Ice Cream "Sale"

So I went in to 7-11 today to get a slurpee. I love the new Blueberry Watermelon Wisdom one by Frutopia. They also have it as a juice flavour in the frozen concentrated juices at the grocery. Yum! My other new favourite.

Anyway, as I’m getting my slurpee, I saw that Ben & Jerry’s is on sale. That’s right, on sale! For the bargain price of $9.99, you get two containers of Ben & Jerry’s. What a bargain!!

I was in Austin again last week, and they still sell Ben & Jerry’s in 7-11 for about $2.50… And the Canadian dollar closed today at 0.9428 cents per USD…

*grumble grumble grumble*

Strawberry Bubbalicious

So I recently purchased a new anti-perspirant. It's Lady Speed Stick Invisible Plus, and the scent is Strawberry Splash. And it smells just like Strawberry Bubblicious bubble gum.
I can't imagine that it tastes the same though. LOL And I don't intend to find out.

But if you see me sniffing my deodorant, pay no mind!! LOL

Ward Burton on Trackside - Fontana

Wawuhd clips from tonight's Trackside from Fontana, California:


Regarding him and Elliott both having grandstands named after them at SaowuhBawuhstuhn Speeway:

Uh gowa lil sumthin uhthere, uhthing they pu me induhcohwnuh

In regards to his day in the car today (even though not making the race) and coming back and running this car:

Ah've hadduhbawhul

Hammond asked about some of his qualifying efforts this year like at Indy…

Nouh, you're eggsacklayriuht....

Speaking about his team:

Ah tell you whut Ah’m reelluh prawduh aawlthos guyuhs an thankin Stayuht WawduhHeytuhs n Lewwcuss fuh everythin theyuhve dunnuhsupporddus. Anyud Lahree us - LahreeMclewuh issastanup guyuh. Ah’m telling yas he’suh good felluhan all dows guyuhs ondateam wourk sow hawuhdh anwe do ah thank aye lowt wituhliddle… anif ahwe hayuhd an opportoontee tagit uhliddl biuht mowuh feyenaychulbackin tado sogood thayunghs fowuha spawnsuhh onoff tha trayuk wecou - well uh know wecoube muchbedduh. Eeyuts tufftadaay ayunEeyuts tuffsittinheuh wituh smiuhl own muhfayce buddah ayuhm prawduh thos guyus an uhm prawduhthrayceteyum.

Elliott asks him about what he would do to make qualifying more fair for go-or-go-homers:

Thtemchure chayuhguhs so muuchuh tha greyup thawe git indeserayuhscaws theyuhnexthingyaknow somguyuh gows rellyfayus or rellyslow jusfruhm thdrawuh offa haat... Whevuh yew cayuhn masomeun fayuh, ya doih.

Talkin' about qualifying and how close it was qualifying at:

Powcayuhnowuh

Talking about teams outside the top 35 making or not making the race:

Liuhk theyuhsuh deyuth indafayuhmly at thamowmen, ooore dersuhbiiruth. Tha's howsirius thateams oudduhtha tawuph thirddyfawvuh taykit.

I love Ward Burton! He has such experience and wisdom in racing - he's the last of a dying breed of racer!!

Texas - Day 6 - Tuesday, April 17

Dixie knew we were leaving.

Tuesday morning Susan and Dave both left for work very early. That’s the trouble with taking time off – you have to work twice as hard before you go and after you come back to ‘catch up’. Robin and I packed our stuff and Susan called us a cab. We stopped at her office downtown and said a quick goodbye, and then were off to the airport.

Robin & I checked in for our flights, and grabbed something to eat. Robin’s flight left before mine, so I walked her to her gate. Another not so much goodbye but see ya soon – heck you think I’m gonna let my scanner buddy go to too many races without me?! LOL She boarder her plane, woobie and pallow in hand. My flight wouldn’t leave for another hour or so, but soon I was on my way.

