Last week I wrote a blog entry, "What's Junior's excuse this year?" and I heard all about it from Junior Nation.

All season long, I have said much worse about Kyle Busch and various other drivers and not gotten the response that I received when I wrote about Dale Earnhardt Jr. But if I say something about precious Junior, then I'm accused of not being a fan. I'm accused of wanting blog hits.

Is this not an indication that some of you Junior Nation folks may be a bit out of touch? Losing some sight of reality? I've got news for you folks, you can be a fan and be critical of any athlete all at the same time.

Here's a couple of classic comments from last week:

From Ginger: "If you loved Dale Jr, you wouldn't have written this column. You evidently don't know Jr or his fans very well, but in order to get hits you write an article about him anyway....just shows your lack of knowledge."

Thanks, Ginger. You're a little off the mark here though.

From CJ WAX: "Give Junior a break; this is a new team to him and a new environment. He definitely needs to get rid of Eury Jr; it's too close a relationship; he needs some who will mentor, not take abuse from him. I'm a JJ fan, but Juniour has the personality. Iw wish him luck in his teething year at HMS. Let's see how things jell next season because then there will be no more excuses."

Well, at least CJ WAX gave an excuse as to why he thinks this year isn't full of wins as predicted at the end of the season last year. But I am sure something else will come up next year and this comment will be posted yet again by another Nation fan.

And lastly, from Pres of JR Nation: "Wow, with fans like you, who needs haters? Go be a Kyle Busch fairweather fan and get the heck out of The Nation!"

Speaking of Kyle Busch, I have heard from more than a few people that Busch IS the Dale Earnhardt Sr. of today. I think I have to agree. He drives with passion like Senior did. I still don't like Busch all that much, but it is probably true. Like it or not.

Pretty good racing at Kansas. Congrats to Jimmie Johnson for victory number one in the Chase. Carl Edwards got racey on that last lap. He drove it right by Johnson too hot, drifted up the track right into the wall. He still managed to come in second. He related the pass to playing video games, how he could make the pass, bounce off the wall and keep going, priceless.

Here are some other thoughts of the race:

-- Clint Bowyer made mistake after mistake during the race. He is lucky to have finished 12th. He passed before the green flag waved at the start of the race and got penalized for that. Then later in the race he sped down pit road during a caution and had to start in the last spot on the restart.

-- More issues for Kyle Busch. I think someone said on television that there was paper that was removed from inside the grill. But in Busch's post-race interview he basically said that he didn't think so. So I'm not sure what exactly happened to him. He finished the race 28th.

-- Tony Stewart had a rough day also. He was too fast entering pit road and had to start at the tail end of the longest line on one of the restarts. Then on the track he and Brian Vickers got into each other which sent Stewart sailing through the grass on lap 130. He later had to go in and change the broken splitter that broke when he went throught the grass and went several laps down. I blame Stewart for the incident with Vickers. It looked very intentional to me. Stewart finished the day in 40th position.

-- Despite several mishaps during the day, leaving a lug nut off the left front during a caution and then spinning on the racetrack, Matt Kenseth finished the day in 5th place. Way to come back Kenseth!

-- It was a broken transmission that ruined Martin Truex Jr.'s day. He finished 43rd and fell to 16th in the point standings.

Other chasers: Greg Biffle finished 3rd, Jeff Gordon 4th, Kevin Harvick 6th, Jeff Burton 7th, Denny Hamlin 11th and Dale Eanrhardt Jr.13th.

What did you think of the race?

Here's a look at the Chasers going into the race this weekend at Kansas Speedway(stats provided by NASCAR):

