View from the Pit Box…

Free Agents
Brian Vickers has asked and received permission from Hendrick Motor Sports to look for other opportunities. I haven’t really followed Brian Vickers all that much, but from what I have seen he does not “fit in” with “Three Amigos” (Little Shurb, Princess, and Gordo). We all know the #88 will need a driver for 2007. If Vickers is looking and finds a home, the #25 will need a driver. Vickers is not the only driver looking for another ride for 2007. Casey Mears announced that he will not be back next in the #42 for Chip Ganassi. His annoucement doesn’t surprise me either. Of course he could move to the #25 if Vickers signs with another team or there’s always the #88 too and then of course Toyota is probably looking for other drivers.
I know Mark Martin will be retiring from the #6 after this year and Todd Kluever is picked to replace Martin, but in my opinion, I don’t know if he is ready. From what I have seen, he needs to get some more seat time under his belt before taking over. Both Mears and Vickers might be suitable replacements.
It will be interesting to see the next round of musical drivers. We will all just have to sit back and speculate. I personally would like to see Vickers with Yates or perhaps Roush especially if Jack decides Kluever isn’t ready for the #6. I like Mears, but I don’t know if he would fit in at HMS either. I don’t see him as a whiner, princess or a jackass.

Craftsman News
Congrats to Mike Skinner for winning the pole at Texas Motor Speedway. Postman and I are season ticket holders at TMS and wished we could be there tomorrow night, but unfortunately Postman has to work this weekend. Part is glad though because I know it will be HOT!

Non-Nascar Report
The Dallas Mavericks start their quest to win their first NBA championship tonight against the Miami Heat. I would love for the Mavericks to sweep the series. If this were the case they would clinch the championship next Thursday, June 15. Why is this special? Because it is MY BIRTHDAY!!!! However, I think Miami will give the Mavs some tough competition.

View from the Pit Box…

Just don’t have the strength to write something inspiring about Tony today, so I will let the pictures do the talkin’…

Congratulations to Matt Kenseth!

It looked like Jamie was going to win, but Matt caught in the last few laps. There was no way Jamie was going to be able to hold off Matt. Matt was comin’ and comin’ fast. It moves Matt within in 74 points of Princess Jimmie.

Other notables
3. Kevin Harvick
7. Kasey Kahne
8. Greg Biffle
9. Mark Martin
10. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
25. Tony Stewart/Ricky Rudd
40. Eliott Sadler (UGH!!!)

Smoke Report
The tandem of Tony Stewart/Ricky Rudd finished 25th. I was frustrated when Ricky got a speeding penalty—it put him 2 laps down. UGH!!!
Zippy and the boys did an EXCELLENT job makin’ the switch from Tony to Ricky. They did it in one minute! They were able to keep on the lead lap during the exchange. You know it had to be killin’ him not to be in the car today, but like he said you have to look at the big picture. Tony is still 5th in the points.


Elliott Sadler Report
Once again…Elliott got bit by the NASCAR gods. He was in the top early in the race and I thought he was going to have a great race, but unfortunately…those pesky gremlins struck again. Elliott slid into Kevin LePage’s radiator fluid and crashes into the wall. He finished 40th. How much more can Candyman take?

Princess Jimmie
I don’t usually like to take up space in The Park talkin’ about Princess Jimmie, but I was so ticked off today. I was excited about the fact the Princess was starting at the back and he was going to have to share his pit stall with #4 Scott Wimmer. Scott’s crew couldn’t even pit his car until another stall came open. Then Scott’s car ran out of gas. I hated seeing Hermie go out so early, but Scott was able to move away from Princess land. Princess spent most of the race a lap down or not even contending, but then suddenly there he was on the lead lap and in the top ten. UGH!!!!! For some reason he keeps falling into piles of crap and coming out smelling like a rose.

Only saw the last 50 or so laps of the Busch race today. I was out trying to find some NASCAR car items. I did find a couple of Tony cars, but they were way over price at this one store. But the main shop I usually find things at (Collectible Sports and More) has quite a few NASCAR items. I bought an Elliott Sadler shirt. They still have my life size cutout of Tony Stewart. This is what I want for my birthday this year. I have blatantly told Postman this is what I want for my birthday. Since he reads my items at the Park…I hope he gets the hint! (Sorry for the shameless birthday present plug)

Back to Dover….
Congrats to Jeff Burton…I love it when the “old” guys win. Jeff is only a few years older than…props to him!

