The Ultimate Race Fan

Seattle NHRA O'reailly Northwest Nationals 2011

2011-08-14T21:10:00.002-06:00

Yes we went to Seattle again to watch the NHRA Northwest Nationals.

Somethingi made

2011-06-25T10:20:00.001-06:00

In the News

2011-04-13T12:00:00.005-06:00

Well reading the paper today I always have to laugh at the stupidly of the human race sometimes and politicians in general. Like take for example the Canadian political race, all started cause the other parties don't want to or never will agree with whoever is voted in as Prime Minister. What a waste why even vote for these guys. And like I said before they all look like criminals and act like them. Now interesting I say that as in the front page of the paper today one of the criminals is quoted as saying in the debate last night:

"I don't know why we need so many prisons when the crooks seem so happy in the Senate"...........Actual quote!

Now another thing that has me stirred up today is the fact that the nuclear crisis in Japan hasn't taught anyone anything. I mean nuclear energy was originally developed to kill people was it not (Hiroshima and Nagasaki 1945). So whoever thought it was safe to use as a power source should be shot. Cause what do you do with spent fuel rods. Well some brainiac decided to store it in Big Lakes Northern Alberta. Albert doesn't have nuclear plants but we they have to store someone else's nuclear waste. Good one!. Now here is some quoted facts from the news today which most of us know already but here goes:

"Spent fuel bundles or rods become highly radioactive after they're used to produce electricity and remain a potential health risk for hundreds of thousands of years."

Hmmmm 100000 years good job!

"Canada produces 85000 used fuel bundles per year" Bundles not rods. How many rods in a bundle?
Well I feel sorry for people in a few hundred years who are going to have to live with this stuff.........

Japan Earthquake

2011-03-13T09:48:00.002-06:00

Well like anyone else I feel sorry for the people of Japan to have to live through the disaster of the Earthquake there. I know the power of Earthquakes and and that they can strike anytime without warning.
So with Japan laying alongside a fault line and being exposed to earthquakes yearly with the possibly of a "Big one" why on earth would they build nuclear reactors there? It seem to me that there is no way they can keep any kind of structure immune to the destruction of a 9.0 earthquake. It just boggles the mind why they would even consider it and now with the meltdown underway , I hope it all works out but a meltdown can't be good.
Now as Alberta has talked about nuclear power and building a nuclear plant in Fort Macmurray, gee.....good job! Have they thought about how to cool the fuel rods when the Bow River dries up in ten years? No ocean to try to pump from. And still there is the problem of what to do with the nuclear waste and spent fuel rods. Some countries bury them in the ocean, I guess Alberta will just throw them away in the landfill like everything else........
C'mon people.enough is enough.........and what is the real reason behind nuclear reactors?
Weapons

10 years ago

2011-02-18T20:26:00.007-07:00

All NASCAR fans know what happened 10 years ago today on Feb 18 2001. The day a legend passed away from a racing accident at Daytona Speedway. And the day Micheal Waltrip won his first Daytona 500. Well he won again tonight in the Camping World truck Series ironically 10 years to the day his friend and car owner died.

All NASCAR fans miss you Dale.

Congrats to Micheal Waltrip on winning the truck race in Daytona

Nascar.com

Well Look what I found (wife found) Racing history

2010-12-12T14:45:00.007-07:00

Well it's amazing what you will find when you do some pre Xmas cleanup around the house. My wife asked me waht was in this envelope and I looked inside and said Wholy s---! (crap). These were pictures of a racecar that my dad built a roll cage in in our driveway. The guys that crewed on thie car worked with my dad and he was a welder so he was asked if he could build a roll cage. These pics brought back many memories as I remember the car in the driveway for weeks and my dad working on it after work and on weekends. I remember we were so excited to have a race car in the driveway for so many weeks!
It was sponsored by a local bar on the outskirts of Victoria, B.C. called the Six Mile, which was minutes from the local racetrack Western Speedway. My brother and I were so jealous that my Dad has his name on the car that we complained ours wasn't on there as we helped dad in the driveway on the car. So eventually on the taillights we each had our names painted on, one on each taillight. When dad finished the rollbar he took my brother and I for a spin around the neighborhood in it. Of course those were years ago and times have changed as we couldn't do that now with all the whiners in the world but it was cool at the time.

One day at work about 15 years ago when I lived in Victoria and was working at the same place as my dad and the guys that worked on this car, LArry came up to me and said I thought you might like these. It was these pics of this car which I was about 7 or 8 or 9 when it was being built and it was here from which I got my Racing bug and have been a racing fan ever since as we used to go to the track and watch it race every weekend.

Well racing over for another year

2010-11-21T15:44:00.002-07:00

Well today is officially the last day of the NASCAR season and NHRA finished up last weekend.
Congrats to the NHRA winners, John Force, Greg Anderson and Larry Dixon.

Now as far as the NASCAR chase goes, I really hate that new format they have. It seems to owrk with NHRA but in NASCRA I don't know. Jimmie Johnson wasn't even close to being first before the points were reset at the start of the chase. I dunno call me old fashioned but if you can win races and a championship at the end of a whole season without being 5000 points ahead of 33 other drivers then I think you deserve to win, but being reset at 5000 points and the top 10 being 5 point intervals of each from 1-10 place to me is garbage!

And one other thing as obviously the chase is going to be around a while what is up with TSN in Canada not showing any races on TV during the chase. I think they showed 3 out of the 10. They used to have most of them and ABC or NBC would have the rest. IS this some plot to get people buy new TV packages cause the races are now on TV packages that cost more? What happened to basic cable providing everything we need sports wise? I see now here in Canada the Sportnet has Sportsnet 2 and TSN2 which are having hockey games and races I don't currently sunscribe to. Don't really wanna upgrade to get 15 other channel i don't watch and one that I will..............

Just ramblin

2010 Northwest Nationals Seattle Wa.

2010-07-17T14:59:00.020-06:00

So here we were again at our home away from home in Seattle at Pacific Raceways where the 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing series is running the Northwest Nationals. This is the greatest thing since sliced bread watching 300+ top fuel cars race down a track with 8000+ horsepower each!.

We flew in Friday morning got our rental car, checked into the hotel and then off to the track (with a quick pit stop at am pm mini mart to grab some beer for the cooler for the after race festivities in the parking lot!) and we were there by noon. Just in time to for Top Fuel qualifying. There is a certain sound top fuel cars make and i tis music to my ears to hear 8000 horsepower fire up and take on a hot greasy track. we watched the days events and wandered around , bought some t-shirts and then headed off to the car at the end of the day. Back to hotel for a well needed rest. Oh well first we have to go to dinner at out favorite watering hole in the area.

Saturday morning comes quickly and yea maybe were a little older and been doing this for 12 years so getting out of bed is harder early in the morning, or maybe it was the hangover from the awesome drinks they pour at the neighborhood pub. But for whatever reason the plan was to be at the track before 9:00 am, but my wife moves slower than me in the morning so the more I pushed the later she was., hahah. I wonder if she was doing it on purpose, nahhhhhh. Anyway when we get to the track we got shoved way in the back of the parking lot and was a hell of a walk to the track. we ended up catching a ride with somoene with a golf cart to the car after the day was over. All in all the day was good and hot as it was on friday.

Anyway after another night in the bar we decided to get to the track early (like 7:30am) so we could be on ESPN NHRA today show.
Then as we were walking around in the morning after the showing of NHRA today we decide to go our own ways to do our thing, me to get more nitro fumes as they warm up the cars and the wife was going to go back to her seat. I was to meet her there before the opening ceremonies. Well as I am heading to my seat behind the burnout box I noticed that the wife is not there but can hear the announcers on stage with the prerace festivities asking a woman what her name was. Guess what I hear? My name is Pink Chick! I go what the hell has my wife got into now! So I walk around to the front of the stage where the Geco powersports team are doing some dance contest with two ladies and teh announcers and my wife is one of them!
It was kind of funny to watch but still she had fun and we got a couple shirt out of the deal.

The morning was cool and perfect conditions for racing. I htink the first 3 or 4 pairs of cars that went down the track all had 300+mph speeds and quick times. No oil downs everything was going great, then the sun strted coming out and warming the track. Speeds were going down a bit but racing was still good.

There was even a cacklefest there with some of the old cars that use to race up there in the Pacific Northwest years ago. And a little Pro Stock controversy with the way the track was prepped forced the Pro Stock 1st round to go to the pits and return later in the day to run their rounds.

But as fun as the weekend was I am sure any race fan has heard by now, there was a tragic accident during the semi finals of the Top Alcohol dragster class. Mark Niver on his round and when he pulled the chutes they came right off the car and he had to press on the brakes hard to slow down, but unfortunately he crashed into the catch nets at the end of the track and succumbed to his injuries. Ending the weekend on a sad note was very emotional for all who were there (it was birthday as well and I will always have this tragic memory with me) and we our all very sorry for the loss of this long time racer. Story here.
We had been in Seattle when he won a couple years ago at that track in 2008.

He did what he loved and now is racing with the angels and we wish the Niver family our deepest sympathies.

Here's to Mark Niver

Will have pics posted on Flickr site soon

NHRA Story » Accident claims life of Alcohol Dragster competitor in Seattle

2010-07-12T01:16:00.000-06:00

NHRA Story » Accident claims life of Alcohol Dragster competitor in Seattle

RIP Ronnie James Dio

2010-05-18T10:42:00.002-06:00

Is a sad day when an Icon passes on, but not in our hearts. Metal legends never die just get heavier

New Spoiler in Martinsville

2010-03-21T21:34:00.003-06:00

NASCAR is finally going to put the old style spoilers back on th enew style cars at Martinsville this weekend. It should prevent cars from going over when the cars get turned around backwards. But I have another theory: Is the new spoiler going to throw some teams for loop as the aerodynamocs could be changed at the rear end of the car and some shock packages may need changing. eIs Jimmie Johnson going to be as dominant as he is now? Or is he going to flounder and other teams come to the forefront.

NASCAR Puts 99 Edwards on Probation

2010-03-09T10:33:00.006-07:00

NASCAR's Mike Helton speaks out about the incident at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday.

For this article spoiler and wing relate to the same meaning of the new wings on the car of tomorrow:

He also says they are looking into the incident which the 12 car went airborne, which has never happened at Atlanta as far as I can remember. Well I have a theory on why:
The new spoilers NASCAR has on the new cars they are using are like a big upside airplane wing and mounted like they are it creates downforce. Turn the car around at over 180mph and the wing essentially becomes the same as as airplane and creates lift especially as the wing has a space between the trunk lid and bottom of the wing. Yes the roof flaps deploy when the car is turned backwards but the air still gets under the wing and picks the car up. The wing also sticks out he back of the car a little as well. Look at the video of Sunday's race and in slow motion you can see the wing as the car turned around backwards the pressure of the air bending the the wing as it picks the car up.

NHRA Top Fuel dragsters run on the upside down wing theory for their for the high tall wings they use to create downforce but if one ever got backwards...........

Anyway NASCAR is going to change the rear wing (spoiler) in the near future this year, but sooner would be better. A solid spoiler like the ones of the old car would prevent the air rushing under the wing and picking the car up, and the air would be forced to go to the roof flaps like it was designed.

On a side note:
I know NASCAR has said they did extensive research on these cars going over backwards with the new wing like at Daytona and Talladega last year and Atlanta this year and before they built them and have said that they have no conclusive evidence taht is the problem but it doesn't take much to see (and I seen enough NASCAR shows to know about aerodynamics) that when the car turns around backwards the air goes between the wing and the trunk lid and does not get all the air over the roof and into the roof flaps as was designed for.

Just my opinion, but makes sense and Darrell Waltrip eluded to it as well. As NASCAR has a 2 week break before Bristol they should speed up the process of installing the new spoilers before Bristol.

World Of Wheels 2010

2010-02-23T20:17:00.004-07:00

Yes it is that time of year I look forward to in the winter the time when the WOrld Of Wheels comes to town for their annul car show.I experimented with some different angles on cars this time and came up with these pictures I think are not too shabby.

Some more vids of me playuing guitar

2010-02-22T23:07:00.006-07:00

Here some Vids of me playing some tunes by Dokken.

2010 Racing season

2010-01-21T13:50:00.008-07:00

Well I think the racing gods have finally answered everyone's prayers.
NASCAR is bringing back the spoiler and getting rid of that big wing. I think that the wing was depremental the racing last year and some races looked more like a Formula 1 race. The spoiler should create better racing. Also bigger restrictor plates at Daytona and no more bu,mp drafting rules.

NASCAR Complete Story here

In NHRA news after a complete success in Charlotte with the 4 wide racing exibition with the 4 lanes at ZMAX raceway they are now going to implement it at the nHRA 4wide NAtionals in March. I should get my tix now! That will be bloody awesome!

Complete story here

Me jamming

2010-01-10T16:21:00.001-07:00

Ok I ain't no professional musician, I am teaching myself as I go along in life but I do enjoy playing guitar and always looking for new guitars to buy. But anyway here is a video of me playing along side one of Eric Clapton songs. I think it is a Don Williams cover. This is me playing on my Ibanez RG350DX and Peavey Vyper amp.

Xmas Blogging

2009-12-30T09:58:00.005-07:00

Well another Xmas has come and gone and 2009 is rapidly coming to a close. What will 2010 have n store? Who knows?. But hopefully Dale Earnhardt Jr. will win some races! He has employed Danica Patrick to race a limited schedule in 2010 in his Nationwise car.

