If you have the pipes...

Daytona International Speedway is searching for area singers to participate in the fifth edition of its "Straightaway to Stardom" talent competition with the winner performing the national anthem before the NASCAR Nationwide Series 250-mile race July 3.

For entry forms, go by the Daytona 500 Experience, 1801 W. International Speedway Blvd., or go online to daytonainternationalspeedway.com/sts.

Round One of the "Straightaway to Stardom" competition will be May 30 at the ESPN Club, Disney's BoardWalk, 2101 Epcot Resorts Blvd., Lake Buena Vista.

Julianne Hough did not sing the National Anthem at the Daytona 500...dogs' ears breathe a sigh of relief...

As I was waking up today, I realize that we missed one small little event to report on. As we filed on to pit row for opening ceremonies, I thought it was strange that Gavin DeGraw instead of Julianne Hough was singing the National Anthem for the Daytona 500. I love Gavin DeGraw but was wondering why the sudden flip flop of the person who will give me the goose bumps that occur every time during this part of the race? This was also his second time performing at a Daytona race...its too early to remember which one. Turns out, Miss Hough had influenza *cough realized she shouldnt quit her day job and sing in front of a gazillion people cough* and was unable to perform. My question is in todays economy, why didnt they just whore out Keith Urban and get him to do it? Is it because he is Austrailian like we talked about here? Just a random thought before my coffee. A side note, if you have never listened to Gavin Degraw first album...its a must! His new album "Free" hits stores on March 31st on J Records.

Is it really over???

So, WOW~ is this really the end of Speedweeks in Daytona? It seems like the girls and I were just celebrating Martin Truex Jr's pole win, one week ago, then all of a sudden...kapow! It is race day! Where did the time go? Today seemed to have flown by quicker then Maverick and Goose could sing Righteous Brothers songs, drinking cheap beer and whiskey!!

Speaking of ol Maverick.....yeah, we met him. Tom Cruise was the Grand Marshall of the race today and we had one of the right place at the right time moments and got to meet him. We were all equally impressed with how friendly he was. Imagine this, Megan (Miss shy, scardy cat) actually said to him "Hey Tom, I like your glasses". You can see why, since we were all "ROCKIN" the RAYBAN AVIATORS....she made the Maverick giggle.

So, moving on...still spinning from our Tom Cruise encounter, we realized we actually have a race today! Darlynn got to meet her idol, AJ Foyt, YAY! Uncle Pete will be so proud!!! Could this day get any better??? Yes it does! Megan looked up and was in inches of Tim Tebow. The shyness took over as she got cold feet but she still got to see him face to face.

The race was getting ready to start and it looked like the rain was not going to be an issue. We rushed down to pit road and met up with our friends, the #1 crew. Now we are underway, standing with the pole sitter, listening to the National Anthem, watching the flyby, seeing more Tom Cruise TMZ shots, etc. It's about time.....Lets Go Racin Boys!!!!!!!!

We were sitting in the #1 Bass Pro Shops pit when the race started. We were ecstatic that our boys lead lap number one of the 2009 Nascar Season!! Martin Truex Jr's pit box was a few spots away from our other favorite crew chief, Tommy Baldwin, the new proud owner of Tommy Baldwin Racing!! We are extremely excited for what the 09 Season is going to bring to them.

Now here comes the "this only happens to us" story of the night. As we were saying our goodbyes in the Driver/Owner lot, contemplating our escape route. We look out side and see TomKat and Suri getting ready to leave. It was suggested that we attach to the back of their police escort/motorcade. Ally is convinced at this point, Megan is 110% going to jail for what you see below. Yes, that is us following Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes and Suri out of the track, driving on the track, going 60 mph, in the opposite direction. We were hysterically laughing and Megs said she felt like she was Cole Trickle, following Cole Trickle...the irony here, really???

Goodnight and goodbye Speedweeks 2009. Our livers almost didn't make it...

We'll be on the couch next week for California, still in recovery mode - but, we are SOOOOO HAPPY that the 2009 Nascar Season has started!! Thanks to all our new friends on Twitter. We love it and hope you will continue to follow us.

