I’m not going to lie, watching the 48 Lowe’s team experience failure in real time was fun. No, I don’t wish them ill and, really, really, who cares if I do? Dude, they’ve won the Championship 4 times in a row, they’ve got their place in history sealed for-ev-er. A little schadenfreude never hurt anyone.
It was clear that the 48′s cage was rattled with that pit crew swap happening in the middle of the race and watching Chad Knaus’ post-race interview was amazing. We got to find out what he looks, and sounds, like when he doesn’t have to pretend that the Championship isn’t a lock yet, because it really isn’t this time! (Ok, ok, so it’s not that different from when he’s on top, but there was a difference!)
Hehe. 
Ya know what really irks me though? It’s when I think about what could have been had Clint Bowyer’s team not received that 150 point fine. Things would be so different, it’s so frustrating! Would I prefer that Kevin Harvick won the Championship over Denny Hamlin? Yes, but I’ll take what I can get. I so wish I was going to Phoenix this week, and hell, Miami too. Just promise me that when I do get to go to every NASCAR race the Championship is as close then as it is now.
Uhm, Denny? What are you doing? What is that face?
Denny Hamlin, driver of the FedEx Office Toyota, shoots a Turnbull Revolvers in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on November 7, 2010 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCAR)
As the 
So this was my favorite driver interview with the ITAS questions, so far. Brad Keselowski drives the No. 12 Penske Dodge in the Sprint Cup Series, and the No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge in the Nationwide Series for Penske Racing. With only 3 races left, Brad is on track to win his first NASCAR Nationwide Series Championship this year (he’s 485 points ahead of Carl Edwards, so this is a lock). 
No, I’m not talking about Brett Favre’s penis. 
Travis Kvapil drives the No. 34 Long John Silver’s Ford for Front Row Motorsports in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. 
David Gilliland drives the No. 37 Taco Bell Ford Fusion for Front Row Motorsports. I got to give him the Inside the Actor’s Studio/Bernard Pivot questionnaire at Auto Club Speedway during the Pepsi Max 400 race weekend. 
I interviewed Marcos Ambrose, driver of the No. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing Toyota, right after the first practice session on the Friday before the Pepsi Max 400 at Auto Club Speedway. I got the distinct impression that he wasn’t very happy with his car and I think you might get that idea too after you check out his answers to the ITAS
Now that I’ve finally finished my writeups of the 
Saturday morning at Auto Club Speedway found me inside the Nationwide Series garage watching as drivers qualified for the CampingWorld.com 300. Driver after driver made their qualifying run and I stood by in the media bullpen area where they keep the top-3 cars. Cars shuffle in and out (and drive by) as the numbers on the pylon change order. 
It’s a new week and that means new guests on SPEED’s NASCAR Race Hub. This week you have the opportunity to submit your burning questions to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Bobby Labonte. Use the form below. The deadline for submitting questions is tomorrow, Tuesday, October 19th at 4pm EST. 
Something I’ve noticed as I go to more races is that I take less pictures. In the beginning I was taking photos of everything; tires, cars, etc. But now that I know the pain of uploading those photos to 
I’m starting something new this week. SPEED’s TV show, NASCAR Race Hub is giving you the opportunity to interview their guests each week. All you have to do is submit your questions to me and I’ll pass ‘em along to the powers that be. They’ll get the questions answered — on video! — and I’ll post it here for you to view. 
Here’s how I feel about the David Reutimann/Kyle Busch incident: Boys will be boys. 
FIRST: I am planning on attending the NASCAR race weekend at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana next week, although there is a small chance I might not make it out there. Please know that I am doing EVERYTHING I can to make it happen. 
Jimmie Johnson got to celebrate his win of the AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway with his wife, Chandra and their new almost 3-month-old baby daughter, Genevieve. It was, as expected, absolutely adorable to see Jimmie looking so lovingly at his daughter. 
The two finalists in Office Depot’s “Official Small Business of NASCAR” sweepstakes have been chosen and are attending this weekends race at Dover to find out who will be named the “Official Small Business of NASCAR” for 2010. It all depends on where Greg Biffle and Tony Stewart finish in Sunday’s AAA 400.
Absolutely loved the first race in The Chase for the Sprint Cup Series Championship! Clint Bowyer won it! Yaaay!
So, I’m guessing nobody called Carl Edwards (or Kurt Busch for that matter) to tell him that the dress code options for the Chase Media Day in New York City this week were two things: plaid shirts or black shirts. 
While I’m not sure who I “want” to win the Championship this year, I can tell you who I think will win it and who I’m sure definitely will not. 
Yea, that’s the whole story. You could have made a drinking game out of the words “loose” and “sideways” and you would of been drunk within the first 10 minutes of the race. 
This is a special photo combo post for the Bristol weekend and the Nationwide race in Montreal.
– Now is the time to bid on the firesuit and helmet worn by Tony Stewart at this year’s July 10th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Chicagoland Speedway. Just go to the brand spanking new 
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?? 
