It’s official…Tony will be driving the red and black #14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevy next year.  Tony chose the number in honor of his racing hero A.J. Foyt.

“A.J. has always been my hero and will always be No. 1 on my hero list, with the best part being that we are really good friends,” Stewart said. “We obviously have a tremendous amount of respect for one another. I remember him calling me after I won my first Cup championship in 2002 and I remember how much it meant to have him call that night and congratulate me. We really do have similar pasts and carry a lot of characteristics that are the same. He is one of the greatest icons in racing worldwide and to be compared to him in any way is always a huge honor.

Now what to do with all that orange in my wardrobe, on my car, fleece blankets that adorned by recliner, etc?  I guess I will have to buy new stuff!  That’s right…for those of you who don’t know what to get me for Christmas, birthday, or just because I will needs lots of new Tony stuff!  I am going to like his car colors as well…red and black!  I am so conditioned to those colors.  I mean after all I am an alum of Texas Tech University and what are their colors???  Plus he will have Office Depot as one of his sponsors.  Talk about a match made in heaven for this Tony fan.  I will definitely be able to support this sponsor more.  I am an office supply junkie.  Oh…for all my male friends and family members guess what brand of cologne, shampoo, etc you will be receiving in your stockings for Christmas?

Now that the number and sponsors question has been answered, next up will be the driver to become Tony’s teammate.

Well, Hello Dolly…that’s right folks Hurricane Dolly slammed into south Texas today.  I usually don’t pay too much heed to hurricanes, but this one I have been watching since it popped up on the weather radar.  My father and step mother live in that part of Texas where Dolly hit.  They are doing ok, but I am still worried about them.  This isn’t the first time I have worried about them with regards to Mother Nature’s wrath.  They were living in Oklahoma back in 1998 when a tornado hit the Oklahoma City area.  Luckily they were able to get ahead of the storm and were safely sitting in a restaurant in a nearby community.

I called them tonight and was able to talk to my stepmother.  She told me she has never seen rain and wind like this in her life.  They were without electricity, but doing ok.  They were also having sustained winds of 50 mph, with gusts up to 70 mph.   She also told me the levees were holding so far.  That’s what I am so worried about.  I have seen what broken levees can do to a community and I won’t want that to happen. The last big hurricane I thought they would have to endure was Hurricane Rita, but it turned up the Texas Coast and didn’t hit them at all.   I will be thinking about them as Dolly moves on down the road.

That’s right I needed a pit crew this evening.  More to the point…a tire changer.  As Postman was trying to remove the lug nuts from our SUV, I was saying out loud, “Where in the hell is the Home Depot pit crew when you need them?”  I swear I believe the lug nuts were put on the car with super glue, but Postman eventually got them loose.

 Once loose I was able to jack up the car.  Well, at least that’s what that contraption was called.  It was able to lift the car off the ground enough to remove the flat tire and place the new one back on the car.  Let’s just say, this tire change was not under 15 seconds.

I don’t know what caused the tire to go flat.  It was probably some random mystery debris I ran over on the way home from work last Friday.  Or perhaps it was that Jeff Gordon fan I passed and trapped in traffic.  Maybe she threw some random piece of debris out of her window.  This SUV was weaving in out of traffic and cutting people off including me.  When she finally chose the “right line” she managed to get behind a very slow car.  I just had to laugh.  I managed to find the faster lane and well…I was ahead of her and well she was behind me…as it should be.  I know it’s kind of odd that I would do that, but damn the next you cut me off in traffic don’t try to take me out with you.

The boys are off to Indy this week.  I am think I am getting back my mojo.  If any track can get Tony back to Victory Lane it’s Indy.

On Friday, I posted that I will be on vacation this week.  I really don’t intend on going anywhere special.  I am just going to sit at home and take it easy.  I will probably watch lots of movies or sit out on my patio and catching up on some reading.  I have a small blow up pool that I might even take advantage of, but other than that I am not on any real time table.  I will probably take one day to organize some things in the household, but this week is about ME!  Sometimes you just have to stop and reenergize yourself.  I hope this is what this week will be about for me.  I will have 8 hours of uninterrupted time…no Postman or LIttle Smoke.  I know that may sound bad, but sometimes you have to take time for yourself.   I haven’t had a chance to do that lately.  So, here’s to my vacation…may it provide me the much needed relaxation and rest so I can get back my mojo.

That’s right folks I will be on vacation all next week!!!!  I don’t know how much time I will be spending here in the park, but don’t worry I will be back around for the week leading up to the Brickyard.  And of course, I will definitely be watching for any announcements comign out of the Stewart Haas Racing Camp.

Have a great week!  I will be thinking of those who have to work next week!