NASCAR NOTES 2009 (Book) http://www.Writing.Com/main/books.php/item_id/818671/action/archive Wednesday Night...once a year. It's like Christmas in Summer. The trucks take to the high-banked mixing bowl and provide entertainment as the sun sets over my house--in the middle of the week! I don't know what's so special about a Wednesday night Truck battle, but it is. And just to spice things up, Speed will be broadcasting the Whela...[Read Full Post] Wed, 19 Aug 2009 14:08:23 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/664287 There's been a familiar #3 circling the tracks of the Camping World East Series for the past few years. Nobody has made much noise about the black car...I wonder why that is? Anyway, the driver is Richard Childress' grandson, Austin Dillon, and he does OK. Not amazing...he didn't have much for Joey Logano, but there's been steady impro...[Read Full Post] Sat, 15 Aug 2009 11:36:35 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/663713 Hey ya'll. It's been an eternity! I'm still writing my weekly commentary over at The Frontstretch every Tuesday. AND this season I've been writing a racing mystery. Blue Smoke and Burnt Rubber has been appearing in the Fronstretch newsletter every Friday. Hopefully Frontstretch.com will get a facelift soon and the entire story will b...[Read Full Post] Sun, 09 Aug 2009 01:48:15 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/662839 Yes, my weekly column is still appearing every Tuesday. Just join the above Google Group! But this piece I feels needs to be given to the NASCAR public. Just click on: [Link To Item #1388745] and enjoy! Catch ya'll later Fri, 15 Feb 2008 20:04:56 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/567904 Will NOT be running in the Newsletter. Look for Sitting in the Stands with S.D. Grady on the website! [Link: 'http://www.frontstretch.com'] I can't believe I'm backing Robby Gordon up this week, but I am! Read tomorrow's article to find out why! Mon, 06 Aug 2007 22:09:02 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/526301 Whoever you are...reading my archives Still, it's nice to know somebody is reading. Thanks! So, what's on my mind? If you checked in at the Frontstretch Newsletter today, you know what I think of the current Race to the Chase...yawn! Oh, sorry. Didn't really mean that. What remains the most riveting story is DEI. Yes, ...[Read Full Post] Tue, 31 Jul 2007 21:47:24 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/525005 Didn't recognize too drivers many, did ya? Was it boring? NO. Exciting? YES For once we got a peek at the crop of up and comers. Rookies made rookie mistakes. Cars were hard to drive. Tires shredded. Still, far more entertaining than almost any other Busch race this season! (save for the Mexico City road race...that was awesome.) Yes, the...[Read Full Post] Sun, 22 Jul 2007 16:31:17 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/522933 for Indy. Why? you ask. Economics. Micheal Waltrip Racing is fighting to keep its head above water. When you don't even make the race...it doesn't matter much who is driving it. Indy offers one of the highest purses in the NASCAR calendar. By cashing in on Terry's Past Champs Provisional, the #55 is guaranteed to start and guarantee...[Read Full Post] Wed, 18 Jul 2007 21:27:26 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/522198 is heading over to Ginn Racing as the other driver for the Mark Martin #01 Army car. Good move? I'm not so sure. Aric has been moving up slowly through the Gibbs development program. While I was suitably impressed by his ability at Milwaukee a few weeks ago, I'm not so confident he belongs in a Cup ride right now...especially in a team that...[Read Full Post] Wed, 18 Jul 2007 21:20:33 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/522195 What's on my mind this week? Not Tony Stewart. His little diatribe about Denny Hamlin deserves no more airplay. That's just Tony being the whiny little boy he has proven himself to be time and again. I'm not enthralled with the new TV coverage. Why not? Check out the Frontstretch Newsletter tomorrow and find out I know. ...[Read Full Post] Mon, 09 Jul 2007 22:18:16 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/520227 Just click on the link: [Link: 'http://picasaweb.google.com/RJ.Grady/RacingAtLoudonJuly1st2007'] If you want the slide show, be warned...it's nearly half a gig! But lots of fun shots. Hope you enjoy! Thanks goodness for digital photography, otherwise I'd be in the poorhouse with developing. These are just the good ones *^*Win...[Read Full Post] Sun, 08 Jul 2007 17:00:48 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/519922 Woo Hoo! And yes, this is a shameless plug "An Accomplished Lady" is on SALE! This was my first novel I wrote, and it shows that in many respects. But I still love my fiesty Fiona Fairweather and elegant Lord Rocheford. I'm hoping you'll give it a try. It is a sweet Regency Romance. Just $6.00 for the download at: ...[Read Full Post] Tue, 03 Jul 2007 11:17:23 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/518768 LOL My weekly Newsletter article over at the Frontstretch is getting a name! Since I really focus on my reaction to the sport from the fan's view, not your usual roving reporter we're gonna dub it: Sitting in the Stands with S.D. Grady. I hope you check it out! As for my weekend at the track, it couldn't have been bette...