Earlier this year Mars Chocolate North America kicked off the third annual M&M’S Most Colorful Fans of NASCAR contest. You have the opportunity to win $10,000, a trip to the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina where you’ll be featured as The Most Colorful Fan™ of NASCAR for one whole year.
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. 
Jeff Gordon’s son, Leo Benjamin Gordon, was born today! The deets: 
Did you watch 
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. 
I’m kidding! Calm down Roush Fenway Racing supporters. I was just making a funny. 
The second Brad Keselowski got into Carl Edwards in turn 1 at Gateway International Raceway on Saturday I knew it was only a matter of opportunity before Carl got Brad back. So I wasn’t surprised in the least when Carl nudged Brad before the checkered flag. 
1.) Write a screenplay for a NASCAR drama starring your favorite actors and actresses. I started thinking about a film with Ben Affleck as the super hot and cocky veteran driver on a losing streak and Robert Pattinson as the super hot and young rookie who’s made the jump from Formula 1 to NASCAR and is on a hot winning streak. There would of course be their love interests, Ben’s wife played by 
People always love to talk about NASCAR needs, ‘cause NASCAR always needs something, I guess. I never like writing or talking about stuff like that because I don’t think NASCAR is in a dire situation for anything. So what’s the point of talking about what would help it if I don’t think it needs help? 
Meeting and interviewing Elliott Sadler, driver of the No. 19 Stanley Ford for Richard Petty Motorsports, was fun. Plain and simple fun. He’s a funny guy, very personable and clearly in love with his 5-month-old son, Wyatt. In addition to asking him those same 10 questions from ITAS, I asked him about being a new father and how, if at all, it’s changed his approach to racing. 
Congratulations to Chandra and Jimmie Johnson on the birth of their baby girl yesterday! They’ve yet to nail down her name so for now they’re calling her “Baby J.” Since they haven’t decided yet maybe everybody should start offering unsolicited ideas. It’s so funny, the baby is here so there’s no drama about that anymore but there’s sill suspense about what her name will be. Can’t wait to find out.
At Infineon I interviewed fellow Bay Area native AJ Allmendinger, asking him ten questions from Inside the Actor’s Studio and he had some good answers. 
The Coke Zero 400 was fun? I guess that’s the right word to describe a night that was full of crashy-crashes that seemed to take out, like, the entire field of cars. Only 17 out of 43 cars completed all 166 laps of the race. And that’s why Daytona will always be one of my absolute favorite tracks. 
Dale Earnhardt Jr. won last night’s Nationwide Series race, the Subway Jalapeno 250 Powered by Coca-Cola, driving the No. 3 Wrangler Chevrolet. It was a huge moment and a great night, a fitting tribute to Dale Earnhardt.
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. 
You can’t say I never gave you guys anything. I could of kept these for myself, but instead I’m passing them along to one lucky reader. You’ll have your very own pair of Wiley X sunglasses from their Skyee line, the same brand that NASCAR drivers like Greg Biffle, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Mark Martin and Carl Edwards wear. 
On Friday at Infineon my first questioning of the day was with David Reutimann, driver of the No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine for Michael Waltrip Racing. David is dad to his 8-year-old daughter, Emilia, and since it was Father’s Day weekend I thought it only fitting I should ask him a bonus question about what he thought was the best part of being a dad. “I don’t think there’s any downside to being a father,” he said. “I think having an opportunity, especially early on when they start talking, to show them everything that’s completely new to them, like a bird, is the most rewarding thing. And I miss it, too.”
I didn’t interview Martin Truex Jr. in person this past weekend at Infineon Raceway, but he was able to answer the questions and email ‘em to me. He’s got some very fun and interesting answers. 
On the morning of the Toyota/SaveMart 350 I attended the NASCAR Tweetup held in front of Victory Lane. It was there that I met an awesome ‘Fabulous’ reader, Angela (aka 
Oh! So this is good, remember how I said Ron Malec probably thinks I’m some crazy person following him around? Well the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevy & crew were in front of the No. 2 in line for inspection. So the entire time I’m standing with Kristen, Ron Malec is in front of us pushing the 48. I’m dead serious when I say that it was purely a coincidence and the last thing I want to be thought of is as a pit lizard. I have no desire to lick anyone’s helmet (although I’m sure that Cougar did!). I’m just an appreciator of good lookin’ dudes, so of course I took yet another photo of him (see right). 
Saturday is always my favorite day in the garage because it’s all about practice and we haven’t reached the max level of wandering people that will be around come Sunday.
I know I’ve used that title before but I love it. 
Tomorrow is day one of the Toyota/SaveMart 350 at Infineon Raceway. I’m super excited because I’ve got some cool stuff lined up and I can’t wait to write about ‘em and share it all with you guys. 
