who would have a better, more fun, reaction to winning in Victory Lane AJ won hands down. You know he would be waaaaaay more excited and happy and thankful if he’d won that race than Juan was. I love a first-time win, what can I say?

Anyway, congrats to Juan Pablo and the No. 42 Target Chevy team. And bonus congrats to crew chief Brian Pattie for his first Sprint Cup Series win, it was sweet to see his emotions post-race.

Even though I’ve never been to Watkins Glen I think it’s beautiful there. From what I can see on TV it looks fabulous and I really, really wanna go to the next race there. Hopefully that’ll happen next year. Watkins Glen is right up there with Bristol, Daytona and Talladega as the tracks that I want to visit the most.

I know the drivers might not agree but I really wish there were more road course races in the Sprint Cup Series schedule. I love ‘em. It jumbles everything, in terms of the race itself and the points standings. I guess as a Dale Earnhardt Jr. fan I shouldn’t wish for that but I have confidence in my driver no matter what, and one day that guy will prevail at a road course.

Denny Hamlin, driver of the FedEx Freight Toyota, stands on the grid with girlfriend Jordan Fish prior to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at Watkins Glen International on August 8, 2010 in Watkins Glen, New York. (Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images)
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Jeff Gordon’s son, Leo Benjamin Gordon, was born today! The deets:

Earlier today, Jeff Gordon and Ingrid Vandebosch welcomed a new son into the world. Leo Benjamin Gordon was born at 8:53 a.m., weighed 7 pounds, 2 ounces and was 19 inches long according to a post on
www.jeffgordon.com.

“He’s happy and healthy, and Mom is doing great,” said Gordon. The four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion will travel to Michigan later this week and is scheduled to participate in all on-track activities at Michigan International
Speedway, site of this weekend’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.

I mean, really. Let’s recap… He’s very good looking. He’s married to a model. He’s gonna be a daddy. He’s making millions of dollars as a race car driver. He’s won an unprecedented 4 Sprint Cup Series Championships in a row. He’s got the smartest crew chief. He’s just won two races in a row. He won the Pepsi Refresh Project competition he was in versus Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Sheesh! Jimmie, knock it off! I kid, I kid.

Actually, now that I read that, if Jimmie ever feels down (why would he?) he can read that paragraph and it should perk him right up again.

Photos from New Hampshire after the jump! (more…)

When I heard that Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, and Jimmie Johnson were involved with the Pepsi Refresh Project I was all set to just vote for Dale Jr’s idea without hearing the other two. But instead of being one of those fans that blindly follows their favorite driver without question, I gave Jeff and Jimmie a chance to convince me their idea was better. They’re all equally good and would help very important causes, so I voted for all of ‘em.

Check out the videos below and then vote for yourself at www.NASCAR.com/PepsiRefresh

To answer Melody’s question from my previous post, I was in Tony Stewart’s hauler for all of 5 minutes. It was luxuriously air conditioned and I didn’t see the back lounge area. Plus Tony wasn’t there he was out practicing but it was very cool to be inside a hauler for any reason and any amount of time.

Sunday was of course the Coca-Cola 600 and on my drive in to the track I couldn’t get over the amount of tailgating that was going on seemingly EVERYWHERE. Every blade of grass surrounding the track was filled with trucks, tents and people with barbecues. Even the parking lots of commercial office buildings had groups of people crowded together. It was so neat to see. There’s tailgating at the California races but nothing to the degree of what I saw outside of Charlotte Motor Speedway. It’s something that you have to witness for yourself.

I got to the track in time to attend a tweetup organized by SBNation’s Jeff Gluck. I went to meet up with ‘Fabulous’ readers Tara S. and Penni. It was really cool finally getting to meet them in person. I seriously adore the women that read my blog, you guys are the bestest! This is the perfect time to thank you all for the sweet comments about my interview with Tony Stewart. I really appreciate the encouragement.

As I alluded to in the title of this post, the Coca-Cola 600 was really all about Bradley Cooper and his hotness visiting a NASCAR race for the first time. He was there with three of his other cast-mates to promote their new movie “The A-Team.” I thought Brendan Fraser’s presence at Chicagoland a couple of years ago was a big deal but Bradley really brought out the ladies. Media and PR people alike make it a point to be in the media center for the cast’s press conference. As soon as Bradley walked into the media center people were requesting to have their photo taken with him (as you can see at right, that’s not me, unfortunately), which he happily obliged. (more…)

Darlington was fun, that is, if you’re into that sort of thing. I’m sure it was ten times more frustrating to drive the SHOWTIME Southern 500 than it was to watch it, and that’s saying something because I’ve never wanted a race to end faster than that one.

Darlington is one of those racetracks where I feel like they could cut the Nationwide race down from 147 laps to 50 and the Sprint Cup race from 367 laps down to just 100 and we’d all be a lot happier. Well, I would be for one. It just seems unnecesary to have to drive around as long as they do.

Or maybe my frustrations are just Jeff Gordon’s rubbing off on me. I mean, what does this man have to do to catch a break and win a freaking race? He’s been so close this year. It’s kinda sad to watch, he’s like Sisyphus.

One the other hand, it was super adorable to see some of the drivers with their moms.

Jamie’s expression explains the ENTIRE weekend.

Jamie McMurray tries to explain how the car handled in the first practice to crew chief Bono Manion. After adjustments, McMurray led the final practice and earned the Coors Light Pole Award. (Credit: Geoff Burke/Getty Images for NASCAR)

The baby bump! Although, I still think Chandra can afford to gain like 50 more pounds

Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe’s Chevrolet, stands on the grid with his wife Chandra during the NASCAR Sprint Cup series SHOWTIME Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on May 8, 2010 in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images for NASCAR)