I had no problems getting through the Dallas and Denver airports, and back home to Edmonton. No problems getting through customs either – but I was the last one off the plane and the last one to go through Customs. I was exhausted. I got the shuttle back to the Valu-Park and got my car. In about 45 minutes I was home and collapsed in bed.

What a trip! What a time!! And all I could think about was, “When can I go again?!”



I don’t know how anyone could not enjoy Susan & Dave’s hospitality. They were so amazing to us the whole time – I can’t say enough about them. I can’t even fathom how anyone in his or her right mind could not have had fun on such a trip, not to mention insist they never want to go back, or say some of the things I’ve heard said about this fab couple. I can’t tell you how profusely grateful I am for everything they did for me, and for us, to ensure we had a fantastic experience. The only thing they asked of us in return was that we have fun. The words Thank You are just not enough!

Susan & Dave are remarkable people and I am so very blessed to know them!

Thank you to two great Texans!

Texas - Day 5 - Monday, April 16

Monday morning wake up call outside our hotel window.

Monday morning I tried to change my flight from DFW to Austin. It was going to cost me $1600+. I ended up just getting an additional flight (for $120!) from Austin to DFW Tuesday morning in time to catch my original flight to Denver and home. I was all set to take a quick tour of the legendary Weirdness in Austin, and finally meet The Helping Dog!!!

It was time for goodbyes – which always suck. Susan and Dave ran Merri and Alnee to DFW to get their flights home while Robin and I hung out at the hotel. When Susan and Dave came back, we had to pack everything into the Belt Sander. I didn’t want to doubt Dave’s packing abilities but let me tell you, I had a moment. That thing was full. We got everything in but there was barely enough room for us!

Robin & I had the flagpole between us, but we kept our priorities straight and had the sponge candy handy! LOL We decided to grab lunch before hitting the road. The restaurant we went to had the news on, where we first learned of the horror that had happened that morning at Virginia Tech. There were few details at that time, but we knew Alnee had friends there. We’d try to reach her later when she got home. We all said a prayer for the students and faculty there. Soon we were off to Austin.

I had been to Dallas before for a work conference about 5 years ago, but didn’t see any of the “sights”. At least this time I got to drive by some of them! Susan pointed out the Book Depository, the hospital where Kennedy died, and other interesting things (like a billboard with a waterfall built into it) as we flew by on the Interstate. Robin conked out and had a nap. Not me. Too many things to see! We even passed Waco where Susan said you could still see some of the burned out buildings of the Branch Davidian’s compound. That was weird after hearing all about it on the news.

Book Depository


Freeways. We don't build 'em like that in Canada. lol
These kinds of flyovers would not like the Canadian climate!

We stopped at this place on the side of the road that had an old restaurant that looked like the Starship Enterprise. No kidding! We took some pictures, and looked at the blooming Texas Bluebonnets covering the ditches like a blanket.

"Enterprise"

Those beautiful Blue Bonnets

Later we stopped for gas and saw a baby snake outside the gas station. Inside I noticed some Ken Schrader labels on the shelf with the Little Debbie snack cakes. Susan actually asked the lady in the gas station if she could have them for her friend from Canada because they don’t have Little Debbie there. At least I think she asked. LOL Well, they are an interesting addition to the scrapbook!!

We made our way to Susan & Dave’s home, Susan pointing out some Austin landmarks on the way like the UT Tower and the cheesecake building (Frank Erwin Center). We unloaded the Belt Sander and boy was the Helping Dog glad to see us! What a sweetie Dixie is! I would have stolen her and brought her home if I thought I could fit her in somewhere and get her past security and customs!

Dixie the Helping Dog

I was introduced to Flat Elliott with a coonskin cap &
Flat ("Confused") John Wayne.

I marvelled at the tire and sheet metal hanging on the living room wall. How cooul!

Susan had to go pick up son Will after work, so she took Robin and I on a quick (and I do mean quick!) tour of Austin. We drove across the “Bat bridge”. We went to the University of Texas campus, and went to the UT Tower. The mood there was very sombre, and there were news crews interviewing students, getting their reactions to the morning’s events at Virginia Tech. We were even interviewed… Susan explained that UT had just last year marked the 40th anniversary of the tower shooting there.

