The Duels At Daytona

Disclaimer: I started this blog last evening upon returning from the Duels at Daytona. I loaded about 80 images and 3 videos, entered some really great text and, about midnight, decided to call it a nite. This morning, Friday, I awoke, and after searching for suitable employment, I decided to finish up this blog. So I got back on and was working on the addition of some additional text, did something and deleted the entire blog!!! Oh SHIT....sorry, kids, no * in that one. It sucked. Anyway, here is rendition number 2 and know that #1 was a helluva lot funnier. Sorry Counters.

So, after spending the better part of a week trying to figure out what part of a yard a 45 year old photo was taken in, another major portion of the week trying to figure out what make and model this car is in this photo of my Dad and my Uncle Frank in what had to be the 1930's. The remainder of the week was spent surfing Google Street Views trying to find this home so I could identify the exact location in this vintage photo. I know I nailed the cars but the location continues to elude me.

I just hope my older brothers actually know the answers to the questions raised by these photographs. Just last month or so, I responded to a challenge thrown out by the Bus about this photograph. Now the thing about this photo is that I really went through a lot of analysis to determine why this would be a shot of my Mom and Dad, back in the day, with Granny Eleanor along for the ride. Well, as it turns out, the Bus wasn't sure of its origin either and merely offered speculation on the who, what, where, when and why. That upset me just a bit and I vowed, at the time, not to comment on photos in the future. Well, of course, we see how committed I was to that stance.

Anyway, if you have been Counting Along With Me, you will remember this blog I did, quoting the AutoExtremist, with his, and my thoughts about NASCAR. It seems the 3rd gen France family has offered up the COT, that is the Car Of Tomorrow, as a way to achieve parity between NASCAR team owners. More on that a bit later.

Well, the past couple weeks have been all about racing and NASCAR, down here in coastal central Florida with the Daytona International Speedway and NASCAR ruling it all. Radio, TV, Hard Copy Newsprint, and even the skys are full of all racing.

And, it seems, the only companies with any discretionary expensible money these days are cell phone companies and I guess that is why, since the France originated COT is not as accepted as NASCAR would like, this is the new COT for 2010. No comments on the hard hat okay?

So, as I was headed out to the track, I spotted this display down at Belaire Plaza. Remember this car a little later in this blog.

As I was leaving the Taj Mahal, one of my neighbors from Canada came up and started talking to me about the olestationbus and his history with one, back in the day. As a result, I missed the start of the first duel but did arrive to catch the last 25 laps or so.



After getting the previous images, I headed down to pit road, after all, why not? I passed by these wheelbarrows and, as the Kid will tell you, around 10 pm, these wheel barrows are being driven by drunk rednecks, just waiting for the strawberries the west Horseshoe will deliver this evening. And yes, it is the same Horseshoe as described here.

So I was strolling up to the entrance to the FanZone and, ultimately, the garages and pit road, and I saw this sweety.


I initially noted it as a 1934 Ford but I immediately realized my error once

I headed around back to see the license plate from 1936.

The really cool part is that this sweety was parked in front of this motorhome, which, based on the Competitor and the Name, I am going to guess this belongs to the a member of the newest Tony Stewart partner driver's family.

So, I snuck a peek under this sweet 36 to determine as to whether this was a bone ass stock or a restomod...As you can see, that is a Penske Alltel shock so I am going with restomod. I guess Ryan must still have some contacts with his old Boss.

A sweet ride, all around.

Next up, just a bunch of images taken around the pits and garage area.

It was interesting, Matt Kenseth's crew chief did not want me to take a photo of his engine but the the damage done to the car was okay!!

Casey brings it in after the first race. Check out the Ford in the background, on the track.

Kurt Busch rolls on in also. By the way, check out my Miller Lite posters on ebay. Search amateurmodeler as the seller!! Yeah, shameless self promotion!!!

Is it Eric Amerillo in the number 8 this year? Good luck DEI/Ganassi/Sabantes Motorsports.

Here a trio of drivers tour the track in some cool vintage Corvettes. It seems GM has abandoned NASCAR but the old legion of Vettes are still around. Good Job to the the Promo staff at DIS!!!

Just a shot down pit road.

Oh yeah, as I mentioned just a moment ago and in another blog, there was not a current GM product to be found, but there were

plenty of Fords to be found.

Although, I did read around these tubes that a New Gen Camaro is to be the pace car for the 500. We will see.


Oh yeah, Dana Harvick is just as hot as you think she is!!

I will say this about NASCAR stars, they do not hesitate to make themselves available for photos and commentary from me, a measly fan. After taking this image of Jeff Burton, I approached him and mentioned to him that I thought his plain spoken comments about the state of NASCAR and the stars, of which he is one, and I admired that. His comment? "Thanks, man, I am glad to hear that what I believe actually gets through to some of our fans." Keep it up dude.

Bummer that Boris Said didn't make it again this year. A blown up tire tore up his body work and threw him out of the Duels. I got a few shots of the Scott's pit road spot after the tire blew a little later in the blog. Boris is a great road racer but just can't seem to get the roundy roundy action together. Better luck at Sonoma.

Oh yeah, recognize this dude? It is interesting to me, I always thought race car drivers were huge in the form of Junior Johnson but that is not the case. Mark Martin, Dale Jr., Jeff Gordon, even Jeff Burton are less than 6' tall!!!

But I will say this about that, it is not all about height or even the race cars!! Sometimes blue jeans say it all.

Down in the garages I got to see this Robby Gordon racecar getting some work done.

Out on pit road, I saw the Jeff Burton team checking the tread thickness on this set of Goodyear takeoffs. Those numbers on the top of those tires represent the thickness of the tread at the time of removal from the car.

More shots from the garage area. Do you remember the shot I got of this car in the Belaire Plaza on the way to the track today.

Actually, not the real race car, just a show car but funny, to me, nonetheless....



And here, Casey Kane's new front end, should it be necessary....

I apologize but I will always be a Mikey fan....

And Sam Hornish's backup and previous race cars....Go Roger Penske!!!

And since I am from Springfield, Missouri, go Bass Pro and Johnny Morris....

And just some shots of the garage area...



Oh, and good luck to the Miccosukee Indian Tribe....

even though you are on the truck heading home, I hope your casinos continue to be successful as we Floridians are counting on your profits to help us out of this mess we are in.

But, after all that, even though I have decided to stay home tonite and not attend the Truck Race at the track tonite, I am excited about the newest passes thejeepjunkie has gotten for me for tomorrow's race. The Daytona 500 Club Passes!!!





Yeah....kick ass...and by the way, I can hear those trucks racing in the distance, through the open window of the Taj Mahal, as you read this!!!!