Team Canada's Olympic hockey team is being anounced today so hopefully we will win olympic gold in hockey even though the NHL is being shutdown for a week.

On Xmas morning I was experimenting with my camera and took some morning pictures of teh sunrise. Here are a couple:

Backwards Calgary

2009-11-17T10:14:00.003-07:00

It never ceases to amaze me the powers that be in Calgary how greedy they are. Just when they think they are giving you a break they take from you in another way. Take for example the new parking rates downtown. they give yo a .75 discount for the first half hour then raise it for any hour after that. It still averages 5.00 hour. Who would want to go downtown for that price. and then they want to charge for after hours and Sundays.The leaders of the city of "steers and queers" has once again flipped their wig and lined their pockets! Not to mention a stupid candy cane looking bridge that will cost millions of dollars to build which is not needed cause there are other bridges walking distance away.

48 unstoppable, NHRA kings crowned

2009-11-17T09:50:00.005-07:00

Well it looks as though the 48 of Jimmie Johnson is a shoe in for his 4 th straight Sprint Cup title, although I think that the new chase format is a farce, it is what it is. Jimmie Johnson had it won before the chase started with he way he was running. Although mathematically Mark Martin has a chance to catch him the 48 has to finish 25 or better making Mark Martin's chances slim, but I hope he could do it. If anyone deserves a championship it is Mark Martin.

NHRA Champs crowned in Pomona

In Top Fuel Dragster Tony Shumacher won his 6th consecutive T/F title. A first in NHRA history. Alan Johnson was a major influence in those years but this year with new crew chief and crew he still pulled it off. Definately a threat in teh T/F dragster ranks.

The Funny Car title went to Robert Hight his first Funny Car title.

The Pro Stock Title went to Mike Edwards also his first NHRA Championship.

Congratulations to the 2009 NHRA winners.

Old bands get better with age

2009-11-13T15:54:00.005-07:00

Well the old adage that things get better with age certainly holds true in the case of certain bands. I have seen alot of older bands and they all do well in their late 50's and 60's. And last night we seen KISS. A true pioneer band in the way stage performances and rock shows should be. And they still have the blood and stage show as always with breaking guitars and lights and pyrotechnics. They did alot of older songs and a few newer ones and they still can kick it when called upon. KISS with the leadership of Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons is a marketing genius in the fact they had makeup in the 70's, sold dolls and KISS cards, all their KISS shirts and stuff plus comic books. Then in the 80's they took their makeup off and toured and made records and now with the absence of two key figures (Ace and Peter) they put all the old costumes on and amkeup and bring back the days of old with a modern flare. Genius. Of course they probably made millions in the 70's already but now they have more millions and millions of new fans young and old.

Rembrance Day thoughts

2009-11-04T09:51:00.006-07:00

Well Remembrance Day is coming soon and and I wonder how many people and companies in Calgary will make their staff work this day and not pay them double time. C'mon Calgary, I know lots of companies are open for business on this day but if wasn't for the people dying for our country you woudn't have a business to run. If there was only one stat holiday to be observed this would be it. It should be mandatory to take this day off. I know the mentallity of Calgarians is to work til they die but this is ridiculous to think you can't take a moment out to remembe rthe fallen soldiers of Canada who have shaped the country.

Calgary blunders

2009-10-15T21:55:00.002-06:00

Another October another snow storm and the city not prepared, hard to belive! I know for a fact that the winter shifts haven't started yet so therefore there was no sanders on the road til 6 am. And then they don't plow the roads just salt them and make a mess.

Oh and the city wants to save 50 million dollars on budgets but going to spend 50 million on two ugly bridges. Go figure.

Nascar Hall of Fame

2009-10-15T21:46:00.003-06:00

Well the only time that I vote is during or for sports figures or teams hahah. So naturally I was one of a few hundred thousand voters wwho voted on the inaugural NASCAR hall of fame nominees. Yes I did vote for Dale Earnhardt sr. and Richard Petty, both who were inducted into the hall of fame's first year class. Three others were inducted as well. So 2 out of five were people voted for. Of course there is planty of drivers to choose from an dwill all probably be there in time but only allowing five at a time each year it may take some time for some of the origional drivers to make i there but I am sure thet will get there in time as they are all deserving of it!

Congrats to Chevy winning the manufacturers championship in nASCAR again!

A little bit of things

2009-10-06T16:46:00.002-06:00

Well hopw about those Habs? 2 and 0 to start the season and in Calgary tonite. No need to know who I am voting for! How about that race in Memphis for teh NHRA countdown to 1. Could Tonu Pedregon get any hotter when he was on fire. Itblew the body right off and in the air. I seen Larry MInor do that in Seattle a few years back. And how about Jaun Pablo Montoya, 3rd in points chase and getting strong every race. Too bad for Dale jr. though, qualified 2 nd and ended up 36 after leading 41 laps. That's how the ball bounces I guess, or in hos case the lug nuts that weren't on tight.

I'm Jealous

2009-10-05T19:12:00.002-06:00

So it seems to me that as big a HAB fan that I am that I would be entitiled to a new jersey that my wife won but to no avail!
So I guess I will have to order one. Hey it is also an aunthentic Reebok jersey!

My First Country Concert

2009-09-20T08:11:00.004-06:00

Well let me just start by saying I am a total heavy metal fan who loves bands like SLAYER, METTALICA, TRIVIUM, GWAR, DEVIL DRIVER, and any 80's hair metal bands. But when the wife said she wanted to take me to Keith Urban I said "what the hell, I took you to see Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden, but you will have to come see GWAR with me!" (we still in discussions about that one!)

So as we enter the Saddledome and walk thru the door I 'm waiting for some butchy lesbian to pat me down. Hey no security check , whats up with that? You mean I could have smuggled in a bottle of rum? Or some Roman Candles? Oh yeah I guess it is a country thingy. We get a alcoholic bevvy at the bar and find our seats. The crowd seems tamer than at a Megadeth show but I give it time. The first band that comes on is Lady Anabella. I thought it lacked a little energy although there was a smokin hot female singer there. Now don't get me wrong, some of the new country artists are good and country music today is not really country music it is more country rock per say with the hard rhythm sections heavy bass, drums but with a twangy guitar that reminds you it is still country genre. Once the first act is over I decide it time for another beer and a pit stop in the restroom.

Now this is where it gets interesting. I go to the restroom and there is no lineup but for the ladies restrooms it is lined up for ages. How can this be? When I went to see Iron Maiden I didn't even try to use the restrooms or would still be line up today waiting to get in! As I am in there (the restroom )I notice some females coming out of the entrance way. I had to check the sign on the door to make sure it was teh mens room. AS I go inside there are 6 other ladies in there, first thing I said was awesome! We finally have unisex bathrooms like in Ally Macbeal! But I guess cause the women's can was too long of a lineup....when u got to go........this was a switch though cause I am used to using the women's can in these situations where the men's room is lined up forever, and in a few local watering holes around town (that was another story though).

Finally Keith Urban starts his show with a riveting guitar riff by his electric guitar player and show carries on. There is a certain stench in the air that seems to be missing, a certain haze if you will, and seeing as there was no security check I figured it would look like Cheech and Chong were there. But no. Well the beer replaces all that missing haze effect and it still tastes the same and goes down the same and comes out the same as at a rock concert so say what the hell, on with the show. Now I have to admit Keith Urban is one hell of a guitar player and as I am self teaching myself guitar I appreciate more and more the efforts of players from all genres of music. So to see a country act like him shred out some solos like Steve Vai, well I had to be impressed. He kind of has a Jimmy Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Stevie Vai kind of mix to him or at least that what I thought. I would love to see if could play with the likes of Kirk Hammett or Dave Mustane. Bet he could. So I was impressed by the show and his playing ability and hearing those songs on the radio doesn't do much justice but to hear him play live well it was a whole new world. Like a bunch of musician's who want to be hard rock but got left behind on the c-train station with a bunch of country hicks (well it is Calgary) and got introduced to Country music. But like I said before it isn't country but more of Country Rock.

I would defiantly go see him again and now the wife wants me to learn Keith Urban songs on the guitar! Well if it gets me the female fans knocking my door down then why not!
Sorry hun, you're my my only fan!

NASCAR'S COT Car is boring

2009-07-27T16:23:00.005-06:00

Just My Opinion

Is it just me or is NASCAR getting boring. That new peice of crap car they have should be called the "Crap of Tomorrow" instead of the "Car of Tomorrow" (C.O.T) I mean really now, look at the restarts a car gets out ahead and it is in front til next restart cause no one can catch him. It
's all about "clean air" now and the drivers will even say that in victory lane, and during practices. So that means they are saying as long as they are out front in clean air they will have a chance to win barring some mechanical problems or something.
I feel this new car is taking some racing away from the drivers and they are at the hands of the car itself as it seems to do what it wants. The Indy race yesterday was boring as hell. No one did any passing especially up front. And how many time shave you seen a car struggle at the back and when he gets near the front on pit strategy takes off when the green falls and is gone?
The Nationwise series still uses the old style cars and their races are more exciting to watch, as well as the Camping World Truck Series (by far the best series in NASCAR). An dthese series still have old style cars and can pass each other more and that is waht racing is about. If they want single file racing for 500 miles they should call themselves "NASCARF1".

I have found several forums on nascar.com that show people feel like I do and are getting bored. I have been watching racing for years since I was 6 at our local track and on TV. ANd racing compared to 10-20 years ago, even 3 years ago before the COT came out was terrific! It is in trouble now I feel. You can't have 43 cars start a race and stay in line for 500 miles week after week. The 2 mile + raceteracks seem to spread these cars out more and make for a boring race. Maybe nascar should just race on Martinsville and Bristol every week. That would be cool.

Forum
Another forum

Of course this is just my opinion

2009 NHRA Northwest Nationals

2009-07-21T20:31:00.012-06:00

Day 4 Sunday the Finals,
"the Shimy Shimy"

So we were walking around getting some photo ops with some people and managed to get pics with Graham Light, Rick Stewart and some people with the Safety Safari.
But what beauty day for for racing! Not as cool as I had hope for but still cooler. Had to wear my jeans as I got burnt the day before. In the morning we went to the set of NHRA today and hung around with MIke Dunn and Larry Dixon. It was a good day at the races and my wife invented a new racing term and Jeg Coughlin is pictured here showing it.

The "Shimy Shimy" she called it when a driver gets a little "slideways bothways". Jeggy perfected it here. Was close to rolling over.

Anywyay congrats to the winners of 2009 NHRA Northwest Nationals:

Pro Stock. Mike Edwards
Funny Car Tim Wilkerson
Top Fuel Antron Brown

Even John Force's daughter Courtney won in Alcohol dragster.

Click on pic to make bigger

We always have a good time in the bar after the races and here are some other Canadians we have met there in the last 3 years who always end up in there as well. It truly is a cool little bar to go hang out at and they make really good drinks to.

So a special thanks goes out to the special friends we have met in Meeker Street bar and grill and to the staff for putting up with our Canadian ways.

2009 NHRA Northwest Nationals

2009-07-21T19:53:00.006-06:00

Day 3 Saturday,

We arrived at the track earlier today than yeterday and it is still hot outside even though the weather forecast said it would cool down a bit. We got to meet Bob Frey and say hi to him like we do every year as we helped us get married at the track that in 1998. There was some good racing on Saturday, not as much oildowns although I am still undecided about the 1000 foot race length for T/F dragsters and Funny Cars, but safety is safety. We also got pics of the NHRA safety Safari as they were cruisin thru the pits early before the races started. It was good to see some good times and even som etrack records were broken in Pro Stock.

At the end of the day during a small tailgate party and friendly family cooked us a burger on the little barbeque while we waited for traffic to die down. We still went to the bart when we got back for a quick salad and some drinks.

2009 Northwest Nationals

2009-07-20T20:06:00.005-06:00

Day 2 Friday

I can sure feel the age thing kicking in as it seems to be harder to get up for the 6:30 am alarm now, but I was still ready before my wife was, hahah. Coudn't wait to go to the track in the Stanger ever got to open her up a bit on the freeway to the track.....pretty sweet.... The racing was cool as always alot of oildowns though, and the track was really hot so I think some cars were having trouble wiht the high track temps, especialy during the Alcohol car sessions. Speaking of alcohol, it sure a good thing we bought a $9.99 cooler last year for this race cause we had it filled with beer and water on icew for the end of the day tailgating sessions. It was a scorching ho tday and at the end of the day it was nice to have some cold beer waiting for us.

I will post more days events in the coming days and post pictures of this years event on my Flickr page.

2009 Northwest National trip

2009-07-20T19:41:00.005-06:00

Day 1 Thursday

We left on Thursday this year to go to Seattle to watch the NHRA Northwest Nationals. We haven't done that since 2002! But this way we won't miss any Friday qualifying sessions and will be able to get to the track early on Friday morning. Also being here a day ewarly means one more night at Meeker Street Bar & Grill!
Airport security is getting pretty carried away these days as they took away a bottle of mouthwash from us and a threw it in the garbage! Oh well. Another person had her hair clip taken away , is sad to see your stuff going in the garbeg but htese are the days we live in I guess. Anyway once arriving in Seattle we went to the car rental place and was talked into renting a Mustang instead of the economy car I had originally booked. But it was cool to go to the track in a Stang! Reminds me of the days when we used to take my Camaro down there. Once we checked into our hotel we went for a cruise to Lake Meridian and walked around a bit and then to Safeway to buy a little food and beer. $11.98 for a case of Budweiser, Bargain compared to Canadian prices.
Oh well Off to dinner at Meeker St. Bar and Grill.

