Just a short post today. Curt and I went down to NJMSP for the ARCA race. The sun was only out for maybe 45 minutes, the rest of the time was overcast, but other than a few sprinkles, the rainheld off until after we started the drive home.
I have pictures for tomorrow, but for today I have just a few.
Just wondering since it's a Ford from NC- were they unsure if they could make the trip without an extra motor?
Those of you familiar with ARCA would know that one of the Venturini's sponsors is Mike's Hard Lemonade. So during the 45 minutes of actual sunny time I went in search of some. I checked the haulers-
No lemonade in the haulers. So I figured maybe they brought it to the pits??
There was no lemonade in the pit stall. I did however have a nice conversation with one of the pit guys - have his picture somewhere - he was pretty cool - but denied any knowledge of where the Hard Lemonade was being stashed. So we all know how stock car racing gots it's start right? From moonshine runners and smugglers? So I think I figured out where the Lemonade was but couldn't get ahold of any :(
The 49ers won a division game 35-0!! WOOT!!
The Mets won - both Sat and Sunday!!
Tony wins at Kansas!!
The IRISH won in overtime! (took a few years off the end of my life!)
The Cowboys lost to the Broncos!! Woot! ( don't care about the Bronco's but my life is better when the Cowboys lose... last week was rough)
There were some downers. Justin Lofton was beaten by Parker Kligerman so is going into the final ARCA race of the season at Rockingham with only a 15 point lead for the championship.
The Aggies got their butts kicked by the Razorbacks.
The Devils lost their opener to the Flyers. Philly blech!
Angies school lost their homecoming game.
So tonite - in a few minutes the green flag will drop on the Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway. The format has changed from previous years. It used to be the pole winners from the previous year, and any previous year's shootout winners still racing. However since Budweiser no longer sponsors the pole, they changed the rules. It was the top 5 drivers ( by owners points) from each manufacturer. The owners points is an interesting catch. It meant Tony, who is now driving for himself, was out of the shootout for the first time in 9 years. It also meant that Joey Logano the 18 year old "phenom" A ROOKIE is in the shootout. And Rookie Scott Speed as well. Then all of the sudden ( I believe with pressure from Chevy who did a lot of lobbying to get Tony back in a Chevy) there was an amendment. Thbere was a "wildcard" position open. Either a past champion or the next highest in owner points. The only real "big name" that put in the race was Stewart. Hmmm. 
Mind you Tony has won it 3 times previously. The weird thing is Ryan Newman ( who now drives for Tony in the 39 Army car, whose nickname is Rocketman because of all the poles he wins) is not in the race. And Matt Kennseth and Jeff Burton - both notorious qualifiers are in it. And Paul Mennard?? 
OK, granted Tony is not really a hot qualifier himself, but once he won the first Shootout, it really didn't matter because he was in. So this should be an interesting shootout, especially watching the ARCA race this afternoon, there are a bunch of drivers in the shootout who have NO restrictor plate experience at all. The race is always interesting because this race is only for the Pride and the Ego and the Bragging rights and the $$, since it doesn't come with any points. So all the drivers are just out to win, playing it safe for the points is not a factor. Most of the cars are not really in this years "stable" so if they get wrecked its no big deal. The starting lineup was determined by random picking of budweiser bottles with flags in them on Thursday night. So the front row is highly questionable, Tony is in 6th ( along side Denny Hamlin) the first row with any experienced drivers. Some really good drivers are in the back of the field - Kevin Harvick and Jeff Gordon are the last row. 
Well enough of this - time to watch racing!! ( Ok started Thursday night) tomorrow is Daytona Pole qualifying, Thursday afternoon are the dual 125s that set the field for the 500. The truck race is Friday night. The Nationwide race is Saturday and the 500 - the start of the season is next Sunday. Woohoo!!! Happy Happy Happy!! Tony is looking good with his brand new team out of the box - he was fast in all the practices so far. YAY!!
Since Angie couldn't come to the race on Sunday with us, I bought her a t-shirt and got a bunch of drivers to sign it, including Dexter Bean, Ricky Stenthouse Jr, frank Kimmel, Andy Lally, J. Lofton, James Hilton etc.
On Tuesday, I went to Mara's to meet Grace for dessert. Angie came after she conducted her "business" at the bank - depositing her confirmation money. It was Grace's birthday, and I had remembered she said something about stitch markers on her blog a few weeks ago. So I looked in my boxes of beads ( beading just not happening with my nails, but stitch markers I can do) and made these up:
For those of you who don't know, James Hilton is a fixture in stock car racing. The man is 77, still qualifies and runs races. AND when he's running in the back he doesn't cause or get involved in wrecks. I've always had a lot of respect for the man. Anyway while prowling around the garage this morning, an ARCA official comes backing out of the garage and crashes right into me. I was checking out a car in another garage so I didn't even see it coming. Well no harm, no foul, but the guy starts talking to us. Turns out he was just talking to Hilton. He actually introduced us! Very cool! He saw us a bit later asked who else we were looking for and let us know where Dexter Bean would be signing autographs. More pics later. I promise!
