Well...I have the race on TV, the radio broadcast on my phone, and Danica's radio on my laptop. I am all set for racing at the Tricky Triangle!!! I thought I'd do something fun for this race so below you will find my own version of Play-By-Play for today's race that includes anything but actual play-by-play. Enjoy!
Pre-Race: ~Well, that was one of the best National Anthems that we have heard in quite a while... good job dude! ~Dane Cook didn't botch the command! Not that I really thought he would but remember James Franco? Pace Laps: ~Danica and her team are having an interesting conversation about her pit sign... too tall? Just right? Need to move it? According to Danica, its the same height as Hamlin's...so it's all good! Huh? ~Also, her spotter can't see her going into turn 1...is that the same for all spotters? ~Johnson is on Pole for Pocono... where he won in June... in other words... congrats on the win Johnson! (Hope I didn't just jinx you) Green Flag: ~CAUTION!!!!! Stenhouse in the wall... he is done... Well... that will be a good Rookie points day for Danica :) ~Wait... was this the quickest caution ever in a NASCAR race? They didn't even make it past one turn! ~Lot's of damage for Stenhouse. Not sure it's repairable. ~Kenseth also has a lot of damage to his right front. Pretty much knocks his chances of winning this race. More good news for Johnson! ~Juan Pablo Montoya with damage as well. I think he may have caused this... ~Color Commentary of this Pocono Race is brought to you by Kyle Copple... wannabe country music singer...LIVE from the room next door! Lap 3: Pit stop! Grilled Cheese Sandwich and a juice pack! Lap 6: Green! All I can think of now is....can Kasey Kahne take off his helmet yet? #ThoseEyes Lap 7: Remember when I said the Danica's spotter couldn't see her going into turn 1? I think that goes for all spotters. I.E...Lap 1 wreck. Lap 8: JPM seen coming back on track... I think he can win! Lap 8: Uh-Oh... Busch brothers seen racing side by side... Lap 9: Stenhouse making jokes in the garage while his crew makes repairs... "Looks like the 42 just forgot we were turning left...he seems to forget a lot these days." Lap 11: I just slapped at a fly on my shoulder and forgot about my sunburn... excuse me while I scream in pain for the next 3 laps... Lap 13: Commercial break? What? I've never seen one of these before? WHAT IS THIS!?!?!?!? Lap 14: CAUTION!!!! And what do you know... Still in commercial. Hamlin to the garage after hitting the wall. Lap 14: I just looked outside for the first time today... it's raining. Lap 15: This will serve as the competition caution... I would hope so, otherwise this would be a VERY long caution if they waiting until Lap 20...GREEN!!!! oh wait... CAUTION!!!! Lap 16: Many teams hit pit road. Danica was pitting by Hamlin... him in the garage leaves her with an empty stall. Lap 16: Currently downloading season 3 of Necessary Roughness... Lap 18: GREEN FLAG! Just as they come out of commercial break...nice timing. Lap 19: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!! Ok...not really. But it sure feels like it! Kyle just threw shorts and sweatpants into my room. I love Hand-Me-Ups! Lap 21: Kenseth and Reutimann slide after ALMOST making contact.... Lap 22: Why do some drivers have names that are SO hard to spell? Lap 23: Attempting to transfer all of my music to my external hard drive... time remaining? 5 hours. Lap 25: Hamlin is out. 4th DNF this season. Someone really needs to tell him that his Chase hopes are unfortunately... toast. Lap 28: My brother is asking me for fashion advice as he prepares to go out to lunch with my best friend.. what? Lap 29: Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski are running nose to tail. M&Ms and Redds Apple Ale... That makes a good combination. Lap 31: Green flag stops for those who didn't pit under caution.... including race leader Johnson...in his airplane. Lap 32: Sometimes my sarcasm gets the best of me. It only comes out for special occasions. Lap 33: "Good job. I bet they didn't expect that." ~Tony Gibson "Good." ~Danica Patrick Lap 34: referring to previous lap...Danica drafted and passed three cars at once. #Boss Lap 37: The GoDaddy car is up to P6!!! Lap 38: Commercial.... which mean... Pit Stop time for me!!! Need to refuel :) Lap 40: Emerged from my hideout....no one is home. Lap 41: Green Flag starts for other drivers and kicking it off is Danica Patrick who has pit strategy on her mind. Lap 43: Kasey Kahne on my TV screen....too bad it's just his car. I WANT HIS FACE! Lap 44: OH MY GAWD!!!!!! JUNIOR IS THE LEADER!!!!! Oh wait... pitting. Lap 47: Looking at my NASCAR shrine that is surrounding my TV... thinking of how I am going to set it up in my dorm room in a few weeks. Lap 48: New leader... 