NASCAR FInishes

2009-07-14T07:00:00.003-06:00

Well how about the 2009 NASCAR season so far? Mark Martin has won 4 races, Dale Earnhardt Jr. hasn't done anything and the other two Hendrick cars are up there as always. But it seems as though the new "car of tomorrow" (COT)has thrown some teams for a loop. And some of the racing at some tracks has been bad. Single file racing, that like F1!
So Introduce double file restarts in NASCAR, which is what they did and it makes the starts interesting but once a car is out front it is hard to catch. Those new cars seem to be great in clean air but noone can ever catch them it seems. BUt how about that finish at Dayton a few weeks ago? Now that was NASCAR at it's finest!

Northwest Nat's time again

2009-07-14T06:42:00.009-06:00

Well it's that time again that the NHRA Northwest Nationals are in Seattle again and we are leaving in two day to go watch it. I can't wait! It's the most awesome sporting event I have ever seen.
Although looking thru the entry lists on NHRA.com there may be only 16 cars in each pro class, but given the so called recession it is understandable. BUt it will cut sown on some drama like who will be bumped out of the top 16 qualifiers, as if only 16 show up then they will all make the show.
But it is still awesome to go see.

Oh by the way this us down infront of driver introductions on raceday.
AutoImagery.com

Shot by an autoImagery.com photographer

The Worst Mistake I ever made

2009-04-12T14:05:00.016-06:00

The wife and I just came back from a vacation to my home town in Victoria to see my parents and I realize now that moving away from there 7 years ago was probably the biggest mistake I have ever made. As these pictures show Victoria is on beautiful ocean backdrop and surrounded by green grassy yards and colorful spring blooming trees. Too walk away from this I must have been out of my mind. No to say that moving to Calgary was not beneficial to us, we are financially well off better than before but for piece of mind just look at those pics! And we went on a trip up to Nanaimo and I must say the trip up island was nice to not have rocks flying up at the windshield like there is in Calgary. In Calgary everyone has broken windshields from rocks lying on the road from the winter sanding trucks. BRUTAL! In my mind.

Walking along the breakwater I realized right away what we were missing. The blue of the ocean or the brown of Calgary. My mind is made up to go back home as soon as possible. Hopefully within a year.

It is pretty tough not be able go for a walk year round or play sports outside with an environment like this. It is just awe inspiring! And I had all this and walked away from it all. What was I thinking? Anyway I have made it my goal to get back as fast as I can to Victoria as I realize now how much I really miss it and how much of a mistake it was moving to Calgary.

And after having lunch with my old working buddies I used to work with I realize how much fun I used to have here. Plus one of my old friends brought his new car when we all went for lunch which is what you can do 10 months a year, drive a hot rod around town without getting it wrecked by salt or sand.

As you may have guessed I really miss my home town and am in a hurry to get back even though I may have to start my life over again.

Speedweeks 2009

2009-02-14T16:19:00.007-07:00

Well I just finshed watching the Nationwise race at Daytona this afternoon and you got to love those cars. The car of tomorrow is a little "iffy" in my books in terms of whether I like them or not. But it still was an exciting race and congrats to the winner Tony Stewart

2009-01-09T21:12:00.005-07:00

Well with only a few weeks to go til the beginnigfn of the new NHRA and NASCAR seasons I find myself waiting impatiently til speedweeks in Daytona. Or maybe not..........I don't know how I missed this but apparently last August NASCAR change dthe rules on how the drivers qualify for the Bud Shootout at the start fo Speedweeks in Daytona. It used to be that if you won a pole position during qaulifying for a race during the previous year you were autiomatically in the Bud Shootout. PLus a few past champions and previous Bud shootout winners to round out the field. Now in NASCAR's infinate wisdom they decided to have the top 6 cars of each manufacturer in the race. Meaning that the top 6 Chevys, Fords, Toyotas, and Dodges would be in for a 24 car field. Which means a few drivers who won poles last year will not make the event such as Patrick Carpatentier and Joe Nemechek, Ryan Newman, Tony Stewart, to name a few. And rookies who have never raced a full season in NASCAR or even won a poel such as Joe Logana are indue to the fact taht they are in a car by an owner who has a top manufacturer car. Now 2 of Waltrip cars are in and they had not very good seasons last year but are still the top Toyotas, I mean you could be the top6 cars in Toyota and finish 31-37 in points last yeaqr but make the race cause you were the top 6 Toyotas.
Does this seem fair?
I was reading some NASCAR forums last nite and some fabs are steamed at NASCAR. Can't say that I blame them afterall the fans made NASCAR and old drivers like Dale Earnhardt, Richard Petty, Cale Yarborough gave the fan somethign to cheer for. A real life hero. Guys who made their way in racing from dimes and nickels to millions the old fashion way thru paying their dues. Now rookie drivers land on teams and instantly have success thru rich team owners and find themselves in allstar races wihtout even racing a handful of races in the premier division of NASCAR.
Oh well enough rambling about this......Dale Earnhardt Sr would be rolling over in his grave if he knew what has happened to his beloved NASCAR. And don't even get me started on the Race for the Chase...Me and Dale Sr would be bicthing for a years about this one as well as old time race fans like me. I liek racing the way it was 10 years ago, none of these made for TV rules and sponsoership ratings stuff. Just go out and race. Atthe end of 30+ races teh one wiht the most points is champion.

Here is a link to some stories on this from nascar.com
Nascar.com

Happy New Year

2009-01-01T16:11:00.002-07:00

Well Happy New Year race fans. Hope all is well. I see Gillete Evernham Motorsports is merging with Petty Enterprises. That may be cool. Anyway just a couple months away from the Daytona 500 and the start of a new NHRA season.

Can't wait

2008 Champs

2008-11-16T23:50:00.002-07:00

Congrats to the 2008 Champions:
Jimmy Johnson in NASCAR

Tony Shumacher Top Fuel Dragster
Cruz Pedregon Funny Car
and Jeg Coughlin in Pro Stock.

Race City Cancels Season

2008-09-11T09:39:00.006-06:00

It was a sad reality I guess that the early suspension all activities for the rest of 2008 at Race City motorsports park was bound to happen. Th efacility was getting run down and fan support was low although I went to it many times being a race fan myself. Although I don't blame the owners of the track cause why would they spend the money to fix it up if the city was going to take it away and the end of the season anyway to make way for a garbage dump. Pretty ironic isn't it, a city known as Calgary that prides itself on recycling and cleanliness, is one of the dirtiest cities I have seen (it is windy here so trash gets blown everywhere) and is way behind the recycling programs that other major cities have and that other cities do for free (which this city wants to charge for). Anyway the fact that a "clean recyclable" city wants to make another garbage dump is just ridiculous and the fact that they are taking a safe racing environment away for racing enthusiasts and car fans is just nut! I wonder if the major Dave Bronconnier is going to wave the green flag outside city hall when all the street racers take to the streets on Mac trail infront of city hall. It is sad that the politicians in this stupid city don't realize a good thing when they have one and that making money and charging more taxes so they can retire faster is better than building new or saving older entertainment facilities. And I don't mean your standard recreation entertainment facility or theater. How many do we need? I mean a different kind of entertainment like racing! But I guess The mayor and city council like street racing. Just think, how fast can you get a car going on Deerfoot trail? Maybe the mayor has a Blown Alcohol honda he's not saying anything about.

The solution (my opinion)

Ok, so the powers that be in this backwards city keep charging more taxes and to build things that seem to take forever to get built if they get built at all and even when they are built they find that they are inadequate, too small or just not very good design..........ever drive along the new Glenmore trail and Elbow drive Intersection? Good job.........not............it's backed up there all the time from now eevn more than before it seems. But oh well..............

So can't the the city council find a way to take some of those new tax dollars and find a place for a safe racing environment. You have the chance to start something new and exciting.....ever heard of NASCAR. They have touring divisions as well. Do we really need a mega mall in Balzac? That would have been a perfect place for a race track. Out of the way, not many neighbors, and easy to get to. even if city council doesn't help fund the new track at least help someone in finding some land that can be used for a facility, how hard is that to do? Sell it to a prospective buyer, builder and then leave them alone. It would be cool if they built a race track at the new Balzac mall site anyway around there somewhere cause after all it's just flat land, acres of it. Just an idea.
I hope they can find a solution soon there is race cars,drivers and engine shops around the city that all benefit from the track and now they have an opportunity to attract some big time race series if the track was built to specifications. I see there is a dirt track down south of Calgary. I hope they will see the light and expand maybe adding a paved oval and some drag strips. ever heard of Indianapolis Motorspeedway? Or Lowes Motorspeedway. They are multi functional facilites with Lowes opening up a new Drag Strip just recently for NHRA. I guess we will have to head down there to watch racing.
This is an open suggestion for the owners of Rocky Mountain Speedway, any plans of expansion?
And one last comment for city council, the mayor Dave Bronconnier, Race city owners and management and the Rocky Mountain Speedway owners :
Remember two people, Wally Parks and Bill France Sr.!

Nolstalgia dragsters and the NASCAR chase"

2008-09-08T21:56:00.016-06:00

Well I haven't post for awhile but recently some nolstalgia dragsters came to town. Although the show was canceled at Race City because of rain they were still downtown on the Friday before the event. So we went down to snap a few pics. The original drivers are still driving some of them. They even fired one of them up downtown and you could tell the owners and drivers of them still have it in their blood, the smell and sounds of nitro Methane engines.

NASCAR and the Chase for the championship

The top 12 drivers are set for the NASCAR chase. All I can say is go number 88!
The NHRA is goin gto a new track this weekend in Charlotte. It has 4 lanes, a little deja vu here as NHRA used to run 4 and 6 lanes way back when. Could this be in the future?

2008 NHRA Schuck's Nationals

2008-07-22T08:35:00.037-06:00

Well could be better than spending a 10th anniversary at the track. After all it is where it all started in 1996 with us when we met and then our wedding here in 1998 on the starting line! So why not be fitting that we come down here again and celebrate our anniversary, how many other anniversaries last 3 days?!
So here we are off to Pacific Raceways in Kent Washington in it's awesome setting dwarfed by Mt Rainier and surrounded by mother nature's natural power enhancers the trees. The trees add extra oxygen into the air and the cars really can feel the difference in their speeds and elapsed times. So Friday's qualifying sessions were awesome but the jury i still out on the 1000 foot racetrack rule now for T/F cars. I understand the safety aspect of it all but there has to be a better way to let them go back to quarter mile racing. Anyway somehow the wife talked some security guys into letting us stand on the track in front of the grandsatnd that is situated behind the burnout box. There is a fence along there that people can stand in but I think it is only for VIPS. I guess we kind of are now, been there enough times!. Anyway we got some cool pics from that vantage point. And the concussion when they take of from the starting line is unbelievable from down there rather that from up top in the stands. Of course there was some other cars there as well from other classes in the sportsman ranks all of who still race the quarter mile and so does Pro Stock still by the way!

There was alot of T/A Funny Cars and and a few dragsters from my neck of the woods in the Calgary and Edmonton Ab area. Even Roger Bateman was there and was suppose to retire a few years ago.

Oh well Day 1 was over and it's off for dinner at our favorite watering hole where we met some crazy people, actually the same ones we met last year in there. All down for the race.

Day 2

Well today at breakfast in the hotel we met some crew members from a T/A dragster team and unfortunately they lost in round 1 but was nice meeting them and getting a tour of their pits at the track was cool. We wish them luck for the rest of the year and hope their fortunes turn out better than they did in Seattle.

The wife and got to meet Bob Frey, who remembered us from the our wedding in '98. Those of you who don't know Bob does many tv shows related to NHRA drag racing and sportsman classes and also does the trackside announcing for the Pros at NHRA National events. He also writes columns for National Dragster. Basically he is an icon for NHRA and a major personality for the NHRA.
Thanks Bob for letting us take your pic, would be nice to have had your Volare in the pic though!

So with two rounds of qualifying left on Saturday and the new system for qualifying as the last 4 times are
reset we find John Force in a position rare to Seattle.

He needs to run a good number to qualify and is struggling to do so. So as the drama builds it comes down to the fourth session and John smokes the tires a bit and is out just like that. the only Funny Car to miss the field. I wonder if some teams are struggling with the 1000 foot track and trying to adjust things differently, I don't know I am not a crew chief,but it seems like some teams are.

Is it just me or does it seem like we are signing more memorial banners these days? Darrell Russell a few years ago, Eric Medlen last year and now just a few weeks ago the tragic passing of Scott Kallitta that forced NHRA to temporarily shorten the racing surface until they figure out another solution to make these cars safer. In the Kalitta motorsports pits there was a banner that we signed along with other racing fans.
After another long day at the track and some shopping (I do all my clothes shopping at the track now) it was time to head out back to the hotel. The parking lot traffic jams didn't seem as bad as years past as we have been known to sit there for hours before getting out of there, that's when we used to have the cooler full of beer for the parking lot! Back at out hotel we get freshened up a bit wash off the rubber from my face and head to our favorite watering hole again! Oh by the way it's called Meeker Street Bar and Grill. Awesome service great drinks! And good food, and the price is right to. Some Calgary bars could take a lesson from this.