	1 - Carl Edwards (No. 99 Office Depot Ford) 5390 points, 2008 Rundown: • Six wins, 13 top fives, 21 top 10s • Average finish of 9.6 • Led 16 races for 782 laps Kansas Speedway Outlook: • Driver Rating of 90.2 • One top five, two top 10s • Average finish of 17.0 • Finished 37th last season
	2 - Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet) 5380 points, 2008 Rundown: • Four wins, 11 top fives, 16 top 10s • Average finish of 11.8 • Led 22 races for 1,175 laps Kansas Speedway Outlook: • Driver Rating of 115.6 • One top five, four top 10s; two poles • Average finish of 12.0 • Finished third last season
	3 - Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford) 5380 points, 2008 Rundown: • Two wins, 10 top fives, 13 top 10s • Average finish of 13.3 • Led 14 races for 428 laps Kansas Speedway Outlook: • Driver Rating of 118.5 • One win, three top fives • Average finish of 11.0 • Won last season's Kansas race
	4 - Jeff Burton (No. 31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet) 5308 points, 2008 Rundown: • One win, five top fives, 14 top 10s • Average finish of 12.1 • Led 10 races for 74 laps Kansas Speedway Outlook: • Driver Rating of 70.4 • One top five • Average finish of 19.6 • Finished 36th last season
	5 - Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet) 5289 points, 2008 Rundown: • Six top fives, 14 top 10s • Average finish of 13.2 • Led six races for 169 laps Kansas Speedway Outlook: • Driver Rating of 83.3 • Two top 10s • Average finish of 16.1 • Finished sixth last season
	6 - Clint Bowyer (No. 07 Jack Daniel's Chevrolet) 5284 points, 2008 Rundown: • One win, four top fives, 13 top 10s • Average finish of 15.2 • Led five races for 152 laps Kansas Speedway Outlook: • Driver Rating of 106.5 • One top five, two top 10s • Average finish of 5.5 • Finished second last season
	7 - Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Toyota) 5277 points, 2008 Rundown: • Nine top fives, 14 top 10s • Average finish of 14.1 • Led 12 races for 556 laps Kansas Speedway Outlook: • Driver Rating of 108.7 • One win, three top fives, five top 10s • Average finish of 11.1 • Finished 39th last season
	8 - Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet) 5272 points, 2008 Rundown: • Nine top fives, 13 top 10s • Average finish of 14.8 • Led 15 races for 309 laps Kansas Speedway Outlook: • Driver Rating of 98.3 • Two wins, four top fives, five top 10s • Average finish of 10.6 • Finished fifth last season
	9 - Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet) 5261 points, 2008 Rundown: • One win, nine top fives, 14 top 10s • Average finish of 12.5 • Led 19 races for 875 laps Kansas Speedway Outlook: • Driver Rating of 82.0 • Four top 10s; one pole • Average finish of 17.1 • Finished 10th last season
	10 - Matt Kenseth (No. 14 DEWALT Ford) 5223 points, 2008 Rundown: • Seven top fives, 16 top 10s • Average finish of 16.4 • Led 14 races for 340 laps Kansas Speedway Outlook: • Driver Rating of 93.2 • One top five, two top 10s; one pole • Average finish of 22.1 • Finished 35th last season
	11 - Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Toyota) 5197 points, 2008 Rundown: • One win, nine top fives, 15 top 10s • Average finish of 15.9 • Led 12 races for 700 laps Kansas Speedway Outlook: • Driver Rating of 73.7 • Average finish of 26.3 in three races • Finished 29th last season
	12 - Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M's Toyota) 5180 points, 2008 Rundown: • Eight wins, 15 top fives, 17 top 10s • Average finish of 12.0 • Led 20 races for 1,636 laps Kansas Speedway Outlook: • Driver Rating of 80.0 • One top 10 • Average finish of 26.5 • Finished 41st last season

I love Dale Earnhardt Jr., I do. Just look at who I chose to have my picture taken with for this blog. (Even if it's a cardboard cutout and a bit outdated.) But each week, I'm left wondering what is his excuse this year?

Last year, we could chalk the poor season up to a bunch of blown motors each week. Plus, the distraction of his feud with his stepmother, Teresa Earnhardt.

But now that he is driving for Rick Hendrick, what's going on? Yeah, he's in the Chase but he's had a mediocre year at best with one win, nine top fives and 14 top 10's. Compare that to Jimmie Johnson who's had four wins, 11 top fives and 16 top 10's.

Sure, you could say that half the drivers in the Chase have had a mediocre year. But they also don't have the fan base that Junior does. That's what I'm getting at.

Junior Nation also excuses his rude, belligerent behavior towards his cousin and crew chief, Tony Eury Jr. He throws temper tantrums similar to Tony Stewart but yet he still sits up on a pedastal to Junior Nation. Why? I just don't get it. I know, I know, we just chalk it up to it's Junior and Eury have always talked to one another during a race.

I'm truly left wondering if people, including myself, follow him because of his amazing father, Dale Earnhardt Sr. Is it because he's his father's son and we want Senior's legacy to live on no matter what? I just don't know.