48!!!! Lap 49: Another commercial. On the bright side... I finally figured out what K&N sold. Lap 50: Internet went out again... really? Lap 53: CAUTION!!!! FIRE!!!!! The 38 hits the wall. Lap 54: Pit Strategy yet again. Johnson just pitted yet he is in again. Lap 54: Lost all radio feeds... dammitt Lap 55: Contact on pit road with the No.9 leaves Patrick with left rear damage. Ambrose forgot where his pit stall was and dove to the inside of the the 10. Aussies. Lap 58: Green Flag!!! Kahne and Keselowski two wide battle for the lead! Lap 60: kAHNE LEADS!!! Lap 63: What possessed anyone to build a track in the shape of an awkward triangle? Whoever it was was a genius! Lap 65: I am currently eating a pickle. You argument is invalid. Lap 67: WATKINS GLEN IS NEXT WEEKEND!!!! I LOVE ROAD COURSES!!!!! Lap 70: After pitting...Johnson is tearing it up through the field. Boss. Lap 72: Green flag pit stops for those other guys who didn't pit the last time. Lap 73: Pit all of this pit strategy going on...not one driver is on the same cycle... in other words...looks for pit stops to be continuous. Lap 73: SURPRISE!!!!! Johnson leads the field!!!! Lap 74: Danica Patrick is running in 8th place. Lap 76: Johnson blows a tire and slaps the wall. Caution. Lap 76: "I just need to be consistent. I'm not the fastest car but as long as I don't screw up, it's not easy for people to catch me" ~Danica Patrick. P4. Lap 78: I take back my Johnson comment from the beginning of the race...I blame myself for this. #jinx Lap 81: Still under caution and Johnson's team is still making repairs. Lap 82: GREEN FLAG! Kahne is your leader...but Keselowski takes over. Lap 84: Kasey Kahne... will you marry me? Lap 85: There are a LOT of light blue cars on track today. Lap 88: Race for 10th to 13th is getting dicey.... Ambrose, Biffle, Menard and others can't figure out who goes first. STOP ARGUING! Lap 93: Commercial... I hope mom is making lasagna for supper tonight. Lap 94: Kahne takes over the race lead and BLOWS past Keselowski. Gone. Lap 95: CAUTION: Kahne's lead goes up on smoke as the No30 hits the wall. Lap 95: This is the 3rd right front tire that has blown today....ouch. Lap 96: EVERYONE HITS PIT ROAD! Pit strategy just went out the window. Lap 96: Kurt Busch gains 6 spots on pit road. Danica Patrick calls Logano as arse. Lap 98: Most teams will have one more stop to make before the end of the race. Lap 99: GREEN FLAG: Truex leads Kahne to the green. Lap 101: TV guys finally giving Danica come credit for her racing today. She's been impressive. Deserves the mention this week. Lap 102: CAUTION: 43 with a flat and a spin. Lap 103: Dad just came in and asked how is favorite girl was doing today. He wasn't referring to me. Lap 103: FINALLY!!!! There is the F-Bomb throwing Danica that we know and love :) Lap 104: Most of the field is shutting the cars off to save fuel. Lap 106: GREEN FLAG!!!! Kahne is your leader. Lap 109: CAUTION!!! Burton and Patrick collide and collect Menard. Burton gets towed. Patrick to pit road then to the garage. Front end is gone. Lap 112: Possible top-20 finish foiled by this wreck. Crew Chief Tony Gibson comes up and puts an arm around Patrick after her interview with ESPN. Fan of hers or not, she was running a good race. Lap 112: Tough break for Burton. Had a good car. Two rough weekends in a row for him. Lap 115: So much for a good Rookie points day for Patrick. Looks like she and Stenhouse will end in about the same spot today. Lap 116: GREEN FLAG!!! Kahne still leading the pack. Lap 117: Newman picked up 4 spots on that restart. Boss. Lap 125: Kahne is flying in front of the rest of the field. Lap 127: Kahne's gap is still growing. This is basically his race to loose. Lap 130: Came back from vacation yesterday. Stored our pillows in a garbage sack in the boat....someone put them on top of the gas can... stinky. Lap 130: Kahne loses the lead as he hits pit road. Lap 131: Green Flag stops for the majority of the field. Lap 134: Johnson pits. His right front is now black with tape. I wonder where I could get some... that could come in handy...over the mouth. Lap 135: Just scrolled up on this post... man... I talk a lot. Lap 138: Kahne is leading again now that stops have cycled through. Lap 140: Hendrick Motorsports is basically dominating this race. Even with Johnson's wreck, he still led a TON of laps. Lap 143: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! HAPPY BIRTHDAY JEFF GORDON AND KURT BUSCH! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! Lap 145: 15 laps to go....I really need to start packing for school. Lap 148: I wonder how much free candy Kyle Busch gets. He should share. With Me. Lap 148: The sound just went out on the TV broadcast... that's nice. Lap 148: CAUTION: Kahne's 7 plus second lead over Gordon is gone. Jacques Debris has made an appearance. Lap 150: It sounds like a cat is dying in the other room...turns out its just my brother's music. Please bring back the country. Lap 150: The NAPA Know How commercials get me every time!!! Too funny :) Lap 152: GREEN FLAG!!!! Eight to go. Hendrick running 1-2-3 with Kahne, Gordon and Earnhardt. Lap 153: Gordon to the point! Lap 155: Gordon's lead over Kahne is growing. If this stays green.... Gordon is going to Victory Lane. Lap 155: As I say that, the caution flag comes out for Kenseth who is doing premature donuts. Lap 156: Will drivers have enough fuel? Lap 157: Kurt Busch is sitting in a good spot. So is last weeks' winner Ryan Newman. Lap 158: GREEN FLAG!!! Gordon takes off but Kahne gets a big run off of turn 1. Lap 158: Kahne takes the lead with a great pass and run around Gordon. FINAL LAP: Kahne all but has this won. Running away from Gordon. CHECKERED FLAG: Kahne takes the checkered for the second time this season and solidifies his spot in the Chase. Post-Race: ~After sitting on the pole and leading most of the race, Johnson finished P13 after his wreck. ~Gordon finishes P2 with Hendrick teammate Earnhardt Jr P5. ~Pretty excited about the extended Kahne coverage after the race. #ThoseEyes ~ There is a funny smell coming from the kitchen. ~TAKE THOSE SUNGLASSES OFF KASEY!!!!! ~Great post-race interview by Gordon. Happy Birthday Dude! ~Nice shout-out to Jason Leffler, who rode home with Kahne after the June race. ~Someone should take me to Outback for FREE BLOOMIN ONIONS!!!! ~Johnson is still 77 points ahead of second place in points' standings. Hope you enjoyed my version of play-by-play during today's race at Pocono :) Until next time!
