Ohhhhkkaaayyy...Let's Take Costa Rica Off the Dream Vacation List

Thanks to Craig for turning me on to this.

I Am the Pumpkin King!!!!

Quote the Raven...






I think it was something he ate...


Probably one of the coolest ones I've seen recently...


They eat their young...

Probably Overthinking This on a Sunday Morning, But...

A young star has apparently and abruptly cleared its local orbits of dust.

Now, the article doesn't reference how quick in stellar terms "abrupt" means, but even while reading the science speak of the narrative, I was put in mind of something else.

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth;

And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters;

And God said, Let there be light: and there was light;

And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness;

And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

I look forward to the scientists discovering if there are any planetary masses in the cleared solar system of the new star.

If You Wanna Hang Out, You've Got to Take Her Out

7-Eleven makes franchisees remove inappropriately named energy drink Cocaine from store shelves.

The drink is marketed as the "legal alternative."

Shouldn't This Have Made the News...

Israeli F-16s fire on German naval vessel off of Lebanon.

It just seems to me like this should have been a higher priority story than it appears to have been on the network news the last few days.

The two Israeli jets buzzed the German ship, fired two shots, and released chaff to confuse any return fire.

No mention of whether the Germans fired back.

Snoop Just Can't Stay Out of Trouble

Snoop Dogg, a collapsible police baton, and airport security...a recipe for trouble...don't you think?

The story does sound like an honest mistake though.

Rush Limbaugh's Mockery

Limbaugh's making fun of Michael J. Fox's Parkinsons shudders is disgusting.

I used to respect Limbaugh as an extreme loyalist of the far side of the other party or as one respects the snake.

Now I see that he is a crass bully and undeserving of that respect.

At one time, I enjoyed listening to Rush for perspective. I remained a sometime listener after his painkiller struggle and the Donovan McNabb controversy...

I won't be doing that anymore.

The Subway 500 at Martinsville Speedway...the Just Us Cupdate

Chase Race #6: The Subway 500 at Martinsville Speedway

***

The Race Report...All the NASCAR News That's Unfit to Print

***

Johnson Wins Subway 500 at Martinsville

***

Burton Fades to Fifth in Points, Schrader on his 700th Career Start and David Ragan's Role in Bringing that Start to an Early Conclusion, and Kyle Petty on Petty Enterprises Wake Up Call

***

Chevy and Dodge to Change Competition Models in '07

***

The Racing of the Bulls...Team Red Bull Comes to NASCAR

***

David Ragan Not Cleared to Drive at longer tracks

***

Little Debbie 500 Give Away...You Too Could Win. Grabbed from Jayski.

***

Roush #06, Driven by David Ragan, Withdrawn from the Atlanta Race

***

No Tide sponsorship in Cup, Busch or Truck in 2007. Whether they will return in the future is unknown at this time.

***

Rumor has it that the crew chief merry-go-round is going to start moving again this off season.

***

Dale Jarrett and Michael Waltrip Racing Announce the #44 UPS Toyota for Next Season

***

Bring the Chase to Busch Series

I have another alternate solution to the Cup Drivers in the Busch Series. Have the Cup Drivers who are stepping down to run the Busch Series run a 20 lap Heat Race before the Busch Race begins. If there are 12 Cup guys running in the heat, the top 6 get into the Busch Race. If there are 8 Cup guys running int the heat, the top 4 get in. And so on and so on.

Otherwise, it's like having Roger Clemens pitch in the minors on every other start...it unfairly impacts the standings.

This solution would, also, give the track owners a little bit of additional excitement for the fans.

***

David Ragan's Learning Curve

Man, this kid received a lot of press this week. But being Mark Martin's heir apparent would do that for you...and being a one-man wrecking crew the last few weeks.

