Happy29BudFan's Blog

This had to be the best ever kick-off to an opening season at Kansas Speedway! With some help from a new-found friend, Summer(@SummerDreyer, Twitter), we were able to enjoy a wonderful 20-25 minutes with Brett Butler, Driver of the #47 Fuel Doctor in the Camping World Truck Series, and his Wife Rachel and her Mom and Sammy(@sammyandres w/Speed) during a Tweet-Up.

I truly admire and respect any driver in any series that takes time out of their schedule to spend time with fans. Sure after the races we werent sure where to go, who to look for or how long to stay to nix the idea, but we stayed the course and accomplished!

We have had season tickets for 6 years now, and after all these years going to the IZOD Indy race I have listened to Danica and her spotter. I was so confused at first of how they communicate about the cars in front and behind them. I have never heard, until Saturday, +1, +6, and was at one time thinking they have the wave-around set up. Well, I found out that +1 and +6 defines the car length between you and the car behind you, where in Nascar you hear 3 back. I also learned that there is no wave-around and when you look at the scoring pylon and compare that to the position on the track in Indy, I was confused(and no it doesn’t take much!). The Indy race went by pretty fast and was kind of boring this year. I think the rain delay made it worse for those that went out Friday for an Autograph Session that ended up getting canceled and did not know until they showed up.

Today, Sunday, had to be the great, good, and ugly of the day!

The great part was being able to go in the infield and get Jennifer Jo Cobb’s autograph and chat with her for a few. Due to a late qualifying wreck yesterday, Jen was delayed in making the tweet up. We came up with an idea to hopefully reschedule during the Fall weekend!

It’s really cool to sit and watch or follow a local Driver that deserves anything and everything that comes her way. Jen is very humble and takes nothing for granted in life. Jen is running for Rookie of the Year as her first full year in Camping World Truck Series. Jen did had a moment in the race that made you feel bad for what happened today by stating that “We can’t win this thing, but we can salvage some points.”

The good part about the CWTS race today was the rain. It made for some pretty good, close racing with a “Green” racetrack. Everyone was side by side and the racing was awesome.

Finally, the UGLY! I truly want to point out that NASCAR today stood for Not A Sport where Communication is A Responsibility. I say that due to the fact that a spotter, who’s name and team will remain nameless, either needs to be fired or better their communication skills to that driver. How do you NOT tell the Crew Chief that the Pace Car is coming around and will put you a lap down? Once that was done, their race was still in grasps, until some bad karma and bad driving skills of other drivers. I know there is a lot to pay attention to, but when you pit, communication is the key to staying on the lead lap!

Speaking of other drivers, I am going to call out Ron Hornaday Jr. I don’t know what his issue(s) is/are, but he needs to get his head out of his rear and turn around his season. Granted losing Rick Ren to Kyle Busch Motorsports was a loss on his and Kevin Harvick’s part, but there is NO need whatsoever to cuss at your team the way you did. How would you feel Ron if someone blasted the F-bomb in every response to your statements?

These drivers need to learn to control what they say when they have children listening to them. I know it’s hard to control the emotion, but come on boys!

For those that read this I would love to have all opinions thrown at me as this has been the first article I have written in months!

Thank you again to Summer, Brett, Rachel, and Sammy! You all have made a memory that will last a lifetime!

It was good to see 43 “Mad Men” and “crybabies” take to the track to pick up where they left off in Atlanta.

I am sure I am not the only one that was tired of hearing about Carl v. Brad, which we know was not Brad’s fault.

Anyway, I would like to personally congratulate Justin Allgaier on his first, and as he said “many more to come”, win. It was a pleasure to see someone in the Nascar Nationwide Series that is well deserving of that all elusive win, win.

I would also like to mention that I was proud of Brad Keselowski not pushing the envelope with Justin to get the win himself. That may have just earned both drivers a bit of respect.

I don’t think, however, that i have seen so many problems on tires and engines in one weekend on a short track. I think Goodyear should keep records, and an idea of what they assemble for tires each year and each track, which I am sure they do, but there is no excuse for this past weekend. There had to have been a dozen or more blown tires that caused accidents and broken parts, that gave contenders a chance to be non-contenders. For example, in the Sprint Cup, the right front became a issue for Kyle and Denny as they both blew a tire and hit the wall coming out of a turn. Kyle did not know or find out until after the race that they had a broken shock. Had the tires not been an issue, maybe it was the camber? If they were the only two teams that truly had tire issues, and the other teams did not, could Denny and Kyle have had to much camber in the right front to hinder tire performance?

Of course, no one on ESPN or in the booth mentioned it, but it might come up in Martinsville. The call at the end of the race could have been made either for two or four tires and anything could have gone wrong on that pit stop. I am honestly tired of seeing a driver, yesterday, Kurt Busch, be so dominate, and lose the race. It just doesn’t seem fair for someone like Jimmie Johnson to come out of no where and lead the last 6 laps and just sweep what Kurt Busch had done all day under the rug.