1-2-3 for Jack Roush: Greg Biffle, Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards. Congratulations to Biffle for victory No. 2 of the Chase. I was so impressed with the last 50 laps or so of the race. The three of them were swapping leads and doing a little bumping and banging. It was excellent racing. Just excellent.

Here are some other thoughts (Chasers are in bold):

-- I am sure it would have been a 1-2-3-4 for Roush had Jamie McMurray not had some bad luck. He had quite an impressive car also but he was taken out by Robby Gordon who got loose and drove him up into the wall.

-- Dale Earnhardt Jr. was racing Matt Kenseth to stay on the lead lap and had a right tire blow. He finished the race 24th, two laps down.

-- Kyle Busch blew up and ended the day with a 43rd place finish. Terrible luck two weeks in a row.

-- Denny Hamlin had a tire go down and while he was in the pits they discovered an oil leak in the rear end. He eventually went to the garage area where they did extensive work. He finished 38th.

-- They didn't show or talk about Tony Stewart much during the race at all but he finished 11th.

-- Poor David Reutimann. He was looking to have wsuch a solid finish and made a bad mistake by pitting outside his pit box. NASCAR officials penalized him a lap.

-- How about that Mark Martin? Seriously. He had a great car and was really racey all day. Very impressive.

-- Are you really surprised that Sam Hornish got into the wall a few times yesterday? I'm not.

The rest of the Chasers: Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Jeff Gordon, Clint Bowyer and Jeff Burton finished, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th, respectively.

Here's what the point standings look like after yesterday's race at Dover International Speedway.

What did you think of the race?

I went through some of the press releases that I received this week and thought I would compile a few quotes from them for you. Enjoy.

"Dover is sweet. Going into both corners, you drop off into the corner big time. It's like jumping off a ledge. The whole car lifts up and then you land. When you land, that's huge. The attitude of the car when you land, that's a big deal." - Joey Logano

"Probably the relationship that Steve (Addington) and I have. I think it just works since I get fired up and he's always the calm voice over the radio. We're proud of the fact it just works. There are some times where the reins have to be pulled back on me. I'll admit it." -- Kyle Busch,on what he's going to look to during the last nine races to challenge for the championship.

"We shake off every race that is behind us - whether we win or finish 40th. We are a dangerous organization and we enter each race thinking we can win. And that's what we hope to do at Dover." -- Jeff Gordon

"Most of the time you just go with your instinct and pick a line and hope for the best. Dover is an extremely fast track. You really need to concentrate the entire race just to make sure you don't get caught up in someone else's mistake." -- Kevin Harvick

"It seems like this year, with this new car that qualifying is more important at every track, but at Dover it's always been that way. If you look at the guys who qualify up front, they typically finish up there as well." -- Jamie McMurray

"You truly are going downhill in a short period of time. It feels like that. It feels like it gets high in the air and then when you get to the corner, it falls." -- Jeff Burton

"Me and Tony, Jr. (Eury, crew chief) have worked together for a long, long time. I think Rick (Hendrick) likes being in the middle of it because it is fun. I don't know of any driver on the race track that doesn't get hot under the collar." -- Dale Earnhardt Jr., on how he and Tony Jr. work together.

"It's a pretty cool trophy, and it was an honor to win the first one. I would like to get another one. I have a funny story about the trophy. When we got it, I put it out in the shop. Our dog, Mopar, went out to the shop with me and he started barking at it. So it's a pretty scary trophy." -- Ryan Newman

"I'm a big believer in momentum and I feel like that's why we started the Chase so strong. You have to have confidence and you've got to have confidence in your team, your crew, everything, your equipment, and right now we've got a lot of confidence that we've got great equipment, good guys." -- Greg Biffle

"There was also a pork chop meeting that took place where Rick had a pork chop in his hand one time with his son Ricky and Lance McGrew, he was so mad, he was flinging the bone around and the meat went flying off all over the inside of the truck. So, there is a pork chop meeting. When you get to a pork chop meeting, you know it is pretty bad. I think milk and cookies is a step before that." -- Jimmie Johnson,on his observations on how Rick Hendrick does things.

Based on the information I provided yesterday, I'm going with Jimmie Johnson for the win at Dover International Speedway. He has three wins, four top fives, and eight top 10s. Not to mention that he is simply on fire lately.

Yesterday afternoon my boss called me in her office and said, Are you writing about this? She was pointing to her screen which read, "NASCAR Cancels Remainder Of Season Following David Foster Wallace's Death." My heart sank. With a little further research, we discovered it was the Onion's doing. Phew.