***

Complete Finishing Order

 1 Jimmie Johnson (48)
 2 Denny Hamlin (11)
 3 Bobby Labonte (43)
 4 Tony Stewart (20)
 5 Jeff Gordon (24)
 6 Casey Mears (42)
 7 Kasey Kahne (9)
 8 Jeff Green (66)
 9 Kevin Harvick (29)
 10 Kyle Petty (45)
 11 Matt Kenseth (17)
 12 Carl Edwards (99)
 13 Ryan Newman (12)
 14 Tony Raines (96)
 15 David Stremme (40)
 16 Dale Jarrett (88)
 17 Brian Vickers (25)
 18 Kyle Busch (5)
 19 Jamie McMurray (26)
 20 Joe Nemechek (01)
 21 Sterling Marlin (14)
 22 Dale Earnhardt Jr. (8)
 23 Clint Bowyer (07)
 24 Mark Martin (6)
 25 David Ragan (06)
 26 Ward Burton (4)
 27 Kurt Busch (2)
 28 David Gilliland (38)
 29 Kenny Wallace (178)
 30 Scott Riggs (10)
 31 J.J. Yeley (18)
 32 Greg Biffle (16)
 33 Dave Blaney (22)
 34 Michael Waltrip (55)
 35 Reed Sorenson (41)
 36 Martin Truex Jr. (1)
 37 Robby Gordon (7)
 38 Elliott Sadler (19)
 39 Mike Skinner (72)
 40 Travis Kvapil (32)
 41 Ken Schrader (21)
 42 Jeff Burton (31)
 43 Kevin Lepage (34)

***

The Chase for the Just Us Cup-date

In the table above, Purple have been mathematically eliminated. Black did not make the Chase and are out of the playoff.

Place - Driver
Finishing Points
Deduction (DNQ/Prov -5, DNF -5,
Bonus (Pole +5, Most Laps Led +5, Win +5)
TOTAL

Lined out/Strike out Drivers failed to make the Chase for the Just Us Cup.

 1 Jimmie Johnson (48)
Finish - 45
Win - 5
Most Laps Lead - 5
TOTAL - 55

 5 Jeff Gordon (24)
Finish - 40
TOTAL - 40

 7 Kasey Kahne (9)
Finish - 35
TOTAL - 35

 9 Kevin Harvick (29)
Finish - 30
TOTAL - 30

 12 Carl Edwards (99)
Finish - 25
TOTAL - 25

 16 Dale Jarrett (88)

 19 Jamie McMurray (26)

 22 Dale Earnhardt Jr. (8)
Finish - 20
TOTAL - 20

 24 Mark Martin (6)
Finish - 15
TOTAL - 15

 27 Kurt Busch (2)
Finish - 10
Pole - 5
TOTAL - 15

 32 Greg Biffle (16)
Finish - 5
TOTAL - 5

 34 Michael Waltrip (55)
 
38 Elliott Sadler (19)

 41 Ken Schrader (21)

***
Next Up:
====================
Chase Race #7: The Bass Pro Shops 500 at the Atlanta Motor Spedway
====================
Chase Race #6: The Subway 500 at Martinsville Speedway
====================
Chase Race #5: Bank of America 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway
====================
Chase Race #4: The UAW-Ford 500 at Taladega Superspeedway
====================
Chase Race #3: Banquet 400 at Kansas Speedway
====================
Chase Race #2: The Dover 400 at Dover International Speedway
====================
Chase Race #1: Sylvania 300 at Loudon, New Hampshire - Winner - Kevin Harvick
====================

Respect my Authority...Even When I'm Wrong and You Know I'm Wrong...

Ah yes...ain't school grand?

A Time Lapse Crossing of the Panama Canal

Cruisin' down the Panama Canal

Letter to the Editor of the Local Newspapers and Cinemark Management...

CINEMARK CLEBURNE 6

My 10-year old, 12-year old, and their 10-year old friend were allowed into a PG-13 movie, Employee of the Month, at Cleburne Cinemark 6 last weekend without supervision. Considering that we dropped them off with the idea that they were going to go see Open Season, I'm rather upset with the establishment.

Add to this the fact that the previews before Employee consisted of R-rated fare like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: the Beginning and I'm a little more upset.

My children are grounded totally from going to movies for a few months and after that they aren't going without my wife or I accompanying them, but that doesn't lessen the culpability of Cinemark in Cleburne.

Why rate movies at all if they aren't going to enforce the restrictions. Better that a 12, 13, 14 year old be mad at being denied access to a movie, than to allow 9 and 10 year olds to slip into these kinds of movies.