0 Comments
So I started writing this during the New Hampshire race but for some reason never finished it. All that means is... I get to add on!!! :)
This next weekend is going to be one of those weekends that NASCAR fans dread...off week. It's that point in the season where the drivers and crew get a much needed weekend off and get to spend some well deserved time with their families and friends. For those of us who spend our Sunday's parked in front of the TV...this weekend is going to drag on. Thankfully, this is just for one weekend and when the Sprint Cup Series returns....IT'S INDY BABY!!!! And don't think that you wont have ANY racing this weekend. The NASCAR Nationwide Series is at Chicagoland this weekend! Tune in :) So...I took to twitter before the race to see if I could get any questions that I could answer on here. Surprisingly, I got quite a few that were very similar. 1: Quite a few questions regarding Danica Patrick (shocker :) including but not limited to: Thoughts on her Rookie Season, Thoughts on Petty's comments, Thoughts on her relationship with Stenhouse...just to name a few. I don't know how many times I have answered these questions but honestly, I don't mind doing so. So let's start from the beginning. Thoughts on her Rookie Season. Judging her on her performance throughout the race, not her final results and also looking at past Rookie drivers, Danica is fairing pretty well considering it is just her second full season racing stock cars. Many Rookies, as in a majority of them, finish in the mid-20s in points at the end of the season. What to see the statistics? Check out this article by one of my fellow writers at Speedway Digest---> here. I think she is showing progress each and every week. Listening to her radio during the race, she is constantly giving feedback and listening to her team. You may want to chalk up her top-10 finish this season to not taking chances at Daytona, but her 12th place finish at Martinsville, after being many laps down, proves that she is a very talented driver. Now, my thoughts on Kyle Petty's comments... look here. Thoughts on her relationship with Ricky Stenhouse Jr? If you look at pictures and videos from her IndyCar days... or even early last season, it almost looks like a completely different person compared to the Danica we see today. Almost any driver or media person you ask will say that she is seems like a completely different Danica. Her entire attitude has changed, lightened up. She is having fun at the track and not 100% serious all of the time. Her interviews have gotten much funnier and looser too. The same can be said for Ricky. I really think that this relationship will be around for a long time. I mean, she is now listening to country music and wearing boots on a semi-regular basis... 2: Will Jimmie Johnson win the Championship? I have two answers to this. Yes and well....quite possibly, yes. If the Chase started right now, Johnson and Kenseth would be tied. At the top. No points difference between them whatsoever. BUT! If there wasn't a Chase, Johnson would be a logical choice for a predicted winner. He has led the points standing every week but two this season and after his stunning performance at New Hampshire, he leads the points standing by more than one race. If he and the No48 team keep on this high that they are on...not literally...then he would be a good bet for the Championship win. Ultimately, unless one of these other drivers goes on a hot streak like Stewart did in 2011, then the Championship will come down to two drivers, Johnson and Kenseth. Buckle up everyone, it's going to be one heck of a ride. So, like I said above, I was listening to Danica's radio feed during the race, like I do basically every week. I quite enjoy it when she gets heated and some of my fellow Danica fans and I like to keep track of how many F-bombs she lets loose during any given race. Well, during Sunday's race, she had a little encounter with a fellow driver, AJ Allmendinger that resulted in her taking a spin. Check it out: Danica Patrick after being spun by AJ Allmendinger: “Let the 51 spotter know that I think it’s bull(expletive) that he’s a lap down and he moved me out of the way.” Spotter Brandon Bensch: “10-4” Patrick: “Thank you. … Was he the lucky dog, the 51?” Bensch: “The 51 was the first car lap down.” Patrick: “Mother (expletive).” Bensch: “Exactly. He said he’s sorry.” Patrick: “No he’s not. He’s not (expletive) sorry at all. He got his lap back.” Crew chief