Here's the broadcast schedule for this weekend.

All for now...

Here's a look at the Chasers going into the race this weekend at Dover International Speedway(stats provided by NASCAR):

	1 - Carl Edwards (No. 99 Office Depot Ford) 2008 Rundown: • Six wins, 12 top fives, 20 top 10s • Average finish of 9.8 • Led 15 races for 697 laps Dover International Speedway Outlook: • Driver Rating of 102.9 • One win, four top fives, five top 10s • Average finish of 8.3 • Finished second in June
	2 - Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet) 2008 Rundown: • Four wins, 10 top fives, 15 top 10s • Average finish of 12.0 • Led 21 races for 1,094 laps Dover International Speedway Outlook: • Driver Rating of 101.5 • Three wins, four top fives, eight top 10s; one pole • Average finish of 11.5 • Finished seventh in June
	3 - Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford) 2008 Rundown: • One win, nine top fives, 12 top 10s • Average finish of 13.8 • Led 13 races for 399 laps Dover International Speedway Outlook: • Driver Rating of 116.1 • One win, four top fives, seven top 10s; one pole • Average finish of 12.1 • Finished third in June
	4 - Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet) 2008 Rundown: • One win, nine top fives, 14 top 10s • Average finish of 12.0 • Led 19 races for 875 laps Dover International Speedway Outlook: • Driver Rating of 80.5 • One win, four top fives, seven top 10s • Average finish of 16.9 • Finished 35th in June
	5 - Jeff Burton (No. 31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet) 2008 Rundown: • One win, five top fives, 13 top 10s • Average finish of 12.3 • Led 10 races for 74 laps Dover International Speedway Outlook: • Driver Rating of 90.8 • One win, six top fives, 12 top 10s • Average finish of 16.6 • Finished eighth in June
	6 - Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Toyota) 2008 Rundown: One win, nine top fives, 15 top 10s • Average finish of 15.1 • Led 12 races for 700 laps Dover International Speedway Outlook: • Driver Rating of 74.6 • One top five, two top 10s • Average finish of 21.0 • Finished 43rd in June
	7 - Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Toyota) 2008 Rundown: • Nine top fives, 14 top 10s • Average finish of 14.2 • Led 12 races for 556 laps Dover International Speedway Outlook: • Driver Rating of 63.0 • Two wins, nine top fives, 12 top 10s • Average finish of 12.2 • Finished 41st in June
	8 - Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M's Toyota) 2008 Rundown: • Eight wins, 15 top fives, 17 top 10s • Average finish of 10.8 • Led 20 races for 1,636 laps Dover International Speedway Outlook: • Driver Rating of 106.9 • One win, five top fives • Average finish of 10.3 • Won June's Dover race
	9 - Clint Bowyer (No. 07 Jack Daniel's Chevrolet) 2008 Rundown: • One win, four top fives, 12 top 10s • Average finish of 15.5 • Led four races for 150 laps Dover International Speedway Outlook: • Driver Rating of 88.2 • Two top 10s • Average finish of 16.2 • Finished 36th in June
	10 - Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet) 2008 Rundown: • Six top fives, 13 top 10s • Average finish of 13.5 • Led five races for 168 laps Dover International Speedway Outlook: • Driver Rating of 71.0 • Two top fives, five top 10s • Average finish of 19.3 • Finished 38th in June
	11 - Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet) 2008 Rundown: • Nine top fives, 12 top 10s • Average finish of 15.0 • Led 14 races for 279 laps Dover International Speedway Outlook: • Driver Rating of 88.6 • Four wins, 14 top fives, 19 top 10s; three poles • Average finish of 12.1 • Finished fifth in June
	12 - Matt Kenseth (No. 14 DEWALT Ford) 2008 Rundown: • Six top fives, 15 top 10s • Average finish of 16.9 • Led 13 races for 204 laps Dover International Speedway Outlook: • Driver Rating of 112.3 • One win, six top fives, 11 top 10s; one pole • Average finish of 14.7 • Finished fourth in June

Does anyone understand how the driver ratings work? I don't understand it at all. My bad.

Congratulations to Greg Biffle for winning the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Here are a few thoughts of the race:

-- Kyle Busch had some bad luck early on when he had some sort of bolt break. To make matters worse, later in the race he spun and Jamie McMurray hit him. He finished 34th and was the biggest loser in the point standings. Not a very good start for the Chase for Busch. He left the track immediately following the race and wouldn't speak to anyone.

