I know I’ve used that title before but I love it.

Friday at Infineon Raceway was day one of the Toyota/SaveMart 350 festivities. It was a pretty big day for me because it held actual things for me to do. My usual shtick is to just show up and let things happen but this time I setup interviews with drivers. Since things went so well with Tony Stewart and the Inside The Actor’s Studio questions I decided to make it my “thing” for now and to get as many drivers to answer the same questions.

On my schedule for the day were one-on-one’s with David Reutimann, Regan Smith, AJ Allmendinger and Elliott Sadler. I’ll write about each of those experiences in separate posts. Stay tuned for those.

Back in the media center I sat in on press conferences for Jeff Burton, Mark Martin, Carl Edwards, Tony Stewart, Greg Biffle, and a little bit of Denny Hamlin.

Tony Stewart’s presser was, of course, by far the most entertaining of the bunch. His session was after practice and he wasn’t very happy with his car. I think that Southwest airlines should use his press conferences as the basis for one of their “Wanna Get Away???” commercials. I had this uncontrollable urge, every time someone asked something cringe-worthy to look down and start playing with my cell phone. There are always a few questions that bug Tony and after sitting in on a few of his pressers I’ve learned that Tony is a lot better when you ask him questions that are very real to him. He laid it out pretty plainly that he only cares about racing. He wasn’t in the mood to get all theoretical or philosophical about racing after having a crappy practice session. It wasn’t helping that people were asking the same questions they’ve asked year after year, my favorite being “Should there be a road course race in The Chase?” That was the one that really bugged him and got him to eventually say that he had no interest in giving his opinion on such things, he just wanted to race. (more…)

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…)

This might be the greatest race weekend promotion EVER. Why? Because it’s right up my alley, I love a wedding. Actually I love any event, but weddings are awesome because there are so many details to plan and there are a million different ways you can personalize them. Oh and there’s that whole love thing, too.

I love that Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif. has taken full advantage of the new wedding craze of getting married on a perfectly numerically matched date. Last year it was all about getting hitched on 09/09/09, this year it’s 10/10/10 and next year it’ll be 11/11/11. Got it? Anyway, these types of dates have become super popular. And now for the NASCAR fans out there looking for a supercool and unique way to get married Auto Club Speedway has figured it all out for you.

You’ll have the opportunity to get married, or renew your vows, right on the start/finish line of ACS before the start of the Pepsi 400. If that wasn’t enough NASCAR driver Michael Waltrip will serve as your Best Man and Miss Sprint Cup will serve as your Maid of Honor, with ACS president Gillian Zucker doing the officiating.

There are three packages to choose from, all of the details are below. I’m totally planning on being at the Pepsi 400 this year, so I’m really looking forward to seeing all of the couples tie the knot. I know people are going to want to go really casual for this but I still think you should dress it up. Toss the big ballgown and go for a nice tea length dress. That would be super sweet.

Now if only “Say Yes to the Dress,” or “My Fair Wedding with David Tutera” would sponsor a car that weekend it’d be perfection!

The “LET’S GET HITCHED” Package
For the couple – $200

• 2- Club Seat Tickets, the best seats in the house at Auto Club Speedway
• 2- Pit Passes
• 2- Cupcakes from world-renowned and L.A.-based Sprinkles Cupcakes
• 1- Champagne Flute Gift Set embossed with the Auto Club Speedway logo and date of your special day
• 1- Beautiful bridal bouquet & groom boutonniere set
• 1- Commemorative Photo with Best Man Michael Waltrip & Maid of Honor Miss Sprint Cup
• “First Lap of Love” in the Auto Club Speedway Wedding Tram around the track following the ceremony.

For each guest – $75

• 1- Club Seat Ticket, the best seats in the house at Auto Club Speedway
• 1- Pit Pass
• 1- Cupcake from world-renowned and L.A.-based Sprinkles Cupcakes
• 1- Pair of specially packaged wedding favor Lug Nuts to prove “you saw two nuts get married on 10/10/10.”

The “TIE THE KNOT” Package
For the couple- $500

• 2- Club Seat Tickets, the best seats in the house at Auto Club Speedway
• 2- Pit Passes
• 1- Reserved table in the Wedding Hospitality Tent with food and beverage
• 1- Champagne Flute Gift Set embossed with the Auto Club Speedway logo and date of your special day
• 1- Beautiful bridal bouquet & groom boutonniere set
• 1- Commemorative Photo with Best Man Michael Waltrip & Maid of Honor Miss Sprint Cup
• “First Lap of Love” in the Auto Club Speedway Wedding Tram around the track following the ceremony.