Tony Gibson: “Just load that up in your memory bank.” Patrick: “It makes me so mad. He tried to do it the lap before, but I gave enough room. But that time I held my line and he just took me out.” Frankly, the 51 (Dinger), spun her because he wanted his lap back. looking at the replay, that was plain to see. Unfortunately, that wasn't the only incident that she would be involved in. With a little more than 50 laps to go, Danica started a chain reaction that collected the No93 of Travis Kvapil and the No17 of Stenhouse. This isn't the first incident that she and Stenhouse have been involved in together this season. He caused a wreck that ended her day in Charlotte earlier this season. Don't worry Stenica fans, it didn't end the relationship this time either. Oh...One more question that I was asked. Who will miss/make the Chase. Um...this question is almost IMPOSSIBLE to answer this season. Seriously. If you look at the standings, the top seven are all but locked in to the Chase. Johnson Bowyer Edwards Harvick Earnhardt Jr Kenseth Kyle Busch Between Busch and Biffle, who sits eighth in points, there is a 31 point difference. Not a huge difference, but large enough that it's going to be difficult for anyone above him to drop out of the top-10. Also, in the top 7, the only two who are currently winless, are Bowyer and Earnhardt Jr. Not necessarily a bad thing, they could come on a hot streak during the Chase. From 9th to 20th, the difference in points is a mere 42 points. To put that in perspective, the most someone can earn in a race is 48. Also, Johnson's lead over Bowyer is bigger than the gap between 9th and 20th; 56 points. With one bad race, a driver can drop multiple positions in the points. Take Kurt Busch for example. He went into New Hampshire sitting 9th in points after a great run at Daytona. After a wreck in the race left him multiple laps down, Busch dropped to 14th in points; 5 positions. Same can be said if you look at it the other way. One strong finish can move a driver into the top-10; i.e. Brad Keselowski. So aside from the top 7 or so in points, it it still way to early to tell who will make the Chase and who will be looking in with raging eyes when Chicagoland weekend comes. One thing in for certain, if you aren't in the top-10, you are going to need that win, or two, to get the wild card spot. It's not too late for any driver in the top 20 and these next few weekends are going to be crucial for all 12 of them. Ok, now it's time to see what crazy things Danica Patrick talks about on The Tonight Show. I'm thinking Jay Leno is going to bring up the wreck and also Kyle Petty's comments. I also hear that they are going to test her grip. That should be interesting! Until next time....oh yeah, and watch the ESPY Awards tomorrow night! Brad Keselowski and Danica Patrick are both scheduled to make an appearance and I'm fairly certain Ricky Stenhouse will make an appearance too :) And what's better than a bunch of athlete's competing for awards? Ok...signing off now :) Katie Ok, so for the last week or so, a lot of different things have been happening...or not happening...in the world of Motorsports. I've been asked what my opinion has been and well, here ya go.
Petty on Patrick Boy do I have an opinion on this one. Before I start on that, I have one question for Kyle. What gives you the qualification to say Danica is not a race car driver and just a marketing machine? Your 8 wins in over 800 starts? What is that, like one win in every 100 starts? Also, didn't you finish below the top 25 in points a good percentage of your seasons? Yeah, really qualified there dude. Anyway, the article, and his comments, really hit a nerve with me. I'm going to chalk it up to him just wanting to get ratings up for a sinking TNT. It was inevitable that Danica was going to get asked about it during her presser at the track and her answer was perfect. (Watch the full presser here) Danica said quote, "I just think that it's funny how he said that I can qualify but I can't race, because those of you who actually watch what I do would know that I can't qualify for crap, so it's a little bit funny." She's right, anyone who actually watches her knows that Danica+Qualifying does not mix well. She took Petty's criticism in stride and said that she is never going to silence the naysayers but she doesn't really care because its the people that stand beside her that really matter. Kudos to you girl because I don't think I would have been that nice if someone would say something like that about me. That is my thought on that situation... well, my thoughts that I could actually share anyway. Road Courses I know that I am not the only one who thinks the road course races are pretty exciting. It only happens twice a season that we get to see our favorite drivers try and tackle turning right and it is pretty funny to see how many actually struggle with this. It's like their mind is competing with their arms saying "NO YOU AREN'T SUPPOSED TO TURN RIGHT! YOU ARE A NASCAR DRIVER! YOU DRIVE IN A CIRCLE!" Ok, so maybe not, but I still find road course racing very exciting. You have your usual drivers running up near the top but then you have your road course specialists, and I am not talking about those that they