[Read Full Post] Tue, 03 Jul 2007 08:45:30 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/518743 Hubby and I finalized our walk around the t-shirt haulers and the track, happily listening to the Busch boys practice this morning. Then we turned towards the stands. We looked at eachother and took a deep breath... "There's nothing like the smell of burnt rubber in the morning..." We laughed and started walking towards 'our' Friday seats i...[Read Full Post] Fri, 29 Jun 2007 23:09:21 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/518129 So much happening! And so little time to keep up with it all. It appears even when the hand of God reaches down and snuffs Jeff Gordon's day into smithereens, Hendrick is still blessed. How else can you explain Mears' remarkable win at Lowe's? I watched Mark Martin...they were truly disgusted with their 11th place finish. It was quite ...[Read Full Post] Mon, 28 May 2007 18:53:35 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/511517 A most satisfying end to another awesome Darlington race. How Jeff Gordon's engine didn't expire in the final laps of the race, 'we'll probably never know. It seems to me that when a major curve ball is thrown at the sport, such as a new Monte Carlo or the COT...something that makes the notes from last year obsolete and has the driv...[Read Full Post] Mon, 14 May 2007 13:26:04 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/508296 All Dale managed to tell us today was that he won't be driving at DEI after the end of this season. This leaves a bazillion loose ends for us to wonder and worry about. If you thought this racing season was about to get boring--think again. If you were missing Dale Jr's face recently in weekend TV coverage, wish no more. By the time that Da...[Read Full Post] Thu, 10 May 2007 18:13:26 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/507563 Now, at this moment this is a whole bunch I heard from the guy who knows the guy who said in the men's room, but... 11AM EST tomorrow morning Dale Jr. will be holding a press conference at JR Motorsports (that's his own racing team). It's gonna be big. Conjecture says it means Truex Jr. and Dale Jr. will be driving in the Cup next year i...[Read Full Post] Wed, 09 May 2007 20:43:28 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/507347 I'm bored...are you bored? Find out how bored I am by checking out my article in the Frontstretch Newsletter today Tuesday 05/08/07 And let me know what you think! Later! Tue, 08 May 2007 18:19:06 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/507064 This morning I enjoyed a conversation with a co-worker who just doesn't get it. I don't know Roy real well, but well enough for him to have nick-named me L.T. Grady for "Left Turn" We have a good chuckle each time we talk. He insists that watching cars go round in circles is for the birds and I refuse to see the intrigue in...[Read Full Post] Mon, 30 Apr 2007 14:15:55 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/505123 Bobby Labonte took the checker flag yesterday at Talladega in the #77 Dollar General KHI car. While he demonstrated in the final laps that the Cup veteran has a fine understanding of drafting at NASCAR's biggest and baddest track, as usual, the spotlight landed on somebody else. Tony Stewart, after spending the weekend kow-towing to the NASCAR go...[Read Full Post] Sun, 29 Apr 2007 11:36:29 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/504874 Jeff Gordon did a few things this last week, all of them great. He won the pole at Phoenix, he won the race, he acknowledged Dale Earnhardt in his moment of victory and he joined the Big E, ranking 6th in all time wins in the Cup division of NASCAR with 76. After the race, fans booed Gordon and said that by carrying the black #3 flag he wasn't ho...[Read Full Post] Fri, 27 Apr 2007 00:27:01 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/504438 This week I tackled Dale Jr. and his contract negotiations. Find out what it's all about and sign up for the Frontstretch Newsletter today! Just click here: [Link: 'http://groups.google.com/group/TheFrontstretch'] Later! Mon, 23 Apr 2007 21:07:02 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/503769 It's been a good day. Not only did Jeff Gordon do all sorts of awesome things at Phoenix this weekend (like win!!!), but the hubby and I fed our thirst for live racing action by visiting Thompson Speedway in Thompson, CT and watched the annual Icebreaker race...which includes 150 laps with the Whelan Modified Series. My ears ring, my face is sunb...[Read Full Post] Sun, 22 Apr 2007 20:42:32 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/503466 It seems to me that although Jeff Gordon still sits on top of the points, we haven't really seen him do what he needs to do this year...win. Last week at Texas it really looked like he might beat the demon there, until the wall got the better of his car. This week? Another pole and some mighty comforting words from the man. He thinks they hav...[Read Full Post] Sat, 21 Apr 2007 16:19:52 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/503194 Dale Jr. climbed out of his #8 Bud machine laps after Kyle Busch ran over him when Tony Stewart spun out for the final time. The media descended upon Junebug to discuss his disappointing day...then the strangest thing happened. A member of the #5 car came over and asked Jr. if he would finish the race in their car. Apparently Kyle had given up on hi...