-- Tony Stewart was too fast on pit road and had to do a pass through penalty, which put him a lap down for most of the race. He was the beneficiary of the lucky dog when Joe Nemechek wrecked on the front stretch though. He ended his day with an 8th place finish. He also left the track immediately following the race and wouldn't to speak to anyone.

-- Clint Bowyer, the favorite to win, finished in 12th place. He also left the track immediately following the race and wouldn't speak to anyone.

-- Joey Logano didn't do squat during the race. Maybe it was nerves. Maybe it was the car. I am sure he will do much better than this next year in his permanent ride.

-- Funny stuff... Johnny Sauter left his pit stall and went around the track with the tire jack attached to the driver's side of his car. He had to go back down pit road to give it back to his crew. I'm not so sure they showed that on television but wanted to share.

-- Ryan Newman dropped a cyclinder and finished 36th.

-- My pick for the race, Kevin Harvick came in 10th.

What did you think of the race?

It has stopped raining and it looks like they are getting ready to get going here at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The cars are fired up and they are getting ready to roll on the track.

A while ago, I took a long walk around behind the grandstands. I think I could stay out there all day people watching. It is so mesmerizing and despite the uncertainty in the weather, people continue to stroll in.

Here's hoping we get the entire race in today.

Meet 24 year old Brett Morrell. He's from Windham, Maine and currently the front tire carrier for Gillett Evernham Motorsports' No. 19 team.

I got a chance to chat with Brett and ask him a few questions.

One of the things that I wanted to know was how he got into the sport. It goes back a few years. He actually used to race in the kart series at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway until he was 13 years old. At 15, he raced in the truck series at Beech Ridge's Thursday Thunder. That's how it began.

He then decided to move south, where he and a friend went through the 5 OFF 5 ON pit school training in Moorseville, NC. He recalls the schooling being held on Saturdays for nine weeks, approximately three hours per day. He got his first job at PPC racing, working with John Andretti in the No. 14 car. After about a year there, he moved on to his current employer, GEM.

He lives in Mooresville with his fiance, Jennifer, whom he met through GEM. Here's a little bit of what his work week looks like:

The team normally works a Sunday through Thursday schedule. They fly in to the racetrack wherever they are racing on any given week, in a private jet the morning of the race. If the race is on the West coast, the team will fly in the day before to aclimate to the time change. Immediately following the race, he flies back home.

Monday through Thursday they work a 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. shift.

On Monday morning, they do what is called a film review. They watch about one hour of pit stops to analyze how they did during the race, always looking for ways to improve.

A strength and conditioning coach comes in each day. As a team they go through a rigorous workout for about an hour and a half.

There are also one-hour pit practices each day. In addition to all of the above, his other responsibility is to build the brakes and suspension for both the No. 9 and 19 team.

Brett's parents and most of his family still live in the Windham area. He doesn't get a chance to come home very often with such a busy schedule but does try to come home for a couple of weeks during the off season.

Brett is getting married in Jamaica the week after Homestead. Congratulations Brett!

It was a pleasure to talk to him and get a look into his life.

I just arrived at the media center so I need to get my bearings about me. But here's a quick weather update:

It's raining. It seems like this is becoming the standard weather for racing here. Someone said that they thought it would clear up this afternoon. By the looks of the radar it may be possible to still get the race in. I hope so. I'll let you know if the sun makes an appearance down here.

I'll be back a little later.

Ahhh, this picture makes me think back to when my brother and I would take a spin on the Ferris Wheel (F.W.) at the fair. Only, my brother would be rocking the seat with all his might and I would be screaming at him to not rock the seat because it scared me, which led to far greater rocking. You get the idea. I think those moments with him on F.W.'s scarred me for life.

In any event, I looked beyond my uneasiness and did it for you. I got in my seat and got ready to buckle myself in when the man running the ride told the kids above me to not rock their seat too hard. What? Why? Is it not safe? Uugh.

The mission: To see if you can see the entire track from the top of the F.W. I paid my five bucks, which went towards the local New Hampshire chapter of the Speedway Children's Charities, and then I asked the man if he would stop me up on top so I could take a few shots. Here's the answer:

That is what you see up there without zoom from the camera. I wish the pine trees weren't there you might be able to see a bit more. You can see a little bit of turn three.

