Partner for Paws Spectacular

Feb 11th, join the NASCAR Foundation for Partner for Paws Spectacular Live and Silent Auction hosted by Greg Biffle and Ryan Newman. This warms my heart and it will be a great chance to get NASCAR memorbilla for a good cause. Click here for ticket information and the listing of silent and live auction items. Proceeds raised from the evening will benefit the Greg Biffle Foundation, Ryan Newman Foundation and Halifax Humane Society of Daytona Beach, three organizations that support improving animal welfare. Upon researching for this article I found a great blog that put a lot of energy compiting a NASCAR pet list from a few years ago.

It is always great to take a second and blog about the drivers like Ryan and Greg that gives back. Over the course of this race season we will feature some of these foundations and all the good that they do.

The Draw Party

Last night, we bundled up like little Eskimos and ventured out in 20 degree Florida weather to attend the Budweiser Draw Party. Luckily, through the radio station, we get VIP access so it is was an evening of good food, free beer and the chance to be up close and personal with the boys. You can see why this has always been one of our favorite events to go to. Although the weather made it unbearable to stay for the whole party, we enjoyed ourselves as usual. I am not sure if our lives can take the debauchery.

I wonder if Jimmie Johnson and Elliot Sadler changed identities. The usually well groomed Jimmie came with his beard still intact....and Elliot was clean looking like a pretty boy! Kyle Busch played nice with the crowd by throwing bags of M&Ms at the fans. I guess the "most hated driver" in Nascar is trying to make a few friends. Watching M&Ms being thrown is slightly different than last year when I watched multiple drivers take "target practice" with their selection flags, Darlynn's chest being the bulls eye.

Tomorrow nights race is going to be different and the lineup has a lot to do with it. I have been complaining since they changed the format. We have 2 rookie of the year contenders running in the Shootout, a driver that didn't race in the Cup Series last year and a few other drivers that do not deserve to be in this race. Meanwhile, last years Daytona 500 winner is not in the race, along with a driver that chased for the cup and a few other guys that in my eyes should be in the Shootout. Regardless, I am excited that we will be at a race tomorrow night.

Parking for a good cause

If you are choosing to pay to park for the races, your money may as well be going towards a good cause! Target on International Speedway will be donating 100% of the parking proceeds to the United Way! Click here for pricing and hours of operation. It is a great way to donate during these tough times.

Our Daytona Beach dining guide.

So if you are anything like me and you are in an unfamiliar town, you will spend weeks googling the best restaurants and bars to visit upon your trip. When I travel, I usually have a planned schedule, broken down by the clothes I am wearing and the places I am visiting. Yet, not matter how many times I have tried, when it comes to out of town races, I end up eating at the closest restaurant around or at a chain....ugh.
This is where we are coming to the rescue. Daytona is full of hidden surprises when it comes to eating out. We put a little list together of our favorite eats and drinks in town. I must say, of everything on this list, you must go to the Brickyard and get a cheeseburger; it is a Daytona legend. Please trust me on this. We kept the list pretty local so driving wouldn't be an issue. If you do get a wild hair and want to travel about 30 min North, you must check out Snack Jacks in Flagler Beach.

So, here is our dining guide. I would love to know if anyone takes our advice and what they think of our suggestions! If you have problems viewing it in full size, there should be an area to zoom, if not shoot us an email and we will send it to you.

Get your Sharpies ready....driver appearances during Speedweek!

Throughout the last week, we have been gathering driver appearances for Speedweeks and this is what I have thus far. I have to admit, that while I am very pretty impressed with the Dale Jr./Adidas promotion on February 12th at the Volusia Mall, I personally will not be within 10 miles of it, with the fear of getting trampled by rabid JR fans.

If anyone has any other driver appearances they would like to add, shoot us an email and I will gladly post it to the list.

Driver Appearances at the track

FEB. 5: Kasey Kahne on the Speed Stage, 7:30 pm.
FEB. 7: Brian Vickers will be making an appearance at the Red Bull merchandise hauler trackside. Check hauler for time.
FEB. 7: Kasey Kahne at the Budweiser Shootout Front-Stretch Pre-Party before the drop of the green flag at 5:15 (tentative) for a Q&A Session.
FEB. 8: Clint Bowyer will appear at the Jack Daniel's Experience (located outside of turn 4) from 11 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. Autographs are limited and will be available on a first come, first serve basis.
FEB. 11: Martin Truex Jr. and veteran pro angler Roland Martin will be at the Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats merchandise hauler trackside from 3:45 - 4:30.
FEB. 15: Brian Vickers will be making an appearance at the Red Bull merchandise hauler trackside at Daytona International Speedway. Check hauler for time.

Driver Appearances at the Volusia Mall (across from the speedway)

FEB. 10: Kurt Busch, Sam Hornish, David Reutimann, Marcos Ambrose, Johnny Benson and Ron Hornaday are scheduled to appear for the live broadcast of PRN's Daytona Beach Fast Talk Radio in the Volusia Mall at 6:00pm. For more information visit the Performance Racing Network website.
FEB. 10: Carl Edwards, Clint Bowyer, Ryan Newman, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson & Tony Stewart are scheduled to appear for the live broadcast of PRN's Daytona Beach Fast Talk Radio in the Volusia Mall at 6:00pm. For more information visit the Performance Racing Network website.
FEB. 12: Denny Hamlin, Kasey Kahne, Elliott Sadler, Greg Biffle and Dale Earnhardt Jr. are scheduled to appear for the live broadcast of PRN's Daytona Beach Fast Talk Radio in the Volusia Mall at 6:00pm. For more information visit the Performance Racing Network website.
FEB. 12: Dale Earnhardt Jr. will be at an Adidas meet-and-greet at Champs Sports. The first 88 fans to make a $150 Adidas purchase, including one Dale Jr. item between February 6-11 will receive an 'Adidas Hot Pass' to meet Jr. at the store on Thursday, Feb. 12. Each of the 88 fans also will have their photo taken with Dale and will receive a collectible picture frame.

