Saturday was IndyCar qualifying and the first of two IndyCar Lights races, the Carneros 100 and the Valley of the Moon 100.

For qualifying I hunkered down with $8 chili cheese fries in the lunch tent. They were absolutely delicious, although it totally didn’t help my self-esteem when the Infineon Raceway umbrella girls had to walk in with their skimpy outfits and fatless bodies while I was eating them. I got over it though because I was hungry and their job is to hold up an umbrella, so whatever.

This weekend was my introduction to the Firestone IndyCar Lights series. You should see the guys in this league. Ladies, these guys are serious hotties. They’ve got more eligible bachelors than you can shake a stick at. Yes, yes, the racing is all fine and good. But these guys are really cute. Have you seen Arie Luyendyk Jr.?? Richard Antinucci? Dillon Battistini? Raphael Matos? Logan Gomez? Dude, you need to. Get yourself to an IndyCar Lights race tout de suite! There’s only one race left this season, so uh it’s Chicagoland or wait till next year.

Okay, I’m laying it on a little thick, but not really.

Right before the IndyCar Lights race ended the apparent head of security for IndyCar barked orders to everyone in the area of the winner’s circle. I think watching him might have been more entertaining than the race itself. I have never encountered someone in NASCAR who has the same level of responsibility as this guy seemed to have. From a little Google search I gleaned that this guy is known as Security Chief Charles. His reputation and ability to corral and move the drivers along to their next destination seems to be the stuff of legend. He is pretty intimidating I must say.

So I have one funny story to share, well it’s funny to me. Not so much bust out laughing funny, but more ha-ha funny. After IndyCar qualifying concluded and Helio Castroneves received his pole award he was ushered to the media center (by Security Chief Charles of course). On his way over, he was followed by a woman yelling “Helio! Helio! Will you sign my shirt?!!?!” To which Helio responded in a loud boisterous voice, his arm up stretched with one finger pointed, “Yes! I will!” and walked right into the media center.

That tickled me. You had to be there. He eventually came out after the media press conference was done and signed the woman’s shirt.

Logan Gomez walks to the garage after finishing fifth in the Carneros 100 on Saturday, August 23, 2008 at Infineon Raceway. (photo credit: The Fast and the Fabulous)

Raphael Matos speaks with the press after finishing second in the Carneros 100 on Saturday, August 23, 2008 at Infineon Raceway. (photo credit: The Fast and the Fabulous)

Richard Antinucci speaks to the press after finishing third in the Carneros 100 on Saturday, August 23, 2008 at Infineon Raceway. (photo credit: The Fast and the Fabulous)

Helio Castroneves heads into the media center on Saturday, August 23, 2008 at Infineon Raceway. (photo credit: The Fast and the Fabulous)

Helio Castroneves leaves signs autographs on Saturday, August 23, 2008 at Infineon Raceway. (photo credit: The Fast and the Fabulous)

Marco Andretti asks Danica Patrick’s husband a quick question after qualifying on Saturday, August 23, 2008 at Infineon Raceway. (photo credit: The Fast and the Fabulous)

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And now for my IndyCar at Infineon adventure. Friday was dedicated mostly to practice for the IndyCar teams, and because of that it meant that the garage was dead. You’ve never seen a cleaner garage in your life. Things didn’t get interesting there until Sunday when the teams actually had to use it for preparation before the race.

So the really big deal was the press conference set up to unveil Firestone’s new “Magic Circle.” They’re the tires they created specifically for the top drivers who are still in the hunt for the IndyCar Championship. The tires have a white wall on the outside so that they can be easily spotted in the field during a race. Just another way the fans can keep track of the Championship contenders. Before Sunday’s race there were 4 drivers mathematically still in the hunt — Tony Kanaan, Dan Wheldon, Scott Dixon and Helio Castroneves.

So I decided to stand outside of Victory Lane where the media had gathered for the announcement. I just wanted to try and get good shots of the drivers as they made their way over. What I didn’t know was that I managed to situate myself in the precise spot they were all going to stop their little motorcycles and scooters. Scott Dixon was the first guy to roll onto the scene right behind me. I find him to be incredibly cute and I can’t believe we’re the exact same age; he always strikes me as being a lot older. Then there was Helio who as far as I’m concerned seems to be totally over the whole Dancing with the Stars hubbub. Everyone loves to bring it up with him but he never goes into it and I can understand why. It’s been forever ago and he’s a race car driver, and that’s what he’s really about.