bring in JUST for the road courses. Drivers like Juan Pablo Montoya and Marcos Ambrose who run well at all of the road courses. I thought for sure JPM was going to end up in victory lane at the end of Sonoma but instead, he ran out of gas and just barely made it across the finish line. It was really nice to see Martin Truex Jr in Victory Lane after coming so close earlier this season. I have a feeling that we won't have to wait as long this time to see his next victory come about. Fox Sports 1 Yeah.....not happy about this at all. I LOVE SPEED!!!!! I'm referring to the channel but I also mean that is the literal sense too. As of this morning, the @NASCARonSPEED twitter handle went dark and everything is now going to go through @FoxSports1 in an attempt to get fans to follow the new network before they completely take over our beloved SPEED Channel in August. Reading through their last few tweets last night, it was clear to see that there aren't too many people happy with this change. For me, this merge and closure breaks my heart. Ever since I fell into this sport and decided I wanted to pursue a career in the broadcasting side of motorsports, it had been a dream of mine to work for SPEED. That dream is gone, kaput, flushed down the drain. No, I'm not giving up on my broadcasting dream, but working for SPEED is no longer an option....it's Fox Sports. I know I will probably get used to the idea of Fox Sports but right now, the fact that they are taking SPEED Channel away from us fans is brutal. With the programming schedule already released to the public, its clear to see that we are going to get less of what we love. RaceHub will be cut to half an hour and Wind Tunnel and SpeedCenter will be gone completely. In other words, here is to less motorsports coverage and more football.... yay. Ok....rant over, for now at least. Keep checking back, I'll have a complete rundown of what you need to know for the next road course race at Watkins Glen, language wise, and so much more! And hey, if you have an idea or something you think I need to cover, comment below because I'd love to hear your ideas! Seriously, comment below :) Katie The race season is almost halfway over, and that makes me really sad. I never would have thought that my weekends would revolve around a race schedule but when the season ends... my weekends seem extremely long and boring. Lucky enough, there are still 21 races left this season and the excitement is picking up each and every race! This weekend was no exception.
First and foremost...what the heck happened to Hendrick Motorsports?! They, as an organization, haven't finished outside of the top-25 since 2005. With a 28th, 37th, 38th, and 39th place finish on Sunday in Michigan, their showing, by results, was embarrassing. BUT, it you look at what each driver did during the race, it tells a different story. Jeff Gordon is the Lone Ranger in that we never got to see what his car was really made of, but Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kasey Kahne and Jimmie Johnson all led multiple laps throughout the race before they ran into unfortunate issues. Hopefully this doesn't happen for this team, or any other team, again any time soon. One notable finish in Michigan was Rookie Danica Patrick. She started 37th and finished 13th Sunday after an impressive run for her first time at the track. Pit strategy played a big part in her top-15 finish and all of that work on pit road was thanks to her Crew Chief Tony Gibson and his fantastic crew. Stewart-Haas Racing couldn't have paired a better CC and Crew with this high profile Rookie. After tuning in to her radio multiple times since Daytona, it's clear to see that their chemistry is undeniable. Look for more of these finishes this season from Ms. Patrick. The racing world lost a great driver earlier this week in Jason Leffler. It always hits the racing community hard when someone loses their life and fortunately it's not something that happens often. One thing that just amazes me is how much everyone comes together to support each other and the drivers family. I love seeing everyone put away their differences and just celebrate the life and legacy of a fantastic individual. I've started this new project titled "Chasing the Dream." It's something that I have had in my head for a while now and finally got it started. I am so excited to help others get their story heard and can't wait to feature many great individuals that will hopefully make up the world of motorsports in a few short years. So if you or even someone you know is chasing their dream, then send them to my page! I titled this post Checkers or Wreckers because that is what many teams and drivers say or think before each and every race. I think that it can also be implied to every day life as well. Checkers or Wreckers. Try your hardest to succeed. Definitely something that I hold near and dear to my heart. Chasing my own dreams of making it in the motorsports industry has been a long journey so far and hopefully it will all pay off. Fingers Crossed! Well, I've got to go watch The Voice finale....Go Danielle Bradbery! The series hits the halfway point in the Race for the Chase and the drivers and teams are all wondering one thing; who will defeat the monster?