I will say that going into this mission, I didn't think I would be able to see anything. From the ground, the F.W. barely looks like it is high enough to see above the I-lot parking lot.

I actually thought the more impressive view was to my left. It was the view of the campers and motor homes:

Seriously folks, would you just look at how many there are?! Wow.

I made it safely back to the ground. Here are a few more sights:

I was a bit intimidated walking through the tunnel and having these two big rigs coming towards me.

Big day tomorrow. Depending on the weather, I will be getting a ride in the pace car with Brett Bodine sometime around 9:00 a.m. Then I am off to a meet and greet with Juan Pablo Montoya. I'll try to take some video of that. Hopefully I am done with the pace car in time to do the meet and greet.

That's it folks, I'm going to call it a day. I'll be back tomorrow.

Manager of Media Relations for ESPN, Andy Hall, gave me a tour of the happenings behind the scenes with ESPN during a racing weekend. I now have such a better appreciation of what I watch from week to week on television.

I always wondered why when watching a race on ABC, such as this weekend, the reporters carried ESPN mics. It's because ESPN produces the sports broadcasting for ABC. Could it be that I am the only person who didn't know that? Maybe.

ESPN employs approximately 250 people during a Cup race. They use from 60 to 70 cameras per weekend. The amount of cameras used depends on the size of the track. They would likely use more cameras at some place like Daytona than they would here at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Makes sense to me.

It takes them two days to get all set up and a little less time to pack up and leave.

Here you can see the fire suits for the pit reporters. The reporters don't have to worry about what to wear. All their clothes are pretty much picked out for them. They just reach into their garment bag, get the color that is chosen for the day, put it on and bam. They're all set. I wish I had it that easy...

We went in to the production control room, also known as "organized chaos." I didn't understand exactly what that meant until I went in and spent some time in there.

Listen, I enjoy my share of television but after a very short time in this room, my heart started to speed up. I thought I was going to have an anxiety attack right then and there. I was trying to watch the televsions, listen to what the folks inside the control room were saying while also trying to listen to what was being said on air. These folks must love seeing people, like me, come in for the first time. The look that must have been on my face...

The man pictured above is Neil Goldberg, Sr Motorsports Producer. He must be able to multi-task better than anyone in this world and honestly, he cannot possibly be paid enough money. He gets many different people talking to him all at the same time. Pit reporters, television reporters, graphics folks, you name it. With 70 cameras all over the place, you get the picture.

If the graphics folks have a graphic they think the viewers will like, they are displayed on the screen above first and Goldberg will decide when and if to use them on air. The screen is right in front of him. I was able to listen to a headset while I was in this room. I was so confused and felt dizzy trying to figure out what was being said and to whom that I didn't listen very long. I am very thankful for the experience though.

Here's a video I took while inside to give you a little idea of what I was hearing and seeing:

Next stop: ESPN tech center

There's a sign right on the door before you go in to "take your shoes off." You will see why when you look at the video and picture, the place is immaculate. Seriously.

When I walked in, Tim Brewer and crew were all sitting around the television. They explained things happen real quick in there. If there is a malfunction of something and they want to explain it, they have about 15 seconds to get to where the problem was on the cutaway car or get what is needed off the shelves in order to be live on air.

I learned very quickly how fast things happen. I guess, Clint Bowyer had a brake line fail during final practice. They were telling me to get out, FAST. I didn't ask any questions, I just boogied toward the door. They then shut the door and went live on television.

That ended my tour of what goes on behind the scenes with ESPN. I am simply amazed at how much goes into making it all look perfect and flawless on television. Amazing.

Good morning from New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The sun keeps poking out from behind the clouds. Hopefully today will be a better weather day than yesterday.

The Sprint Cut drivers are out on the track for a 45 minute practice session.

Here are some random thoughts after the first couple days here:

-- The ferris wheel-- When driving in to the infield, it just doesn't appear that you would be able to see the entire track from the top of it. It doesn't look high enough. As much as I don't like ferris wheels, I'm going to go out there today, pay the $5.00 and go for a ride. I'll take a picture or two from the top of it to see for myself.

-- They had a lobster feed for the media under the tents by the grandstands last night. I went along with a few friends, Shawn Courchesne, Travis Barrett, and Portland Press Herald columnist, Steve Solloway. A good time was had by all and the lobsters were delicious.

-- It's a sad, sad day when you're happy to pay $3.45/gallon for gas. That's the going price down here. It's close to .20 cents cheaper than home. Nice.