Day 3

Well the day everyone waits for, the finals on Sunday! we got to the track early enough to be part of the ESPN NHRA Raceday live broadcast. Gary Scelzi was being interviewed on stage and came down to the crowd first to sign autographs and me and the wife got a pic with him.
It was pretty cool to be in the background of that live show even though we don't get that show in Canada unless u have satellite! Ha ha maybe I should get one.
Then the wife wanted to be part of the opening ceremonies as they let the fans be apart of the crowd in front of the stage where driver introductions happen. "The Fan Zone" so we stayed there and wifey took pics of all the drivers who were in the elimination runs for Sunday.

The racing was awesome although the 1000 foot racetrack is still a bit of an issue with although I do understand the safety aspect of it all and the drivers do come first.

At the end of the day when all is said and done all the John Force rave cars went out early and Jim Dunn's race team with driver Tony Bartone was the winner in Funny Car.
Tony Shumacher won the Top Fuel Dragster event and Jason Line won in Pro Stock. We hung around the winner's circle after the race for a few hours to let the crowd die down in the parking lot before leaving and got some pics of the winner's.

Oh yeah and how could I forget that they had a cacklefest in Seattle as well with some of the old dragster from the early days of racing with some of the original racers who drove them!

Here are my photo sets of the race
Friday
Saturday
Sunday

Martin and Eanhardt teammates

2008-07-07T12:53:00.002-06:00

Well when Earnhardt Jr. joined Hendrick motorsports and Mark Martin joined DEI I thought that's too bad cause I would love to see Dale Jr. and Mark Martin on the same team. Well looks like it will happen as Mark Martin has joined Hendrick Motorsports full time next season and part time in 2010.

All I can say is COOOOOOOOOOOOOL!!!!!!!!

Racing and fans are all family-RIp Scott Kalitta

2008-06-23T15:52:00.005-06:00

All forms of auto racing is just one big family that travels from city to city to race and the participants are a tight knit community as well the fans are a big part of that family. That family value with the fans is probably stronger in the NHRA than any other forms of motorsports as the fans get to interact with the drivers and get to talk to them and know them.I to have felt this family value along with the racers myself as the wife and I met Darrel Russel in Seattle after he won the race in 2002. We had our pics taken with him in the winner's circle with the trophy. And then he died the following year in a racing accident. So everytime an NHRA driver passes on I feel a little bit sadder as I feel I have known some of these people a little better than others just from meeting with them from the many NHRA races we have attended.

So it is understandable that fans and the NHRA community have once again been saddened with the untimely death of Scott Kalitta in Englishtown N.J. Ironically the same place where he won his first NHRA race. Scott was Connie Kalitta's son.

1962-2008

Earnhardt wins!

2008-06-16T11:05:00.007-06:00

Well what is going on? The first race dale Earnhardt wins in eons and the first since joining Hendrick motorsports and the race is not televised on our local stations here! Who's idea was that? Not to show it on tv. The network that took over for Fox obviously isn't playing this game very well not realizing there are folks who can't get ESPN or any of the American stations up here. Oh well just ranting, would be nice to see all the commotion over why Dale Jr.'s victory was a sore spot with some other competitors

Pics from Nascar.com

Father's Funny Car Classic Bust

2008-06-16T10:19:00.019-06:00

Well being a fanatic of funny Cars of all genres and styles I though the Father's day Classic at our Local track would be more entertaining that it actually was. The fact that only 4 Nostalgia Funny cars showed up and about 4 T/A Funny Cars were on hand really makes for a dull day. But considering the city is losing the track and not spending any money on it to fix it up it is no wonder noone wants to come here to race. Then on top of that they only ran 1/8 mile because of water seeping through the track surface. Only in Calgary, the city built by a bunch of farmers that they do not understand the growing needs of the city, racers, and infrastructure to support a wide variety of entertainment and transportation needs of a city this size! When it comes to the track, no wonder they have water seepage, there is grass on either side of the race surface about a foot from the outside retainig walls. Hmmmmm grass on the inside of a racing surface? I wonder why the rain still seeps in after 2 weeks of rain? It should be paved all the way to the edge of the property by the fence and then you could put up a new grandstand on the south side of the track and put on a good show for everyone and maybe even get an IHRA or NHRA event here.
But anyway enough rambling about how farmers seem to run this place, I did manage to get some cool pics.

Bucky Austin and the Nitro Nolstalgia Funny Cars

Well for of those of you who, don't know Bucky Austin is a heavy hitter out of Washington State and ran T/A funny cars for many years on the NHRA circuit and won the NHRA Division 6 Championship many times. I have seen him in Seattle many times. Remember his nephew? Pat Austin, he used to run T/F funny cars and dragster in NHRA and the ran T/A funny cars before retiring.
Here are some pics of some of the other Nostalgia cars on hand. i had to feel sorry for them making the trip from Washington to Calgary to run 1/8 mile! No wonder some of the guys near the end of the day just went for it and blew right through the 1/8 lights and kept going 1/4 mile!

Jet Cars

Well they had some jet car action there as well which is always entertaining to watch even though they only go once down the track but fire and smoke makes for some exciting pics

Anywya i hope that the powers to be can find a new place for thsi facility and turn it into somethign special that will attract NHRA/IHRA and even some NASCAR touring divisions. Remember what happened after NASCAR took over CASCAR? No CASCAR events here anymore due to poor track conditions. So let's get it sorted out, you are not racing tractors anymore on hay covered fields, the fans (and there is alot of NHRA/IHRA fans here in this city dying for a state of the art facility to bring back top notch racing to Calgary) wanna see 300mph Nitro Burning Funny cars and a full field (16 or more) of T/A Dragsters and Funny Cars, Pro Mods and anything else that will show up that will run an elimination type race and not this little show between two or four cars!

IRON MAIDEN show

2008-06-08T11:30:00.005-06:00

Well how my love of heavy metal just gets stronger everyday with bands like Devil Driver, ALmb of God and GWAR. But I still love the bands I grew up with from teh 80's and 90's as well. one of those bands is

Last tHursday we went down to see the ol boys from the UK and I tell you they delivered one powerful and asskicking show. Mind you aftrer 30 years and a whole lot of albums would you expect anything less! Anyway I had to tak ethe wife for a little culture shock/education on what real bands are supposed to be and sound like and she was impressed, or at least that what she told me!

click to view larger

Memorial day weekend races

2008-05-25T20:44:00.002-06:00

What a truck race on Saturday! That is the best division in NASCAR top 3 divisions I think. right off the start they were bumping and bangin fenders with each other. And the 3 wide finish at the end is typical of teh NASCAR Craftsman truck series.

Then off to Charlotte where it seemed whoever was leading had problems, Brian Vickers, Tony Stewart, Dale Jr., and Kurt Busch all had problems while leading. And Dale Jr, managed to come back for a 5th place finish when his car looked like it was ready for the junkyard

Not a good day to be a Habs fan or a Dale Jr, fan!

2008-05-04T20:11:00.009-06:00

Well it's Saturday nite and I thought .Yes it's Hockey Night in Canada and game 5 of the Habs vs Flyers is on. And as the Canadiens started out good their goaltending seems to be suspect especially at playoff time. The Huet trade looks really suspicious now. I hope that draft pick you got fro Huet turns out to be a Patrick Roy like goalie! Carey Price will be the man in the Habs future but where is the experienced goaltender to help guide him thru the playoffs? The Habs backup is only 20 years old as well and has zilch NHL playoff experience, the same as Carey Price. Anyway Bob Gainey, I will never understand the trade you made to give a way Christobal Huet and get nothing in return except a future draft pick. Even if he was an unrestricted free agent thsi summer you would still have some experience in the playoffs. Anyway next year is another year.
Go HABS Go!

Dale Jr.

Well what about the driving of Kyle Busch this season in the Sprint cup NASCAR series? How many drivers has he taken out this year to win races? Well he took out another one last nite at the expense of Dale Earnhardt Jr. who was just a few laps away from winning his first race in two years. It may have been a racing accident , but Kyle has a reputation of wrecking people this year and not caring how he wins so this was no exception and he lost many poularity points with that one.

Oleeeeeeeee, Ole, Oleee.........

2008-04-25T23:06:00.001-06:00

Well I hope al the HAb fans in the world are as happy as I am that they defeated the Bruins and are already up a gam eon the Flyers. Too bad about the riots in Montreal though that was really uncalled for!

Go Habs Go!

Lebut remembered

2008-04-08T19:34:00.011-06:00

Nov 1996-April 2008
Well it is a sad day today in the passing of out beloved dog Lebut. He wasn't doing well these last few days and he passed away in the night. I will never forget that the last thing he did was come up to me and the wife before we fell asleep and kissed us goodnight.
It was like he was saying goodbye.

He will definitely be missed by all who knew and loved him and especially by us. When we bought him as a pup he fit in the palm of our hands and we had to scratch his belly with our fingers. Full of energy and affection this little guy was a bundle of joy for us for 12 years. The last two weeks of his life were the hardest on all of us as he was slowly giving up and we tried desparately to help him. But now we know he is in a better place and I hope he is running free with some of his old pals.

Lebut will be missed.

Running Again

2008-03-26T22:04:00.005-06:00

Well here I am again running with my wife's learn to run group. Well actuall I'm only running with them on Mondays cause I've graduated from that so I think I will run with the 5k groups for awhile on Wednesdays and Sundays. A friend of mine is suppose to join the learn to run group but he hasn't got his sorry ass out yet! If I can get my lazy fat ass out of bed on a Sunday morning I 'm sure he can. Wait a minute I'm suppose to be in retirement, why do I have to get out of bed on a Sunday morning, ohhhhh, do we have a tee time booked? Except my wife won't let me retire from running after my first 5k race was quite a personal success for me. Maybe I should have finished last then I would have had a good excuse to quit running. But then she would probably make me do the 5k learn to run all over again. I don't know if can handle that voice again "run", "walk" HAhahha, just kidding honey (slave driver).I'm kidding. Anyway I'm trying to do better times for my 5k races so I'll keep training I guess as my wife won't let me quit. She wants me to run 10k with that group cause alot of people from the first learn to run group are joining it. I don't know if I'm into that just yet, an hour of running when there is hockey playoffs around the corner, I don't know. Maybe one day.

One other thing, as we run right next door to Woody's taphouse how come no one wants to go for beer after running? Or are they really that serious about running? Hmmm enquiringly minds need to know as I know a cold beer is what I look forward to after a good run. That would explain why I can't get rid of my beer belly!

Habs on a roll

2008-03-23T16:56:00.006-06:00

Well the Montreal Canadiens are sure on a roll these days. Number one in the Eastern Conference and with two rookie goalies. I remember the last time Montreal had a rookie goalie in net they won the Stanley Cup!
remember Patrick Roy? Or even years before that another goaltender to lead the way as a rookie, Ken Dryden. Maybe this year is the year as they are running out of years to have won the cup in every decade. So now they rely on Carey Price and the way he's been playing things are looking good, maybe not this year but soon enough........I hope!

Oh the only other thing better than winning the Stanley Cup for the 25th time is beating the Bruins 10 times in a row which they have successfully done as of last night.

Out of retirement

2008-03-23T16:44:00.004-06:00

Well I thought I was gonna retire from running after I completed the 5 k race last weekend. But my wife has other plans for me! This morning the alarm goes off at 7:00am and she tells me we are running again at the running room with the groups. As I was hoping for a weekend to sleep in, it looked more and more like it wasn't going to happen. Heck I thought I could retire on a high note and always say "hey I finished a 5k race in under 30 min" and just go through life with that as my claim to fame. But nope , wifey wants me to keep running, more 5 ks and even some 10 ks. well after we got to the Runing Room we met up with some of the people from my wife's learn to run class. They are all doing well and some have signed up for 5k classes and 10k classes. A few even doing half marathon classes. I wish them all good luck.

Anyway today I ran with the 5k group as well as some of the learn to run group and I did well , no pain, so Iguess I will have to keep running now. Maybe I can retire at the end of another 5k race!

The first of the fat guys

2008-03-16T16:30:00.013-06:00

Well holy crap, what has the wife got me into now? For the last 10 weeks she has been teaching a clinic on learning to run. Somehow I got roped into it as well as being a pacer, anyway the whole idea was to be able to run a 5Km race at the end of the clinic. So here it is after 1o weeks of training with some really awesome people the day has arrived for the race event. The Diakonos Retreat Society 2nd annual St. Patrick's Day race. I can't even pronounce that and she wants me to run it! Oh well after moving my bib number around 10 times, started out on my leg, then on front of my sweater that I thought I didn't need to wear then I put it back on, then put the number to the side but it kept hitting my hands then I put it back on my original sweater that I had taken off cause I thought I might be too hot in it, then I was going to take off one of my layers of pants but then decided not to. So the bib number ended up on my leg again! How's that for nervous energy! Do I look nervous in the pic? Anyway all I could think was when is this thing going to be starting so I can go home and get some rum to warm up.