For each guest – $225

• 1- Club Seat Ticket, the best seats in the house at Auto Club Speedway
• 1- Pit Pass
• 1- Reserved seat in the Wedding Hospitality Tent with food and beverage
• 1- Pair of specially packaged wedding favor Lug Nuts to prove “you saw two nuts get married on 10/10/10.”

The “WEDDING BELLS” Package
For the couple- $950

• 2- Tickets for the wedding themed Terrace Suites with food and beverage and Pit Access
• 1- Champagne Flute Gift Set embossed with the Auto Club Speedway logo and date of your special day
• 1- Beautiful bridal bouquet & groom boutonniere set
• 1- Commemorative Photo with Best Man Michael Waltrip & Maid of Honor Miss Sprint Cup
• “First Lap of Love” in the Auto Club Speedway Wedding Tram around the track following the ceremony.

For each guest – $450

• 1- Ticket for the wedding themed Terrace Suites with food and beverage and Pit Access
• 1- Pair of specially packaged wedding favor Lug Nuts to prove “you saw two nuts get married on 10/10/10.”

For more information on the Auto Club Speedway 10/10/10 Wedding and Vow Renewal Packages call 800-944-RACE (7223).

(photo credit: Christopher_Hawkins/Flickr) The above photo is NOT a representation of the bouquet included in the ACS wedding packages)

On Sunday, I was watching a bit of the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Spring Nationals that took place in Houston, Texas. Melanie Troxel, whom I totally dig because she’s kick ass and we have the same birthday (August 31st), is sponsored by In-N-Out Burger in both Funny Car and Pro Mod. She’s leading the points standings in Pro Mod, by the way.

Anyway… The In-N-Out Burger connection got me thinking. First about how yummy their burgers are and then about how every time the NASCAR drivers are in California or Nevada they can’t NOT talk about how they all have to stop by In-N-Out at least once during their stay in the West. So I was thinking why isn’t In-N-Out Burger sponsoring like, ANYTHING in NASCAR? At least for the races at Infineon, Auto Club Speedway, Las Vegas and Phoenix?

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard Kurt Busch, Jimmie Johnson and Brian Vickers wax on and on about how they love In-N-Out.

And then I started thinking that maybe all those NASCAR groupies should forget about trying to dress all sexy in the garage & pits and just bring a bunch of In-N-Out burgers and fries (animal style, of course) with them instead. They do say that a way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, well there ya go. Nobody said you had to be the one doing the cooking.

In other news…

– ‘Fabulous’ reader Leila emailed me today and was all, “Wouldn’t Ron Malec be perfect for ABC’s next Bachelor? I would love to see it!” and I was like, “You’re totally right!” Ron would make an excellent Bachelor (as would Michael Waltrip) but I do know that as of the Sprint Cup Championship banquet last year he had a girlfriend. But still ABC should direct their attention to the world of NASCAR to look for their next Bachelor, for sure.

This week was the annual NASCAR Sprint Media Tour hosted by Charlotte Motor Speedway. I wasn’t there (trust me, I’m crying inside) and so all I have to share with you are these photos of drivers sitting in chairs. Enjoy!

(Left to right) Richard Childress Racing’s Clint Bowyer, Kevin Harvick, owner Richard Childress and Jeff Burton take part in the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Media Tour Hosted by Charlotte Motor Speedway Tuesday in Concord, N.C. (Credit: Harold Hinson Photography)
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Thursday night was the Sports Illustrated party at Pure nightclub inside of Caesars Palace. Let me do a little foreshadowing of how this evening turned out. I walked to Pure from my hotel which is right next door to Caesars, but when I returned I took a cab.

Yea, it was that kind of night. When I arrived at the party I picked up my first of what would be at least 5 Cosmopolitans. I hung out and chatted with the people I knew, various PR people for sponsors and racetracks. It was after my second drink that I spotted ESPNs Marty Smith.

Now, if you’re starting to think that I’m a lush, you would be wrong. I don’t drink that often. There is no alcohol in my apartment, save for a couple bottles of wine that I’ve had for years, one of which I only have because it was given to me and it was free. I only drink in social situations, and if it’s free even better. And like I said before, I am shy, so what would take me like 20 minutes of talking up to do sober, took only 5 seconds with a little vodka in my bloodstream. And really, really, when am I going to get an opportunity like this to talk to people just as people and not when they’re technically “working.” (more…)