I hate to say it, but expect the same thing this Sunday in Martinsville. Look for Jeff Gordon or Jimmie Johnson to be the dominating duo. I am thinking we are going to see a better race this weekend, but the two tracks cannot be compared.

If Lance can keep Dale’s head on, Junior might just have another outstanding performance and move in to the top 5 in points, but will need to lead a good portion of the race to maintain the move up!

I want to make it perfectly clear that the Talladega incident 2009 was a racing incident as two drivers were going for the win. I dont care what Pemberton says as that incident being part of this newly found rivalry.

If you go back and watch the review of the race on ESPN or other sports channel, you can clearly see at lap 42 caution, Carl Edwards clearly came down on Brad thinking he(Carl) had room to take the low line, getting bumped by Brad, which is not his(Brad) fault. Carl then moved up the track and got in to Joey Logano.

After Carl took the car to the garage to make repairs, coming back out around lap 168, There was no need for him to race with authority as he was never in position to win the race.

More towards the end of the race, around lap 320, Brad was running in the top 10 for a pretty decent finish to a long day. Carl thought otherwise and felt that he needed to payback Brad for what Brad did. Well Carl, I have nothing against you as a person, but obviously you feel there is still “give and take” in Nascar. This “give and take” went out the window a long time ago and “rubbing is racing” is still in effect. What you did was uncalled for, not only for yourself, but for Brad as well.

I know and feel Brad totally stood his ground and kept his line, as keeping the tires on the yellow line, had momentum off turn 2 when Carl came down and nudged Brad’s car. Therefore, Carl truly caused both incidents, and as many drivers, feels that he did no wrong.

With Nascar ruling that drivers have a “open-driving” policy to police their own actions, I feel that Nascar made the right decision to park Carl at the end. Of course they will keep an eye on these two and will dock points and owner points as needed, as well as put under probation if anything were to happen again.

It’s great to see a struggling driver on the Pole Position at a track that hasn’t treated him so well. Yes I am speaking of Dale Earnhardt Jr.!

This is the best start Dale has had this year, upping his 2nd place at Daytona.

We were in ATL 3 or 4 years ago when Dale had been penalized for hitting the cone, and had come in 2 other times hitting it on purpose. That had to be the funniest moment at any race that we have attended.

So far in my mind this season is off to a wonderful, but slow start.

I haven’t been to impress thus far however with Las Vegas and California. We havent been back to Las Vegas since they have raised the banking and dont plan on going to California as it is a track to big for it’s own good.

Anyway, on to Atlanta!

Dale Junior is on the Pole and Kyle Busch is on the outside. Other than baseball, this has to be the hardest sport to pick the right people, or drivers, for your Fantasy Leagues.

This week out of my four leagues or games, I have picked Dale Jr, Mark Martin, Jimmie Johnson, Carl Edwards, Jeff Gordon, and Kevin Harvick.

Everyone is expecting Jimmie Johnson to run the field and win his 5th Championship. Well, I hate to tell you all, but this is not his drive for 5 nor Jeff Gordon’s. This is the year of Tony “Smoke” Stewart. Eventhough Tony has had a sub-par beginning, I feel that he will continue the dominance from last year!

We shall see what todays Kobalt 500 brings from Atlanta!!!

Have a great race weekend everyone!

Well the first week is over, and it was something spectacular!

I am not going to go in to details about the past two weeks, but I will Congratulate Jamie McMurray for winning the Daytona 500! It was great to see the unexpected of many to put their name on the Harley J. Earl Trophy and soak their hands in cold concrete for the Daytona 500 Experience!

This weekend teams are headed to California. Home of a track that doesn’t have great attendance due to location and size. With the seating attendance totaling 92,100, the lowest recorded attendance is around 60,000. Everyone has stated in the past years that the Auto Club Speedway/California Speedway should have been built as a 1 1/2 mile track or relocated to a larger populated area. Either way you look at it, I think everyone is correct. It’s not to far from Los Angeles, but Riverside, Ca. is a bit too far south to me. I know track representatives in the past have stated they would not relocate and will do everything in its power to keep it’s spots in the schedule. We shall see what this weekend brings for NASCAR to keep the two races in tact.

I haven’t been to pleased in past years with how the racing has gone. It seems a bit like Texas Motor Speedway, who ever is out front stays out front and wins. Let’s hope this weekend turns out to be a fuel mileage race or another G-W-C repeat!

This year I don’t see a repeat or past winner outside of the Rousch-Fenway group. I do however see Carl Edwards or Matt Kenseth winning, as well as someone that hasnt had great luck at the 2 mile track, Dale Jr.

After last weeks performance, I truly believe Junior has pulled the wool over his head to see the light this year and will make all fans proud this year!

My top picks to win:

Carl Edwards, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Ryan Newman, Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano

Thank you to all of the readers and your comments! Truly Appreciated!