Well we are finally outside and the temperature was -10C according to my wife's new car! Yes her new car which can tell you the temperature outside of the vehicle and it was saying brrrrrrrrrr, well maybe it wasn't but I was. Oh yeah this car of my wife's was suppose to be my new truck! How did that happen, I don't know. The wind chill was around -22C but the wind died down before the race so wasn't really a factor. After the start of the race I was on my way not knowing what to expect. Notice how I didn't post any pics of me from the start. It's because my wife never took any of me at the start!
So as I am running down the path passing people, WHAT? Yes, passing people, I'm wondering something isn't right, these people should be better than me why am I passing them? Then I caught up to Shirley who was in our running clinic as well and she is also taking a marathon class. So I ended up running with her for the duration of the race. It's a good thing for me to have someone to run with cause I get bored if I'm on my own running. And I was getting to that point fast as there weren't many more people close to me that I could have caught up to. Our training teaches us to take a one minute walk break to refresh the body but as I was running with Shirley I sensed she wasn't about to walk so I said to myself well I'm not going to either, only a few more kms to go. Until I seen the 3km marker up ahead when I thought I had already passed 3K already. The last 2km were steady as I started to see the end in sight as the Ea Claire market buildings were just a little bit away until those race volunteers steered us into the park for a little loop through the park that I wasn't expecting! Oh well 5k is 5k I guess. So here we are Shirley and I in this pic running down the stretch with a few metres to go to the end. By the way the hippy looking guy with the mullet is me! Like the Habs sweater? Number 2 in the eastern conference baby as of last night! Anywyay my final time was 28 min and 30 sec or something like that, and I placed 18th overall of all the 5k racers. Not bad I guess for my first run, but alot of people who finished ahead of me and the 10k racers who finished ahead of me in the time it took me to do 5k all look like they weigh 4o pounds! I guess I was the first of the fat guys to finish as I didn't see anyone else with a beer belly at the finish line waiting for other racers to finish!

4 tires at Bristol
So why woudn't Tony Eury jr. bring Dale jr. in to get some fresh tires with 8 laps to go in the race at Bristol today. Harvick got 4 and passed a few cars til he had an accident with Tony Stewart. Jr. could have easily improved his position with 2 or 4 new tires, I preferred he get 4 but I was resting after my run, so is not my call! Anyway congrats to RCR with their 1,2,3 finish at Bristol Motorspeedway today and to Jeff Burton on his win.

IROC series done

2008-03-10T18:01:00.004-06:00

One of my Favorite racing series of all time the IROC racing series has folded. Due to scheduling conflicts with other series and drivers. The Iroc series has auctioned off all its engines, cars, tools, and parts. It is a sad time as the series ran for over 30 years.

The IROC (International Race Of Champions) series was a unique series in the fact that the series was made up of champion race drivers from various racing circuits, IRL, CART, Formula 1, road Racing, Off Road, Sprint Cars and even an NHRA driver was suppose to race this year, Ronn Capps. The idea was to take all these drivers from different race circuits and different cars, get 12 of these drivers, put them in identical prepared cars and run on 4 different tracks. The series was only 4 races a year due to the commitments of each respective driver's series they belong to. The cars they used were mostly of a NASCAR design using camaros and Firebirds over the years. Hence the IROC Camaro of the '80's. All teh cars in the series were identical except for thier paint scheme. Each driver had a different color and a number from 1-12.

These races were exciting at tracks like Daytona where the sprint car racers such as Steve Kinser had a challenging time racing against NASCAR regulars. All the drivers got practice times in the cars and the IROC series had their own mechanics and opit crews for the cars.
I will really miss this series as was a fun fast shootout of champion racers from all ove rthe world.

How did I know?

2008-02-26T16:46:00.005-07:00

Well how did I know that the Habs might do something stupid? At the trade deadline they traded away their main goaltender for a 2nd round draft pick! Christobal Huet was traded, no...... given away, you think that the Habs could have made a better deal somewhere. i know this deal is a money thing in the fact that it frees up cap space for next year and Huet will be a free agent at the end of this season but couldn't you hang on to him a little longer then trade in the summer. Even if you let him go for nothing in summer whats the difference between today? A second round draft pick who may not be ready to play for 3-4 years.

All in all I don't like this trade. you think they could have at least got a player who ready to play now, or got 5 or 6 draft picks. Maybe a first rounder. carey Price may be a star i future but how is the 20 year going to deal with the pressure of making the playoffs and then the playoffs themselves in Montreal?

Time will tell

What happened to Toyota in the off season?

2008-02-16T22:20:00.010-07:00

So what did Toyota do in the off season? Wholy crap, this year Tony Stewart and his new teammate Kyle Busch finished the Nationwise series race at Daytona (formerly the Busch series) in the first and second spots for Joe Gibbs racing in new Toyota Camry race cars. And Michael Waltrip gets to start on the front row of the Daytona 500 in a Toyota Camry. Looks like Toyota has gotten their homework done with their entries into the NASCAR Sprint series and Nationwise series. They have have already been proven winners in the Craftsman truck series, so now I guess its time that they finally caught up. Seems like the Toyota race cars have a whole lot more horsepower than last year.
Congrats Toyota!

NHRA, and where the hell is my NHRA broadcast on TSN

2008-02-13T12:01:00.003-07:00

Well as I waited all week to watch the season opener of the NHRA Winterneationals on TSN (tape delayed) I find taht all the Canadain sports networks we have are showing the Roger Clemens hearings about Steroids. Although this may be a serious offence but hell, they are all doing it, so where the hell is my NHRA drag racin gcoverage and when are you going to show it then?
All I can watch is what was on news websites and youtube about Tony Pedregon's crash. Although Tony is ok he had 2nd degree burns.

And the other alternative is to watch the Daytona 500 practice sessions on SpeedTV but they have been on and off today because of rain!

Speedweeks 2008

2008-02-10T14:34:00.000-07:00

Well that time is upon us once again. The tim eof year every NASCAR fan waits for............SPEEDWEEK!

And it all started doff with Dale Earnhardt Jr. winning the Bud shootout at Daytona. The Bud shootout which is for racers who qulaified on the pole s last year thru out the season. Dale jr did it in his new team colors of teh NAtional Guard and Hendricks Motorsports. Is a sign of thing s to come?
One could only hope. Let's wait til Tursday for The twin 125's and see how good he really is.

My Beautiful Hockey Team

2008-01-22T22:14:00.000-07:00

What a beautiful Hockey Team I cheer for! Yes the Montreal Canadiens. They beat the lowly Boston Bruins tonite 8-2. Usually I am against these high scoring games cause they can get boring as I would rather see a 2-1 or 1-1 game with end to end action. But tonite's game was different in the fact that my favorite team was winning and winning well and the fact that it was Boston they beat! Yes the ol rivalry between Boston and the Habs is still there and I remember some good games from the 70's and 80's between these two. Especially the late 70 playoff series these two met in. Oh yeah, how many cups did Montreal win from 76-79. Wasn't it 4 in a row! Anyway I think that is where my dislike for the Bruins started. Don't get me wrong Boston had some good players along the way and spme classy guys like Bobby Orr, and my all time favorite- Canadian who should be Prime Minister-Don Cherry who was their coach in th elate 70's. Remember the too many men penalty in the 79 stanley cup playoffs and the video clip of that moment at the sart of caoche's corner?
So it was a good nite that the habs are back and got production from all 4 lines and Alex Kovalev is playing like he has a new lease on life. So looks like the Habs are going to be part of the playoff picture this year and I hope they can go along way.
Anyway "vivre les habs"

Merry Xmas

2007-12-25T16:28:00.000-07:00

Wishing you all a merry Xmas and Happy New Year.
Congrats Angelle Sampey for getting a new ride in 2008!

Always look forward to new race season cause there are new drivers and new cars, and new drivers.

Xmas party 2008

2007-12-17T08:34:00.000-07:00

As my wife is an employee of a major oil and gas company it is fitting that they go all out for their Xmas parties. so they do every year, with awesome layouts of the tables and centerpieces and live bands. The only thing is teh food could be a little more portion wise and with some "real" veggies instead of esparagus! See don't know if it is even pronounced right. I always say if you can't pronounce it or spell it then it can't be too good.
But as for the entertainment and the rest of the night well it was awesome. Free drinks and wine, lots of wine, (right? honey!) Anyway was a good night and just look at some of these pics of the tables!
Also notice my tie and dress shirt? Well being a city worker (shhh) and being used to less restrictive clothing the tie came off shortly after dinner. About 5 seconds I think! And the I rolled the sleeves up too. HAHA. Then it was time to dance with my wife all nite! Something we don't get to do often enough these days.

Wish I was back in california

2007-11-14T13:11:00.001-07:00

I sure wish I was back In California! I t was so awesome down there and the 80+ temperature was amazing. But I think what I miss most is the racing itself. so many tracks down there, POmona, Bakersfield, Sonoma, ans some that used to be there that are gone now like Riverside. PLus there is Irwindale and others. I was quite surprised that there were people from all over the worls down there to watch the races. There was one couple from England even! Actually they won a prize at the NHRA membership hospitality tent on Sunday. And the the amount of people that we met who were from all over the States who travel to alot of NHRA events throughout the year. People from Boston, Seatle, Portland, Michigan. They all have seen alot of races over the years at different tracks. We have seen a fair share to (9 now) but 8 were at Seattle!. Anyway I just think it's cool that there are people doing what I want to do eventually and now that we are slowly starting to accomplish this feat, well with the wife's new job isn't hurting too much either, lol. Anyway we are looking at the possibility of Las Vegas next season and Seattle for sure cause is the site of our wedding and wil be our 10th anniversary, so I am told!
Oh and I guess the rumors we heard about Tommy Johnson Jr being fired aren't exactly true, but it sounds like he did lose the sponsor so he may not have a ride next season anyway. I guess Skoal is sponsoring Larry Dixon's T/F team in 2008.

2007 NHRA finals Pomona

2007-11-07T23:19:00.000-07:00

Our trip to Pomona
The flight home,

As we took the same path home as did when we left with a layover in Denver we had a long day ahead of us. But it was easier after I met some people on the plane who worked for NHRA and we had some good conversations. I tried to get a little inside scoops on some driver rumors we heard about and so my conversations confirmed some of the rumors. When we got to Denver one of the NHRA ladies told me that Super Stock Winner in Pomona Dan Fletcher was up ahead of us on the plane. We met up with him in Denver airport (actually he was behind us on the people mover thingy) and I congratulated him on his 50th win in Super Stock. That win was his 50th win in the same car for each of his 50 wins. That is awesome, with the same ol 69 Camaro for all 50 wins. So I got to chat with him for a few minutes shake his hand and then we went on our own ways and caught our 2nd plane and eventually arrived home around 5 pm. But what an awesome weekend! Have to go again soon.

2007 NHRA finals Pomona

2007-11-07T21:47:00.001-07:00

Our trip to Pomona,
Sunday Finals

Well it's getting tougher to get out of bed everyday as the weekend goes along, but it's race day dammit! I don't want to be late for th opening of the gates, as it was we were five minutes early, whew! We got in to the pits and walked around. Can't start engines til 9:30am so at 9:27 all the drivers are in the cars in their respective pits and ready to warmup the cars as elimination rounds are just a couple hours away. The crew chiefs are watching their watches caefully,........9:30 am nitro alley comes to life and turns into nitro heaven. All up and down both sides of nitro alley the teams are readying their cars for round 1 and the air is one big haze of nitro fumes being inhaled bt nitro craving fans........awesome! What a rush to hear all those engines on either side of you.
11:00 am round 1 is on and the first pair of T/F dragsters go down the track at over 300mph, what a rush! 16000+ horsepower whipping by at 4.5 seconds. No wonder my hair is going grey. I got some awesome pics til my camera batteries ran which are all on my flickr page. The wife has a backup camera as a backup hope the pics I took with that turnout. There was some major upsets in the chase to the championship and some interesting twists but in the end Jeg Coughlin won the race and the championship in pro stock, Matt HInes won both the race and championship in pro stock bikes, in Funny Car Tony Pedregon won the championship, even though he got beat early in the day giving way to Robert Hight to win the race and Tony Shumacher won the race and championship in T/F dragster.

There was an awesome tribute to Wally Parks with 36 cars doing a cacklefest and that was totally cool man! Brought tears to everyone's eyes who knows how much history was actually at the track that day sitting in front of the grandstand, as well as the history of the track, it was all there in plain view. There is so much drag racing history in southern California it is unbelievable.
After the final rounds were run in the dark there was a fireworks display that was awesome. Then we got to go down onto the track and get some cool pics.

Click on pics to enlarge
Above is some pics of me and wife standing on a piece of history! Pretty cool I think. On the way out we met up with NHRA Vice President Graham Light who helped out with our wedding in 1998 and he still remembers us which we though was cool.

All pics on my Flickr site

2007 NHRA finals in Pomona

2007-11-07T16:45:00.001-07:00

Our trip to Pomona
Sat rounds 2&3,

Everyday it is a little harder to get the wife out of bed, but hey it's race weekend! Put some drops in your eyes and let's go get at 'er!. i love to get to the track before the traffic gets busy and I think it drives the wife nuts, but she will be fine when we get to th track. In the hotel lobby for breakfast we met some "older race fans" who got it as bad as I do! They were going to be at the track before me! We got there about 7:45 and met up with Dean, our personal transport from the parking lot to the entrance to the track. Well not really our personal transport but might as well be cause he was always there, waiting for us in his 10 seater golf cart!
Hillary Will had some big speeds upwards of 330mph and a few people didn't qualify such as Tommy Johnson Jr. We heard the next day that he may have been fired or let go from Don Prodhumme racing but we don't know for sure. Just a rumor so far. But Skoal is leaving as a sponsor for Tommy's team so maybe a driver change was in the works already. After getting burnt in the hot sun at the track (still better than the snow in Calgary anyday) we went back to the hotel and took a dip in the pool and hot tub. We met some cool people in the hot tub and one couple we met, the husband, raced drag boats. Now that is the true meaning of insane! Anyway we were talking about moving to the States and this subject of the green card keeps coming up. He said he would sponsor me and knew a paving company where I could earn $120,000 year. How many beer did he drink at the track? Anyway sounds good to me I could drive a hot rod all year round down there.
Another cool thing they did at the track was have the Budweiser Clydesdales come walking by.