Going down to NJ Motorsports Park today for the ARCA race. It's ARCA's first road course race in a long time ( I believe 7 years) Dexter hasn't ever run a road course before but NASCAR East has had a race in NJ so the team used some of that info to set up the car for this weekend. Dexter has also been talking to Scott Speed (yuck) to get some pointers (ugghh). Leaving early, in about an hour, stopping for breakfast, should be there when the gates open at 7am. Not sure if ARCA runs on rain tires, but Hoosier does make rain tires so the tires are available.
Curt thinks its a good thing we won't be home as Tony is starting 41st. I'd be highly stressed as he tries to work his way through the field . Ugghhh.
The 49ers won a division game 35-0!! WOOT!!
So tonite - in a few minutes the green flag will drop on the Budweiser Shootout at Daytona International Speedway. The format has changed from previous years. It used to be the pole winners from the previous year, and any previous year's shootout winners still racing. However since Budweiser no longer sponsors the pole, they changed the rules. It was the top 5 drivers ( by owners points) from each manufacturer. The owners points is an interesting catch. It meant Tony, who is now driving for himself, was out of the shootout for the first time in 9 years. It also meant that Joey Logano the 18 year old "phenom" A ROOKIE is in the shootout. And Rookie Scott Speed as well. Then all of the sudden ( I believe with pressure from Chevy who did a lot of lobbying to get Tony back in a Chevy) there was an amendment. Thbere was a "wildcard" position open. Either a past champion or the next highest in owner points. The only real "big name" that put in the race was Stewart. Hmmm. 
Mind you Tony has won it 3 times previously. The weird thing is Ryan Newman ( who now drives for Tony in the 39 Army car, whose nickname is Rocketman because of all the poles he wins) is not in the race. And Matt Kennseth and Jeff Burton - both notorious qualifiers are in it. And Paul Mennard?? 
OK, granted Tony is not really a hot qualifier himself, but once he won the first Shootout, it really didn't matter because he was in. So this should be an interesting shootout, especially watching the ARCA race this afternoon, there are a bunch of drivers in the shootout who have NO restrictor plate experience at all. The race is always interesting because this race is only for the Pride and the Ego and the Bragging rights and the $$, since it doesn't come with any points. So all the drivers are just out to win, playing it safe for the points is not a factor. Most of the cars are not really in this years "stable" so if they get wrecked its no big deal. The starting lineup was determined by random picking of budweiser bottles with flags in them on Thursday night. So the front row is highly questionable, Tony is in 6th ( along side Denny Hamlin) the first row with any experienced drivers. Some really good drivers are in the back of the field - Kevin Harvick and Jeff Gordon are the last row. 
Well enough of this - time to watch racing!! ( Ok started Thursday night) tomorrow is Daytona Pole qualifying, Thursday afternoon are the dual 125s that set the field for the 500. The truck race is Friday night. The Nationwide race is Saturday and the 500 - the start of the season is next Sunday. Woohoo!!! Happy Happy Happy!! Tony is looking good with his brand new team out of the box - he was fast in all the practices so far. YAY!!
For those of you who don't know, James Hilton is a fixture in stock car racing. The man is 77, still qualifies and runs races. AND when he's running in the back he doesn't cause or get involved in wrecks. I've always had a lot of respect for the man. Anyway while prowling around the garage this morning, an ARCA official comes backing out of the garage and crashes right into me. I was checking out a car in another garage so I didn't even see it coming. Well no harm, no foul, but the guy starts talking to us. Turns out he was just talking to Hilton. He actually introduced us! Very cool! He saw us a bit later asked who else we were looking for and let us know where Dexter Bean would be signing autographs. More pics later. I promise!
Going down to NJ Motorsports Park today for the ARCA race. It's ARCA's first road course race in a long time ( I believe 7 years) Dexter hasn't ever run a road course before but NASCAR East has had a race in NJ so the team used some of that info to set up the car for this weekend. Dexter has also been talking to Scott Speed (yuck) to get some pointers (ugghh). Leaving early, in about an hour, stopping for breakfast, should be there when the gates open at 7am. Not sure if ARCA runs on rain tires, but Hoosier does make rain tires so the tires are available. 