I'm going to be a Gramma!

Baby is due Feb 20th. Ultrasound was yesterday It's a Boy.

The kids informed me last night they have chosen a name for the youngen.

Marcus Lee Millard
(yes I cried)

What a great tribute to my hubby!!!!!!!!!!!!!
he so wanted to live to see a grandchild

I know this may change.
I am so proud.
I'll keep you posted

Sunburnt in Sonoma

Road Rage-Sunburnt in Sonoma





I have never like road courses. Part of the reason I came to Sonoma was to see if it was better in person.





Well there was the whole meeting FoxSports Bloggers thing too of course

After being there in this past weekend I have discovered something about myself and road courses. The televised version of a road course is like a televised hockey game. They can’t cover the whole event as it happens. The whole track is in use once the race gets in full swing. So much so you can’t have a conversation with the person beside you (there is no break long enough for more than a sentence)





There was no way for me to keep track of what everyone was doing on the track. The best I could do was keep track of my driver and who ever was near him. The cameras have to choose who they are going to follow and which spots “might” have action. I can’t bad mouth the coverage of a road course anymore. Rats what will I detest about NASCAR now? (any suggestion- grin)





Don’t get me wrong, I DON’T want anymore road courses but I have a new outlook on what the are and why they are so disappointing on the little box in my living room.





For those of you who have not seen a road course live and don’t like them I ask that you take my observations into consideration.





For those of you who have seen one in person, and still don’t like them (the raced not the coverage) I would like to read your thoughts.





I’m writing this from the airport – I have 6 hours before my flight (my ride had a much earlier flight so here I am. ) Wearing a bathing suit and a skirt I set off the alarm (where the heck would I have had anything hidden ?)I hope my fellow travelers are all home safe (I know HR13 or whatever number he is using this month won’t be home til 10 ish pst tonight. I think everyone else is home safe by now.

I can’t post this til I find out if there is wifi here somewhere.

No smoking and no wifi it will be a long day.I have some pictures I hope to be able to add to this later.

Race City USA 97838

Just a mile or four out of Hermiston Oregon lives Race City USA, 1/4 mile high-banked paved oval with a lot of heart.


My connection with the track goes back a generation.

Seems my mum was a bit of a rebel (gasp) and had a boyfriend or two that raced both on the street and on the track.

Saturday Night racing at its finest.

We moved away, but I returned in my teens and , wouldn’t you know it I ended up with a boyfriend (or two) that raced on and off the track.

By this time I was a fair mechanic in my own right so it was logical for me to get involved .
I have owned ½ of a car (or two) over the years and still have an interest in my friends Street Stock car. (see older post)
My son was involved before he moved, and my daughter is very much bitten by the racing bug.


Track imagery


image from TeraServer USA


Schedule




Race City USA runs 5 classes this season every other Saturday Night.
They used to run 3 classes (alternating) every Saturday, but for whatever reason (poor attendance I think) they have changed the schedule.

Late Models
A) Any V-8 American standard production or after market metal, fiberglass or mixture body. No Vans, 4X4’s, station wagons, etc.
B) Front engine and rear wheel drive only
C) 4 inch ride height
D) Approved 5 point seat belt, quick release type

Super Stock
A) Any V-8 American manufactured passenger car or pickup
B) 104” wheel base minimum
C) No vans, 4X4’s, station wagons or sports cars
D) Front engine and rear wheel drive only
E) No fiberglass bodies. Steel or aftermarket metal bodies only

Street Stock
A) Any steel bodied V-8 American manufactured passenger car. No aluminum. No fiberglass.Rubber front and back ends OK
B) 104” wheel base minimum
C) No vans, 4X4’s, station wagons, or sports cars
D) Front engine and rear wheel drive only

Mini Stock
A) Any four-cylinder passenger car or pickup
B) Front engine location. Front or rear wheel drive
C) GM to GM, Ford to Ford, Datsun to Datsun, Etc.
D) Partial tube chassis ok
2400 cc maximum. No rotary engines

Mosquitos
A) Any 4 cylinder, steel bodied car with a complete stock body, frame and suspension
B) Front engine location, front or rear wheel drive
C) GM to GM, Ford to Ford, Datsun to Datsun, etc.
D) Maximum 103” wheelbase
No turbo, super-charged, or rotary engines.

Gates open at 5:00pm Time trails at 5:30 Racing at 7:00pm
Adults $8 Seniors/Students $6 Children $2
Family Pass $20 Good for 2 adults and up to 3 children
VIP Parking $10 Plus admission tickets

Race City,USA
81236 Hwy 395 North
Hermiston, Or 97838
541-564-8674

Pit gates open at 3pm
Pit pass fees:(per evening)
Late model drivers $35
Mini stock, Street stock, Super stock drivers $30
Mosquito drivers $15
Pit Crew $15

Factor in the registration fees

Registration fee is $25 for car and Driver. Mosquito’s $10.
Pit Pad Renewals are $50 for the year.
New pads are $100 for the year.
Pit Pad per night is $10 per night if available.

And need I mention fuel prices.

(paying to race is a pet peeve, hell we don’t get a cut of the gate and the payout ain’t great)

Season Opener was May 17th

Fast times
Mini Stock - #9 Billy McAdams - 17.44
Super Stock - # 1 Rick Mulbourn - 17.33
Late Model - #42 Dan England - 16.31

It ain’t much, but it’s ours!
If you are ever in my neck of the woods, make it a Saturday Night!
Here are some pictures

from 2006
from 2007

Looking forward to reading about ‘your’ tracks.
Thanks to Forensic2 and the GGW Racing crew for making me sit down and think about this.