The facts as I knew them before I arrived at AT&T Park last night:
First, I must address the most amazing “Gentleman, Start Your Engines” ever PERFORMED on national television. That’s right, performed! Actors (and comedians) Kevin James and Adam Sandler were the Grand Marshals for the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400 at Michigan International Speedway and the didn’t fail to deliver what I knew would be the most entertaining command to start engines since I don’t know when. (Off topic right now but this photo, left, is the best photo of Denny Hamlin I’ve seen in quite some time. Just sayin’)
If you’ve been living under a rock, or maybe you don’t watch ESPN, you might not know that the 2010 FIFA World Cup has kicked off in South Africa. This soccer thing is a big freaking deal and the USA has a team. Of course we all want the US to do well, but interestingly enough so does Dale Earnhardt Jr. Dale is a soccer fan. I had no idea, but he really is and he’s working with adidas an their “Every Team Needs a Fan” campaign. 
I guess I was the only person who wasn’t surprised to see Joey Logano sticking up for himself on pit road this weekend at Pocono. He had a similar, albeit less obviously confrontational, 
Lugnuts, of course! That was the joke I meant to tell but forgot due to those yummy Jeremiah Weed Sweet Tea Vodka half & half (the other half is lemonade, FYI) cocktails. 
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. 
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. 
Saturday at Charlotte Motor Speedway was the day of the Nationwide Series race, the TECH-NET Auto Service 300 powered by CARQUEST. It was also the day that I forgot to put my sunscreen on and got a nice little tan. 
On Thursday night in Charlotte I was laying in my bed at the hotel willing my body to heal itself while at the same time wracking my brain trying to think of questions to ask Tony Stewart. 
On Wednesday my only goal for the day was to visit race shops. My first stop was JR Motorsports in Mooresville, NC. On my half-hour drive up to Mooresville I got to see the famous Lake Norman that numerous NASCAR drivers call home. It is absolutely gorgeous and now I totally understand why you’d want to find a house that sits next to it. I can extend the whole ‘gorgeous’ statement to the whole Charlotte area. It’s really flat, especially to someone like me who has grown up around mount this and mount that, but it’s also really, really green. I thought we had a lot of trees in Northern California but North Carolina has got a lock on ‘em too. 
The Monday after attending the inaugural induction ceremony at the NASCAR Hall of Fame I had already earmarked as being a “day off” meaning that I wasn’t going to do anything except watch daytime television and go to the mall. This made sense because when I arrived I had two straight days of events to attend. I deserved it, plus I actually needed stuff from the mall. 
Today is my last full day in Charlotte and it’s also, of course, the day of the Coca-Cola 600. I have so much to show and tell from this trip. There’s no way I’ll be able to get it out today, but I’m planning on writing stuff up as I travel back home to California tomorrow. 
I arrived at the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race to find a bajillion freaking people in the infield. Okay, maybe not a bajillion but it was a whole hell of a lot of people. Walking through the garage, okay, only one side of it (The Dale Earnhardt Jr. side, of course) was packed with fans and people that were clearly only on hand because some companies were doing some serious entertaining. Women in heels so high it was obvious they’d never been to a race before and men pointing to cars to tell those women who the drivers were but got the names wrong. Men, if you don’t know who someone is just say that you don’t know. It’s okay. The garage was filled with all kinds of people and it was seriously hard to walk like two feet. 
So this is the easiest movie review I’ve ever had to write. Why? Because the documentary film “Racing Dreams” is so wonderful. I absolutely loved it. 
Yesterday’s Crown Royal Presents the Heath Calhoun 400 was a rousing success because Tony Stewart had a new blonde girlfriend with him on pit road during the pre-race ceremonies. It’s not everyday Tony has a woman with him on pit road. Actually it’s been quite awhile since we last saw him with his arm around anyone. So yes, I’m that friggin’ nosey. 
At a press conference today, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Richard Childress, Teresa Earnhardt, and Kelley Earnhardt unveiled the No. 3 Wrangler Chevy that Dale Jr. will be driving in the Nationwide Series race at Daytona in July in honor of the late Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. 
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. 
Brian Scott drives the No. 11 AccuDoc Solutions Toyota Camry for 
It’s supercool news sharing time! I’ll be on a panel at Blogs with Balls 3 this year. Yay! This is awesome because I really love what Blogs with Balls is all about, the future of sports media. Plus I had a great time at 
– I wanted to put in my two cents about the new bookazine ESPN The Magazine published about Dale Earnhardt. In “Dale Earnhardt: The Legend Lives” I learned something new (well, new to me that is). Teresa Earnhardt started dating Dale when she was 19 and he was 27. That surprised me and it was just one piece of cool little details that could be found in the special collectible-worthy issue. It’ll be on sale through June, so be sure to pick up a copy.
Dear Talladega Superspeedway, 
Michael Annett drives the No. 15 Pilot Travel Centers Toyota Camry for 
I am absolutely in love with the little drama between Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson. Sign me up for more of that, please! I think that was my favorite part about yesterday’s racing double-header. As was Jimmie’s post-race comment about not wanting the issue between him and Jeff to be played out in the media. Good luck with that, Jimmie. I actually think Jimmie needs this, to be in a battle with someone, anyone, even a teammate. It’s far more interesting when someone’s pissed off at him. hehe. 
Scott Lagasse Jr. drives the No. 43 Ford Fusion for 
Here’s some fabulous news: The bands 
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