Smoke Report
The announcers did report that Tony drove his car today for about 10 laps. That’s good. A little at time Smoke.

According to foxsports.com
“The good thing is that I wasn’t in so much pain that I couldn’t turn the car,” Stewart said. Stewart said he was “fairly satisfied” with how he drove with the injury and his only concern was making the smooth driver transition at the right spot. Stewart and Rudd combined for a practice-high 26 laps…“I’m sure it’s going to be painful getting in and out, but the good thing is we’re not in a hurray to get in,” Stewart said. “Getting out is going to be the hurry. It may hurt when we get out, but it’s only going to hurt for a little bit, so we’ve got to do what we’ve got to do.”

Non-NASCAR report…
Game 6 tonight in the NBA Western Conference Final. The Mavs can wrap it up tonight against the Suns.
Go Mavs!

Pole Winner: Ryan “Rocketman” Newman.
His first pole of the season.

Qualifying Tidbits
I was worried that qualifying was going to get rained out and Unibrow was going to get the pole…at the time of the rain delay he was last in the qualifying results. But luckily Mother Nature is not a Unibrow fan..he he!

Other Notables Qualifying Results
5. Kevin Harvick
6. Mark Martin
11. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
19. Matt Kenseth
20. Greg Biffle
26. Kasey Kahne

Smoke Report
Ricky Rudd qualified the #20 tenth..not bad. Ricky looks pretty good in the orange and black.

Question?? What if Ricky brings the #20 to Victory Lane, is Ricky listed as the driver (since we all know he will drive for Tony on Sunday after Tony starts the race)? Just wonderin’???

You know it has to be killing Tony not to be able to be in his car. He’s a racer. But I think he knows how important it is for him to get some rest and not further delay his healing. I mean look at his expression. That man wants to be in his car.

Tony is also running a different paint scheme this weekend. He is running the Powerade Orange scheme this weekend.You can see part of it in the picture above, but here is what the front looks like. I am definitely going to have to go out and get me some of that orange drink.

Elliott Report
The Candyman had a good qualifying run…he qualified 8th. Let’s hope his crew can keep him dialed in on Sunday and he can contend for the win. Good luck Candyman!

Race Results
Well…since the Truck race telecast is not live and the race is over I am going to to say congrats to the “Crazy Old Man”. Mark is the first driver to win at Dover in all three national series (Truck, Busch, & Cup).

From the “What Were You Thinking” Desk:

From Lubbock Online
Teen charged with trying to poison dad
By: Beth Aaron–Avalanche Journal

Lubbock police arrested and charged a 13-year-old girl with aggravated assault after she admitted trying to poison her father.
Officers responded to a domestic disturbance in the 4800 block of 55th Street on Friday.
The girl’s father, 42, told police he had instructed his daughter to complete chores the night before. He said she refused and went to bed, Sgt. Scott Farmer said.
The next morning, the father reported he woke his daughter up before he left for work and told her to complete the chores she had avoided the night before.
When her father left for work, the daughter allegedly put rat poison in her father’s juice, Farmer said.
After work, the father came home, poured himself some juice from a can and into a plastic cup.
The father noticed there were green particles floating in the orange liquid. He removed the lid from the can from which he had poured the juice and saw more green particles, Farmer said.
The girl’s father confronted her about what was floating in his juice, and she told him she had put rat poison in the drink.
The girl was taken to the Lubbock County Juvenile Justice Center in connection with intent to cause serious bodily harm to her father.
It is unknown what brand of rat poison was found in the father’s beverage.
Some rat poisons work by inhibiting liver enzymes, and a blood transfusion may be necessary to save anyone who ingests the toxin.
Other types of rat poison contain anticoagulant drugs – substances that prevent the clotting of blood – and if eaten can cause fatal internal bleeding.

Congrats to Katharine Close for winning the National Spelling Bee last night.

Her word…ursprache. That’s right. U-R-S-P-R-A-C-H-E

Katharine is the first female to win since 1999.