All pics on my Flickr site

2007 NHRA Finals in Pomona

2007-11-07T16:02:00.000-07:00

Our Trip to Pomona,
Thursday Round 1

Have I ever I said that I love the smell of Nitro in the morning? Well I do and after shopping at all the various vendors on the grounds we went to our seats. The last race of the year is a good one to get t-shirts and sweaters on sale as the teams are getting new sponsors and drivers and losing the ones tey have. we bought a few shirts for $10. The racing was awesome in rounds 1&2 and Kenny Bernstein ripped off a wicked run.

Fri, Round 2

At the finals in Pomona they run 1 qualifying round 1 on Thursday and one on Friday then two on Saturday. A little different from the format of most national events. So as Friday morning arrives we are up and at em at 6:00am cause I love the smell of nitro in the morning and want to get to th etrack to get a good spot near the pits for some good inhalation spots! I tell it is a cool in the morning here in SoCal but it is a hell of alot better than the snow we left back home. By 11:00 am there is no need for a jacket anymore as it is getting hot. I bought a new Kenny Bernstein T-shirt and a couple for my new racing buddy (granddaughter), I hope she likes them. John Force's cars ran pretty weak in Round 1 on Thursday but by Friday round 2 they all had it nailed down pretty good all running in the 4.81 sec range and within top 6 in order. John Force was at the side of the track to watch his cars as he used the aid of a walker. It is pretty sad to see one of the icons of the sport on the sidelines with a walker in the shape that he is in but we all know he back racing again one day hopefully sooner than later.
Another casualty of the day was my wife. After 9 NHRA events together she finally succumbed to nitro fumes as her eyes were burning pretty bad. Believe me that the fumes from nitromethane racing fuel does burn the eyes pretty good but fresh air usually cures it. But hers lasted a and didn't go away so we had to a medical attendant for help to get her eyes washed out. As she coudn't see well she missed part of round 2 funny car qualifying. Don't know what I am going to do with her, guess she still needs to be seasoned some more to get used to the fumes. Hey babe the nitro content is going back up to 90% next year! Better bring a gas mask! Actually alot of fans do bring gas masks to the pits for warmups. Anyway after a golf cart ride from the NHRA member hospitality tent to the medical trailer she finally got her eyes washed out from the medical staff. They also said that part of it could be due to some ash particles in the air from the fires in the area, others said it could be smog! Hmmm maybe, one person we met said he got hit by a piece of hot porcelain that hit him in the chest while he was sitting in the Top eliminator club. Aren't spark plugs made from porcelain? Cool! Anyway I had to take a pic of the wife at the medicaal station cause I thought it was cool. I love the smell of nitro in the morning but I guess it doesn't mix with smoke and ash.

All pics on my Flickr site

2007 NHRA Finals in Pomona

2007-11-07T09:59:00.000-07:00

Our Trip to Pomona,
Arriving in California

After a 7 hour trip waiting in between two flights and a layover in Denver to change planes we finally arrived in Ontario, California. I think flying this way rather than flying into LAX was the way to go as everyone else told us the same thing. And was a breeze driving to the hotel from Ontario. Driving from LAX would have been a nightmare apparently and the day we left the traffic to LA was backed up to Ontario on I-10 at 5.30 am! Not to say the I-10 traffic wasn't busy but still was easier than flying to LA, and our bags weren't lost either!

Day1 NHRA museum

Today we went to the NHRA museum and let me tell ya there is so much history there that it is overwhelming. It almost comes alive when you enter it. It was kind of a solemn mood as the founder Wally Parks has recently passed on a few weeks ago and the memorial ribbon on the Wally statue says it all. But you know he will always be looking down apon us making sure the NHRA community stays true to it's form. Anyway I was still excited to see Don Prodhomme's Top Fuel dragster and Kenny Bernstein's T/F dragster as well as some older cars from years gone by. Lots of old pictures and memorabilia there to as well. The museum is situated in a beautiful setting on Fairplex Drive with palm trees all around and green grass landscapes across the road, it is truly breathtaking. Here are some pic collages.

All pics on my Flickr site

Pomona in one week

2007-10-24T21:27:00.001-06:00

In one week we will be leaving for Pomona to watch the NHRA finals. I can't wait, and as it is going to be out holiday down in southern California I can't help think about the fires that are destroying so many peoples homes and upsetting their lives west of Pomona in San Diego and surrounding areas. My heart goes out to them and even though we are going to Pomona to have a fun fulled holiday in the back of mind I will be thinking about the losses those people have suffered.

Leave My Balls Alone! Golf Balls that is

2007-10-24T21:21:00.001-06:00

As I had hoped I took advantage of todays awesome weather as I had a golf game booked at Fox Hollow. The weather was awesome and I had my lucky shirt and pants on today, thanks honey for sewing my button back on. As I hit my first drive on the first hole it landed 10 yards away from the green. As we walked up to the green a couple of players from the third hole came to get their errand balls, except one of them was mine! So the morrow of the story is check the ball before you play it especially if it has company logos on it like mine did it should be obvious to you it is not yours. So hands off you ignorant wannabe golfers who can't find their own balls so play the first one they see, which is what they did.

A Tale of Two Racing Legends

2007-10-18T11:27:00.005-06:00

The comparisons between Dale Earnhardt and John Force are almost the same in that they both ave impacted their respected racing organizations they have participated in. Nascar and the NHRA. Both drivers started with nothing in the way of money and cars and financing but still raced for the fun of it, til they finally got noticed and landed big money deals. Through the years both were instrumental in creating safety improvements thru their respective organizations via various accidents and resulting research that follows. Although Dale Earnhardt is no longer with us due to his fatal accident at daytona a few years ago many safety improvements followed aftwards. (see my tribute here). Although it is sad that he is no longer with us his legacy lives on with the fans and me as well as I still have and buy Dale Earnhardt memorabilia. And recently John Force's accident in Dallas has instituted new safety upgrades on his team cars but you can bet that NHRA will institute them into other teamcars as well as in the past. After Eric Medlen's untimely passing earlier this year John Force racing added some safety improvements to their cars as well especially in the headres area for the driver.
Both drivers also have their kids following their footsteps as Dale Earnhardt Jr. has had great success in NASCAR and is just as popular as his father ever was and John Forces daughters all are rcing in NHRA competition with Ashley running Funny Cars. Their kids having the fathers that they do are just as popular as their fathers just look at Ashley forces pits and see the big crowds hanging around there.
And finally both drivers and their kids never forgot who they are or where they came from as they are all fan favorites and cater to the blue collar crowds as they can relate to them as John and Dale both came from Blue collar environments themselves. That is waht makes them so popular. Even after Dale's passing years later how many #3 stickers do you see on the back windows of cars? I know I have one! There are lots of them. And when you see John Force go down the track and blow up,catch on fire destroy a multi dollar car and lose the race and when he comes back down the return road and jump out of his chase vehicle to greet the fans with his crew taking a trashed race car back to the pits, well that is as classy as it gets!

NLL and Patrick Carpentier

2007-10-17T11:34:00.000-06:00

well it seems as though that the powers that be in the NLL, (National Lacrosse League) have decided to scrap the 2008 season. It seems as if the player's union wouldn't let the players vote on the new deal. For such a new league and exciting one at that, it is a shame that the two sides can't agree on a contract. I hope this doesn't compromise the future of the NLL.

Patrick Carpentier:

George Gillett who owns the Montreal Canadiens, and has bought into Ray Evernham's Nascar team to form Gillett Evernham motorsports has hired Patrick Carpentier to race in the Nextel and Busch series next season. And his number will be 10. Guy Lafleur' old number. He was preented with a jersey at the Montreal/Florida game last night and the numbers even have the evernham design on it. I think this would be a good present for me for Xmas. eh honey!

Running and the Habs

2007-10-16T20:29:00.001-06:00

Well it seems as if the wife really wants me to run with her, so I gave up the Habs to go runinng with my wife's group. All I can say is I need a beer! Anyway as I got back and the game was still on, 1-0 HAbs. So I watched the last final minutes and then they called a penalty on Montreal with two minutes to go. Florida pulled their goalie and eventually scored on the 6 on 4 power play. The game ended up going to a shootout (the stupidist the NHL has ever done) and Florida won..........thats sucks!

Another thing that sucks is that the NLL (National Lacrosse league) hasn't come up on an agreement with the players union so the 2008 season is canceled. I tell you its going to be a long winter, no racing and no Lacrosse as hockey is too expensive to see live anymore, and good luck finding tickets for games anymore.

Wally Parks 1913-2007

2007-09-29T20:15:00.000-06:00

Truly a sad day in NHRA history and racing history as th efounder of the NHRA has passed on. It was his vision to get street racing off the streets and onto a controlled and safe environment on race tracks with safety crews and rules and regulations that has turned the NHRA into what it is today. The following is from the NHRA website:

NHRA founder Wally Parks, 1913-2007;
patriarch of drag racing dies at age 94
Wally Parks, the driving force behind the formation of NHRA, has died at the age of 94. It was Parks’ vision, goals and unconditional commitment to the need for speed and side-by-side racing in a safer, more controlled environment that created what is today the world's largest motorsports governing body.

"Today is a sad day in the world of NHRA and the sport of drag racing," said Tom Compton, president of NHRA. "Words simply can't describe the immeasurable impact Wally has had on the sport he created and the millions of people's lives he touched along the way. The name Wally Parks is synonymous with drag racing, and his vision and direction will guide NHRA for years to come. Everyone in drag racing, and the industries formed to service the sport, will forever be indebted to Wally, his vision, his focus and his desire to create, build and grow NHRA."

John Force wants to race in two weeks!

2007-09-25T21:48:00.000-06:00

John Force and as other racers in various sports wants to race in Richmond in two weeks! He hasn't even been released from hospital yet, but the will to win and race is still there as per other racers. I hope he does make a speedy recovery but realistically he probably won,t be driving a race car til next season. But woudn't it be a miracle if he could drive in the NHRA finals in Pomona! Cause we have tickets for that race now. Anyway as for his personal health it would be a good idea to stay away from the rest of the season to rehabilitate and learn how to walk again.
It was a good decision by Ashley not to run her race in the next round due to the nature of the accident involving her dad and also the fact that her dad's car got pulled apart when the chutes came out and Ashley runs the same type of car and chassis, what if it was weak in a certain area as well? I'm sure John Force Racing has and is dissecting the car to see what went wrong along with the Ford racing engineers and NHRA . You can bet one thing, NHRA will come out with new rules and safety improvements from this which hopefully protect future accidents of this nature. It was pretty scary that the car ripped aprt right in front of John's legs!

There is an interview here with John Force and Ashley Force:Interview

Pomona here we come

2007-09-24T22:56:00.000-06:00

The place that the NHRA started is going to be the place for the first ever Countdown to the championship playoff format to decide the winners in each pro category. And we are going to watch, yes we bought tix for the Autoclub of Southern California NHRA finals in Pomona. Woohoo can't wait

John Force injured in accidend in Dallas

2007-09-23T18:13:00.000-06:00

Only a day after my wife informs me she has booked a hotel in Pomona for the season ending NHRa race John Force has a serious accident in Dallas. He was racing Kenny Bernstein in second round of eliminations when he had his accident and crashed paths with Kenny and well the video is here:

John suffered multiple fractures to his legs and wrist and it sounds like he will be out for the rest of the season. I have seen John crash before and be on fire over his career but never seen his car split in half like this. I wish John and his family best wishes and hope for a speedy recovery as John Force is to NHRA as what was Dale Earnhardt to NASCAR.

Labor Day Drag Meet 2007

2007-09-02T20:44:00.000-06:00

Well as I am trying to introduce new exciting things to my granddaughter (yes step granddaughter but if you need an explanation see my wife's page. But what could be better than a day at the racetrack. After all I got married at racetrack! So as some old school nostalgia race cars were here including two nitro burning fuel altereds and two jet cars and a few front engine dragsters and the cars from the Renegade class that races here at our local track.
Of course two of the granddaughter's heroes race here as so we had to see them as well. One races Jr dragster and is in her last year as Jr dragster and wants to move into faster full sizr cars. She told me super comp, then to Alcohol Dragster then Top Fuel! I said cool, that's very cool and we wish her well.Oh thanks to her for getting pics with the granddaughter.
Another one of her heroes also of the same first name (Ashley) who drives a super comp style car, IHRA has different class names for these cars but essentially is similar to a super comp style dragster, has just completed her Top Alcohol Dragster licensing from Frank Hawley's drag school. Cool! Just wait til the granddaughter is old enough to venture to an NHRA event with us to meet Ashley Force! So here are 3 girls, one who came up thru the ranks thru top Alcohol dragster in one of the best teams in NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster ranks and is now a driver on the most premeir funny car team in NHRA history Ashley Force, and one who has just passed licensing requirements for Top Alcohol Dragster who drove Jr dragsters Ashley Bart, and another one who has aspirations to follow the same path as she graduates from jr dragsters. Does anyone see a trend here? I know from following NHRA racing for years and attending many live events as well as live local events that there is many women racing now that all started in the same place and got to move up thru the ranks and all are doing well in their respective drag racing careers. I wish these two girls well and hope to see them live on the NHRA tour one day. Other names that comes to mind is Melanie Troxell, Hillary Will and Erica Enders of the NHRA.