Well, as we wait to find out, I'll be writing down all of my random thoughts and comments that pop into my head during today's race! This could be very interesting for you...and bad for me! During RaceDay, I took to twitter to find out what YOU wanted to know. You submitted questions... and here are your answers! *On the gen6 I feel they are performing well as far as safety but performance they still need work how do you feel? I agree that the safety of these new Generation 6 cars is top notch. As far as performance wise, it's coming along. Each and every race the cars get a little bit better and the race teams push the limits of the car just a little bit further. I am 100% sold that this new car will bring some of the most exciting racing in this era of NASCAR, it's just going to take a bit of time and it's still pretty early in the season! *Do you think any SHR car will make the chase this year? Unfortunately, no. If any of the three cars are going to make the Chase, it's going to be Ryan Newman. He has had by far the best performance of the three teams this season and is ranked higher in points at the halfway point. We all knew that Danica didn't have a chance at making the Chase but Stewart's performance this season in quite surprising. Watching RaceDay this morning, I was irked that they blamed the SHR slump on their new Rookie. The entire organization has been on a downhill slide since Darian Grubb left. The reason the drivers haven't been performing is because the organization isn't working as a whole. They aren't giving their drivers the equipment they need to go out there and win. They seem to be turning around, slowly, but unless Stewart runs consistently up front and gets a few wins...he may just miss the Chase. *Do you think NASCAR should impose penalties on Cup drivers in Nationwide and Truck series? No. As much as I want NASCAR to regulate the number of Cup drivers in lower series, it will never happen. Last season, it was Joey Logano and this year it's Kyle Busch. It's unfortunate for those who are competing for the Championship because instead of worrying about those drivers contending as well, they have to focus more on the Busch's, Kahne's and Kenseth's. I'm perfectly fine with drivers competing in a few races a season, like Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart and Danica Patrick, but running all but 5-6 races? That's a little extreme. *Do you think taking out some seats would be good PR for tracks like Dover? (who has 140,000 seats) Taking out seats would be a mistake in my opinion. Just because they can't fill them now doesn't mean it won't happen in the future! Instead, they should put them to good use. Instead of trying to sell seats on the ends of the grandstands or on the backstretch, use them instead for publicity. Stretch an American Flag across them, or invite Military members to come to the race free of charge and fill those seats with the heroes of our great country. *What attracted you to NASCAR racing instead of other motorsports, or do you follow other motorsports series (NHRA) too? I stumbled upon NASCAR in a completely random way (read about it here). Since then, I have ventured into various other forms of motorsports including IndyCar, Grand-Am, and even a little NHRA. NASCAR is where my heart is, but if it involves a motor, I'll be tuned in. Random Thoughts: *Gloriana singing the National Anthem... perfect way to kick of racing at Dover! *Did she just say "Lady and Gentlemen start your engines" to start the race? That doesn't happen often...and at least she didn't bomb it like Franco did at Daytona! *Danica Patrick's radio feed is engaged... fully prepared for some laughs today. *Love how most teams start the pace laps with a pep talk on the radio. *The minute the race goes green, my dog comes up to me shaking... *My radio feed is ahead of the TV broadcast... this has never happened before. *I'm watching this race in surround sound... it's almost like being at the race....almost. *I need to do laundry today...gives me something to do during cautions. *There are going to be a lot of drivers that are multiple laps down during today's race. *Commercial already? It's been 15 laps people! *Danica Patrick to pit road already with damage.... her car is NOT good... again. *Busch is leading...is this surprising? *How did Hamlin lose so many spots? *Johnson was picking up spots pretty quickly... then lost spots...lots of them. He is still my pick for today. *This track is SLICK! *really hope this advil kicks in... this headache is putting a damper on my raceday! *Johnson just went a lap down... I thought his car was fast.... *Pit Stops under green should be interesting.... *Commercial.... time for food! *Never-mind... caution. *There are only 19 cars on the lead lap... *Raceday in my house is NEVER fun...considering I'm the only one who has a passion for this sport. *There is a BIG water bottle near the enterance to pit road... according to Danica. *Johnson is back on the lead lap... all is right with the world. *100 laps in... dad is yelling at me to fold clothes... *The clouds have really moved in...may we see rain? *It's really depressing to think that Kasey Kahne is over 10 years older than me. *This deer jerky is REALLY good! *ISSUES!!!!! Kenseth and Logano. *I wish they had roof cams on the cars for ALL races. *Thought under caution: I want to learn how to drive a stick shift. *Thoughts from Johnson's mind: "Nice rear end there Montoya!" *I still wish Kahne would have won the Coke 600...the we would have had more shots and pics of his eyes :) *I'm really NOT looking forward to Fox Sports 1 *Haters really make me mad... especially on raceday *I am definitely buying a diecast of Johnson's car...MONSTERS!!!! *New Leader..... 48! *Danica's radio has been quite "unfunny" today. *The NAPA commercial gets me every time. Boog-ity Boog-ity *Truex just blew up.... I think I might just cry. *I still haven't had lunch yet... it's 2:30....central time. *Krista Voda has my dream job. *Monica Palumbo once told me I was on my way of becoming the next Krista Voda. *Newman just tried to dump the 34....wrecked himself too... *Ok...now I am crying....Kahne into the wall. *Danica's talking about her BF on the radio... *Johnson is leading again...all is right with the world. *Motorsports currently hold 4 of the 10 trends on twitter. Gilliland. NASCAR. IndyCar. Newman. *Hamlin's paint scheme makes me smile. Need to have more like his. *If you have never read anything from THOUGHT CATALOG you are seriously missing out. *Johnson just lost himself the race. *Stewart may just have himself a win. *For Stewart's worst track...and worst start EVER in his career.... he just got himself a win. *P24 for Danica *All of SHR is doing a victory dance in Stewart's pit. Well....those were my thoughts during today's 400 lap race at Dover... well...most of them. Now, onto the summer stretch and TNT race broadcasts. Go Smoke! Sincerely, me :) Well, this is new. Since we are under a red flag ...for a broken camera cable...I thought I would jump on here and make a quick post.