UT Tower

We went past the State Capitol. I now have pictures of the Tennessee and Texas State Capitols. Lol I missed that when I was in Virginia (though Suzi drove me past it), guess that just means I have to go back! Ha ha ha! And I won’t let my sour experiences with any one person from that state deter me from returning!!

Texas State Capitol

The famous "Hi How Are You" Frog by Daniel Johnston
on the side of Baja Fresh Restaurant
(previously Sound Exchange records)
at 21st and Guadalupe Streets.
Keepin' Austin Weird!

We went to the valet parking garage where we picked up Will after he was done work. Susan showed us the reason why it was a valet only garage – the “man lift”. None of our PARKADES have those to be sure. LOL

"Man Lift"

We then took a quick tour to the fan shrine of “Henry’s Wall” outside the South Austin Museum of Popular Culture where I lit a candle in honor of Janis, for my friend Tammy from work. We of course also lit candles in honor of Buck. When you look up and down that wall, you don’t realize how influential Texas musicians have been on the music scene.

Then it was a quick stop at the Broken Spoke where Susan made Will get out and take a picture of the bus for me. LOL

Last stop on the way back to Susan & Dave’s place was the 7-11 for what else? Ice cream!!! We each chose our flavor of Ben & Jerry’s. I was stunned that each of us was getting our own container – that’s some spendy stuff back home! In fact, for four of those things it would have cost us about $28!! This was around $10. I still can’t wrap my mind around it! LOL

We hit the house and ate our ice cream and all crashed into bed. Dixie decided she would like to sleep with me. I tried to get her to go onto the other couch but she wouldn’t, crazy animal! It didn’t matter. I was so tired I was out like a light in no time.

Texas - Day 4 - Sunday, April 15

Sunday was race day. We got up and got moving with excitement and anticipation.

Around 8am Dave came knocking at our hotel room door saying we had to get a move-on to beat the race day traffic. Dave had that Belt Sander on the fly - until we hit… that’s right, race day traffic. We could see the track, but couldn't move. Eventually we got in and found a parking spot.

We headed to the infield, and ended up at just the right place at the exactly right time. Talk about a God-ordained moment! I looked up and saw a group of men standing there talking. It was then I saw him - The King himself, Richard Petty. I said, “Susan!” and she turned and saw him too. I thought she was gonna have a coronary – after she realized she about walked into THEE Richard Petty! We asked for an autograph and picture. He was very gracious to oblige. What a blessing!

Susan realizes it's THEE Richard Petty!

I get my credential holder signed by Mr. Petty.

We went with Merri to the 38 pit and chatted with the guys there. Told them we missed them, they seemed to like that idea. I called my brother Gary from Dave’s cell, telling him the events of the weekend thus far, and that we got to see Richard Petty.

Big Ed

Then we headed down pit road to the 19 pit. We hung out there and took a few pics. Susan started chatting up one of the guys and asked him his name. He said, “Oh, I’m Ed.” We said, “Are you ‘Big Ed’?!” He said he was and we had a good laugh, explaining we had heard Josh talk about Big Ed on the scanner and wondered who he was.

Alnee poses for her traditional picture in the 19 pit area.

Susan had to take a picture of an "approved" deck lid bolt!

Me in the 19 Pit.

It was here we ran into Dean and Judy, another Texas couple who we knew from the SFC message board, and had met last September at the Barn Party in Emporia.

Robin, Dave, Alnee, Judy (with the sign), Dean, Mel & Susan

It was good to see them! After chit-chatting with them a bit we parted ways and went to the outside of the track where we did a little more shopping!

Michael Waltrip signing autographs at his souviner hauler.

