Here are some pics from this morning at Auto Club Speedway before Spint Cup practice got underway:
Tag Archives: ACS
Mike Helton Presser – ACS
This morning Mike Helton spoke to the press about the partial reversal of the penalties against the #48 team earlier this week.
Helton’s message was basic – the #48 car had issues.
Listen to the full audio: (click play)
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My Question to Carl
This past weekend at Auto Club Speedway was the first time I had been at the track live – reporting for Q4G. I was soooo nervous. I did work up the courage to ask Carl Edwards a question in his press conference. He almost giggled a little when he head the name of my site. Being my first ever question – I wanted to save it for posterity. Watch it here. You can also see the back of my head sitting in the front row as the camera zooms in at the beginning. I spoke to Carl’s PR rep and told him that I did not mean to catch him off-guard. He told me that Carl was open minded and did not mind at all. Carl has been interviewed by LGBT media in the past -and is appreciative of all his gay fans.
Dale Jr’s Taco Chef
Every Friday, at every track – it is time for Taco Friday at the #88 hauler. Dale Jr. and his entire team live for this weekly feast and it quickly became a tradition. The tacos and “taco pie” are made by Dale’s Hauler-Driver – they call him Radney or just “Trucker”
You can’t miss the smell walking past the #88 hauler – it made me very hungry.
the Taco Pie bakes on the grill
looks like I was not the only person who was hungry
Celeb Sightings in the Paddock
I ran into Rockman Dunbar in the garage area on Sunday Morning and stopped to ask him a few questions about NASCAR. If you watched “Prison Break” on Fox – Rockman played “C-note.” I am sure my gay readers will remember this show because of Rockman’s stunning co-star Wentworth Miller.
Rockman said this is not his first Nascar race – he also been to races at Texas Motor Speedway and Pocono. He is a dyed-in-wool Tony Stewart fan.
Currently he is working on a new show for FX television called “Terriers.” It is produced by Shawn Ryan who also produced “The Shield” for FX. They are currently filming and the show will premier in September.
I also saw Rockman’s co-star from “Prison Break,” William Fitchner. William is currently in “Sons of Anarchy” on FX and he was walking around with his co-star Kim Coates. I did not get a chance to speak with them – but from the quick moment Kim came off as a nice and harmless guy……… I was surprised because he so good at playing the bad guy.
And finally – this guy wanted to put some big rims on my car………. I told him no thanks.
Stone Cold Steve Austin
Stone Cold from the Media Center at Auto Club Speedway
Stone Cold Steve Austin is the Grand Marshall of the Auto Club 500 today in Fontana. He came into the media center this morning to answer a few questions.
This is Steve’s 4th Nascar Race – his first was at Texas Motorspeedway and his second at California. He says he is a bigger football fan but he tries to watch as much Nascar as he can. His favorite drivers are Elliott Sadler and Carl Edwards – he knows them personally and thinks the world of them both.
I asked Steve if he had ever ridden in a Stock Car and what is the fastest in any car that he has personally Driven. His top speed of 144mph was achieved in his Porsche Cayenne SUV. He said he no longer has the car – but the new one’s have a manual tranny and he wants to get one without the auto-stick.
Steve did get to ride in a stock car while he was at Texas Motor Speedway they strapped him and took him for a few laps at a pretty good click. He said he hates being a passenger – he wants to have control of the wheel and it was hard for him to ride shotgun as they hit the banking at speed. “I am also about 6-5, over 250lbs – so it was a tight fit…. if anything happens I am not going to be able to get out of here easily.”
Stone Cold is here to promote his new movie, “Damage – Bring The Pain.” He stars as John Brickner – a man released from prison and on a trail for redemption. Unfortunately, redemption for his past act of violence comes at a price – kicking the crap out of everyone. It’s not the most ingenious set-up, and appears to be a surprisingly lowbrow effort from the writer of The Cooler, but this film is all about walls with teeth, so who cares? Well Steve does actually, a man who knows how to knock a man down til his face resembles a strawberry McFlurry. Austin wants to bring the man on a mission movie back, being the everyman (that is the 6ft 5inches everyman who can smelt gold with his hands) who tries to battle against adversity. Own it on DVD March 23, 2010.
Celeb Look Alike
While walking down Pit Road I noticed that Sam Elliott (The Big Lebowski) has a twin that works on the Nascar Safety Team. What do you think? Separated at Birth?