[Read Full Post] Mon, 16 Apr 2007 20:49:41 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/502153 Beginning tomorrow I will be writing a weekly commentary article for Frontstretch.com! You can visit their daily web content at [Link: 'http://www.frontstretch.com'] BUT in order to read my weekly articles you will have to subscribe to their newsletter. Click on this link to join: [Link: 'http://groups.google.com/group/TheFrontstretch...[Read Full Post] Mon, 16 Apr 2007 20:16:14 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/502147 Despite the fact that trophys are awarded in this sport based on who crosses the finish line first, personalities are what fuels the endless hours of TV coverage, radio shows and numerous 'news' columns and blogs. And sometimes it's not even the personalities of the competitors. As fans of the sport, we love to denigrate the guy that dump...[Read Full Post] Sat, 14 Apr 2007 13:32:18 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/501663 Just something to keep an eye on when the boys finally take to the track on Sunday. For the first time in 50 years, the Chevys will be running an engine designed from the ground up specifically for racing. Sounds exciting. There have been some 500-mile tests done with solid results. However... Something tends to happen to new equipment on raceda...[Read Full Post] Fri, 13 Apr 2007 21:27:33 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/501568 Or off of your winning car door. That does just as nicely. For those of us that watched Kevin Harvick march towards his Busch Championship last year, it was a year spent in futility. There was no point in turning on the race on Saturday. Either the winner was a foregone conclusion or Kevin Harvick would finish in the top 5 and you walked away from ...[Read Full Post] Mon, 09 Apr 2007 21:21:14 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/500667 The Busch boys will be set out to run a race at Nashville without their Cup mentors tomorrow. YES! Exactly what we need. Carl Edwards will be running, but the rest of the 'you can see these drivers on Sunday' roster have decided to spend their weekend with the Easter Bunny. And now a small question... Do you think the race will be any ...[Read Full Post] Sat, 07 Apr 2007 00:08:26 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/500120 I've signed on with the fine folks over at Frontstretch.com. They are going to be launching a weekly newsletter and I'll be providing a commentary article for it! This is cool! [Link: 'http://www.frontstretch.com/'] There will be details coming soon Stay tuned for more. Later! ...[Read Full Post] Thu, 05 Apr 2007 09:16:54 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/499694 This is pretty serious. Smoke pours out of the passenger side window and drivers are going home with carbon monoxide poisoning. The drivers are saying that it's the foam barrier in the COT door panels that's burning. NASCAR's knee-jerk comment was that the foam couldn't burn. Stop right there. Everything can burn. It just has to f...[Read Full Post] Mon, 02 Apr 2007 20:29:32 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/499190 One of the small wonders of the world. They're small, useful, fun to play with, and brittle. Now, I don't know how useful Martinsville is beyond providing awesome entertainment and a forum for our motorized gladiators, but the track does bear some resemblance to the shiny office supply in other ways. Small...1/2 mile in length. Shaped like ...[Read Full Post] Sat, 31 Mar 2007 11:16:42 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/498675 I guess that's what Jeff Gordon will have to do. Oh well. LOL I had the pleasure of watching his team work all day Sunday via HotPass on DirecTV. It was actually a painful pleasure. When Jeff's car is working, it's kind of boring to listen to his radio. When his car...well, sucks, it's a bit like listening to a school age kid. Th...[Read Full Post] Tue, 27 Mar 2007 18:59:19 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/497987 OK. I'l write about the Saturday race It's not too painful as my baby, Carl Edwards did a very nice backflip at the conclusion of the race. *confetti flies* And to assist me finding that smile on a Saturday afternoon was the pole sitter! Steve Wallace! Now, he did suffer a wreck...but the point was made. You don't need a C...[Read Full Post] Sun, 25 Mar 2007 15:09:07 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/497540 Jimmie Johnson took home trophy #2! Woo Hoo! and Tony Stewart sauntered in right after Jimmie...nothing new here. Jeff Gordon fought a lap down problem and pulled off a decent 12th. See? Same old, same old... So what's new? I'm going to sound a bit like the rest of the media and sing the praises of a rookie and even give a nod to his tea...[Read Full Post] Thu, 22 Mar 2007 11:12:10 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/496864 How else can you explain the finishing order to Sunday's race? Not one team out there truly had the track beaten, but a few managed to trick it into thinking they did. Hendrick enjoyed his 150th victory...no small thing, that. And while I'm jumping up and down on in excitement at the 1-2 finish of Johnson and Gordon there are still a few thing...