Y is for Yearly Fix, um ... I Mean Dose

I confess: I'm a speed junkie. Wait. I'm a child of the 70's. That's not the kind of speed I'm talking about.

I'm talking about a full-tilt, pedal-to-the-metal, adrenaline injection over a mile and a half with 24 degree banking on the turns. Yes, I mean NASCAR!

Sweet Hubby in front of the unused #18 M&M's car of Kyle Busch

We have made the November race a yearly jaunt! It became a traditional part of our anniversary celebration several years ago when I became such a fan. This year (our 25th) Sweet Hubby and I got a royal treat.

My awesome mom bought a bunch of tickets for a charity raffle and won two tickets to the Sprint Cup Race this past Sunday, at the equivalent of the 50-yard line with seats high enough to see the entire track easily.

Add Speed READER in the comments
not Speed RACER!

Okay, if you're not a racing fan and you're still reading, BIGTIME THANKS! Make sure you comment below with the words Speed Reader so I'll know who you are! :) And if you've read this far and always thought that track races were about as interesting as watching grass grow, well, you're not alone.

I was right there with you. The only thing that I thought more boring than a track race on television was one on the radio.

"There they go. And they're making a left turn. And now they're going straight. Wait a minute. Here's another left turn, but they're straightening out again." Puleeze! Three hours of that?

Kasey Kahne - driver of the #4 Red Bull Toyota

When an old friend described it as a chess game at 200 miles per hour (yes, they sometimes get that fast :D) I started looking at it a whole new way. Sometimes three hours just isn't enough!

For thinkers, it is the ultimate in physics and dynamics. Just the drafting techniques alone can get exciting, especially when a driver can send another one reeling without ever laying a hand ... er, fender, on them. Strategy plays a huge part in the process, along with a little luck.

For instance, from Sunday's Sprint Cup race: after the racers behind him pit, one of my favorites, Kasey Kahne, pulled in for fresh tires. Just as he reached his pit, the caution flag flew. That meant that he had to get his tire change complete and get out of the pits before the leaders crossed the start/finish line or else he would lose a lap and no longer have a chance to win.

Kahne's pit crew at their best.

The luck part came with his timing. He hit the pit box just right to get out (in 12 seconds) and squeeze back on the track barely ahead of the line of cars. His talented crew members stepped it up and performed with perfection. (Yes this is a team sport.) And the strategy (and BEAUTY!) of it occurred a few laps later when all the other cars pitted during the caution to put on new tires and get gas. Having already done that Kasey stayed out and moved into first place. He ended up a happy third! (Well, I was happy, anyway.)

For the feelers, this sport is full of drama. REALLY! That shouldn't be so hard to believe, though. Think of the last time you got cut off on the freeway. Okay? Okay!

"I think it's time he sat in the naughty seat!"

This weekend had that as well. No big accidents during the Sunday race, but after a little fender rubbing on Friday night
(during the Camping World Truck Series) Kyle Busch snapped. After the yellow flags flew because he hit the wall, (The yellow caution flags demand that the racers slow down to 55 MPH.) He maintained his pace (at almost 100 MPH) and shoved the truck, that had accidentally caused his accident, head-on into the wall. He destroyed both vehicles and eliminated the driver of the other truck from the race and from the truck championship (both of which the man was poised to win).

Bumping, retaliation, and accidents are normal during races, but this went way beyond appropriate behavior,  even for drivers in NASCAR. The officials not only parked Busch for the rest of the truck race, they made him sit (in time out) for Saturday's Nationwide race and Sunday's Sprint Cup race.

*Best Brit accent for a Texan* "I think it's time he sat in the naughty seat!" At this point, there are lots of other rumors flying that NASCAR and Joe Gibbs (the owner of the team for which Busch races) aren't through with this matter. I'm so intrigued!

***Update*** As of this posting, Kyle Busch has been placed on probation for the last two weekends of the racing season. He drives for all three series, so his sponsors, like M&M's are at least going to enjoy their publicity. Bad publicity! BAAAAAD Puddytat!

Five-time Champion, Jimmie Johnson

Oh and for laughs, Texas Motor Speedway put Busch's car next to the main entrance and encouraged everyone to use it for picture-taking since Kyle wouldn't be using it. LOL! See Sweet Hubby's photo above!


So our yearly jaunt is perfect for my Y post and for my sweet hubby and me. (His racer, Jimmie Johnson, didn't do so hot. But he enjoyed watching a second fave, Tony Stewart, win.) Perfect weather, fun company, and a dynamite floor (ahem, asphalt) show!

What is a yearly jaunt you like to take with a loved one?