Happy New Year to everyone!  I am still around, but taking a break from the Park.  I am hoping to get things back up and going in a month or so.

On the eve of Talladega I have been doing some pumpkin carving, watching some college football and the World Series.  I haven’t been posting of late because frankly I have been inspired to post anything.  I was sick all last week with the flu.  It kicked my ass.  Next year when they say get your flu shot, I will be the first in line.  I have also been dealing with saying goodbye to our little foster baby.  We thought he was going to be available for adoption, but they decided to return him to his mom.  My heart aches for him because we saw quite a few firsts with him, but I know his mom has been doing everything to become a better mom and I have to trust her to do what’s right by him.  I keep telling myself God has a plan for me and I have to trust in that.

Now on with the NASCAR folks.  I just haven’t been all that into the Chase this year.  I was at the beginning, but after Jimmie took over the points lead I am just not into it.  I can’t explain it, but I haven’t sat and watched an entire race since the first couple of races.  The media seems to have already deemed Jimmie the champ.  I know this would be historic if Jimmie won his fourth championship, but I am just tired of hearing all the love go to Jimmie.  I am sure there are those of us out there have tuned out NASCAR and I hate to admit I am headed down that road.  I am ready for this season to be over with and waiting for 2010 season to start.  But tomorrow is Talladega.  Talladega can still make or break some of the drivers’ season.  If Jimmie does get caught up in the big one, the other Chasers need to hope they are part of it either.  I think if Jimmie comes out of Dega with the points lead it is going to be hard pressed to find someone to overtake him.  But we shall see tomorrow.  I am still hoping Dega does move everyone closer together and make a decent Chase over the last three races.

There are many out there trying to figure out what the heck has happened to Dale Jr. this year.  To be honest only Junior knows.  There have been times where he has a good run and then either bad luck or mechanical issues take him from a good to day to a crap day.  Perhaps it may be adjusting to his new crew chief.  I mean you have to give him some leeway there.  He has worked with Tony Jr. for years and you just can’t develop that kind of relationship immediately.  The driver has to trust his crew chief.  The driver also has to also let the crew chief do his job as well.  That’s his job…setting up the car.  The driver’s job is to drive the car.  The driver needs to be able to tell the crew chief what is wrong with the car and the crew chief needs to be able to “fix” it for the driver.  It’s all about communication between the two.  Right now that’s what Junior and his crew chief are still trying to develop.  You can’t just expect them to be Jimmie and Chad.  It takes time to develop that kind of relationship.  I am sure Mr. Hendrick believes in both Junior and his crew chief or he wouldn’t have done what he did.  Only time will tell for Dale Jr.

The first NASCAR Hall of Fame class was announced today.  I didn’t see any surprises in  my opinion.  All five were well deserving of the induction.  So without further ado…here is the 2010 NASCAR Hall of Fame class

1.  Bill France Sr.

2.  Richard Petty

3.  Bill France Jr.

4.  Dale Earnhardt

5.  Junior Johnson

I was very excited about last week’s win by Tony.  Tony is right back in the hunt again.  It was nice to see him have a good run.  The Chase has been the most interesting Chases for me.  I am torn.  I really want Tony to win since there were those out there who didn’t give him a chance to even make the Chase.  I mean he went from Joe Gibbs Racing where he won 2 championships and had great success to venture off into the great unknown.  But for some reason everything Tony touches of late turns to gold.  Maybe he should play the lottery.  But the other part of me would love to see Mark Martin win his first championship.  He has had 7 poles and 5 wins, 11 Top 5s, and 17 Top 10s.  He has finished 1st, 2nd, 7th in the first three Chase races.  To me, he is the man to beat…but as we all know this is the time of the year Jimmie turns the heat up.  But of course there’s still Talladega which can sometimes make or break a team’s season.