[Read Full Post] Wed, 14 Mar 2007 11:07:34 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/495032 It's gonna be a mess, folks. Plain and simple. Yesterday's Busch race illustrated the point quite nicely. Rookies and Veteran's alike lost grip coming off of Turn 4 and tore up more cars than ever at LVMS. Today, with faster cars and less downforce, the Cup boys will be doubly challenged to keep their noses pointed in the right directio...[Read Full Post] Sun, 11 Mar 2007 15:43:33 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/494284 Take a look at this starting line-up and you tell me what's out of sync: 1 9 Kasey Kahne McDonald's Dodge 184.856 2 40 David Stremme Coors Light Dodge 184.193 3 19 Elliott Sadler Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge 183.874 4 42 Juan Pablo Montoya # Texaco/Havoline Dodge 183.187 5 31 Jeff Burton Cingular Wireless Chevy 182.976 6 10 Scott Riggs Au...[Read Full Post] Sat, 10 Mar 2007 13:05:56 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/493970 Another slow week on the NASCAR scene...ah well. The most interesting thing out there is Tony Steward complaining about the new configuration of Vegas. It is something to talk about, but it's still a track. A bit like the 'it's still a racecar' perspective that some of the drivers maintain about the COT. The banks are higher, the pa...[Read Full Post] Thu, 08 Mar 2007 20:05:15 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/493547 what a crock of...sorry. Just don't wreck your teammate. OK, so when I've got the line to pass and the tires and a competitive car I'm not supposed to go for the lead with 8 laps to go...right? Total hogwash or whatever other euphemism you might want to scream out at the lovely TV announcers that are reacting to today's events ...[Read Full Post] Sun, 04 Mar 2007 20:30:34 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/492470 So, we watched the updates on ESPN and Speed regarding the testing at Bristol this week. The drivers (as the media spokesmen for their teams) had a pretty uniform opinion of the COT (Car of Tomorrow) at Bristol. Hard to turn, but after the testing session it seemed they had some good ideas on what to do. OK...that's what a driver said. Jeff Burto...[Read Full Post] Sun, 04 Mar 2007 15:56:44 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/492399 Yes, we paid the extra bucks to have the five in-car channels provided to us this year. And two races into the season, what do I think? Actually, we turned off the sound to the regular race coverage and listened to the pit reporters for Juan Pablo Montoya instead. Wendy Venturini and other regular SpeedTV reporters provided the commentary and they w...[Read Full Post] Sun, 25 Feb 2007 22:32:44 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/490630 Mark Martin in the #21 Woods Bros. entry was all set to win yet another truck race last night. He and Mike Skinner in the #5 had spent 80 laps racing eachother clean. Now, Mark had stayed out to maintain his position during a caution and he was all lined up to win. All he had to do was execute a clean restart and he should have been able to drive off ...[Read Full Post] Sat, 24 Feb 2007 11:17:06 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/490283 Since the 500, the NASCAR news scene has been pretty, well, boring. I could find comments on the race, comments on penalties, comments on fantasy leagues... What happened to the news about the sport? I guess after the feeding frenzy at Daytona, the media and the newsmakers are just plum worn out. So I dug a little bit today... Over at Backstretch ...[Read Full Post] Wed, 21 Feb 2007 16:54:00 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/489593 Harvick won the 500. Harvick won the Busch race yesterday. Happy Harvick... At some point I'm gonna have to accept the fact that Kevin is an incredible racer...but that won't be today. This wasn't his fault. He raced off of 3 and 4 riding a push to the front, banging doors with Mark Martin in the #01 Army car. He didn't cause the ...[Read Full Post] Sun, 18 Feb 2007 19:30:07 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/488940 The race last night had it all! Great racing, drama, three wide, almost upside-down and last lap lead change (actually it was the last 500 feet lead change ) I am sorry for Travis Kvapil, but there was nothing to be done about that Jack Sprague, congratulations. And Johnny...your second place finish really made me cringe. I was waiting ...[Read Full Post] Sat, 17 Feb 2007 14:57:30 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/488702 If only for a short time, we didn't focus entirely upon some team's attempts to circumvent the rules. What a refreshing idea! Instead we were treated to some underdog stories, not the least was James Hylton. Should there be an age restriction for participating in any of NASCAR's circuits? I think not. Currently the determination for el...[Read Full Post] Fri, 16 Feb 2007 12:26:08 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/488469 You know, it isn't so much about condemning the actions of the #55 team, or any other team. It's about change. The sport is changing. Some people (Mr. Excitement) are speaking about competing in an honest and forthright manner...Jimmy Spencer is saying this. Pardon me while I laugh. There is hardly a single racing team out there that hasn&...