It was along this trip down the shopping “mall” of merchandise trailers I was "abandoned" by my group. I thought we stopped to watch Hermie on Race Day at the Speed Stage, but I guess everyone else kept going long before I did! I bought a Speed t-shirt at the hauler next door and waited around thinking someone would come back for me. They didn’t! I had to pee so bad it hurt, had a headache and I was hot, hungry and thirsty. My stupid cell doesn’t work in the US. No payphones in site. What to do? I saw a rather brawny Ft. Worth Policeman standing by his cruiser near the entrance gate. He was talking on his cell phone and looked rather official. He got off the phone. I nervously approached him, and told him my predicament.

I’mfromCanadaandIgotseparatedfrommyfriendsIdon’tknowhowtofindthemcanIuseyourphone?

I was almost in tears. Well, it musta worked because he nodded and handed me the phone. I said, “It’s an Austin number, is that ok?” He said, “Sure”. I called Susan and praise God she answered! They were just getting down to the seats. She said she would come get me but I said no, I would just come in – I just didn’t know where everyone had gone. I thanked the man for letting me use his phone, asked God to bless him abundantly and headed on into the track.

I walked in the gate and there was a whole bank of payphones. GAH!!! The bathroom on my right, the concession on my left – all right there. First things first, gotta Truex! Then went and got a corn dawg and a couple cold drinks and headed down to our seats.

I found Robin and we got set up with the scanner. “Teyun-fowuh!” Since qualifying had been cancelled due to the “severe weather”, points determined the starting line-up. That meant Jeff Gordon was on the pole and Elliott was starting 15th.


Alnee took some great race photos with Robin’s swanky camera.


Pace car is off and the field comes around 4 to take the green flag.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. had some problems.

Rookie David Ragan had a rough day.
There's a lotta duct tape on that car.

The track safety crew looking for debris after a wreck.

I'm sure I heard the guy in the back seat yell,
"Hey! Is that a WAFFLE?!?!"

Only in Texas...

My scanner buddy! Robin & me enjoying the day.

In the end Jeff Burton and the 31 team won the race.

We took our time leaving the grandstand, as post-race traffic is always crazy with 150,000+ people all trying to go home at the same time. We found we could exit out the end of the track without having to climb those dang stairs, thank you Merri for spying the way out!!!








We walked past the heli-pad and wondered who was on all those helichopters.





We finally got to the Belt Sander and hung out a while, chatting, resting… We talked to Phil as he was back at his RV but there was no way we could get through the traffic to go for one last visit.

Susan & Merri reviewed pictures. Robin rested. Later, Susan displayed a lug nut she scoffed from pit road while Alnee begged Susan not to abandon her!


We listened to the post race shows on the radio where we learned Dale Earnhardt Jr. had ran the last few laps of the race in the 5 car after both he and Kyle Busch had had problems and crashed out. Kyle had left the track. How monumental that would turn out to be, eh. What foreshadowing!

Dave listening to the radio.

In the distance, we saw smoke - a LOT of thick black smoke. It was a car fire. I don’t know how the fire truck got through the traffic but they got there and put it out. I said one for those people – what a horrible end to their race weekend that must have been.

We had parked at the corner of Victory and Burton. Who knew?!

On the way back to the hotel, we stopped for dinner at one of my most favourite saouthern places to eat - Cracker Barrel. Mmmmm mmmmmm. Raspberry iced tea, fried chicken, mac & cheese, hash brown casserole… As my Gran would say, “Nothin’ finer!”

Alnee rocks on the front porch at Cracker Barrel

It was back to the hotel to crash, as Monday Merri and Alnee would be heading home, and Robin & I would go back to Austin with Susan and Dave.

Beijing Bound

Well, the Browns are Beijing bound. This morning we said a tearful goodbye to my cousin (like my brother) Glenn, his wife Sharon and their two girls Alex and Jenessa. Glenn has accepted a great promotion with the oil company he works for to basically take over the Beijing, China office and pretty much oversee their Asian operations.

Glenn has been back and forth to China a few times since the beginning of 2007, and the whole family went for two weeks in March to scope it out. They already have a place to live, the girls are registered for school in the fall, and their personal possessions were shipped by sea container in early June so they should be delivered to their new home shortly after they arrive this week.

