NASCAR trap out... and I couldn't be more happy!

IT IS DONE!!!!!

It's been two weeks since the NASCAR season ended, and it's been a lot easier for me to enjoy weekends ever since. No more running back to my bedroom, shouting 'trap, trap, TRAP...' or dodging the Friday coverage (I still hate Fridays though).

I think part of the problem was the Chaseism of the last 10. David Ragan (much less anyone not in) got next to no coverage during this period. It was chase, chase, chase and later, 48, 48, 48! Ick and a half! It burnt me out to the point where I'm considering NOT returning to the sport after more than 15 years of support.

Now, I want to make it clear that if I do decide not to return, that does not mean I have stopped caring for my drivers (David mainly). I will make an effort to check on them every so often. It's just the coverage has turned stale.

David Ragan update- Do I really need to recap his season? Awful!

Other stuff- I would like to take a momemt to say gomen nasai (I'm sorry) to a certain blog I dissed earlier in the season. It was primarly based on my past actions when I found out certain drivers I 'loved' at previous times were unavailable. That's right, I made the decision to look at that info.

And how did I react...

... I looked at this girl and thought, I like her! Her name is Jacquelyn and she's cute in an average way. And David is still my sweet, intelligent, cute sugar peach. I guess I learned a well-needed lesson in true faith.

Again to Answer This... I am sorry. Although I still do not approve of some of your presented info, we are no longer at odds.

And guess which couple now graces my desktop background?

Guess that's it. 'Till next time, enjoy the holiday lights. My favorite part of the season! :) (see above pic)

Chaseism, a Jimmie love fest, and other things

While I have a few minutes before The X Files starts, I thought I'd post 'bout some topics that have been irking me.

The Chase. Always have I hated this points format. But the coverage on ESPN/ABC is just awful! I hate the way they hype only these 12 drivers (it's where I came up with the phrase '12 of 1'- twelve drivers, ONE story), while the rest of the field gets the slime treatment. And as my top two favorite drivers (David baby and Kevin Harvick) aren't in... it's horrible.

Also a part of the network's 'script' is that darn 48 team. It's like they want Jimmie to win his fourth straight, despite falling ratings and whining from fellow fans. I whine too, that's one of the reasons I stopped watching.

David Ragan update- zzzzzzz... I'm just ready for the season to end. Not that my love for sugar peach ends just 'cause. He's just not having the season I expected.

That's all... my show's 'bout to start.

My week- Illness, boredom, and a whole lotta Ragan

Friday night, and the weekend is upon us. My week passed by quickly and without incident (as usual), but it was pretty good.

I haven't been feeling well since last weekend, I think my allergies upgraded to sinus infection. Just wish my nose would stop itching and I stop sneezing. It's NOT fun when this happens; and I remember having to miss school a few times when it did.

For those that say 'daytime tv sucks', you have no idea the extent of how bad it truly sucks. Seriously. It's why I hate most Fridays (and the rare Thursday); because I'm searching and can't find anything to watch, I get stuck with the boring NASCAR coverage. I don't care if that makes me a bad fan, practice is BORING!

Bonus- Tuesday Night Ragan! Yes, my beloved sugar peach finally had his episode of Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader? air that night. What can I say? David looked adorable, he was really getting energetic, and it was really hard for me to read the questions when I'm staring at his butt! Yes, I'm saying that! :)

Questions David didn't know that I did- 2 (Danes are from DENMARK, sugar peach, dummy... nah, I love you)
Questions David and I BOTH didn't know- 1

Looking forward to the re-air on the 26th of this month.

Tomorrow, I plan to listen to the IndyCar series finale (from 'bout 4 hours south of here). As for Nationwide; well, David's racing, but I'm doing the 'you don't belong in NW-stick to Cup' mentality again. Last time I said that... David won at Bristol! I don't really mean it, I love baby, but I hate the NationCuppers.

I'm continuing to fight 'gainst celeb gossip in our sport. I posted a poll/question on Yahoo Answers. Ten out of the twelve answers I got supported my opinions. And just tonight, I did a little background on the evolution of the 'girlfriend blog' I found. It seems that it started out as a normal blog much like this one untill the author met her driver and supposedly got special access to him (oh, come on; I don't believe that). Now, she's invading our drivers' personal lives. And even earlier today, two of my online friends were talking 'bout this- how some don't know where to draw the line at knowing too much 'bout our drivers. And this was a conversation on how there are some fans only in it for 'the hotness of the driver', but still, well said.

All for now! Happy weekend to all! :)

A new problem

Okay, I've had to put my race fan stereotype article on hold, as there is something else, something a lot worse than all of us being called 'white trash racist retards' (not that that's any better).

Personal lives.

Our favorite drivers' personal lives are being invaded.

About a month ago, I was on Yahoo Answers looking for questions to answer, and I saw this horrid one-

'whatever happened to that tall glass of milk girl? she always had info on the driver's personal lives.'

Hold on... what?! Someone talking 'bout driver's personal lives'. Now I have been against all forms of celebrity gossip since 2000; I avoid all media envolving; it's NOT important or even worth my time. So I check it out... it made me sick! All it seemed to have was information on who the drivers were dating... like seriously, who really cares 'bout that?

So I've decided to fight against it. I formed a Facebook group and website devoted to my cause. Even did a little looking at the site in question via the Internet Web Archive ('cause I'm not about to feel sick again looking live), but I need more people on my side. (Note-10 people who answered my question 'bout celeb/driver gossip out of the total 12 agreed with me)

http://sourmilknotforme.webs.com/- site link
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=132912189850- the Facebook group

Against the tall glass of milk/Answer this...