[Read Full Post] Thu, 15 Feb 2007 11:55:44 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/488242 For cheating Micheal Waltrip's response to the discovery of an unknown substance in his intake manifold was interesting... "I'm just the driver! I don't know much about engines..." Might I remind Mr. Waltrip that he is not 'just the driver' now-a-days? He's the owner and holds a higher level of responsibi...[Read Full Post] Tue, 13 Feb 2007 13:19:15 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/487771 I'll have plenty to say regarding the weekend's excitement! (There was so much of it!) Later! Mon, 12 Feb 2007 01:33:40 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/487370 The big day is tomorrow. Toyota will make its debut in the competitive Nextel Cup arena. And...? Yeah, Toyota came in with a bottomless wallet and started up a bunch of brand new teams with quite a few big names and some major talent. Now why is Rousch crying? Honestly, I don't know. Probably because it's just one more thing trying to put...[Read Full Post] Fri, 09 Feb 2007 20:04:37 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/486899 I've been here all afternoon listening to SpeedTV...I'm in heaven. The cars are flying around the highbanks all dressed up in their best colors, the drivers are back to complaining about the car being a little tight...JG is looking mighty comfortable The crew is gabbing about Lil 'E and COT and the color of the infield tunnels...[Read Full Post] Fri, 09 Feb 2007 17:47:35 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/486877 Vegas, baby! What have we done? I think created a monster. Greg Biffle dislocated his shoulder during a late season test at Vegas last year, the car got away from him and met the wall. That happened to him twice more during last week's Cup test. Rookie Almendinger (I'm sure the spelling is way off) destroyed two of his cars. Various other...[Read Full Post] Fri, 02 Feb 2007 13:05:15 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/485195 Will anybody be running fulltime in the Busch series? After listening to the unending litany of drivers that would be sharing a ride this season on the "A" circuit for NASCAR my head was spinning. Why are the teams so anxious to spread the seat time among team mates? It's odd, if you ask me. It also limits the field for potential cham...[Read Full Post] Mon, 22 Jan 2007 22:24:05 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/483037 Kerry Earnhardt's son, Jeffrey Earnhardt, has been signed by DEI for a developmental deal. He will be participating in the Busch Grand National East series this year along with some other regional weekly racing series. He's just 17. What will this bring? Time will tell... Andy Santerre will be providing the leadership for the teen in the B...[Read Full Post] Sun, 21 Jan 2007 18:52:14 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/482782 NASCAR is trying to see how confused they can make me. I’m sure of it. Last night while watching the nightly update on SpeedTV I saw this little bit on fuel cells. Crap! They’re changing the size! From 22 gallons to something like 17 and a bit gallons (that’s as specific as Larry Mac wanted to get). The teams have those engineer...[Read Full Post] Thu, 18 Jan 2007 17:44:59 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/482253 Benny Parsons passed away today after battling lung cancer, a great loss to the NASCAR community. To me? It is the loss of my childhood where the sport is concerned. Benny’s laugh, sweet southern drawl and insightful knowledge drew me into spending my weekends with the crew from Charlotte, N.C. There were jokes about BBQ and bologna burgers....[Read Full Post] Tue, 16 Jan 2007 13:09:32 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/481768 Bobby Hamilton Sr., a winner in all three of the top NASCAR series, passed away from complications from neck cancer yesterday. He will be missed. I watched him take the checkers in the Truck series at Atlanta in 2004 in one of the most exciting races I have ever witnessed. A hard hitting competitor, but one of integrity and honesty. A sad day for...[Read Full Post] Mon, 08 Jan 2007 21:14:53 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/480055 A Boston team getting involved with NASCAR? Is that possible? We watched Red Sox CEO John Henry fly the green flag at Stafford Springs two years ago after the Red Sox accomplished the impossible (won the World Series). So, yes, I suppose there is some kind of connection there. What does it mean for Rousch? After Mark Martin sold out his portion of...[Read Full Post] Fri, 05 Jan 2007 16:10:26 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/479281 This blogging thing, it's an intriguing thing. I began blogging about NASCAR as it is my passion. Well, one of my passions. The other is writing. The two seemed to go well together. Except what I write about (as in novels) tends to have nothing to do with NASCAR. That world is full of kings, queens, love, betrayal...you get the idea. I have ...[Read Full Post] Sun, 31 Dec 2006 20:43:22 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/478164 And the start of something new The amount of disinterest I held for The Chase this year was rather, well...it was boring. Yes, Lil E and JG made it in. But we knew they wouldn't win. Neither of them had it on this year. Good, as always, just not WOW. Even the Champ Jimmie Johnson and Matt Kenseth put on a slightly ho-hum show as th...