-- Every time I walk by the pace car, I get butterflys in my stomach. I'm a little nervous about the ride around the track tomorrow morning with Brett Bodine. I still don't have a concrete time that this is happening but it's still in the works, weather permitting.

-- I had sweet dreams of Juan Pablo Montoya last night and not because I saw him or anything. They've been handing out Juicy Fruit and Big Red (his sponsors) like it's going out of style. Plus, I might be going on a meet and greet with him tomorrow.

That is up in the air though because of tighter security because U.S. Sen. John McCain is going to be here. I'm pretty sure he's staying at the hotel that I am staying at. When I got back to the hotel last night, the McCain bus was parked outside...

Well the Camping World East race has started. I'm going to head out on pit road to take some pictures. I'll be back later.

Oh, and I'm picking Kevin Harvick for the win. Who are you picking?

It is still raining...

They brought the top three qualifiers who will be starting Sunday's Sylvania 300 in to the media center a while ago. Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards and Jimmie Johnson. The field will be set by points because qualifying got rained out.

Carl Edwards is happy that qualifying got cancelled.

"This rain, I hate to see the rain for the fans and for any of the teams that had to go home, but for us this is a gift. We were struggling in practice, so this gives us a really good opportunity to get a good starting spot and a great pit stall selection. If we can get our act together tomorrow, we should have a good race, but we were hurting a little bit today."

Edwards was 33rd fastest in the only practice session today so I can see why he would be a bit happy or relieved to have qualifying rained out.

Kyle Busch was also happy with the washout. Why wouldn't he be? He's starting on the pole.

The Camping World East race, which was supposed to be run today at 5:10 p.m. was cancelled and will be run tomorrow morning at 10:00 a.m.

I hate it when it rains during a racing weekend. This is all too familiar to the June racing weekend.

Qualifying has been cancelled and the field will be set by points.

It is pouring at the moment and doesn't look like it is going to let up any time soon.

If they have to cancel the Camping World East race, they likely will try to run it immediately following the Truck Series race tomorrow.

The Truck Series was out on the track for their final practice but it is starting to rain so they got pulled onto pit road. It feels and looks like it is going to start pouring.

Qualifying is supposed to be at 3:10 and the Camping World East race is scheduled to start at 5:10. Let's hope the rain holds off.

Thirty minutes remain in the 90-minute practice. So far, Jimmie Johnson is posting the fastest speed.

Here are some views while walking around right before the start of practice:

Ryan Newman

Joey Logano's ride

What would this blog be without a Clint Bowyer picture? or two...or three throughout the weekend, huh?

Talk about last minute. This is Tony Stewart signing in, right before making his way to his car for practice.

Earlier this morning Joey Logano came in to the media center:

When asked what his expectations were for this weekened, he simply wants to earn some respect from the guys. I bet he does just that.

It's still overcast here. There's absolutely no sign off the sun.

All for now...

Good morning from New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Here's what's on tap for today:

10:30 to 11:50 Truck Series practice is at
12:00 to 1:30 Sprint Cup practice
1:45 to 3:00 Final practice for the Truck Series
3:10 Sprint Cup qualifying
5:10 The start of the Camping World East Heluva Good! Fall 125 race

It is overcast here right now. Hopefully it burns off and we can get everything in the schedule done.

I will once again be making the trip down to New Hampshire Motor Speedway to attend the weekend events. I'm looking forward to it. Let me know if there is anything you'd like me to try to capture and upload to the blog. Are you planning on attending?

I was asked by NASCAR PR, Brad Klein, if I would like to take a ride in the pace car on Sunday morning. Naturally, I said yes. Brett Bodine is supposed to be my chauffeur. I'll let you know if that happens and what it was like. I'm a little nervous and excited all at the same time.

A fair at a NASCAR event? Hhhmm... From Thursday through Sunday, you can take rides at NHMS on the Ferris Wheel, the Traffic Jam, the Twister and the Round Up/Cyclone. The "Broadway Midway" costs $5.00 each day and you can go on as many rides as you like from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. each day. All proceeds will benefit the local New Hampshire chapter of the Speedway Children's Charities.

Diamond Rio will be jamming for 45 minutes for the pre-race show. They'll also be the ones to sing the National Anthem. I bet they'll be great.

With any luck at all, Joey Logano will be making his Sprint Cut debut on Sunday. He was supposed to have made his debut in Richmond but the weather prevented that from happening.