***

This was sent to Cinemark's corporate management, the Cleburne Times-Review and the Burleson Star.

UPDATE:

The following is a response from Cinemark. Maybe it's just me, but this response pissed me off more instead of mollifying me.

Thank you for your email. Children purchase tickets for a G and PG show, like OPEN SEASON, and then sneak into another show. We monitor as best we can and catch quite a few who do this. We don't catch them all.

This is probably what these children did. Rest assured that we do our best not to sell tickets to those who are not the appropriate age and that we turn away many customers. We are often criticized for doing so.

Everyone must do their part to enforce the ratings system--studios, theatres and parents.

I applaud your intention to accompany your children to the theatre. This is really the only way that you can monitor what they are exposed to.

He only applauds my actions because he thinks this will mean family night at the movies and more revenues for his company. Well, it'll be a cold day in hell when I set foot in a Cinemark again.

Mom Said I Could

Mom Said I Could


Watch Video

Snagged via Compufused.

Disrespect in the BCS Formula

The Longhorns lost to Ohio State(#1) in week 2 of the season. The 'horns were rated #2 at the time. The loss dropped them to #8.

Then, in the process of winning all games since, Texas fought their way back to #5 on the AP Top 25, the USA Today Poll, and the Harris Interactive Poll. One of those was a quality win over #14 Oklahoma.

And then...the first BCS poll comes out and Texas is slotted at #9.

Number 9...

Behind Notre Dame(#8)...

Texas only loss was to #1 Ohio State.

Notre Dame's loss was to #11, at the time, Michigan.

Uhmmm...okay...

Louisville(#7) has won out. They beat Miami(FL), who was rated #17 at the time. Of course, Miami isn't rated at all now after loses to Florida State, who isn't rated in the BCS, and Louisville.

Florida(#6) has more quality wins. They beat #13 Tennessee and #9 LSU, before losing to #11 Auburn.

West Virginia(#5) has won out...but...they haven't beat anyone. They do have #6 Louisville coming up and #19 Rutgers to close the season. But the more I think about it, their conference is just the East Coast version of the WAC or the Mountain West with a healthy does of East Coast media bias thrown in to make them respectable.

Auburn(#4) beat #6 LSU and #2 Florida. They lost to unranked Arkansas, who rode that victory to #13 in the BCS.

Ohio State(#1), USC(#2), and Michigan(#3) belong where they are currently slotted.

Texas should be ahead of Notre Dame, Louisville, and West Virginia.

Texas should be no worse than #6 behind, in order, Ohio State, USC, Michigan, Auburn, and Florida. With the possibility that Florida and Texas should switch places with Texas at #5 and Florida at #6.

Texas has a rated Nebraska and, a currently rated, Texas A&M still upcoming. So there is still ample opportunity to move up. I just wonder about the way teams are slotted at the beginning of the process.

It's Chuck Berry's 80th Birthday Today...

Deep down Louisiana close to New Orleans,
Way back up in the woods among the evergreens
There stood a log cabin made of earth and wood,
Where lived a country boy named of Johnny B. Goode
Who never ever learned to read or write so well,
But he could play the guitar like ringing a bell.

Love that song.

Happy 80th Birthday, Mr. Berry!

Check out his official site here.

Chase Race #5: Bank of America 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway...the Just Us Cupdate

Chase Race #5: Bank of America 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway

***

The Race Report...All the NASCAR News That's Unfit to Print

***

Kasey Kahne Wins at Lowes

***

Martin, Hamlin, and Gordon...Where Have All the Good Times Gone

***

Robby Gordon and Ford: From Kicking at the Blue Oval to Campaigning It

***

Ward Burton...Remember Him, Jeff's Brother, and One-Time Daytona 500 Winner, Who hasn't had a Ride in a Year or Two...He's Driving the #4 This Weekend at Martinsville

***

from the Roanoke Times

Ad-free races?
Sports Business Journal reports that TNT is floating a package to potential advertisers that would allow advertising during the race broadcast and eliminate commercial breaks. The advertising would take place on the screen during the broadcast and allow continuous race coverage.
TNT will broadcast six Nextel Cup races next summer. The story reports that officials from Turner and NASCAR would not comment. The story also reported that TNT's Cup ratings are down 8.3 percent from last season.