[Read Full Post] Mon, 04 Dec 2006 14:13:58 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/473026 Jeff Burton arrived in the sport just a couple years after Jeff Gordon. He looked awesome back then! He ruled the Busch Series and won Rookie of the Year in the Cup. And what happened? He appeared to find a reliable home at Rousch where he became key to the development of many safety improvements in the sport. He won a few races in the #99...but it...[Read Full Post] Sun, 24 Sep 2006 23:32:28 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/457085 I've finally uploaded pics from NHIS. Check them out at: [Link: 'http://sonyadgrady.com/NASCAR_NOTES_2005.htm'] Sun, 24 Sep 2006 18:12:09 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/457037 The Joy’s of NASCAR… I wasn’t always a stock car racing fan. I’ve always had an appreciation for cars. Mom tells me she would take us kids to watch the Pike’s Peak road race when we were toddlers in Colorado. Maybe that’s where it all started…dunno. My brother and I had a set of trading cards with Grand Pr...[Read Full Post] Sat, 23 Sep 2006 13:33:34 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/456790 What a weekend! Awesome. Just awesome. There will be lots of photos from the hubby's camera and some notes maybe later tonight. First, there is the unpacking of the trailer. Where do I put all the t-shirts and die-cast? Mon, 18 Sep 2006 18:07:54 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/455716 Oh, look at em all! The media! Scrambling over each other making a whole lot of noise about how NASCAR announced this week that if two cars are tied for 10th after tonight's race, then 11 cars will be in the Chase. Holy Cow! Mother of...and all that. 11 cars in the Chase? That can't be! It's supposed to be just 10, isn't it? I...[Read Full Post] Sat, 09 Sep 2006 15:24:16 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/453676 Apparently, not Mark Martin. The rumor mill (the verified by three sources type of rumor mill) is stating that Mark Martin will be driving the #88 over at Robert Yates Racing next year. This is after RYR failed to sell a portion of their company to either Rousch or Robby Gordon. This is HUGE. Have no delusions. This is going to fundamentally cha...[Read Full Post] Thu, 07 Sep 2006 00:08:14 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/453184 11 remain for 10 spots. Kasey Kahne sits on the outside looking in as Mark Martin teeters on the void, vowing to fight til the end. Last year we gabbled wildly at each other as we realized that Jeff Gordon and Dale Jr. were not making it into the Chase. They’re gonna do it this time. Did anybody take note that Kenseth pushed Johnson out of the p...[Read Full Post] Mon, 04 Sep 2006 14:05:18 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/452616 Today I listed out all the track locations as I viewed the upcoming weekend’s race at California Speedway and thought, “Oh great. Another new cookie cutter track…yawn!” I compared the various shapes and sizes, thought about the competition that is provided at each venue and even the more mundane elements of attending a race as ...[Read Full Post] Wed, 30 Aug 2006 16:04:23 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/451617 As #17 Matt Kenseth dominated the weekend at Bristol, I and the TV announcers tried desperately hard to be thrilled. Kenseth is nice, polite, rugged on the track when needs be and a reliable teammate. What more could we wish for when he drives into Victory Lane, closing the points chase up and providing some real competition for Johnson in the final da...[Read Full Post] Sun, 27 Aug 2006 16:44:20 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/450992 The hubby and I test drove Kangaroo TV last year at NHIS. It appeared to be a great concept. You got live TV feed, a replay channel and in car video along with radio broadcast, scanner abilities and stats. There were things that needed tweaking. This year while at Dover we rented the new and improved Nextel Fanview for the weekend to see if things ...[Read Full Post] Thu, 24 Aug 2006 12:46:33 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/450331 It came to my attention that somebody liked NASCAR Notes...and put it in a book! "Blogosphere: Best of Blogs" by Peter Kuhns and Adrienne Crew were so generous as to include NASCAR Notes in their list of best NASCAR blogs. I'm honored! The Diecast Dude ([Link: 'http://www.diecast-dude.com']) and Full Throttle ([Link: 'htt...[Read Full Post] Mon, 21 Aug 2006 21:37:09 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/449729 Wow...Dale Jr. pulls off a classic Dale Sr. move in the final laps of last night's Busch race and he got booed! Wow! Pig's do fly! This certainly says something about the new breed of NASCAR fan. It really is a kinder, gentler NASCAR Nation nowadays. And I don't know if this is a good thing. I love Carl Edwards! I love his smile an...[Read Full Post] Sun, 20 Aug 2006 11:33:41 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/449387 I guess the change was a good thing for everybody. Elliot Sadler is driving the #19 Evernham Dodge Dealers ride this week and Mayfield left the team in less than pleasant circumstances. I'm not sure why this particular shuffling of drivers has got my attention, but it has. I ended up sifting through like five NASCAR news sites the other night an...