Austin Dillon made his debut in the Nationwide Series last Sunday. How did he do?

Clint Bowyer made the Chase. Yeah! I will have high hopes for him on Sunday. Here are the point standings heading into this weekend's race.

Did anyone attend the festivities at NHMS on Sunday? Just curious how that went. If you go on NHMS' website, be sure to check out that awesome video they have posted on their main page! Ha, ha!

I am sorry to say that I did not catch the race at Richmond. I hear that it was a great race.

All for now...

On Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at New Hampshire Motor Speedway you can get behind the wheel of a full-motion simulator to feel what it's like to drive a racecar. Click the link above for pictures of what it looks like.

I think it looks like A LOT of fun. I will not be attending but if I was, I'd hate to be the person waiting to try the simulator after me. There would likely be a struggle to get me out of the car...

If you are able to attend, there will be giveaways throughout the day from Camping World, Heluva Good! and Coca-Cola. The Ticket Office and souvenir store will be open as well if you still need to purchase tickets for the upcoming race at NHMS and grab a few souvenirs.

If you hadn't heard, NHMS is again giving away prizes at the race on Sunday, September 14. To be eligible for prizes, you must purchase a ticket by the close of business on September 10.

The prizes are:

-- A brand new Chevy Malibu
-- Twenty fans will share gift cards to Hannaford which total over $6,000
-- Ten fans will each win a pair of tickets and pre-race pit passes to the June 28, 2009 LENOX Industrial Tools 301.

Right now, the weather is mostly cloudy in Richmond. Qualifying is supposed to be at 6 p.m. Here's hoping they get it in.

All for now. Have a nice weekend.

This is it. The moment is here. Richmond International Speedway, the final race for drivers to make their way in to the Chase. There are only five drivers out of 12 that are locked in. They are: Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Jeff Burton.

Greg Biffle and Kevin Harvick only need to start the race to clinch a spot in the Chase.

The real fight to get in is going to be between Clint Bowyer, David Ragan and Kasey Kahne. That is going to be the best race within the race to watch. Hmmmmm... who won here in the spring? My memory isn't all that good. Who could it have been? Oh, now I remember, Bowyer! In four starts here, Bowyer has three top 10s. Hopefully he has a strong finish Saturday night.

Of the three, who would you like to see get in? I think you know who I want to see get in... I'll be a nervous wreck during the entire race.

I am going to go with Kevin Harvick for the win this weekend. He has finished inside the top 10 in each of the last seven races here. He hasn't won this season so he'll be fighting hard for that. Plus, he's got the momentum and certainly the consistency on his side.

Who do you think will win?

Joey Logano, who is attempting to make his Sprint Cup Series debut in the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 this weekend, may be out of luck. He'll be driving the #02 car with Wally Brown as the crew chief. They are scheduled to qualify tomorrow, but it doesn't look like the weather is going to cooperate.

If it does rain, the lineup will be set by owners points which would leave the #02 car out of the field. If that happens, he will likely make his debut the following weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. He wouldn't have been my pick to win at Richmond anyhow. Just sayin.

Here's the NASCAR Newscast: Richmond Race to the Chase Preview

All for now...

Congratulations to Jimmie Johnson for his win at Fontana. He simply dominated the race. There's not much more I can say about him in regards to the race. He was in a league of his own. Period.

Luck must be on my side. That's two correct picks to win in three weeks as I picked Johnson to win this week. I'm now 2-for-25.

Here are a few random thoughts of the race:

-- I think 10 p.m. is far too late to air a race. I just can't stay awake. I relied on my DVR Monday morning to watch what I missed, which was most of the race.

-- Greg Biffle seemed to be the only driver that could run with Johnson but he just didn't have enough umph to stay in front of him.

-- What happened to Tony Stewart? He was a brick all night long.

-- I watched three drivers during most of the race: Clint Bowyer, Kasey Kahne and David Ragan. Those three are fighting hard to get in or stay in the top 12 in the point standings. It is really going to be an exciting race to watch at Richmond International Raceway this weekend. I know that I will be sitting on the edge of my seat.

-- Kevin Harvick has really been going well. This was his fifth consecutive top-10 finish. He only needs to start the race at Richmond and he has clinched a spot in the Chase. His consistency has paid off. Way to go Harvick!

I hope you had a nice holiday weekend. What did you think of the race?

All for now...