I wasn’t in Charlotte for the Sprint Media Tour.  I had to work and wasn’t even following the minute by minute deluge of information on Twitter from the reporters who were there – but I have been catching up on the news of the week.

All in all, there really wasn’t a ton of groundbreaking news – at least compared to the tectonic shuffle in recent weeks that nearly every race team has seen since the cars were loaded ino the hauler in Homestead.

So,  here are the Top-5 things that struck me from reading about the Media Tour:

5:   No More Secret Fines!

The news actually came in a statement released by NASCAR near the end of the media tour.   ”NASCAR will no longer issue fines that are undisclosed, we looked at this issue from every angle and gathered feedback from the industry.  While there are always sensitivities related to sponsor relationships and other leagues may continue issuing disclosed and undisclosed fines, NASCAR has decided that all fines moving forward will be made public after the competitor or organization that has been penalized has been informed.”

I would tell you how I feel about this rules change…. but its a secret.  Bewteen you and me, I am a horrible secret keeper – so I’ll tell you about my secret thoughts on secret fines no longer being secret:  I LOVE IT.   I look at “fines” as part of how our sport is officiated.  If a player is ejected from a football game – the fans see it.  Then, faster than a Daytona lap – the NFL Commisioner would issue a fine and make it public.

But in NASCAR, the fans might see a driver wreck someone on the track, then get hauled into the black Hauler….. but that was all we would see.   The drivers usally walk out of those meetings looking like a small kid who got his candy taken away by his Mother because he wasn’t sharing his candy with his brother.

If NASCAR wasn’t saying anything after the hauler meeting….you can bet the gay farm that the drivers lips will be sealed up tighter than Kenny Wallace’s sphinctor at a Lady GaGa concert.  (and for the record, the Herminator is a paws-up Lil’ Monster)

I think it was a great move by NASCAR….. bring all of it out into the track lights.

4.  Brendan Gaughn – getting a Cup Ride.

…. well, at least for a few races.  Richard Childress Racing announced that it would add a 4th car for the first five races.  Elliott Sadler will take the first race in Daytona with Brendan Gaughn running the next four races in a South Point Casino painted car.   Gaughn will also be running in the Nationwide and Truck Series for RCR.

In an interview with Queer4Gears late last season, Gaughn said, “….wherever I go next year, if I’m not winning races it will be my last year.”  He is putting a lot of pressure on himself this season.  He wants one last chance to get in good equipment and prove his skills to others – but mostly himself.  ”If Kevin (Harvick) can get of that (Nationwide) race car and finish 3rd, I need to be able to finish in the Top-5. I mean, if they’re doing it every week, if the equipment is that good….. then, I believe in myself and I believe I can still do it.  So I want that definitive moment that says: It’s you or it’s not you………and let’s go make a career (on track) or go home to sell cars.”

3.  Kasey Kahne is bad at coming up with excuses:

The Sprint Media Tour is scheduled months in advance – drivers schedules are cleared and their teams trot them out in front of hundreds of well fed reporters.  It was almost two years ago we first learned that Kasey Kahne was coming to Hendrick to drive the #5.  But – while Jimmie, Jeff and Juinor were on hand to take questions – there was no Kasey.

Had he been kidnapped by the rabid pro-breast feeding movement?   Was he flipping over a fence in his dirt car?  Nope – turns out Kasey had Jury Duty.  While I thank him for doing his civic duty and all……. he needs some help from his PR rep on coming up with a better excuse to get out of Jury Duty.

He could proabably get out of it if had been the Mayfield Case.

2.  The New 2013 Ford Fusion Looks Good

I was really excited to finally see what NASCAR and the manufactures have been promising for 2013.  Finally – cars that look at least somewhat similar to what is being sold on the lots.

I am not “in love” with it – honestly, it looks more Aston Martin than Ford to me – but it makes me more excited to see what Dodge, Chevy and Toyota will be introducing soon.

Will it silence those fans who have been bitching about the COT for years?  No, of course not!

1.  DeLana is Preggers

The biggest news of the week by far is that Kevin and DeLana Harvick are expecting a baby!

Congratulations – probably a good thing you sold that race team… they are gonna need a little more free time to not sleep.

Like all parents, who will do anything for their child – Kevin and DeLana will soon learn that is in fact is that kid who wears the firesuit in the family.