[Read Full Post] Sat, 19 Aug 2006 14:32:09 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/449202 Rumors are! With the serious onset of Silly Season (or perhaps it never stopped...) Jayski is a busy boy Let's see... Who's out: Jeremy Mayfield has been fired from the #19. Who's in: Bill Elliot...at least for the moment. It is possible that Elliot Sadler will be out of the #38 as David Gilliland is reported ...[Read Full Post] Tue, 15 Aug 2006 22:25:17 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/448303 This is the second road course the Busch boys have attacked this year. This being Watkins Glen. But what is this qualifying procedure I'm watching? Used this spring at Mexico, the european style qualifying is actually pretty fun to watch and completes the whole process in about half the time compared to the standard qualifying gig. Instead of...[Read Full Post] Sat, 12 Aug 2006 12:27:52 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/447472 I've attended two Cup events this year...the June race at Dover that triple teamed with the trucks and Busch and the July race at Loudon that paired with Busch. Now, I'm going to ask the promoters: Why do the Busch cars run? Why is there a separate series? Why don't you just call it the Saturday Feature race and the Sunday Feature race?...[Read Full Post] Tue, 08 Aug 2006 22:35:48 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/446618 "He's a moron..." That's a direct quote from Carl Edwards regarding Tony Stewart. I have to admit to being torn about the whole Pocono incident between Bowyer, Stewart and Edwards. I have often been cruel and unforgiving regarding Tony's temper throughout his career. When he started climbing fences I found a soft spot for ...[Read Full Post] Sun, 06 Aug 2006 20:46:15 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/446088 I think... I haven't forsaken racing at all. Don't worry. I just stopped writing about it non-stop for a bit. I just finished watching the truck race at ORP (orp, orp, orp...I'll get the new name down) from last night and was enthralled (as always) with the 3-wide racing, beating, banging and general gritty entertainment that the trucks...[Read Full Post] Sat, 05 Aug 2006 16:04:19 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/445832 Yesterday I joined about 5,000 other New England racing fans in opening the Northeast racing season by cheering on the Whelan Modifieds, SK Modifieds and several other Dodge Weekly racing series at the Thompson International Speedway in Connecticut. Perhaps the most entertaining, and yes silly, group of the day were the mini-stocks. These are Escor...[Read Full Post] Mon, 10 Apr 2006 15:15:55 EDT http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/418630 Did everybody expect to see a finish at Bristol without some name calling and shoving? I hope not. Hubby and I were watching the final thirty laps with Busch, Kenseth, Harvick and Gordon in the lead and I said, "We can't finish this without somebody wrecking somebody out." Did it mean I was psychic? Nah. Just experienced. And once I s...[Read Full Post] Tue, 28 Mar 2006 18:45:09 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/415871 Yesterday's Busch race provided entertainment at every end of the spectrum...complete with a snowball fight between the NASCAR teams and the Bristol spectators. During the 90 minute red flag we all got a reminder just how much fun taking a moment out of life to just be a kid can be. The inch of quickly accumulating snow that blanketed the track i...[Read Full Post] Sun, 26 Mar 2006 14:45:23 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/415433 Indy Car racer Paul Dana passed away this morning after an on-track incident at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Fellow competitor Ed Carpenter spun his car and pushed up to the top of the track during practice. And as usually will happen, the car drifted back down across the track where Paul Dana's car hit the rear quarter panel at full speed. Ed Carp...[Read Full Post] Sun, 26 Mar 2006 14:30:16 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/415431 Jingle bells...white christmas...winter wonderland... Bristol, Tennesee! Who knew? LOL OK, first we had snow in Vegas and now it canceled Cup qualifying in Bristol. What is with that? Anyway, Cup boys line up tomorrow according to the points standings at the end of last season. So yes, Tony has the pole. Jimmie starts fifth and the Roushkete...[Read Full Post] Sat, 25 Mar 2006 12:41:47 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/415132 But not short on entertainment. After watching Saturday's Busch race with several right rear tires blowing I was certain we would see wholesale carnage at the Cup race today...nope! Instead we got Kasey Kahne running a fast, thrilling race and the boy in the #9 Dodge took it to victory lane. Great job! Not only did Ray Evernham's boy won...[Read Full Post] Mon, 20 Mar 2006 22:23:35 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/414203 Yes, I know. Another Green, White, Checker at the truck race on Friday night. But yet it didn't rankle...why not? Because the racing that got us there and the resultant final yellow was awesome. Mark Martin and Todd Bodine traded the lead and second throughout the race. But they didn't just get in line. They swerved, they bumped, they squ...