Welcome, gay NASCAR fans! Talladega, woah buddy! Such a race! There was action galore all over the superspeedway, what with Jamie McMurray's spectacular near-victory and Cheatie Johnson running around like the spokesmodel of "Wreck-M-All" -brand crazy pills! It was an Absolut sensation, I tells ya!
This week, our DeVine 9 1/2 had three guys in the top 10. In the points race, Carl Edwards moved up two; Jamie, Ryan Newman, Brian Vickers and Dave Blaney picked up one; Dale Jr. took a step back; Elliott Sadler and Jeff Gordon lost two; Mark Martin took the biggest hit, sliding five; and the rest held their places.
Bringing our invocation Sunday was the Rev. Richard Alford of Alabama Raceway Ministries. Former American Idol finalist Bo Bice sang the National Anthem; we thought he was dragging it to death but my dears he dropped the last notes RIGHT on the planes in one of the best simultaneous eruptions of glory ever! Mm Mm good. We rolled off with Elliott on the pole and Jamie on the outside of row 7
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By lap 14, Jamie was in 4th place! We had a big old train, with Jr. pushing Mark pushing Jamie! At lap 15, Jamie was 3rd! I mean, I was liking this race right away! But look out, cuz it's Talladega: There was a big wreck in Turn 1, where the #6 Viagra Ford got tore up bad and Jr. got wrecked and Mikey went flipping like that cow in "Twister." Who started it? Why, that would be Cheatie Johnson, who later insisted in interviews that he had been hit from behind -- video says: didn't happen -- just before he turned Elliott and started the whole freak-out.
Elliott, looking so country-cute with his curly locks peeking from his cap, snarled that he was going to make a diagram showing the location of the brake-pedal and give it to Cheatie. NBC showed a clip of how Cheatie had started a wreck in the May Talladega race, as well. The next caution when Cheatie blew a tire.
At lap 24, our team had claimed the top four spots, with Casey, Brian, Jamie and Jeff. At lap 58, Jamie was #1! The next caution flew for Mike Bliss, who blew a tire an spun all crazy. This could have been a huge wreck except for the terrific driving of a lot of guys. Brian came off pit lane in first place!
Ryan gave Jamie some really good bumping and soon the #42 Dodge Charger was up front again! Then, though, we had another huge wreck: This one sent Scott Riggs on a crazy barrel roll. Scott, like Mikey in the earlier melee, was fine, thank the Lord -- these guys are so brave and strong and smart, I tell you. It looked like that one got started when Ryan bumped Casey going through the tri-oval.
In the next caution, Kyle Busch had a flat and hit the wall. Next, Kurt Busch, the leader, blew a tire. At lap 95, Cheatie came in under green, probably to cheat. Caution came out for debris at lap 108, and again a tad later. We rode a long time with Jamie chasing Tony Stewart. Green-flag pit stops took place.
In a gorgeous move, Jamie got under Tony to pass, then immediately swung back up high, where the #42 was running better. We just had 12 to go! But soon Jamie got passed and quickly shuffled back. After a crash by Kyle Petty set up the green-white-checkers, Dale Jarrett zoomed past the others to win.
LIVE FROM TALLADEGA!
My racepals Amy and AJ made the trip to Talladega and said they had a ball! "Amy saw Kyle Busch blow a tire and crash, and I saw Kurt Busch blow a tire and crash," AJ reported. They also saw the beginning of the big pile-up that sent Scott Riggs flipping. The gals were especially excited to see Erin Crocker almost take the ARCA event on Saturday, and "that was very impressive for Jamie McMary on Sunday," AJ said.
The place is so vast, she said, that in Turn 4 they could not even hear the start command or the engines firing! Can you imagine? She allowed that the infield scene is "wilder" in 'Dega than in Atlanta, with plenty of authentic country-folk, while the ATL crowd are more weekend rednecks. Overall, she said, it confirmed her view of Atlanta as a really super track, where you can see nearly everything most of the time. Can't wait for Oct. 30! See y'all at Atlanta Motor Speedway!
Amy. AJ & their new Talladega trailer neighbor Randyt
'SUNDAY MONEY' JACKPOT!
Recently, a dear reader, Jennifer, wrote to say she'd "finished Sunday Money" and enjoyed reading about me. Well, I had no idea what she was talking about until last week, when I heard from the well-known Sports Illustrated writer Jeff MacGregor, who wrote to say he' d included me in his big new NASCAR book "Sunday Money" and wanted to send me a copy! Well ladies, when I read what this guy wrote about me, I literally almost tumbled from my chaise! Take a listen:
"Devised, written, and presided over by the bawdy Ms. Betty Jack DeVine, the site is a funny, lusty, technically savvy weekly weblog of driver profiles, race recaps, and garage gossip.... From pictures posted on the website, one might construe Ms. DeVine to be a daft, insatiable maiden aunt in the southern gothic style -- witty, tipsy, and profane -- a former Miss Firecracker, circa 1973, trailing a comet's tail of relieved and heartbroken beaux behind her.... She's kind of a riot. Dame Edna by way of Blanche DuBois by way of Jayne Mansfield by way of Scarlett O'Hara."
See what I mean? Totally awesome, I love it! Thanks, Jeff, for a great write-up! Jeff's book -- written while traveling following 2002 circuit and logging 48,000 miles in a motorhome -- is full of funny observations, and his wife, Olya Evanitsky, took the pictures, which are really super! I'm so honored to be included!
That's it for this week, friends. See you Sunday for Phoenix! Let's all meet up down at the Track Bar!
Love,
Betty Jack DeVine
E ME at Bettyjack@gaytona.com