While I am sad I won't see them likely till Christmas, I am extremely excited for them - for all the adventures, learning experiences and opportunities that lie ahead. We are a very close family and will miss all of them very much.

Fire up the emails and web cams to keep in touch!



By the way, donations are now being accepted for Mel's Beijing Plane Ticket Fund!! LOL!!

Crack Ice Cream

Ice cream. There’s not much else like it. It can bring a smile to most anyone’s face, and when combined with chocolate, heal the brokenhearted. Oh wait. That’s a different book.

My friend Susan lives about 10 paces from a 7-11 where she purchases her seemingly daily dose of Ben & Jerry’s. I was in awe when I visited Austin and we went to her 7-11. Much to my surprise, each person in our party chose their own flavor - four pints of Ben & Jerry’s. Whoa. To my amazement, they were something like $2.50 each. Here, a pint of Ben & Jerry’s will cost ya $6.69 at the grocery store. It’s more at 7-11. Now you understand my amazement!

So I was at the grocery store today looking for those addictive little Dibs, and they had none for the second time in a row. It’s getting hard to find those little critters. There must be something in that Revel-like coating that makes them addictive. Maybe crack? I don’t know.

Well, no crack for me tonight. In lieu of the bite-sized ice cream and chocolate crack covered wonders, I decide I’m going to splurge and get me a $6.69 pint of Ben & Jerry’s. I choose my flavor. It was tough between Tortoise Shell (known as Turtle Soup south of the boarder) and a Chocolate Fudge Brownie concoction that probably would have healed a broken heart. I went with Tortoise Shell, mainly due to the cashews.

I put the pint in my basket and walked a little ways down the freezer aisle. They had the “regular” Lucerne Ice Cream in the half-gallon boxes on sale - two for $6.00. Now some may call me crazy but I know when I’m getting shafted. Sorry Ben. My apologies, Jerry. Your stuff may be "premium", but I came home with a box of Tin Lizzy Cheesecake and a box of Mint Chocolate Chip – eight times the ice cream for 69 cents less!!

Maybe Ben & Jerry think they are selling crack to Canadians.

Mark Aumann

I missed the Cup race from Daytona last night due to a family deal. I came home and went to Nascar.com to see who won. Way to go Jamie!!

So then I saw an article about Kyle Busch already on the outside looking in at Hendrick. I clicked to read. The auther was Mark Aumann, another Nascar.com writer I guess. I had never read anything he's written either, so when I saw his picture, naturally...

Doofus Sadleroo

Friday night's Trackside show on Speed was probably about the funniest piece of television I have seen in a while. Hosts Steve Burns, Jeff Hammond, Larry McReynolds and Elliott Sadler had a lot of laughs with guests Columbian Juan Pablo Montoya and Australian Marcos Ambrose.

Juan Pablo told of golfing in his house (with his golfing simulator) and getting a golf ball stuck in a wall. This really seemed to intrigue Sadler (I think he is a bit of a golf fanatic but I'm not real sure about that...).

Marcos Ambrose brought along a kangaroo hat that each host took a turn wearing. There was a lot of laughter, to the point of tears being wiped away because they were laughing so hard.

The epitome of "Work Hard, Play Hard!"

I think this most recent episode of Trackside trumps my most favorite episode of Inside Nextel Cup. I don't remember when that broadcast was, but it was back when Alan Bestwick was still hosting (miss ya Alan!) with regulars Michael Waltrip and Ken Schrader, and they still sat behind the "news desk". They were talking about Darryl Waltrip and had a question that only he could answer. So Micheal called his brother Darryl up on his cell phone. Mikey held the cell to his lav mic so Darryl could be heard. Darryl wouldn't stop talking. It was about the funniest thing I had ever seen. I guess you had to be there...

