* It's sprinkling and lightning where I am at near Ponder this morning.
* W-spouse and I had dinner at Dos Chilis last night in Bridgeport and we saw some old friends of mine and one of my cousins. Seeing someone that I am related to in Wise County is really not that hard though. Seeing old friends is most always a good thing.
* W-spouse was awake when my alarm went off this morning. I really think she was shopping online.
* W-daughter #2 is having her wedding shower this weekend. That wedding is coming on fast. It's a month away now.
* Both of my daughters married, and I'm not even 50 yet. How did that happen so fast? I was just building playhouses for them a few months ago it seems like.
* Short of dying, is there any way to put the brakes on this life and slow things down a little?
* If you had never seen a basketball game before, would you think it was weird that they couldn't use two hands to dribble the ball? Would you think that it was strange that there are short players and tall players? Would you think that it is wrong that sometimes when the ball goes through the hoop that you get 1 point and sometimes you get 2 points?
* I know nothing about soccer, other than you run up and down the field trying to either kick or bounce a ball off your head and try to put it through a net at the end of the field. I don't know how many players are legal. I don't know the size of the field. I don't know any of the plays that they use for offense or defense. I also don't question why they do it, not do I chime in and try to change the way they do it.
* My point is here my friends. DON'T BE QUESTIONING MY NASCAR OR COMING IN HERE ON MY BLOG TRYING TO CHANGE THE WAY THEY RACE.
* All jokes aside, I have stated on here a few times that "there is more to NASCAR than turning left and going fast." Over the next few weeks I will bore you with some of the more technical issues involving NASCAR racing.
* Today we will begin with pit crews. Most of the larger (well funded) teams require their pit crew members meet certain height, weight and physical conditions just to participate on the team. They have to take physical agility tests and are required to work out daily. Some teams even having their own gyms and workout equipment (just like in any other professional sport). On any typical race day they start their day at the track at 6 am and usually have to prepare everything for travel to head back home by dark that evening. A pit crew member may have to stand behind the wall or work over the wall on a hot Sunday afternoon in a fire protection suit with a safety helmet on for 5-6 hours or longer sometimes. Most pit crew members work in the shop all week and then go on the road by the end of the week crossing the country two to three times a year. Some of them holding degrees in engineering and other degrees related to the sport. A NASCAR pit crew member has to be able to help his team during a race, change 4 tires, fill the car with fuel, make any adjustments necessary on the car, fix or repair any damage to the car all in under 15 seconds. The majority of the time striving for the 13 second mark. It's not just fat guys drinking beer and eating BBQ, most of that goes on in the camp grounds and parking lots. On the majority of the teams that you see racing, most of the pit crews are volunteer, or make very little money, therefore doing this all for the love of the sport. Can you think of any other professional sport that MOST of the support crew works for free? Or volunteers just because they enjoy doing what they do? Football? Baseball? Hockey? Soccer? Tennis? Golf (yeah maybe Golf).
* I can name 5 friends of mine that at one point in their life that they made fun of NASCAR. They thought it was stupid going around in circles and "mashing the gas." I was in one way or another involved with them going to a race and watching the race. Seeing in person the speed and sounds of the race. Each one of them is now hooked on NASCAR and all have a favorite driver that they follow.
* W-spouse was also one of those people. Now don't get me wrong, football is still her favorite sport to watch, but she never fails to ask me when and if the race is coming on and it's a rare event for her not to watch the race with me or catch it up on TIVO.
* If you are still here, thanks for following along today. See ya Around The Corner!
10 comments:
"Chocolate" Myers would have never passed any of the training tests crews have today, but I'd take him on my pit crew any time!
You want some NASCAR controversy? Try this on for size... I say Kyle Busch is the new Dale Earnhardt. He's the Intimidater on the track pushing his machine to the ragged edge with one goal in mind, winning.
It drives my Brotherinlaw crazy when I say this, but you can't help but draw the comparison between Kyle Busch and Dale Earnhardt, Sr. Just like Earnhardt, you either love him or hate Busch. But you can never rule him out of winning a race.
I agree with you on both points. That car could come in with two flats on one side and he could lift it up by himself to get the jack under it though.
I feel the same way about Kyle. But I also feel he has more raw talent than Dale did. Kyle can drive a race car under any condition. Dale couldn't hardly drive a tight car, yet he always found a way to do it. Kyle amazes me with his ability to flat out run into a corner and get a car length or more on someone.
If he can reel in his emotions, I will gladly fly the 18!
You're not 50 yet?
I'll follow NASCAR as long as they have a Crown Royal car. I don't care who is driving it, I just follow the car.
I actually have 2 NASCAR hats that were give to me by my old WC neighbor.
Dude, I'm really really trying to follow the Nascar stuff, I am. But I have to admit I get a little dazed....of course, that's nothing new for me!
And if you figure out how to slow this ride of life down so we can savor it more, please please let me know. I've been wondering that for years now, since I had the girls.
TAS - focus on the drivers, who's cute, who's a douche, if they look like they belong with their wife/girlfriend,and their sponsors, and their colors! I want to see pearlized purple car driven by Jr sponsored by Vicotoria Secret, or pumpkin colored sponsered by Paula Deen! I'm just sayin.
Have a great day!
i've always enjoyed watching the races... not just NASCAR but all the races... i never learned the ins & outs though... i just really appreciated the machines they are driving, the skill with which they do said driving, and the wrecks of course ha!
slowing life down... i have thoughts on this but i'm sure it's not something anyone wants to do... my life has slowed down considerably.. not by choice but by "have to"... and it sucks... my point is that the less a person does, the slower time goes....
weddings... man... i was never so happy when my kiddo got married.. her wedding was huge and i loved being a part of her big day, beginning of her new life... but i am oh so glad i don't have to do it again... one kiddo, one wedding... now it's all about the grandgirls :)
i try so hard to learn about soccer... that's coach's second sport... football then soccer... but i'm with you... get that ball into the net without using hands... that's all i know... there are so many penalties... and the positions... offense, defense... i can't tell who is guarding who and how far downfield they are allowed to go hahaha
A buddy told me that the reason times seems to go fast as you age is that you are looking backward instead of forward in anticipation like the young people do.
So, I tried looking forward. Doesn't work!
DanaicaNation will bring some newbies into the fold.
Question: Which network will be the first to install a buttcam in you know who's car?
Man, this is what happens when you try to help a friend out? Also could your put the info about the pit crews on an audio tape and send it to me? I can't make it all the way through without nodding off.
I need to make my way to Dos Chilis again soon.....I love their fajitas!
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