Saturday’s Pic Blast
I uploaded over 100 pics from Sprint Cup Practice and the Nationwide Drivers Intros…… CLICK HERE TO SEE ‘EM ALL
Kyle Busch wins the Stater Bros 300
February 20, 2010 – Fontana, CA
The rain stayed away today in Fontana, the green flag dropped on time, and 150 laps later Kyle Busch took the checkered flag. Kyle had only led 4 laps all day – he spent most of his time in 2nd chasing JGR teammate Joey Logano. In all there were 12 lead changes with 7 different leaders.
The last lap kept all of the fans on the edge of their seat and for the second time in as many weeks – there would be a race completed under Nascar’s new Green/White/Checker rule. The race re-started under a green-white-checkered flag with only one lap to go and Joey Logano was in the lead – where he had stayed all day. Greg Biffle tucked in behind the #20 and he pushed Joey up the track sending him several spots back. Kyle Busch didn’t miss a beat though and he fell right on Biff’s bumper passing him on turn 4 – putting Kyle in victory lane.
Just as Kyle passed Greg in turn four Joey Logano and Brad Keslowski got together and that sent Joey spinning through infield and across the finish line. He did finish 5th – so he at least kept up some speed as he spun across the Auto Club 500 logo.
Joey was all smiles BEFORE the race
After the race Joey Logano said, “Go figure huh? I don’t know what his deal is with me but for some reason in California he feels like putting me in the fence or hitting me towards the end. I know we were racing hard at the end, but I don’t know, I think he could have done it a little bit cleaner than that.” The frustration on his face was easy to read, “I should have won it. It’s tough after leading that many laps and you don’t get a victory out of it.”
Greg Biffle said he did not not try to wreck Joey. “It was a rookie mistake. He spun his tires on the restart and couldn’t get going. I was against him down there and moved to the bottom. He tried to come down and block the bottom and I already had a run in there and wasn’t going to give up.”
Rounding out the top ten behind Kyle and Greg were - 3rd: Brad Keslowski 4th: Carl Edwards 5th: Joey Logano 6th: Steve Wallace 7th: Kelly Bires 8th: Brain Vickers 9th: Justin Allgaier 10th: Brian Scott
my view from MC as the cars crossed Start/Finish
Rookie Brian Scott impressed a lot of people today; he started in 3rd and was able to run with “the big boys” all day staying at the front of the pack. He ended the day in tenth place which was his highest finish as a rookie.
Pit Road was kinda tricky today as several drivers were posted for speeding repeatedly. John Wes Townley (#21), Danica Patrick (#7), Carl Edwards (#60) each were posted twice for speeding. Pit Road speed limit at Auto Club Speedway is 55.
Kevin Harvick blew his engine on lap 118 and took the #33 car back to the garage – ending the day for the Rheem Chevrolet. He is currently 5th in the Sprint Cup Standings – so let’s hope he fares better in Sunday’s Auto Club 500.
There were four cautions for 18 laps during the race; two were for debris. The only wreck of day occurred on lap 120 when #6 Ricky Stinhouse Jr hit the wall hard off turn 4. #21 John Wes Towley had spun out ahead of the #6 and managed to save it before it hit the wall – but in the process threw up a wall of smoke – that was partially responsible for Sinhouse’s wreck. Ricky was in line to get the lucky-dog but because he was involved in the caution – the LD went to no one.
Danica Patrick did not have a great race – she finished 3 laps down in 31st place. Her times did improve as the day went on so it did seem like she was able to learn a few things. Her JRM teammate Kelly Bires #88 finished the race in 7th – he had started the day in 32nd spot – so it does not seem the problem lies with the equipment.
All in all – it was a predictable California race, with a non-predictable finish. In the end the fans were treated to a great race.
Queers 4 Gears was Interviewed
image via CaliforniaOnAirCheck.com
On Thursday morning I was asked to be a guest on the Tim and Willy Show. Tim and Willy are DJ’s from station KMLE in Pheonix, AZ. They were also doing some podcasts from the track and they asked me to join them in studio
They first interviewed Michael McDowell – driver of the #81 car in the Nationwide Series and then a few other folks, I am the last one that they interview. I come in at 27:35 and they interview me for about 10 mins………..
To listen, Click here for Tim and Willy’s Podcast – then just click play – sorry, you can’t skip ahead though!
I think the interview went well – we ended up laughing a lot!
Take a listen and share your comments.