I like this since the cars are basically rolling commercials anyway. Maybe it would lead the networks to give us wider coverage of what is going on with all the cars instead of the media darlings...most of whom I don't particularly give a rat's backside about...unless they are wrecking or their motors are blowing up.

***

Toyota Talk

***

Hornish to Run Busch Race in Phoenix Next Month

***

Post Race...Nemechek Visits Guantanamo Bay

***

Complete Finishing Order

 1 Kasey Kahne (9)
 2 Jimmie Johnson (48)
 3 Jeff Burton (31)
 4 Dale Earnhardt Jr. (8)
 5 Bobby Labonte (43)
 6 Kyle Busch (5)
 7 Tony Raines (96)
 8 Carl Edwards (99)
 9 Joe Nemechek (01)
 10 Brian Vickers (25)
 11 Sterling Marlin (14)
 12 Casey Mears (42)
 13 Tony Stewart (20)
 14 Matt Kenseth (17)
 15 David Stremme (40)
 16 Jeff Green (66)
 17 Scott Riggs (10)
 18 Kevin Harvick (29)
 19 Todd Bodine (4)
 20 Travis Kvapil (32)
 21 Terry Labonte (44)
 22 Kyle Petty (45)
 23 Clint Bowyer (07)
 24 Jeff Gordon (24)
 25 Robby Gordon (7)
 26 Dave Blaney (22)
 27 Ryan Newman (12)
 28 Denny Hamlin (11)
 29 J.J. Yeley (18)
 30 Mark Martin (6)
 31 Martin Truex Jr. (1)
 32 Kurt Busch (2)
 33 David Gilliland (38)
 34 Jamie McMurray (26)
 35 Elliott Sadler (19)
 36 Reed Sorenson (41)
 37 Greg Biffle (16)
 38 Michael Waltrip (55)
 39 Todd Kluever (06)
 40 Ken Schrader (21)
 41 Dale Jarrett (88)
 42 Mike Bliss (49)
 43 Mike Skinner (72)

***

The Chase for the Just Us Cup-date

In the table above, Purple have been mathematically eliminated. Black did not make the Chase and are out of the playoff.

Place - Driver
Finishing Points
Deduction (DNQ/Prov -5, DNF -5,
Bonus (Pole +5, Most Laps Led +5, Win +5)
TOTAL

Lined out/Strike out Drivers failed to make the Chase for the Just Us Cup.

1 Kasey Kahne (9)
Finish - 45
Win - 5
Most Laps Lead - 5
TOTAL - 55

 2 Jimmie Johnson (48)
Finish - 40
TOTAL - 40

 4 Dale Earnhardt Jr. (8)
Finish - 35
TOTAL - 35

 8 Carl Edwards (99)
Finish - 30
TOTAL - 30

 18 Kevin Harvick (29)
Finish - 25
TOTAL - 25

 24 Jeff Gordon (24)
Finish - 20
DNF - -5
DNQ/Prov - -5
TOTAL - 10

 30 Mark Martin (6)
Finish - 15
DNF - -5
TOTAL - 10

 32 Kurt Busch (2)
Finish - 10
DNQ/Prov - -5
TOTAL - 5

 34 Jamie McMurray (26)

 35 Elliott Sadler (19)
 
37 Greg Biffle (16)
Finish - 5
DNF - -5
TOTAL - 0

 38 Michael Waltrip (55)
 40 Ken Schrader (21)
 41 Dale Jarrett (88)

***
Next Up:
====================
Chase Race #6: The Subway 500 at Martinsville Speedway
====================
Chase Race #5: Bank of America 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway
====================
Chase Race #4: The UAW-Ford 500 at Taladega Superspeedway
====================
Chase Race #3: Banquet 400 at Kansas Speedway
====================
Chase Race #2: The Dover 400 at Dover International Speedway
====================
Chase Race #1: Sylvania 300 at Loudon, New Hampshire - Winner - Kevin Harvick
====================

In Honorarium...

I hope that someday I get to see the USS New York, Arlington, and Somerset afloat.

That is a cool thing that the Navy did. This gives me the warm and fuzzy patriotics.