We met Cole Trickle!!

Ok lol- so us 3 girls just dorked out slightly and and asked Tom Cruise for a photo with the Fashionistas!

Funny thing is, we are all wearing Ray Bans.....Maverick and Ice would have been so proud.

I feel the need....the neeeeeed for speeeeeed!

Ok we'll stop geeking now.

We took the pic with Megans camera and will upload it here later. In the meantime, Darlynn snapped this gem with her camera phone!!!

Btw, he was so nice and friendly!!
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Daytona 500 Cheat Sheet

Of the 3 of us girls, I am the statistical one. My memory with numbers is almost frightening. Naturally, I never have a problem figuring out who drives what car # or who has what sponsor. I thought I had the new field memorized, even with the craziness of new numbers, new paint schemes, new teams, etc. Boy was I wrong. At the Duals yesterday, I came to the realization that I can't seem to shake that Carl Edwards no longer has Office Depot for a sponsor and that Ryan Newman is #39. Every time I looked at Casey Mears car, I thought it was Clint Bowyer. I will eventually be back on my A game though.

Below is a Daytona 500 cheat sheet/line up, with their sponsors and car numbers for those of you that need a little help with this years really wacky crazy silly season.

1. #1 Martin Truex Jr., Chevrolet, Bass Pro Shops / Tracker
2. #5 Mark Martin, Chevrolet, Kellogg's / Carquest
3. #24 Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, DuPont
4. #18 Kyle Busch, Toyota, M&M's
5. #14 Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, Office Depot / Old Spice
6. #83 Brian Vickers, Toyota, Red Bull
7. #48 Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, Lowe's
8. #42 Juan Montoya, Chevrolet, Target
9. #20, Joey Logano, Toyota, The Home Depot
10. #11 Denny Hamlin, Toyota, FedEx Express
11. #8 Aric Almirola, Chevrolet, Guitar Hero
12. #96 Bobby Labonte, Ford, Ask.com
13. #2 Kurt Busch, Dodge, Miller Lite
14. #88 Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, Amp Energy / National Guard
15. #9 Kasey Kahne, Dodge, Budweiser
16. #99 Carl Edwards, Ford, Aflac
17. #36 Scott Riggs, Toyota, Tommy Baldwin Racing
18. #41 Jeremy Mayfield, Toyota, All Sport
19. #98 Paul Menard, Ford, Quaker State / Menards
20. #44 A.J. Allmendinger, Dodge, Valvoline
21. #26 Jamie McMurray, Ford, Crown Royal
22. #33 Clint Bowyer, Chevrolet, Cheerios / Hamburger Helper
23. #47 Marcos Ambrose, Toyota, Little Debbie / Kingsford / Clorox
24. #12 David Stremme, Dodge, Penske Racing
25. #07 Casey Mears, Chevrolet, Jack Daniel's
26. #31 Jeff Burton, Chevrolet, Caterpillar
27. #55 Michael Waltrip, Toyota, NAPA
28. #00 David Reutimann, Toyota, Aaron's Dream Machine
29. #77 Sam Hornish Jr., Dodge, Mobil 1
30. #19 Elliott Sadler, Dodge, Stanley
31. #7 Robby Gordon, Toyota, Jim Beam
32. #29 Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, Shell / Pennzoil
33. #6 David Ragan, Ford, UPS
34. #43 Reed Sorenson, Dodge, McDonald's
35. #16 Greg Biffle, Ford, 3M
36. #39 Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, U.S. Army
37. #34 John Andretti, Chevrolet, Window World
38. #82 Scott Speed, Toyota, Red Bull
39. #17 Matt Kenseth, Ford, Dewalt
40. #21 Bill Elliott, Ford, Motorcraft
41. #28 Travis Kvapil, Ford, Golden Corral
42. #78 Regan Smith, Chevrolet, Furniture Row Racing
43. #66 Terry Labonte, Toyota, Window World

AWKWARD...Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman to reunite at the one place they fell in love-Daytona