Anyway, my dear friend Robin was in New Hampshire and attended the taping of Trackside Friday night. She comes home sporting this prize photo, capturing the doofus-ness of Sadler, and the fun had by all on the show. I love it!

Doofus Sadleroo

Will the next Sadler Foundation Charity Auction item be a kangaroo hat? Hmmmm... Brett?

When A Win Is Not A Win - Almirola's Disappointment

Last Saturday night's Busch race at the Milwaukee Mile was disappointing for me as a fan. I can't imagine the disappointment of a young racer named Aric Almirola.

The racing itself wasn't bad. That wasn't the problem. The problem was the business of racing got in the way of what could have been great racing, and an amazing night - a first Busch Series win - for a young up and coming racecar driver. But I guess we'll never know.

Nextel Cup driver Denny Hamlin flew cross-country (from Infinion Raceway in California where the Cup Series raced Sunday) to race the Joe Gibbs Busch Series car in the AT&T 250 at the Milwaukee Mile in Wisconsin. This had been the plan, but what seemed to be a comedy of errors saw Hamlin getting there late (remember it was a comedy of errors that sank the Titanic). Hamlin was too late to qualify the car, even too late to start the race.

Good business always has a “Plan B”. Enter Aric Almirola. The schedule to get Hamiln there on time was a tight one under the best circumstances, and Aric was on hand as a “backup” driver just in case for some reason Hamiln didn’t make it. The 23-year old Almirola put Gibbs’ Rockwell Automation Chevy on the pole, getting the team the first and best pit stall selection.

With Denny still not at the track, Almirola, a Florida native, started the race and ran in the top 5 or 10 cars, leading laps. On a caution on lap 59, his crew chief asked him to come in and get out of the car, for Denny to get in. Almirola was running third at the time. Hamiln got in the car and went on to win the race (in the car Almirola had set up and qualified). Aric Almirola was credited with his first NASCAR Busch Series win because he was the driver who started the race and that’s the way the rules go.

Aric, visibly absent, did not participate in the team’s rather subdued victory celebrations after the race. We were told it was a “team” decision to swap out the driver. Milwaukee is the “home” of team sponsor Rockwell Automation. As such, we can bet Rockwell had a ton of staff schmoozing V.I.P.'s and guests there Saturday night. They were all expecting Denny in the car.

As fans, we’ll never know who actually made the call to put Denny in. Some will say Denny whined about coming all that way to sit and watch. Others will say Denny didn’t want to see Aric pulled but had to go with the wishes of his employer. Some will blame J.D. and/or Coach Gibbs for making the call. Others will speculate the sponsor pulled rank and demanded the popular Nextel Cup driver replace the more inexperienced and unknown driver – the one who had worked so hard to set up a great car. That would mean someone at Gibbs bowed to the pressure. And so did Hamiln. Somehow, somewhere, somebody didn’t stand up for Almirola, and for what was right. A comedey of errors. A tradgedy, really.

Fox TV Analyst and former crew cheif Larry McReynolds summed it up well:

“We realize Hamlin flew all that way, and JGR paid a lot of money for him to race. But I don't understand taking a guy out of a car after winning the pole and leading a bunch of laps. You would think that the sponsor wouldn't care who was driving if the car was running up front. It was still going to get great coverage. If the car had qualified 10th or 12th and was running 15th, so be it. Put Hamlin in there.

It obviously worked out well, but I can imagine the dejection that Almirola had to feel and what an insult it had to have been. Business is business, but it was the most absurd deal that I have ever seen. What a slap in the face for Almirola to do such an awesome job and have it taken away from him.”

Who knows if Almirola could have gone on to put the car in Victory Lane or not. I suspect Aric, in his heart of hearts knows. The actions of those at Rockwell and Gibbs disappointed me. Perhaps it didn’t seem like such a bad decision at the time. Perhaps they didn’t think it through. Perhaps they did and wanted the press time (some would say even bad press is good press when it’s free) they knew such a goofy decision would garner.

I know racing is business. BIG business. But it seems a shame business got in the way of racing Saturday night. In the way of what was right.