I want to take a moment to honor our Nation's Veterans and those currently serving in the military. This country wouldn't be who we are today if it wasn't for all of you. Thank You for everything you do. Also, I want to take the time to bring recognition to the pit crews in NASCAR. We definitely DO NOT give them enough credit, in any series. The cars wouldn't be able to do what they do out on the track if it wasn't for them risking their lives each and every weekend. As we are sitting here during the red flag, I have Danica Patrick's radio on. I seriously can't stop laughing! Danica and her Crew Chief have the best chemistry out on pit road. I say that for a few reasons. 1: He believes in her. He and his crew came over from Newman's team and put their heart and soul into her as a Rookie. They didn't want to change her driving style; they adapted to it. 2: Tony Gibson is a down-to-earth NASCAR guy who has been in and around this sport his entire life. He is the PERFECT CC to work with Danica as she transitions from IndyCar to NASCAR. 3: Have you ever listened to the No.10 radio during a race? Especially under caution? There are times I am laughing so hard I can hardly breath normally! Here are just a few of the comments on her radio during the red flag: Tony G: "Watch this guy try and cut the cable with a pocket knife" ~Danica: "Macgyver right there." ~Danica was talking about people throwing stuff onto the track. She saw a guy throw food at the cars. Tony G: "Most people get wiser as they get older. Apparently not him." ~As the drivers were getting back into their cars, Danica went on a rant on the radio about finding a steering wheel that was flat on top. At 5 foot 1, she can't see over the steering wheel very well in the corners. Tony said they would get her a booster seat. Seriously can't get enough of these two on the radio. Throw in Brandon, her spotter, and it's a real party! Really glad NASCAR gave the teams time to work on the cars after the cable broke. It definitely wouldn't have been fair to those with damage from the cable to have to pit and lost their positions due to something like that. I though NASCAR handled the situation 100% the right way. Ok... red flag over. Let's get back to racing boys.... and Danica! Your every awkward and now chatty race friend, Katie :) So, I am sitting here in the radio station at college and it gives me a lot of time to think between songs. So much time in fact, that I have ample time to write this blog post!!!! To start....let's discuss the All-Star Race! I didn't get the chance to watch the Sprint Showdown but I did catch a decent portion of the All-Star Race thanks to my DVR. What started with a Busch Brothers show turned into a win for now Mr. 4-Time Jimmie Johnson. Johnson started towards the back after a not-so-great qualifying run but battled his way towards the front in each of the segments. Johnson's pit crew won him the race in my opinion. They pulled of a pit stop that was just over 11 seconds and that is just amazing. That allowed him to start up front and eventually pass by teammate Kasey Kahne. After he was out front, the race was all but over. Johnson became the first 4 Time winner of the All-Star Race and that is quite the achievement. For those of you who think he cheated in some way or doesn't deserve it, this one he fought for. It wasn't like last year where he won the first segment than sandbagged the last 3; he came from the back on this one. Looking at the start of the race though, I thought we were bound to see one of the Busch Brothers in Victory Lane at the end of the night. Kyle Busch's average finish was 2.2 and his brother Kurt's was 2.6. Pit Road was where the Busch Brothers faltered leaving Kyle with a third place and Kurt with a fifth place finish when the checkered flag waved. Jamie McMurray and Rookie Ricky Stenhouse raced their way into the All-Star Race via the Sprint Showdown. Reigning Sprint Cup Series Champion Brad Keselowski finished the night 22nd after losing his transmission after 2 laps. The Sprint Fan Vote winner was none other than Danica Patrick. Patrick ran well in the 40 lap Sprint Showdown and finished 9th but her appearance in the All-Star Race was less than spectacular. During the first segment, something was not right with her car and her Crew Chief just could not figure out what had happened between the races. Listening to her radio during the race, you could hear the frustration and confusion in both of their voices. In the end, she finished 20th but learned a lot leading into the Coke 600 this weekend. A lot of race fans were upset that Patrick got in via Fan Vote saying it was rigged to make her win. I hate to tell all of you out there that actually believe that but she won that vote fair and square. with almost 1 Million followers on Twitter, that girl as a lot of people supporting her whether they are race fans or not. Danica Patrick just might give Dale Jr a run for the Sprint Cup Series Most Popular Driver. This weekend kicks off summer and also hosts two of the biggest racing events in the season. The Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 both run this Sunday and it is one of those days that race fans love. It gives us an entire day to sit on our butts in front of our TV screens and enjoy some of the best competition racing has to offer. I for one will be watching both this weekend and I get to spend my time watching the Coke 600 at a radio station here in town learning how to run the board for the MRN broadcasts. I am SO excited! Radio and racing all in one and it's also getting me one step closer to my dream of working in the motorsports world. I can't wait to see where this new job leads me and hopefully I will see some of you at the track this summer. If you are heading to Iowa in August or Kansas in October, let me know! I am working on getting there myself and would love to meet some of you amazing