Other Driver Appearances throughout Daytona

FEB. 6: Kasey Kahne with special guest, Dierks Bentley at the “Off the Track. Off the Record” One Night Stand event located at the Coliseum in Daytona Beach, presented by Budweiser. You can can obtain the tickets to the event via radio and/or retail promotions in and around the Daytona Beach area.
FEB. 10: Tony Stewart at the Office Depot on 560 South Nova Road (at Belville Road), Daytona Beach from 5-7 p.m. Tony will be signing autographs. Wristbands will be required and distributed to the first 600 customers beginning at 7 a.m. on the day of the event.
FEB. 10: David Ragan will be signing autographs at Discount Tire at 1051 Beville Road Daytona Beach from 4-6 p.m.
FEB. 11: Joe Logano Joey will be signing autographs at the Home Depot at 1551 Dunlawton Blvd., Port Orange. from 5-7 p.m.
FEB. 14: Ryan Newman will be signing Pet Road Pets book at the Meaty Bone Experience tent at Speedway Village at the Daytona Beach Flea and Farmer's Market at 1:45 p.m.

Drivers scheduled to race at local tracks during Race week

FEB. 6-14: Kraig Kinser will race the No. 20 Bass Pro Shops/Chevy/JD Byrider Maxim in the Tony Stewart's World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, FL. For more details, contact Volusia Speedway Park at (386) 985-4402 or visit the official Web site of VSP.
FEB. 9-10: Ryan Newman is scheduled to participate in the NASCAR Modified Series race at New Smyrna Speedway located in New Smyrna Beach, Florida on Monday & Tuesday, February 9 & 10, 2009. Newman is scheduled to drive the #7NY Aggressive Hydraulics Chevrolet. For ticket information and start times please call 386-427-4129 or visit the New Smyrna Speedway website.

NASCAR drivers weigh in for Superbowl

Experts from a Toyota Press Release:

Sprint Cup rookie Scott Speed based his rooting interest on his only experience watching a live NFL game. “I went to my first NFL game a couple weeks ago when the Panthers played the Cardinals in the playoffs," Speed said. "The Panthers lost really badly because the Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald caught everything that got thrown in the sky! I’m pulling for the Cardinals to win the Super Bowl, for sure. Fitzgerald is the man -- he has sticky fingers. I don’t like the Steelers, not for any particular reason, I just don’t like them. I think they’re bullies! On Sunday, I’m going to have some friends over to my house to watch the game, so I hope my team can pull off the win!”

Kyle Busch and Micheal Waltrip have a special place in their heart for Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner, above. "I’m kind of friends with Kurt Warner, so I would really like to see him win," Busch said. "I got to spend some time with him at a Super Bowl party last year in Phoenix when M&M’s had me out there. Kurt came around the room and we talked a little bit, so it would be great to see him do well and the Cardinals win.”Said Waltrip: “All of my friends are Pittsburgh Steelers fans, so I hope the (Arizona) Cardinals win. Plus, I love Kurt Warner because he’s old like me -- really not quite like me."

Young Joey Logano apparently didn't grow up in a NFL-crazy house. But he still has a rooting interest in Sunday's game. "I have to admit, I’m not a huge football fan -- I did follow the Redskins a little when Coach Gibbs was there," Logano said. "It’s tough when you race during most of the football season. Every year we do get family and friends together to watch it though. This year I’m pulling for Pittsburgh, they are closer to where I grew up. And anyway, I have a 50-50 chance of being right.”

Camping World Truck Series champion and Michigan native Johnny Benson knows his football and he likes the Steelers' chances. “I like Pittsburgh. Their defense is awesome," Benson said. "Ben Roethlisberger is cool under pressure and does a really good job. I think the Cardinals are a good team, too, but I just think the Steelers have the upper hand. Pittsburgh made it this far because they're a really good team and their coach does a good job. I'm even trying to get tickets so I can go to the game.”

But Marcos Ambrose, a native of Tasmania (an island state that is part of Australia), had the best reason to root for the Cardinals. “I have to go for the Cardinals because of Ben Graham (right), their punter. He’s Australian,” he said.

Oh! This is just too good not to blog about! First off, the person that okayed this to go out to the general public should be fired immediately for actually releasing this piece of crap! At the very least they could have taken out the quotes that are so ridiculous my eyes are burning from reading it! I have a four year old nephew that could have penned more poetic with his crayons!

Kryle are you kidding me? A grown man making a football prediction over a couple of shared m and m's? Remind me not to give you my money to go to Vegas for fear you will make your bets based on the bus boy's tips from the Craving Buffet at the Mirage.

Very disapointed at Joey Lagano's PR people. Why are you letting this child talk about anything but the new season lineup on the Disney channel? This is the second interview I have read today and am shaking my head with amazment that he actually has "people". You have a 50/50 chance of being right? Really? Also, it must be very difficult to follow any teams without the invention of that dvr or help from the that little information superway called the internet? I cant even imagine what a conflict all those races on Monday night must cause!! Oh, my little pony please save your remarks for stuff you can actually relate to!

I also have a feeling that oh my hottie hotterton Marcus Ambrose probably said something a little more substantial in his quote than they gave him credit for. Lastly, perhaps Toyota could possibly spell Waltrip's first name correctly? I dont want to get too picky here...

Just my two cents for a SuperBowl Sunday not only without a team to root for but for the first time in a couple of years no Manning to drool over. I place my hopes on the underdog only because I think that yellow towel is stupid and annoying.