Here are some other pics of the days action.

2007 IHRA Iron Man Event

2007-08-19T21:00:00.000-06:00

Every year I look forward to a few races at our local track. Usually the premier events that it has such as the Sprint Car race a few weeks ago and today's IHRA Iron Man Event on the drag strip. Now I love drag racing and can't get enough of the smell of alcohol burning engines and nitro burning funny cars, but since there is no nitro burning anything here this weekend I went to see the next best thing, Pro Mods! They are fiberglass bodied replica cars of earlier generation cars that use modern technology for suspensions and body and engines. Engines run on blown alcohol or injected nitrous combinations. Sure looks cool when they "purge" the nitrous. There was also other classes running there today as well such as the local "Renegade funny cars that run in high 7 second range and jr dragsters and the bracket cars. I took the grand daughter there and she had a good time gettin autographs from variuos drivers and got to see her hero who drives Jr dragtsers. But I was there to see Pro mods as they are usually pretty exciting to watch, loud and squirrelly! There was 3 top alcohol dragsters there to.not much to put on an event but good enough to get an alcohol fix!

A Race of a Different Kind

2007-08-13T22:26:00.000-06:00

Well hell I thought running was suppose to make you feel good afterwards, I feel like crap! Sore legs and knees, sure different from my soccer playing days when I was running on nice soft green grass. (Victoria grass fields). Sure different on pavement. Well anyway I said I would start running after the wife bought me some new runners in Seattle. Glad she did or my feet would be really sore. Anyway I went for a run for a run on Saturday and Biked on Sunday morning and ran this morning.........good thing I gotta go to work tomorrow to get a rest! Well for some reason she thinks I will be able to run a 5k race soon..I doubt it.........Oh I ran by a golf course today and kept thinking I should be out there golfing! Maybe a good idea I didn't golf cause my golf game has been below average this year.

Platinum Cup Sprints and Watkins Glen...........and Sprint 101

2007-08-12T21:10:00.000-06:00

Hey remember a few posts ago I said I am truly home at the track? Well it is true and today the Wilrock Sprint Car series from my hometown Victoria on Vancouver Island came to Calgary to race. The only series of sprint cars that race on asphalt in North America, well besides the NSRA but they race with the Victoria boys during the Daffodil and Strawberry cups in Victoria so I guess they are all one . But anyway they are well worth seeing if you understand what they are about. So that brings me to Sprint 101 to all you wannabe Calgary farmers turned sprint car fans. I heard in the stands today some interesting comments from people who obviously were oblivious to what the Wilrock series is all about. They also questioned why they were all from Vancouver Island and parts of B.C and not from Alberta. The fact that some people were saying cause Victoria had no asphalt was enough to make me wanna drill some points into their fat Alberta heads! But I thought it's obvious they have no bloody idea so here it is for all you farmers:

Wilrock and NSRA Sprint Car 101:

First of all the point about Victoria having no asphalt to run on is a farce cause they way better tracks and roads than Calgary will ever have.
Secondly the Wilrock series ONLY runs on asphalt tracks from Victoria to the BC interior and a few in western Washington. But all are on asphalt! Including Saratoga speedway, Western Speedway, and Vernon (Sun Valley to name a few)
The reason Alberta racers don't race here is cause unless they have a sprint car made for asphalt it is probably made for dirt. To convert a dirt sprint car to asphalt would be an expensive deal for one race as the shocks, tires, and springs would all have to be setup differently as well as rear end gears etc. Therefore the reason why the Victoria series comes here is cause they are already setup for asphalt.
The NSRA is the same deal but they are the guys that should come here to race as well. The cars that race in that series have even more horsepower than the Wilrock series.
One last point, the reason the races are so short is cause they only hold so much fuel and it only lasts about 30-40 laps give or take some caution laps, thus calling them "Sprinters" or Sprint cars due to their short race length but on asphalt alot can happen and they can turn on a dime.

So now you know Sprint 101

Watkins Glen Nextel Cup race report.

Didi you see the fight between Jaun Montoya nd Kevin Harvick?
well wasn't really a fight but close enough as far as NASCAR is concerned, but Jaun Montoya probably deserved it anyway. He had it coming for along time the way he's been driving on the NExtel Cup series and Busch series. Even though this accident wasn't really his fault when you have a bad reputaion in racing for wrecking guys you will always get blamed if you are evn close to a wreck! Fellow Canadain drivers Ron Fellows and Patrick Carpatenier (spelling unsure) had good runs with Ron finishing 4th and Patrick actually led 7 laps for awhile. Dale Jr blew an engine and I hope it didn't squash his hopes for racing in the chase but it just got a little harder.

Kurt Busch wins in Pocono

2007-08-05T17:25:00.001-06:00

How about the battle of the beer cars? Kurt Busch and Dale Earnhardt Jr fighting for the last spot to get into the Chase. As dale's day was not bad he faltered a bit with bad shocks until they changed it in the pit s and then ended up finishing second to Kurt Busch. The two beer cars sat o the pole and finished 1st and second.

This was the result of an accident

Robby Gordon Suspended from Pocono and potential merger problems?

2007-08-05T09:41:00.000-06:00

Well I guess it was inevitable that Robby Gordon would be parked due to Saturday's shenanigans in Montreal. What else did he expect for disobeying orders from NASCAR. Good thing the Army doesn 't sponsor him.
So what about all these new mergers in NASCAR? Is it a sign of the times that the economic positions now are coming to crunch time that teams and owners must find money elsewhere instead of corporate America? The economic pinch is starting to take it's toll that teams lack sponsorship and are unable to find new sponsors. Plus all the layoffs and and families who have had their lives upset by mergers that left them in the dirt. Yes, the behind the scenes look at NASCAR.
Anyway my point is I hope that NASCAR doesn't get too expensive that it cost way too much to race or attend as a fan and end up being in financial situations that the NHL is in, (and the NHL and NBA went on strike for it). Also these corporate mergers and transactions with sports teams such as Rousch Racing and The New York Yankees is a sign of the times to. But some sports teams are broke to or have been before. Ray Evernham's pending deal with George Gillette is a chance I woudn't want to take. Gill;ette owns the Montreal Canadiens and 3 other sports teams but has also gone bankrupt a few times owning other sports teams such as the old Atlanta Flames.
So NASCAR better look back at the roots of the sport where it started and take a close look at the expenses and where it is heading or we could be having "work stoppages in NASCAR". well that is a stretch but what do you do when there are only 5 teams who can afford to race and 20 who can't?
"

Harvick wins in Montreal

2007-08-04T22:15:00.000-06:00

What an awesome track in Montreal for road racing. And what a finish although a bit confusing. what I know though is that Robby Gordon always has been and still is a whiner and ignoring the black flag when NASCAR gives it out more than once is only going to make matters worse. robby you should have obeyed the black flag then complained after the race, cause either way you were'nt going to get second place back and now you dug yourself a deeper hole with NASCAR.
And the fact that Robby Gordon was doing a victory burnout while Kevin Harvick was as well is pretty funny as shown in this picture from NASCAR.com because after being black flagged his laps won't be scored after that point and he must have known that, so to even think he won is a little speculative.

Tony stewart wins at Indy

2007-07-29T17:20:00.000-06:00

Look at all the new stuff ESPN had at the race today to broadcast the show with. A whole new shop to show parts of the car for viewers and to show what parts of teh car needs fixing or is broken. Also had a big screen in there with animated video display showing an engine breaking. Then they had the cartoonic looking graphic showing the air circulating around the cars.......is pretty cool for a bit but got kinda of old fast. Didn't another station try this stuff with the NHL? Remember the streak behind teh puck when it was shot over a certain mph?
Anyway all this stuff seems fine for TV viewers I guess but I am sort of a purist who like sthe old way of showing this stuff like when FOX does it from a cutaway car.
Anyway congrats to Tony Stewart for winning and not falling to the ground after he climbed the fence at the starting line. And bad luck to Dale Jr. as he broke his engine after leading for awhile.

DEI and GINN merger

2007-07-29T10:47:00.000-06:00

I've always thought of Mark Martin as my favorite Ford driver and that he would fit into a Chevrolet product just fine. So when came back to race with Ginn racing this year in the US Army 01 Chevrolet I thought cool. Mark has seen the light!

So Then I always thought that if Mark MArtin could ever drive for Dale Earnhardt Inc. that would be awesome! I know Mark is semi retired and that idea would never come to light but the idea of Mark Martin driving on the same team as the late Dale Earnhardt would have been awesome before Dale's untimely passing. But now that GINN Racing and DEI have merged together Mark MArtin is now a teammate of Dale earnhardt Jr. COOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It is just too bad Dale Earnhardt Jr. is leaving DEI for the Hendrick's stable at the end of the year! Well thats too bad DEI could have had 2 marquee racers in their stable and Mark will definately help the younger DEI drivers as well as Dale Jr. Oh well I will savor what is left of the 2007 NASCAR season and relish in the fact that a legendary driver has teamed up with a legend's son and future legend in his own right Dale Jr and squirm at the fact that Jr. is going to be racing at Hendrick's in 2008...................ewwwwwwwwwwwwwww.

pic from nascar.com

From Powerful Cars to Powerful Music

2007-07-28T11:36:00.000-06:00

Only been home for a week and already it was time to go to Sounds of the Underground last night. A music festival featuring various hard core death metal bands. The concert started at 1pm but we got there at just after 6pm. A few of the bands we wanted to see were playing near the end of the show but we missed the one I really wanted to see, Shadows Fall. But we did get to see Chimara and the feature band GWAR! If you have never been to a GWAR show, well you are missing a show in itself........shock rocking has never been like this, and these guys have been doing it for over 20 years. Alice Cooper is tame in comparison to these guys. Anyway you get pretty messy at a GWAR show and seasoned veterans show up with rain coats and ski goggles!

Gwar web page

Pics on FLICKR instead of geociites.

2007-07-26T13:13:00.001-06:00

I have added a FLICK R link to my sidebar where I have added some pics from last weekends race. Some older pics are still on my geocities website as well.

Our TRip Home

2007-07-25T09:38:00.000-06:00

Well on Monday we slept in a bit as the races are now over for another year. (Until Pomona right honey?) Anyway as we booked a late flight for Monday based on past experiences with rain delays in Seattle forcing the race to be run on Monday. And it was close to being run on Monday as well, boy was it close I still can't believe the weather cooperated enough o allow the race to be finished on Sunday even though it was still hampered by a misting rain which cause slight delays during the day. But hats off to the NHRA for getting it done and preparing the track for driver and fan safety.
So the wife and I go do a little shopping, apparently she wants to start running with her so bough me a pair of good running shoes, hi tech stuff this running shoe business. Then we went to Southcentre mall to kill a few more hours.
something to eat and wander around a bit.Well as the day is lagging on we decide to go drop off the rental car and head to the airport where we can get The concourse is pretty cool with a big glass wall that overlooks the airport and can watch all the planes come and go. So this was a good spot to get something to eat. Is awesome to watch all the planes fly in out they are just as powerful as some of the cars we were watching over the weekend and I am always amazed that these planes can ever get off the ground! Like this 747. After we eat we head down to our gate number. you need to take a subway to get out to the satellite terminal that is there but there is another good vantage point for some more pics.
Even The air force comes in here I guess to refuel or something but was still impressed whit this air force tanker as it taxied by us. There was all types of planes that came by us from British Airways to Japanese airplanes and various paint schemes, and we were close to Alaska Airline terminal so there was tons of those plane there to.

Finally our plane lands.....Air Canada/Jazz....and we load up and go home. The flight was about an hour and we are home after another fun weekend in Seattle.

Finally We've come Back to Seattle day 3 (Race Day)

2007-07-24T13:12:00.002-06:00

Well after an interesting night in the bar and even more interesting one in the hotel being well sick I guess you could call it I am really hungover this morning. And it is raining hard outside and the forecast looks grim and we are late getting out of bed. But we are die hard hard core race fans and part time "weather man" during race weekends and my expertise tells me the clouds are light and high in the sky and could clear and racing will resume..........hopefully. So off to the track and when we get there looks like alot of people decide to stay home as getting into the track was a breeze. whne we got to our seats we see that the track is almost dry as the Safety safari has been working all morning to clear the track. They also adjusted the schedule for pro teams with a 65 minute turn around time to get back to the staging lanes for the next round. And the sportsman categories keep getting pushed back. So a little delay before some the track is ready so we wander through the pits to watch the teams get ready and inhale some Nitro fumes. I am never really at home unless I'm at the track so this little haze in the picture of Nitro Methane fumes is a bit of heaven to me! Unless you've ever experienced it you never know what its really like. Nitro fumes will make the biggest and strongest men "cry like a baby!" (quote from Friday night's action in the bar). And plus the hair that stands up on your head when they "burp" the throttle during warmups. I tell you I love the Smell of Nitro in the morning!

11:45 am Race time!
We got wicked seats behind the starting line and awesome vantage point for taking some more pics. Check out Kenny Bernstein's new Monster Energy drink Funny Car ride.