There has been some discussion about rewarding the leader of the points after the first 26 races of the season.  I would like to see some kind of reward, but I would prefer more of a monetary reward instead of bonus points.  Isn’t that why they give bonus points for winning races?  Of course, if you are Kyle Busch, the bonus points don’t matter because in order to get them you have be in the Chase.  And I am not saying this because Tony was leading the points leader after 26 races, I just think you should get some kind of bonus.  I still wish they would have kept the Chase at the top 10 instead of the top 12 drivers.  I mean look at the drivers right now in the 11th and 12th spot, Kasey Kahne and Brian Vickers.  Do you really think they have a legitimate shot at winning the championship this year?  They both would have to run the table and those drivers ahead of them would have to all have horrible consecutive races.  But I don’t run NASCAR and I guess that’s why I sit in my chair every week watching the race.

I am currently reading The Great American Gamble: How the 1979 Daytona 500 Gave Birth to a NASCAR Nation by Joe Menzer.  I bought the book to read over summer vacation, but since it sometimes takes me awhile to read a book, I am still not done.  I have to say it is an interesting book.  I like how the author gives an insight into this history making event.  He also gives background on some of the drivers involved in the 1979 Daytona 500 as well as other players/broadcasters.  I also bought another book about NASCAR history  over the summer, Driving With The Devil: Southern Mooshine, Detroit Wheels, and the Birth of NASCAR by Neal Thompson.  This book was highly recommended to me by a professor I work with who teaches Sports History.  Once I finish the course readings for that course as well as the book about the 1979 Daytona 500, I will definitely start reading Driving with The Devil.

Today begins the 2009 Chase.  Congratulations to Mark Martin for setting the Chase off on a good start. 

I didn’t get to see much of the race today.  Little Smoke had his first football game today.  It was rather entertaining to watch 5-6 years play flag football.  We have some pretty good runners, but despite that we lost today.  But that’s ok, we have another game Tuesday and the season is still young. 

I may not be visiting The Park as much in the next several weeks.  I am involved with quite a bit of activity in the next several weeks and I don’t know if I will get back here until the weekends.  That seems to be the only time I have a chance to get back here…between football, Cub Scouts, and other things, it’s hard to sit down and do some writing.  Don’t worry Trixie is still watching the boys over in NASCAR as well as keeping up with my other fellas in the NFL (Cowboys and Peyton).  Plus I can’t forget my Red Raiders.  They fought a good fight down in Austin but came up short in a 34-24 victory by those pesky, annoying Longhorns.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the loved ones who were forever changed on 9.11.2001.  A few days after 9-11 I submitted a letter to the editor to our local paper and it still rings true with me today as it did 8 years ago.

I Am An American

I have given a few of my opinions here in The Park mostly on NASCAR.  I have tried over The Park’s brief existence to keep my political beliefs and viewpoints away from The Park because that is not what this place is about.  I am very passionate about my beliefs and those around me know where I stand, but I just have to say something with regards to President Obama’s speech today.

I remember a time, as they say, back in the day, where I watched with my fellow classmates the inaguaration of President Reagan.  I remember crowded around the audio visual cart that had the tv bolted to it with my fellow classmates (I was in the 5th grade back in 1981).  It wasn’t a big screen television set, in fact I believe they had problems getting the reception to come in clearly, but there I sat in my classroom witnessing history in the making.  History that will be studied by fellow students who would come after me.  It was a big deal to this impresonable 5ht grader.  It was exciting.   So maybe I was more excited about the fact that I didn’t have to do geography that morning, but it was still exciting nonetheless.  My son will not be able to experience that excitement today.  I know he may be only 6 years old, but he needs to know how important today is for our country.  I now have a son who lives in a world that has an African-American president.  I guess I am a little naive about some things in this whole political arena, but whether I agree or disagree with President Obama, he is our president.  I respect the Office of the President.  I am sure some of you will disagree with me and that’s fine.  That’s what makes this country great, we have the right to agree and disagree with each other.  I will be watching the speech on my computer today because I think it is important.  I even printed a copy of the President’s speech and I don’t understand what all the hubbub is about.  It’s basically saying school is tough, but if you stick with it you can be successful.  It’s about saying to students you need to be responsible for your learning as well.  That’s all I want to teach  my son.  He is responsible for his education along with his teachers and his mom and dad. I guess that’s just about it for my little political viewpoint. 

Have a wonderful day.