Finally Scott Wheldon rode up with his wife Susie on the back of his Target scooter/bike thingy. Instead of going around all the bikes where there was more room to walk, he had to walk on the inside of them causing me to try and squeeze myself against the Victory Lane fence. I think my bag hit him, but that’s what he gets.

Scott Dixon’s scooter on Friday, August 22, 2008 at Infineon Raceway. (photo credit: The Fast and the Fabulous)

Dan Wheldon and his wife Susie roll in for the ‘Magic Circles’ media event on Friday, August 22, 2008 at Infineon Raceway. (photo credit: The Fast and the Fabulous)

Helio Castroneves arrives at the ‘Magic Circles’ media event on Friday, August 22, 2008 at Infineon Raceway. (photo credit: The Fast and the Fabulous)

Scott Dixon walks in to the ‘Magic Circles’ media event on Friday, August 22, 2008 at Infineon Raceway. (photo credit: The Fast and the Fabulous)

Scott Dixon and Tony Kanaan pose for photographers during the ‘Magic Circles’ unveiling on Friday, August 22, 2008 at Infineon Raceway. (photo credit: The Fast and the Fabulous)

No outfit is complete without pockets!

Dan Wheldon speaks to the media on Friday, August 22, 2008 at Infineon Raceway. (photo credit: The Fast and the Fabulous)

Ha! That’s what I have to say about Carl Edwards bump & run move on Kyle Busch at the end of the Sharpie 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend. It was awesome.

To be totally honest with you, I didn’t want either of them to win. I’m still jonesin for new winner to step up this season.

But back to the end of the race, and Kyle losing after leading for 415 laps, I have to say it’s a bit of karmic justice. I mean, I’m sorry but the guy is a freaking tool. See, I didn’t forget what happened back at Richmond this year. I don’t feel sorry for him. He’s won 8 friggin’ races this year. Yes, it sucks to lead all of those laps and have the race taken away but such is life.

I’m glad Carl didn’t apologize. He made it clear that he meant to do what he did. It makes things more interesting I think in the long run and more specifically for the Pepsi 500 on Sunday (yippee!). I’m so glad I’m going to be there.

I really, really, really want to go to Bristol next year. It looks like so much fun and because of the lack of space in the infield, you’d get to really be in the middle of it all.

Actor/Comedian/TV Host Drew Carey has been named the Grand Marshal for the Pepsi 500 at Auto Club Speedway next week and Chris Cornell, former lead singer of the bands Audioslave and Soundgarden, is going to perform before the race.

Now, let me think, who am I more excited about seeing? Hmm… Drew Carey or Chris Cornell?? Ha! Chris Cornell? Yes, please! Don’t get me wrong, Drew is funny but Chris is… Have you seen the photo below?? I’ve had a crush on that guy since his Temple of the Dog days. *sigh*

Drew Carey (left) and Chris Cornell (right) (Cornell photo from ChrisCornell.com)

I’m sure you’ve all seen that Shell Pennzoil commercial featuring Kevin Harvick, ya know, the one where he picks up the Shell engineers from their homes to take them to work but refuses to turn right. I have to say he’s pretty adorable when he says “I hate engine gunk.”

So did you notice Kevin sporting a new hat at Watkins Glen a couple weeks ago? His hat (as seen in the photo at left) promotes Shell’s new Americans for a Gunk-Free Nation (AGFN) program. The purpose is to protect the nation’s engines from gunk.

I’m not mechanically inclined, so I just make sure to choose gasoline that is made with high level cleaning agents, the kind of stuff you can find at Shell.

Ok, so now the good part: The great folks at Shell have given me five (5) Americans for a Gunk-Free Nation hats autographed by Kevin Harvick to give away! So don’t think, just enter the contest today. The contest ends on September 30, 2008. The contest has ended

To learn more about living gunk-free check out the Americans for a Gunk-Free Nation website.

But first a word about Saturday night’s Sharpie 500 at Bristol.

So the consensus amongst the drivers is that since Bristol was repaved in 2007 there are now multiple places to run on the track and therefore you can truly race on it.

Well that’s all fine and well, really it is, but I’m always a fan of people getting frustrated and getting into fist fights after the race. Hehe.

In other news…

– This is kind of random but it hit me that at some point this season or next, we’re going to see The Jonas Brothers at a NASCAR race. I’m just sayin’ think about it, ESPN is owned by ABC which is a subsidiary of Disney who are responsible for putting their faces everywhere, including the The Little League World Series the other day, which is where this whole thought process came from. Thank you.

– IndyCar comes to the San Francisco Bay Area this weekend and I’m excited! I’m picking up my credentials on Friday and then I’ll be there all weekend. Check in for updates!