And that is when a win is not a win.

Gifts From The East

I trotted off to the Post Office today to pick up a package I had been sent. It was a "goodie box" from my friend Robin in Niagara Falls, NY.

And what goodies there were! Kasey Kahne Pez! A mini Flat Elliott (who now stands on the desk), a 19 bumper sticker, a 19 can cozie (which will come in handy for those sodas at work!), an Elliott Sadler keyring and our own "Doofus Skwad" Sharpies if you can imagine, among other things, including the flyers from her mailbox and part of the Boston Globe newspaper used as packing material! ha ha ha!!!

Thank you Robin for thinking of me on your trip to Charlotte last month! I love everything in that box! Well, 'cept maybe those dang packing peanuts!! LOL

Now, where's the vacuum?

David Caraviello

So I’m watching Nascar Race Day on Speed, wondering what the weather’s gonna do today at Dover. Will we get to race? I went to Nascar.com to look for race and weather info. I clicked on an article by David Caraviello. Honestly I haven’t read anything he’s posted on Nascar.com, I haven’t read much on there since Marty left. Anyway, I saw Mr. Caraviello’s picture, and I could think only one thing.


And no, I didn’t even read the article past the man’s picture. I apologize, Mr. Caraviello, but I just couldn’t get past the mental image!

600 Paint Scheme

Special scheme for Sadler at the Coca-Cola 600: Elliott Sadler will turn into a super hero for the Coca-Cola 600, running a special Fantastic Four paint scheme on the #19 Dodge Dealers Dodge Charger. In honor of the debut of the “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer” movie, produced by Fox Studios and scheduled for release in theaters on June 15th, the #9 Dodge Charger will be transformed into the Dodge Fantasticar. The movie, directed by Tim Story, stars Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans and Michael Chiklis, the same foursome that made the original Fantastic Four such a success. The #19 will feature a stunning paint scheme that showcases the ghost-like Silver Surfer shooting across the hood, while flames explode over the nose and up the fenders of the Fantasticar. The familiar Fantastic Four logo will also adorn both rear quarter panels. “This is by far one of the coolest paint schemes I’ve ever seen, let alone be able to drive,” Sadler said. “This is something every little kid dreams about. Now, not only do I get to drive a race car, but I get to drive a race car with super heroes on it!(Sadler Fanclub site)(5-3-2007)

Another limited edition Dodge vehicle making its debut on May 27 is the No. 19 Fantasticar Dodge Charger of Elliott Sadler at the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series’ Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. The No. 19 car will feature a stunning paint scheme that showcases the ghost-like Silver Surfer shooting across the hood, while flames explode over the nose and up the fenders of the Fantasticar. The familiar Fantastic Four logo will also adorn both rear quarter panels.

“The No. 19 Fantasticar Dodge Charger is a great new look for Elliott’s car, and we expect his race car’s performance will rival that of the Fantasticar in the movie,” said Mike Accavitti, Director – Dodge Brand and SRT Marketing and Communications. “Our motorsports program is an integral part of Dodge’s overall marketing strategy, and with the Fantasticar Dodge Charger, we’re able to generate further awareness and interest with both general consumers and NASCAR fans."

Well, Mr. Accavitti, I hope those EMS boys got that car tuned fantastically... Cause they haven't been able to do much thus far this year.

Brad Coleman

I was really impressed with young Brad Coleman who drove the Gibbs 18 car in the Busch race at Talladega to a top 10 finish. He started on the pole, and when they interviewed him about his pole-winning lap, the first thing he said was… Well, he gave thanks to his Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. For a 19-year old guy to say that on tv, well… I’m watching Brad Coleman and looking forward to more interviews, and a few more bows! His next race is Kentucky on June 16th.

Dale Jr - A "Hands On" Guy

I found these pics from the Texas Busch Race in April. Dale Earnhardt Jr. works on the 88 US Navy car he owns, and you can see the damage to the 88.

Hey any owner who helps out and works on the car himself is alright by me.