I guess popping bottle caps in off season didn't work so well.
1. (21) Ken Schrader, Ford
2. (48) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet
3. (20) Tony Stewart, Chevrolet
4. (01) Joe Nemechek, Chevrolet
5. (9) Kasey Kahne, Dodge
6. (38) Elliott Sadler, Ford
7. (12) Ryan Newman, Dodge
8. (10) Scott Riggs, Dodge
9. (88) Dale Jarrett, Ford
10. (24) Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet
11. (99) Carl Edwards, Ford
12. (36) Bill Elliott, Chevrolet
13. (6) Mark Martin, Ford
14. (5) Kyle Busch, Chevrolet
15. (11) Denny Hamlin, Chevrolet
16. (17) Matt Kenseth, Ford
17. (26) Jamie McMurray, Ford
18. (29) Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet
19. (8) Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet
20. (25) Brian Vickers, Chevrolet
21. (55) Michael Waltrip, Dodge
Daytona 500 entry list will be up shortly. I have some conversions from last year's team numbers to confirm.
Are We There Yet?
........About now, I can hear you asking, “Does this column have a purpose or a theme?” The answer to that is a simple “No.” Racing has yet to begin, which leaves a writer precious little about which to write. With that in mind, how about I throw out a few semi-controversial topics and you all take a minute to share with me your take on them. No, really, I mean it! I’d like to start a dialogue with my gentle readers pertaining to the current subjects of the day. Would you like to play along?
First, but not foremost, I’ll give you the entrance of Toyota into the ranks of the NASCAR Cup series. In a recent Tireside Chat with Mike Contreras, I gave my view on that, which you can find here: http://insiderracingnews.com/PCP/012706.html
Obviously, I don’t view the coming of Toyota as the end of civilization as we know it. They’re coming and they’ll stay as long as it remains profitable and challenging; then they’ll be on their way to greener pastures…maybe balloon racing, who knows? Given the fact that all of the cars are already virtually identical save the emblems and headlight decals, does anyone really care?
snip~~
Okay, this one can’t be laid on NASCAR (this week), but y’all know it’s been a pet peeve of mine forever, and that’s what I see as the massacre of our National Anthem, The Star Spangled Banner. Reverting back to the Stupor Bowl for a moment, that symbol of all that is America was summarily slaughtered with malice by Aaron Neville and Aretha Franklin this past Sunday. Neville delivered the first half as though someone had put a vibrator where the sun don’t shine, only to be followed by Franklin, screeching, screaming and bouncing her all too hefty way through the second half. It was…in the kindest words I can muster in print…a tragedy of major proportion, and should be outlawed.
NASCAR, take note on this one! Americans are growing increasingly tired of hearing our Anthem disrespected and corrupted by supposed “celebrities.” PLEASE…advise your respective track owners and their PR departments that your fans would like to hear our National Anthem sung with respect, not as a take-off on “r-e-s-p-e-c-t.” I’d urge you to make it mandatory that someone actually hear and judge a performer’s rendition of the Anthem BEFORE paying them the big bucks that they think their names demand. It’s a difficult song to sing, given the wide range and key changes required. Some “entertainers” make up for that by simply changing the tune and/or words to fit their own style. That’s unsatisfactory and the result can only be described as “Ugly.”
snip~~/excerpt
http://insiderracingnews.com/PK/021006.html