Sometimes, you just can't make this stuff up! Daytona Beach News Journal reports that Tom Cruise will drive the Daytona 500 pace car for this Sundays race. He and wife Katie Holmes will be in Daytona at the same time where ex wife Nicole Kidman and husband Keith Urban (who will be performing). As discussed before Daytona Beach was the location for the movie Days of Thunder where Nicole and Tom first met and fell in love! Wont this make for an interesting driver meeting! What next, Katie's ex Chris Klein singing the National Anthem? Now I am sure everyone is happy for everyone blah blah blah but I dont see them dining pre race anytime soon! I dont care how many years have gone by, I am sure all parties involved would rather eat glass than do this! Awkkkkkkwaaaaaarrrrrdddddd! On the upside I hope they bring Suri, and a phonebook for Tom to sit on when he drives....sorry couldnt resist! Speaking of shortcomings, found the above image from The Sun...boy she likes them small and cute!

Martin truex junior pole sitter!!!!

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.

24 and this is in no way a reference to Jeff Gordon

Just 24 short days till we go back into full swing with the Greatest American Race The Daytona 500. For fear that you,like us will be a little overwhelmed with the massive of name/car/team/mascot....you name it.. changes since Homestead-the Gods at Jayski has simplified it here. I got as far as #5 before I screwed it up so I do implore you to print this out and start studying. We have a lot of work to do!
In other news, it is pretty awesome to see our friend for who we will not name who is allegedly from Long Island, who could possibly own a new race team that we are not blogging about...well its nice to see his name in print :) And this definitely does not remind us about him...Good Luck to Jaeger Bombs and all our peeps in new positions/cars/teams/mascot uniforms, etc.

Keith Urban to perform at Daytona 500 Pre-Show

From Daytona International Speedway Press Release

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 8, 2009) – Grammy Award winner and country music superstar Keith Urban will perform at the Daytona 500 Pre-Race Show, the pre-race extravaganza leading up to the start of the prestigious “Great American Race” at Daytona International Speedway, on Sunday, February 15th.

Urban is set to perform three of his eight #1 songs prior to the 51st annual Daytona 500 – the season-opening event to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and the biggest, richest and most prestigious stock car race in the world.

All race fans that purchase Pre-Race access pass for the Daytona 500 will be able to view Urban’s Daytona 500 Pre-Race Show as well as the driver introductions from the grass tri-oval area.

“Year-in and year-out, the Daytona 500 Pre-Race Show has been a popular hit with race fans,” Daytona International Speedway President Robin Braig said. “We’re thrilled to have one of the most popular singers in the world in Keith Urban perform a heart-stopping pre-race show that will get the Daytona 500 and the new NASCAR season off to a roaring start.”

In addition to his Pre-Race Concert, a special $195 ticket package designed around Urban and the upcoming Daytona 500 has been created that includes a Superstretch ticket, Pre-Race access, VIP access to the Pre-Race Concert, an enter to win opportunity for an autographed Keith Urban CD and an enter to win meet and greet with Urban prior to the Pre-Race Concert.

For more information on that package and for tickets to the 51st annual Daytona 500 and Pre-Race access, race fans can go online at http://www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by call 1-800-PITSHOP.

I almost spit my coffee out when this came across the fax! I hope Nicole Kidman comes with him! That would be so cool! It will be really nice for once to stop the driver/entertainment hook up rumors. I.E. "OMG Kelly Clarkson and Kasey Kahne walked out of the driver meeting at the same time, they MUST be dating!"

This will also beat the pants off some of the entertainment we have seen in the past. Are we to assume that he will also bang out the National Anthem? Is that politically correct for him? I am not realllly being funny...but is that a conflict of interest, being a native of Australia? At any rate, how exciting!

Clearly the last time Nicole Kidman has set an UGG boot (get the Australian reference?) was when she filmed Days of Thunder which was filmed 20 years ago here in Daytona and hooked her up with a pre-couch jumping Tom Cruise.

Wonder if she will even bother or blames Daytona for her shortcomings (sorry I couldn't resist) At any rate, Cheers mate to great entertainment to warm us up for the Great American Race!