The first, the New York, is to launch in mid to late '07.

Long may they serve. Long may they sail.

Ask the Fruitcake Lady...

Nancy pointed this out to me.

Click here for the video.

I agree...if someone is nasty, they are just gonna be nasty.

Album Cover Storytime

Those of you in my generation are going to see quite a few that you recognize here...those of you who aren't, go buy these albums...well...most of them, HA!



Snagged from the greatness that is Gordon Keith.

The Reason that Bob Barker still does The Price Is Right

And why he loves puppies.

The "Girls" of Price is Right


Watch Video

Stolen from Compfused...go check them out.

The UAW-Ford 500 at Taladega Superspeedway...the Just Us Cupdate

Chase Race #4: The UAW-Ford 500 at Taladega Superspeedway

***

The Race Report...All the NASCAR News That's Unfit to Print

***

Vickers Spins Leaders on Last Lap on Way to First Win

***

David Ragan Bounces Over Kluever at Roush for the #6 Ride for 2007

***
Vickers to Have Extra Security at Lowes Motorspeedway This Week

***

Jimmie Johnson Not Forgiving...Even Though He Concedes that It wasn't Intentional

"I have a hard time feeling he was really sorry for what he's done,'' Johnson said. ``At the same time I know it wasn't intentional so I just kind of go on, (but) if I look at the interviews and the quotes and the message that Brian left me, I wouldn't take it as an apology by any stretch of the imagination. That's where I am at.''
Johnson is the perfect companion to Jeff Gordon. This is mealy mouthed and passive aggressive in the extreme, re: "I know it wasn't intentional, but..."
Vickers is a Hendrick's teammate in name only at this point. He is excluded from team meetings and such, pending his move from Hendricks to Team Red Bull next season...Hell, he should have spun Johnson on purpose. Jr. would have...Sr. would have too.
And Jr. seemed to realize this in his televised interview following the race.

***
David Reutimann Joins Michael Waltrip Racing to Campaign the #00 Dominoes/Burger King car

***

Lee Spencer's Inside Dish

The new sponsorship on the #29 with Shell and Reeses gives Harvick the chance to develop his own brand more separate from Dale Earnhardt Sr's shadow.

***

Complete Finishing Order

1 Brian Vickers (25)
 2 Kasey Kahne (9)
 3 Kurt Busch (2)
 4 Matt Kenseth (17)
 5 Martin Truex Jr. (1)
 6 Kevin Harvick (29)
 7 Jeff Green (66)
 8 Mark Martin (6)
 9 Carl Edwards (99)
 10 Bobby Labonte (43)
 11 Kyle Busch (5)
 12 Dale Jarrett (88)
 13 Ryan Newman (12)
 14 Michael Waltrip (55)
 15 David Gilliland (38)
 16 Robby Gordon (7)
 17 Mike Wallace (109)
 18 Joe Nemechek (01)
 19 Scott Riggs (10)
 20 Tony Raines (96)
 21 Denny Hamlin (11)
 22 Tony Stewart (20)
 23 Dale Earnhardt Jr. (8)
 24 Jimmie Johnson (48)
 25 Ken Schrader (21)
 26 Mike Bliss (49)
 27 Jeff Burton (31)
 28 Dave Blaney (22)
 29 Elliott Sadler (19)
 30 Casey Mears (42)
 31 Eric McClure (104)
 32 J.J. Yeley (18)
 33 David Stremme (40)
 34 Paul Menard (15)
 35 Clint Bowyer (07)
 36 Jeff Gordon (24)
 37 Jamie McMurray (26)
 38 Kyle Petty (45)
 39 Reed Sorenson (41)
 40 Sterling Marlin (14)
 41 Greg Biffle (16)
 42 Kenny Wallace (178)
 43 Derrike Cope (74)

***

The Chase for the Just Us Cup-date

In the table above, Purple have been mathematically eliminated. Black did not make the Chase and are out of the playoff.

Place - Driver
Finishing Points
Deduction (DNQ/Prov -5, DNF -5,
Bonus (Pole +5, Most Laps Led +5, Win +5)
TOTAL

Lined out/Strike out Drivers failed to make the Chase for the Just Us Cup.