Kitna "What I meant was..."

"Lions QB Jon Kitna repeated his spring statement of last year and this year that anything less than 10 wins will be a disappointment. "Our expectation is, we will be disappointed if we don't win 10 games because that will mean we are not in the playoffs," Kitna said. "I can't make it any simpler than that. Anybody who says that's not their expectation level is unfortunately not very much of a competitor." -- Detroit News

Ok Lions fans, here we go again.



It's not easy being a Lion's fan but some of us have stuck through thick and thin.

Although, the way this quote is written, I see Kitna's point.

However, no matter how he said it we all remember what this phrase cost last year.

I start the season every year with optimism. I have to. They've got some new faces and maybe one or two of them can help improve the team.



Perhaps one year (soon?) I'll be on in the front seat when y'all are jumping on the bandwagon.

Un-Popularity Contest Results

First annual ?
Bloggers Speak NONASCAR race schedule.


Some of you read and voted on my
Un-Popularity Contest blog


The results are in!

Many familiar cars will not be on the track
This blogger season the drivers are
Jeff Burton
Kevin Harvick
Denny Hamlin
Clint Bowyer
Greg Biffle
Kasey Kahne
Ryan Newman
Martin Truex Jr.
Matt Kenseth
David Ragan
Brian Vickers
Bobby Labonte
David Gilliland
Paul Menard
Elliott Sadler
Travis Kvapil
Casey Mears
Scott Riggs
Reed Sorenson
Sam Hornish Jr.
Regan Smith
Dave Blaney
Aric Almirola
John Andretti
Johnny Sauter
Eric McClure
Stanton Barrett
Boris Said
Sterling Marlin
Carl Long

Here is the list of tracks for the season

Track
Atlanta Motor Speedway
Chicagoland Speedway
Darlington Raceway
Dover International Speedway
Kansas Speedway
Lowe's Motor Speedway
Martinsville Speedway
Michigan International Speedway
New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Phoenix International Raceway
Richmond International Raceway
Talladega Superspeedway
Texas Motor Speedway
Since there are only 13 tracks, each will have 2 races one early, one late. The dates will be determined by proximity to the last track.No more bouncing back and forth .

There have been some modification to the existing Rule Book.

There will no longer be a ‘template’ for the cars- “run what you brung!”

The field will no longer be frozen during the yellow.(you can race back to the yellow flag)

Lapped cars will restart at the back of the pack.

No top 35 rule (note I don’t think we have 35 drivers anyway)
This also means that anyone can just show up at the race and qualify (except full time NASCAR drivers that have been removed from the above drivers list)

NO restictor plate, NO debris cautions,NO lucky dog.


Yellow laps will no longer be counted in the total laps raced.

Pit road speed is whatever you feel safe with and there is no longer a commitment cone.

You are not required to wear pants in the pits.(just for you)

If you spin out twice (without help) you will NOT be rejoining the race.

There is no ‘chase’.It's all or nothin' baby!

And you can use any tire (or tyre) you want!

By popular demand there will be NO announcers from any recognized network.
Kristin Valus has been nominated to lead a team of fellow bloggers (feel free to nominate more)to announce the races.
Any Driver that has been ‘cut’ from the list above may also be nominated. (But can be removed from the booth at anytime).

By a pretty even margin, there will only be one and a half boogity’s before the race.





I must tell you all to BUCKLE UP- you’re gonna need all the safety equipment you can find!

Tattoo Explained

The tat represents my family (DH, 4 boys 1 girl)

There is an M at the base (Marc, MarcE & Michelle)

The daisys that flank it are my signature doodle

The 'ribbon' incorporates a J (Jacob) and a D (Daniel)

The flames at the top contain a K (Karl)

The sword was incorporated to include our "mystic/magic" concepts as do the crescent moons in the M .

There are other letters that occured as the artwork "became"

I have room for additions to the family?

The joke at home is that since my "boyfriends" names start with the same letter 'J' :)

I have them in there too

Proud Mum

Tomorrow my son graduates from boot camp at Fort Benning GA.









He will then fly to Fort Eustis VA for his AIT. ('copter mech)






He has been asked to go from there to Airborne school (not sure where)

He is 22 years old and he is FINALLY making something of himself.







I am proud!













I bet he won't look like that when he gets home.

Karl's Myspace Page

Un-Popularity contest

Un-Popularity Contest....And then there were none?


I have observed that many commentors on some blog pages like to bash some of the drivers, crew members, announcers, reporters, and yes, even bloggers that take the time to share their thoughts.

Can we try to remember they are PEOPLE damn it?







Everybody has a driver (or three) they cheer for, a favourite track (or four), a respected announcer (maybe)

However,
almost without fail every race fan has a driver / track / common-tater / NASCAR rule that they Loathe.

I am conducting a little experiment.

I would ask everyone to nominate one driver / track / common-tater / NASCAR rule that they want eliminated from NASCAR.

For the purpose of my experiment please keep the nominees to Cup Series events.




Who will be left on the track?

This experiment is being conducted at Foxsports as well. A follow-up post will be made.



I would also thank Moondogsports.com for adding me to his link of the day too.