I have a deep and seriously irrational love for the Clocked in with Tony Stewart & the Burger King Smoky Cheddar Steakhouse XT commercial.

It makes me smile every time I see it. Maybe it’s because it’s, like, the only NASCAR-related ad I ever see while I’m watching non-NASCAR-related television shows. Or maybe it’s because I adore the expression on Tony’s face when he says, “Just a sandwich or the meal?”

Or do I love that woman who recognizes Tony and tells him she loves him? I think it’s all of that. I love it!

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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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The awesome guys over at NASCAR This Week with Monte Dutton asked me to submit a guest post as Monte was out on vacation for a while. I obliged and they’ve posted the article on their site. Go check it out. I answered the 10 Inside the Actor’s Studio questions. It’s a fun thing to do, I really had to think about my answers more than I thought I would. Let me know what you think.

In other news…

– Jamie McMurray will be driving a supercool, never-been-done-before paint scheme this weekend at Pocono. Jamie’s No. 1 AXE Twist Chevy will feature paint that changes color based on the temperature outside. The changing colors of the AXE logo simulates how AXE’s new fragrance for men changes over time. That sounds really interesting, I wanna know how AXE’s fragrance smells and how it changes. Someone send me a dude (preferably hot, tall and single) that I can test this with. kthx.

– Phoenix International Raceway has partnered with Queers4Gears.com to offer a special ticket offer to the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual and Transgender) community. Ticket prices start at $25 for PIR’s November 14th NASCAR Kobalt Tools 500.

International Raceway (PIR) has partnered with Queer4Gears.com to offer special discounted tickets to their Lesbian and Gay race fans to attend the NASCAR Kobalt Tools 500 on Sunday, November 14, 2010. With this special discount, admission for the race starts at $25.00.

The track has been working on this promotion with Queer4Gears.com, a website devoted to gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and trans-gendered, also collectively known as LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual and Transgender) NASCAR fans.

PIR recognizes that they have a very diverse fan base and they want to reach out to all of them. While covering the Subway Fresh Fit 500 in April, Queer4Gears.com founder, Michael Myers began conversations with Phoenix International Raceway officials.

To his knowledge, Myers said that this will be the first time that any NASCAR sanctioned facility has reached out to fans in the L.G.B.T. community.

“Just a small push like including the L.G.B.T. community on the official web site of Phoenix International Raceway is a step in the right direction for uniting the different stereotypes that surround the racetracks on a weekly basis” said Queer4Gears.com founder Michael Myers.  “I applaud Phoenix International Raceway for what they are trying to do and it definitely will speak volumes towards the gay race fans. It is a big first step.”

Go to www.phoenixraceway.com/LGBT for more information.

I’m kidding! Calm down Roush Fenway Racing supporters. I was just making a funny.

But seriously, super huge congratulations to Jamie McMurray for winning the Brickyard 400 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway yesterday. Kudos to him and his team for winning a race that further cements a place for him in NASCARs history.

Now, can I talk about Victory Lane or Winner’s Circle at Indy? It’s really lame. It seems like a complete afterthought, like they finished making the hugh jass pagoda and then were all, “Ohh, where are we gonna do Victory Lane? Let’s wedge it over there since we made the stage for the anthem and the command to start engines needlessly large and round.” (more…)

Everyday, at least that’s what it feels like, I get press releases or newsy items about teams, sponsors, charities and drivers in the world of racing. I probably get around to posting like 10% of it. It’s not because it’s bad or uninteresting it’s just that I don’t have time to post ‘em all. So that’s why I created a new sub-section here for The Fast and the Fabulous called ‘Fabulous’ News. It’s where you, your friends and PR people can post any kind of newsy news and press releases for everyone to read.

This way you don’t have to wait for me to post ‘em. They still have to be approved before they’re shown on the site but they won’t go through my filter so it’s still a lot better than languishing in my email box.

Of course, if something piques my interest I’ll still highlight it here in the main area of The Fast and the Fabulous. (more…)

Dear Crew Members,

In light of the latest Nationwide Series crew member that has been suspended for violating NASCAR’s substance abuse policy, all I can say is this:

STOP USING DRUGS! And if you haven’t used any drugs, good for you!

Thanks,
xoxo Valli