 2 Kasey Kahne (9)
Finish - 45
TOTAL - 45

 3 Kurt Busch (2)
Finish - 40
TOTAL - 40

 6 Kevin Harvick (29)
Finish - 35
TOTAL - 35

 8 Mark Martin (6)
Finish - 30
TOTAL - 30

 9 Carl Edwards (99)
Finish - 25
TOTAL - 25

 12 Dale Jarrett (88)

 14 Michael Waltrip (55)

 23 Dale Earnhardt Jr. (8)
Finish - 20
TOTAL - 20

 24 Jimmie Johnson (48)
Finish - 15
DNF - -5
TOTAL - 10

25 Ken Schrader (21)

 29 Elliott Sadler (19)

 36 Jeff Gordon (24)
Finish - 10
DNF - -5
TOTAL - 5

 37 Jamie McMurray (26)

 41 Greg Biffle (16)
Finish - 5
DNF - -5
TOTAL - 0

***
Next Up:
====================
Chase Race #5: Bank of America 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway
====================
Chase Race #4: The UAW-Ford 500 at Taladega Superspeedway
====================
Chase Race #3: Banquet 400 at Kansas Speedway
====================
Chase Race #2: The Dover 400 at Dover International Speedway
====================
Chase Race #1: Sylvania 300 at Loudon, New Hampshire - Winner - Kevin Harvick
====================

Friends...

Man, there must be a curse or something.

Designating a blog or a site as a friend of Through the Cigar Smoke seems to lead to their demise or disappearance.

Yowie Pad has now gone the way of Ctrl-Alt-Dinges.

If you click on it you get a gambling site.

Bummer, it was a pretty dang good blog...otherwise I wouldn't have named it a "friend".

Ah well, at least Mikel is still going strong and the ASRPG is still there as well.

Error

There was a data input error on the table showing the Just Us Cup scores for the Chase. This error showed Carl Edwards as having 125 Chase points. His total has been changed to the correct amount 120.

Thanks.

Mark Martin News...

Yahoo and ESPN are reporting that Mark Martin will leave Roush Racing at the end of the year and report for a partial Cup schedule with MB2 Racing. The reporting seems to indicate that this kills Martin's deal to run the full Truck schedule with Roush next season.

Joe Nemechek will step aside from the #01, this year sponsored by the Army, and take a third MB2 car next season.

Martin will share time with another driver in the #01.

Banquet 400 at Kansas Speedway...the Just Us Cupdate

Chase Race #3: Banquet 400 at Kansas Speedway

***

The Race Report...All the NASCAR News That's Unfit to Print

***

Using Gas Mileage to his Advantage, Tony Stewart Coasts Most of the Last Lap, Out of Gas...With Enough of a Lead That He Takes Home the Victory at Kansas

***

The Kansas Speedway Robbery Attempt!!!

***

Kahne Has Confidence Builder as He Wins Pole in Kansas. It's Not Over 'til the Fat Lady Sings...And Kasey Doesn't Hear No Fat Lady

***

Juan Pablo Montoya Tries ARCA at Taladega

***

Penske Could Have Sam Hornish Jr in a NASCAR Event in '07

***

Rough Day for the Chasers at Kansas

***

Brett Favre and Mark Martin...Neither One Can Say for Sure What Their Plans Are for Next Year...To Retire or Not to Retire...To Run for Another Team or Not to Run for Another Team

***

Busch Series Goes to Canada Next Year

***

Todd Bodine Back in Cup

***

Dale Jr. Needs Jumpstart at Taladega, If He is Going to Compete

***

Lee Spencer Debates the Cup Points System

***

The End of an Era...?

Apparently, there is a better than even chance that GM Goodwrench won't be on the #29 next season. Kevin Harvick could be campaigning a car that is part-time Hershey's/Reeses, like it was this year, and the primary sponsorship may be Shell gas and lubricants.

Considering Dale Earnhardt Sr, I hope not. This would make me sad.

No confirmation yet, but it has been mentioned on Benny Parson's Fast Talk radio show.

I know it's all business. And I know that the feeling I get when I see that GM Goodwrench logo on the race track is nostalgia, and NASCAR is nothing if not about the future.