people face to face! Until next time, Your Ever Awkward Race Friend, Katie :) P.S. Don't forget to comment with your topic suggestions :) P.S.AGAIN: If you want to get a hold of me and need more space than provided on Twitter...shoot me an email! You can click on the envelope icon at the very top of the page or head to the CONTACT ME tab and you can send me an email right from there! Can't wait to here from you! Well, it only happens once a year and its right around the corner. The Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series heads to Darlington Raceway this weekend and I could NOT be more excited! Darlington is my by far my favorite track on the circuit and don't ask me why because I really have no idea. There are so many unique characteristics that makes Darlington "Too Tough To Tame" so maybe that is it. Or maybe it's because the drivers don't race each other, they race the track itself. It could be because only a handful of drivers really become friends with this "Lady in Black" but even if they do, they never really know when she will turn on them. Darlington is definitely the most unique track on the schedule and I am really sad they only race there once a year. SPEEDWAY SPOTLIGHT: Jeff Gordon will be making his 700 career start at Darlington this weekend and that is a HUGE milestone. Gordon also happens to be very good friends with this Lady and has recorded 7 wins there in his career. Could Gordon make his 700th start his 8th win at Darlington? It's quite possible and I really hope he does. It would be a great milestone in Gordon's career and a fabulous day for No24 fans across NASCAR Nation. I was checking out the Rookie points standings and noticed something quite interesting. Danica Patrick and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. are tied. Yup, you heard me, TIED. At 106 points each to be exact. If the season would end right now, Patrick would be your winner. Her Daytona Pole Award and 8th place finish breaks the tie leaving Patrick the winner over her boyfriend. Interesting. The NASCAR season is heading into the summer months so tighten your belts because the racing only gets better from here! Your Ever Awkward Race Friend, Katie :) P.S. Don't forget to comment with your topic suggestions :) P.S.AGAIN: If you want to get a hold of me and need more space than provided on Twitter...shoot me an email! You can click on the envelope icon at the very top of the page or head to the CONTACT ME tab and you can send me an email right from there! Can't wait to here from you! Votes were submitted by the dozens and the results are in!!!!! I want to welcome you to my new blog, THE LUCKY DOG BLOG!!!! That's right, it was overwhelmingly popular both here on this site and on Twitter and I think it has a nice ring to it. Now, there was another that was also quite popular and I have decided to use that as well. Along with my weekly, or if I feel talky then twice weekly, blog post, I will also be doing a profile on the upcoming racetrack. This will include some random facts, statistics, history and just my general thoughts on the track and will be titled.... SPEEDWAY SPOTLIGHT!!!! (I thought it was quite fitting) I want to make this blog into something fun and exciting to read, and that is where YOU come in. Each blog post will feature my own personal comments on various subject matters in the racing industry...which will hopefully be pretty entertaining to read...but I want to know what you are wanting me to discuss. Each week, I want you, in the comments section below, to tell me what you want me to talk...or type...about! It can be anything! Drivers, incidents on the track, or heck, even relationships off the track ;) I can't wait to get this blog up and running and see what becomes of it so if you have any suggestions at all... let me know! And I've had a few people who have had issues leaving comments...here is what you do. -at the top of the page, in orange, it says 0 comments... or however many comments are posted...click on that. -scroll to the bottom of the page.... -type in your information and you are ready to post! So...I don't really have a lot of racing news to talk about today...so I will fill you in on ME! -FINALLY finished my sophomore year of college today...YAY!!! -I start my new job tomorrow as a Members Service...person...at our local YMCA. I've been a lifeguard there for 7 years so being in the air conditioning...and NOT in a swimsuit...is a change I'm looking forward too! -I got a call today from this really awesome DJ for a country music station in town and set up an interview for next week... they also happen to be the network that broadcasts the NASCAR races in the area :) -I also got some REALLY SUPER AWESOME news today... that I can't really tell you until I know for sure that it will pull through BUT...if you know me well... just know that I am SO excited for this and YES it involves racing :) Well...that is really all I have right now so with that said...Welcome again to the new LUCKY DOG BLOG!!!!! Your Ever Awkward Race Friend, Katie :) P.S. Don't forget to comment with your topic suggestions :) P.S.AGAIN: If you want to get a hold of me and need more space than provided on Twitter...shoot me an email! You can click on the envelope icon at the very top of the page or head to the CONTACT ME tab and you can send me an email right from there! Can't wait to here from you! Between your votes here, on Twitter and on Facebook...and my own favorites...I have narrowed the field down to the SEVEN finalists!!! So vote for your favorite name and no more suggestions because the decision is already hard enough as it is :)
The Lucky Dog Blog Speedway Spotlight Press Box Pit Pass In The Fast Lane The Str8away Under the Lights On The Spotters Stand Vote for your favorite and help me choose!!! Cause I'm really |
Katie Copple
Aspiring NASCAR broadcaster and journalist. Archives
February 2014
|