What a show the opening rounds were Tony Shumacher sets both ends of the track record and the Pro Stockers are flying at over 205 mph!

In round two of Funny car eliminations Kenny Bernstein is up against Ashley Force. The race is on until Ashley lost control of her car as it turned sideways and she pedaled it and it straight into the wall exploding in a fireball and turning her car out towards the center of the track again where it came to rest. her body was flung open but did not come off the chasis as the car spun around on it at the point where the body was still attached.
These pics are from the accident and the last one is from the Seattle Times front page of the sports.

It was pretty scary to watch but she got out OK with just a sprained thumb. Her dad John had just run his race and came back up the track to his daughter's aid to see if she was OK.

The Funny Car final had John Force against Jack Eckman after rain delays and when it finally got under way John had his share of problems as well. John's car blew up near the end of the track and caught on fire in a losing effort to Eckman but he still made a big jump in the points.

The winners were after a long frustrating weekend of rain delays and a missed day of qaulifying ( which we get back next year) were:
Top Fuel Dragster----Tony Shumacher
Funny Car--------------Jack eckman
Pro Stock--------------Dave Connolly
We are planning a trip to Pomona maybe this fall to watch the last race of the Season and I can't wait. you Know it won't rain there hopefully. I feel sorry for the people in our hotel who didn't make it to Sunday's race cause they were afraid of the rain! Fans are like racers.never give up, plus I paid for Sunday's race so I was going.glad I did!
Here are some more pics:

Finally We've come Back to Seattle Day 2

2007-07-24T12:15:00.001-06:00

After a fun interesting night in the bar last night (Meeker Street Bar and Grill) with some very addicted Nitro Methane maniacs (I thought I was the only one!) we are a little hungover but on our way to the track. One guy last night kept going on about how proud he was of Ashley Force, hell I thought he was her father at one point! Mind you everyone is proud of her if you follow NHRA on a regular basis and watch the program Driving Force. Oh well another round please waitress.They sure pour good rum and cokes in this part of the world , let me tell you!
Anyway after checking the NHRA.com website in out hotel lobby's free computer access we see that NHRA is running on two qualifying sessions today so we are excited to get there. And the weather looks good for racing. Cool and overcast, perfect race conditions for record setting runs! I think this guy breathed too many Nitro fumes in his day, or was he at the bar last night with us? Actually it was in Max Naylor's souvenir trailer. The first pro qualifying sessions went pretty well without a hitch and the day looked good for racing. Bob Panella's Pro Stocker was done in a Sox Martin Tribute them, pretty cool! I love the old paint schemes and nostalgia cars cause they are the founders and pioneers of the sport.
Anyway I took about a million pictures of the races which I will post some on my geocities website this week as I have finally figured out how my camera works! And I took some sweet photos. Like this one of Kurt Johnson doing a burnout.

The Alcohol cars got one qualifying session in as well but all the rest of the sportsman categories were out of luck as the weather started to rain again before round 2 of qualifying could get started. The day was rained out after that point and NHRA will run Sunday after one round of qualifying instead of four so we are off to more shopping and get some more pics. Like the ones with me and John Evanchuck's top alcohol funny car. He is from Edmonton and we have seen this car race in Calgary and at car shows on display but haven't seen him run in the big show yet. He is a heavy hitter in the class along with Roger Bateman pictured below in the Nobile smile.com car who hasn't retired yet. We also took time out to sign the memorial banner to Eric Medlen who passed away earlier this year in a testing accident. Oh well the day is done so we are on our way home and back to the bar for some more dinner, for some more of those 50/50 free pour drink systems they have here.
We met some more crazy Nitro Methane addicts in there and everyone is upset the weather isn't cooperating as well as could be, but oh well can't change the weather! On our way out of the bar we met a couple who were feeling no pain as was I and we proceeded to explain about the rock my wife has in her lanyard! HAHAA oh yes the infamous rock my wife cherishes so much and so do I actually, didn't tell her that I lost it 3 times on the weekend but found it every time by my feet.

The Infamous rock Story:
Well not much too tell other than we like to sit behind the starting line on Sunday's races and one year I think in 2000 or something my wife was hit by a flying rock from one of the car"s burnouts! we thought cool! A piece of the track just hit me I think I'll keep it so we did. A piece of history and fun plus the fact my wife's arms were covered in little pieces of rubber and teraction compound combined with being hit by a piece of the track makes for some interesting conversations at the track or the bar!

Finally We've Gone Back To Seattle!

2007-07-24T10:11:00.000-06:00

After a long 5 year absence from the Seattle NHRA Northwest Nationals, now called the Schucks NHRA Nationals my wife and I finally returned to the spot where we got hitched! Right down on the starting line. See my personal geocities page for pics. You can imagine how excited I was too get back to the track and not just any track, a professionally run NHRA event track.

I couldn't wait to board the plane Fri morning from Calgary. The wait in the airport was agonizing as I knew we would be a little late for the start of the race as we wouldn't be arriving at the track til around noon after we got our rental car and checked into our hotel. Everything was going to plan until we landed at Seattle airport. It was raining and raining hard! Now I'm worried but know that the start of the race has likely been postponed for a few hours so maybe that bought us some time. After we get our car check into the hotel we are off to the track, finally!

When we got there no one was moving too fast as the track was super soaked and they had sucker trucks pumping water out of pit areas and souvenir trailer areas. Oh well time to do a little shopping for driver apparell and get my National Dragster membership renewed. Maybe get a few autographs and more pics.

Hey take a look at the new grandstand that was added a few years ago, a liitle wet to be seated though.

I'm feeling a little fat these days so we can get lots of exercise walking through Nitro Alley a million times.

The day is not looking too well for racing but being the hard core race fans that we are we are hoping for tech best! After all have been through this before and seen them run. Ok get the jet dryers out already! Finally late that day we talk to a member of the Budweiser racing team and tells us that the race has been called for the day. So now they are down to two qualifying sessions on Saturday for Sundays eliminations. Oh well back to the hotel for dinner at the new bar down the road and a hot tub later on.

But check out some more pics of some of the nostalga cars, one of which was the original Ed the Ace McCulloch's dragster from the early days of drag racing.

Hey check out who sponsors Clay Millican's New ride!

The Lady Black tamed by the COT

2007-05-13T19:14:00.000-06:00

The race today at Darlington, actually postponed from last night, featured the cars of tomorrow. Seems like they have stopped the foam padding from catching fire like earlier cars did earlier this year.

Alot of overheating was happening to engines even Jeff Gordon's car was overheating as he raced the last 50 or so laps with water spewing out of the overflow vents, eventually becoming the winner. A few others got the infamous black stripe from the track to "tough to tame" but the new cars seem to habndle crasheing and bouncing off the wall better than older style race cars.

Dale Jr.

Well after a long period of negotiations with his stepmother and DEI racing I guess Jr. and his sister have decided to move on to another team next season or start their own team. I guess the best and least likely scenario would be to have Dale Jr. go race for Richard Childress racing and drive the #3 car. Think It will happen? Driving fro RCR or driving 3? One out of two aint bad I guess!

Dale Earnhardt Day and Fixing races?

2007-04-29T20:53:00.000-06:00

Today is the late Dale Earnhardt Sr's birthday and Dale Earnhardt day was celebrated in Mooresville at DEI. And also on this day Jeff Gordon won his 77 th race of his career to pass Dale Sr. on the all time win list at Talladega superspeedway under caution as the green, white checker attaaempt failed with an accident on the first try of overtime. And much to the dismay of some fans who threw beer cans and debris on the track after the race. which brings me to this point, what the hell are people throwing stuff on the racetrack for anyway. Is this the new "fad" and going to happen at every race for now on no matter who wins? Or is it because of Tony Stewarts accusations that the races are fixed with late cautions cramming all the cars back together with a handful of laps to go. I sure hope that NASCAR is isn't employing this tactic as I seen being talked about on Speedtv's Windtunnel tonite. Then the fans would have a reason to throw things on the track but that would be a severely ugly turn for NASCAR into the future!
Kyle Busch had a hard time at Talladega this weekend barrel rolling in the Busch race and crashing in the Nextel cup Race.
And what's up with Dale Jr, trying to buy part of Robert Yates racing, is he going to be in a Ford next year?

NHL

And speaking of fixing, the reffing in the NHL playoffs has got to be the worst I have ever seen in the playoffs ever. Are they trying to fix it so certain games won't get into overtime by having a ton of power plays for either team? It seems as soon as one team gets ahead near the end of the game they are pretty much guarnateed there won't be a penalty called against them unless is really obvious ...but these refs these days miss everything and sure love the phantom hooking calls. Anyway with no overtimes, certain or many companies won't lose any money as there are no tv timeouts (commercials) in overtime. See the connection here? It seems as if someone has put money and politics above a Canadian passtime....the NHL playoffs.....and the playing for pride idea has long since been removed from the game. It is getting hard to watch powerplay after powerplay. It takes the flow from the game. So Mr. Bettman I know you have something to do with this so stop screwing with the game, it was fine before you changed it.

3rd COT nextel race

2007-04-22T17:32:00.000-06:00

Well the 3rd "Car of Tomorrow" (COT) race of the season was run in Phoenix on Saturday night and it looks like they fixed the burning foam issue they had with some earlier races. Jeff Gordon and tony Stewart battled hard near the end of the race for 1st place while a lapped Martin Truex Jr. was in the fight as well. Jeff Gordon
eventually won and tied Dale Earnhardt's record of 76 wins. At the end of the race Jeff Gordon did a victory lap with the #3 flag.
There was a crash near the end of the race as well as Dale Jr. and Martin Truex were in the pits at the time and went a lap down to the leader Jeff Gordon.

Jr. Nation gets a disappointing resuilt

2007-04-15T19:35:00.000-06:00

Well after a crash on the first lapat texas, things went pretty well, especially when Dale Jr. was leading the race. 72 laps actually. Jr. Nation was alive in well in Texas. Jaun Pablo Montoya had an incidient with Tony Stewart who then came out of the pits a few laps later to spin out again, that's when Kurt Busch ran into Dale Jr's rear end of his car and lifted it in the air, ruining Jr's car and day. What's up with Kurt Busch's driving these days?

Well for the first time in ions John Force failed to qualify for this weekend's NHRA event.

Habs Lose, No NASCAR, New Guitar

2007-04-08T09:44:00.000-06:00

Habs Miss Playoffs

Thanks to the Toronto Maple Laughs (oh sorry,.... Leafs) the Habs are out of the playoff race and will be joining me on the golf course! Well not really would be cool though to met a few on the course. Anyway my beloved Habs sit out the post season once again. Kind of their own fault when you have to wait til the last game of the season to make it into the playoffs then really you don't have a team worthy of going far anyway, but I still hope they would make it maybe next year!
As it being Easter weekend there is no Nextel Cup race this weekend so now what am I going to do? Well seeing I have taken up guitar playing (don't worry wife says I'm getting better) I might as well play that today. I bought a second guitar yesterday as my first one is in the shop getting the nut on the neck fixed, (don't think I broke it but who knows!) So I bought a new Yamaha, pretty sweet locking guitar, could use some airbrush artwork on it though I think, that is my next project to find an artist who can do airbrush work on guitars

Nascar COT and a sad NHRA note

2007-04-01T21:58:00.000-06:00

Well it seems as if the NASCAR Car of Tomorrow still has some bugs to be worked out as a few cars had the foam, which is added to the sides of the car as an extra safety measure, catch fire by teh heat from the exhaust system. And Kevin Harvick was on fire today in Martinsville as seen in this picture from Nascar.com. Seem like they still need more testing before they really put it into full racing year round.
Anyway Dale Earnhardt had a good run and finshed 5, and Jimmy johnson held off his boss Jeff gordon to win the race.

NHRA

Eric Medlen has passed away from a testing accident in Gainesville while testing his funny car. John Force racing did not race in Houston this past weekend in honor of their fallen teammate.

Goodyear tires

2007-03-12T14:40:00.000-06:00

even the NEXTEL Cup guys were complaining about the tires. Why would Goodyear bring such a hard tire to race with all weekend? The drivers were complaining all thru practice qualifying and racing, let alone scared to death of crashing!

It's good to see the refs in the NHL starting to let the players play a bit. If they would call all the penalties that are penalties and leave the "phantom" calls alone (refs love interference calls) and let tghem play you wouldn't get what happened to Chris Simon on the weekend happening ,cause the the hit on Simon was definite boarding by a third rate player who is a cheap shot artist, wghich should have been called in the first place. If they don't get called then the players police themselves.
Is Edmonton ever going to win another game after trading away Ryan Smith? They are winless since they traded him at the deadline. Makes you wonder why they traded him in the first place.

Nascar Tires in Vegas and the HAbs

2007-03-10T22:35:00.000-07:00

NASCAR BUSCH SERIES From Vegas,

Well it seems as if Good Year wants to have lots of crashes at the newly renovated and freshly paved Las Vegas Speedway. The tires seem to have everyone on edge as during qualifying and the Busch series race on Saturday everyone was super lose. Many crashes were from guys getting lose opn restarts and almost all of them said the same thing.....the tires are too hard and its like driving on black ice. Sunday's race could be mayhem!

On with the Habs,

well after losing 5 games in a row the HAbs finally one tonite in St Louis. But everone ahead of them is winning as well as Montreal sits 11th 3 points out of the 8th and final playoff berth! It will be an uphill battle from here.
Go HABS Go