So shoot me, lump in my throat and all, I still miss Dale Earnhardt Sr.

***

Schrader, Jon Wood, Little Debbie, and Ore-Ida to Split Time on the #21 Next Season

***

RYR Having a Hard Time Filling the #88's Sponsorship Need for '07

***

Complete Finishing Order

 1 Tony Stewart (20)
 2 Casey Mears (42)
 3 Mark Martin (6)
 4 Dale Jarrett (88)
 5 Jeff Burton (31)
 6 Carl Edwards (99)
 7 Kyle Busch (5)
 8 Brian Vickers (25)
 9 Clint Bowyer (07)
 10 Dale Earnhardt Jr. (8)
 11 Martin Truex Jr. (1)
 12 Greg Biffle (16)
 13 Ken Schrader (21)
 14 Jimmie Johnson (48)
 15 Kevin Harvick (29)
 16 Bill Elliott (37)
 17 Bobby Labonte (43)
 18 Denny Hamlin (11)
 19 Travis Kvapil (32)
 20 Sterling Marlin (14)
 21 Dave Blaney (22)
 22 David Gilliland (38)
 23 Matt Kenseth (17)
 24 Ryan Newman (12)
 25 Kurt Busch (2)
 26 David Stremme (40)
 27 Joe Nemechek (01)
 28 Tony Raines (96)
 29 Kyle Petty (45)
 30 Jeff Green (66)
 31 Kenny Wallace (178)
 32 Todd Kluever (06)
 33 Kasey Kahne (9)
 34 Scott Riggs (10)
 35 Michael Waltrip (55)
 36 Robby Gordon (7)
 37 Chad Chaffin (61)
 38 Terry Labonte (44)
 39 Jeff Gordon (24)
 40 Elliott Sadler (19)
 41 J.J. Yeley (18)
 42 Jamie McMurray (26)
 43 Reed Sorenson (41)

***

The Chase for the Just Us Cup-date

In the table above, Purple have been mathematically eliminated. Black did not make the Chase and are out of the playoff.

Place - Driver
Finishing Points
Deduction (DNQ/Prov -5, DNF -5,
Bonus (Pole +5, Most Laps Led +5, Win +5)
TOTAL

Lined out/Strike out Drivers failed to make the Chase for the Just Us Cup.

 3 Mark Martin (6)
Finish - 45
TOTAL - 45

 4 Dale Jarrett (88)

 6 Carl Edwards (99)
Finish - 40
TOTAL - 40

 10 Dale Earnhardt Jr. (8)
Finish - 35
TOTAL - 35

 12 Greg Biffle (16)
Finish - 30
TOTAL - 30

 13 Ken Schrader (21)

 14 Jimmie Johnson (48)
Finish - 25
TOTAL - 25

 15 Kevin Harvick (29)
Finish - 20
TOTAL - 20

 25 Kurt Busch (2)
Finish - 15
TOTAL - 15

 33 Kasey Kahne (9)
Finish - 10
Pole - 5
TOTAL - 15

 35 Michael Waltrip (55)

 39 Jeff Gordon (24)
Finish - 5
DNF - -5
TOTAL - 0

 40 Elliott Sadler (19)

 42 Jamie McMurray (26)

***
Next Up:

====================
Chase Race #4: The UAW-Ford 500 at Taladega Superspeedway
====================
Chase Race #3: Banquet 400 at Kansas Speedway
====================
Chase Race #2: The Dover 400 at Dover International Speedway
====================
Chase Race #1: Sylvania 300 at Loudon, New Hampshire - Winner - Kevin Harvick
====================

Beware the Pumpkin Fungus...

Don't know if this is going to impact pumpkins in the Southeast, Southwest and West, but looks to be a problem in the Midwest and New England.

Pumpkin fungus is shortening the useful lives of your jack o'lanterns.

Watch out for your pumpkins to become black and fuzzy and start rotting from the inside.

Wonder if prices will rise on the pumpkin shortage?

Bet its a plot by terrorists.

The History of Conflict and Empire in the Middle East...

...in 90 seconds.

This was very cool.

Take 90 seconds and get a lesson in Mideast history.