[Read Full Post] Sat, 18 Mar 2006 23:33:16 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/413812 Three races, three finishes. And there’s something eerily similar in the way they all ended. With two laps to go all the cars lined up single file and came to a Green Flag. The next lap was a white flag and finally came the checker. It’s like a new ritual. We don’t RACE 400 miles. We race 394 miles then stop and take a deep brea...[Read Full Post] Thu, 16 Mar 2006 22:17:08 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/413465 Yeah, I know. Sunday's race was really nothing to write home about. Even if the drivers like Fontana for driving purposes, the track has really never provided the kind of race that is entertaining on TV. Yep, that track definitely needed a second date...NOT. But that is a gripe for another time. Congratulations to Matt Kenseth. Somebody from ...[Read Full Post] Thu, 02 Mar 2006 17:10:22 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/410224 This week Shane Hmiel was kicked out of NASCAR for life. Why? After being suspended from NASCAR until 2007 for testing positive to illegal substances last year, he was directed to undergo a rehab program. And then last week he tested positive again. Is this fair? Or right? The test was a random test. Not taken because he was ready to re-enter ...[Read Full Post] Sun, 26 Feb 2006 15:02:23 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/409270 Your driver. My driver. Most conversations circling around NASCAR contain those phrases among the fandom. And most fans are convinced there is something morally superior about their driver over the other one. And I admit to falling into that pit from time to time. But actually, does it really matter? I mean come Sunday afternoon does it matter th...[Read Full Post] Fri, 24 Feb 2006 17:45:53 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/408911 When Tony climbed from his car after the Bud Shoot Out and proclaimed that if everybody didn't get a grip, it wouldn't be long before we saw one of our best drivers in the morgue, NASCAR gathered the wisest of the wise and determined they would have to play "Aggressive Driver" police. Was it effective? Did it result in the kind of com...[Read Full Post] Mon, 20 Feb 2006 21:14:16 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/408160 So, look at who won the 300 Kissables yesterday and you will see a portent on how the season will pan out in the Busch Series. Tony Stewart undoubtedly was the class of the field. And he rubbed fenders with his fellow Cup cohorts. Fine. Life rolls on and the boys with the money and backing are going to run away with all the recognition to be had from...[Read Full Post] Sun, 19 Feb 2006 14:21:40 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/407859 Mark Martin is a happy guy. He finally has won a race at Daytona. As a rookie . The truck race provided plenty of entertainment. Todd Bodine continued his near perfect run and came in second. Even though the race finished under caution, and I wrinkled my nose in disappointment. I had to think back a couple years and recalled the truck races that c...[Read Full Post] Sat, 18 Feb 2006 12:07:38 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/407637 I am now syndicated! If you have Yahoo or another RSS service that allows you to enter URL's and you want to see all the latest headlines from this blog, USE THIS URL! [Link: 'http://sonyadgrady.com/sonyadgrady.rss'] MSN does not allow random syndications to be listed. Yahoo is much more accomodating. I have listed with several othe...[Read Full Post] Thu, 16 Feb 2006 22:23:46 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/407296 Elliot Sadler and Jeff Gordon are the winners of the Twin 150's. These short versions of Sunday's program provided some insight into what will be coming our way. The Yates cars looked strong. The DEI #8 and #1 both were shaky in the start but pulled out definitive performances in the long run. The #20 and #11 finished decently in the 1st race, showing th...[Read Full Post] Thu, 16 Feb 2006 21:56:31 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/407291 What a start to the season! We got everything. Rookies winning the Bud Shoot Out, veteran teammates pushing said rookie to the front and a trusted crew chief gets creative but ends up in the time-out corner. Sunday we got a race full of all the stuff that we love racing for. Wrecks (you gotta admit we love those ), penalties being issued ...[Read Full Post] Tue, 14 Feb 2006 22:32:33 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/406856 Is it true? Can it be possible? Will my favorite driver find the speed and confidence necessary to redeem himself in the 2006 season? Well, starting on the outside of the front row for the Daytona 500 is not a bad way to start the season. Of course he's sharing the front row with another...Jeff Burton Burton spent last season loo...[Read Full Post] Sun, 12 Feb 2006 15:34:20 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/406286 will be appearing in the Spring 2006 SpeedWorld issue: Keeping Track By S.D. Grady sd.grady@gmail.com I am a creature of habit. I like the reassuring patterns of life. NASCAR usually provides a certain amount of repetition in its rituals and indeed even in its cast of stars. For years and years the #3 was black and driven by Earnhardt, Gordo...[Read Full Post] Sat, 11 Feb 2006 12:59:45 EST http://www.Writing.Com/main/books/entry_id/406082