David Ragan update- It's STILL a headache watching baby struggle, but at least I'm going to be able to see him on tv tomorrow. More on that later! :)

Some issues...

Been feeling like crap all weekend (still not 100% right now). It's 'cause of my allergies, I hate them so much. Hope I can stay up for The X Files this week.

Something has been bothering me as of recent-the ever present people who continue to stereotype/bash us NASCAR fans and/or the drivers, teams, and sanctioning body. I wonder what some of the drivers would think if these people walked up to them and called them-
A) a no-talent silver spooned sissy
B) stupid white-trash racist redneck
or C (and the worst to me) RETARD

It hurts. Not only does it re-enforce the same tired-old stereotypes, but it insults me, the female, anime-loving, non-racist/god-fearing (I'm Neopagan), Aspergian race fan. It also paints my drivers (all of them, but mostly David Ragan) as people who hate people 'not like them' (i.e. white southern males). MY BABY DAVID IS NOT LIKE THIS and neither is ANYONE ELSE IN THIS SPORT! ('cause it is a sport) I could go into this subject, but I need to organize the info/negative comments I've found, and there are a lot of them.

David Ragan update- Oh, boy, it's been up and down. Two weeks ago, I began to call him out for performing crappy in Cup after doing good in NW. I mean, Cup drivers should not be in NW, as I have stated previously. So what does baby go and do? Win at Bristol in the NW car! I couldn't find fault in it 'cause I love him so much. Guess my love for David baby is stronger than my anti-Cup drivers in NW stance!

That's all for now! I (again) need to get my info/comments ready for that article on NASCAR bashing.

:)

Thursday 'racing action', Sailor Senshi, and The Truth.

As I sit here on a Thursday night watching Chowder, I think 'bout some things that have been on my mind. Not just 'bout racing, but other stuff I watch.

First, I have NO idea why they'd put anything NASCAR wise on a THURSDAY night. It's just weird, expecting to have to sit through a bunch of pointless-to-the-race-fan sessions on Friday and having it be divided on two weekdays. I'm okay with Fri-Sat, but Thurs-Fri is just wrong. We shouldn't have to gather 'round on a weeknight just to watch a qualifying session. Just a thought.

Death Reborn Revolution! I'm back watching Sailor Moon again. However this go-round, I have decided to watch the subtitled original version. Now I can't stand to watch the butchered dub. Ha, take that DIC and Cloverway!

Also staying up for The X Files again. Got a real treat Tuesday night/Wednesday morning when SF played two episodes. Now, they weren't the ones I thought they'd be, but I got to see how that arc came together finally. (The 2 were Duane Barry and Ascension.)

David Ragan update- He finished 13th at Daytona after going for a spin through the grass. Boy, was I yelling when that happened! 'Bout time for the Cup guys to qualify.

Again, on a Thursday, it's still weird.

Changing of the TV guard and the Summer of Racing.

June is upon us (Central FL thunderstorms and all), and that means a changing of the host broadcaster for the NASCAR Sprint Cup series, as TNT takes over for the departing FOX beginning this weekend at Pocono. This starts a six week run for the network untill ABC/ESPN takes over.

However, this brings up the following question-

Why the heck do we need four and a half hours for pre-race?

This includes SPEED Channel's hideously overrated debacle RaceDay, as well as TNT's NASCAR on TNT Live! (what's with the exclamation point?) and Countdown to Green (staple since the network's 2001 incarnation). This before-the-event marathon starts at 10 AM EDT on Sunday.

Ugh.

As I have learned from years of Daytona Speedweeks coverage, too much NASCAR gives me a headache. Not to mention I have to balance Cup with other series (Nationwide, Camping truck, IndyCar Series, NHRA, ARCA, Grand-Am Rolex, and Formula One). All this means is a summer full of diverse racing. I usually follow the trucks mostly, along with NW and ICS this time of year. (Nothing against 'baby'; David's NW influence is going to be slight this year). Good times anyway!

Big weekend- Pocono, Nashville, Texas, Istanbul, and wherever GAR is running (I forgot).

David Ragan update- Continues to not to as well as I want him to. And even in NW, an incident during Dover made me cry a bit and upset, as one of my fellows from one of the boards I frequent called him... a moron! (Boo! Why you no like 'baby', harvick29fan? Don't call him that, you've been on my bad side since Talladega).

I don't care for HATERS like that.

David 'baby' will be on For Race Fans Only tomorrow night, a great show on QVC I used to watch (until it went black on my tv). I hope to go out to the big one and see the Awesome, Talented, Smart, and Adorable One before the truck race. My brother has already agreed to let me.

Baby, baby, baby!!!!! I 'love' my cute, sweet Sugar Peach Baby!

To 'baby', the others I support, and to a great weekend!

A big race weekend.

Well, Memorial Day weekend is upon us! And that means LOTS of racing!

David 'baby' is running both NW and Sprint Cup races at Charlotte. I love watching him race no matter what, but I might not watch NW tomorrow night (SHRUBBA-DUBBA-DING-DONG, DAMN IT! He's RUINING this series). I still need to watch his latest video blog off of UPS Racing; what's not to like about seeing and hearing The Awesomley Great, Talented, and Sexy Raganator talk 'bout the upcoming race weekend. You know, I 'love' that boy!

IndyCar has their BIG race Sunday as well. Been following the qualifiying sessions via an online stream of their flagship station. Good stuff, really like the station's coverage. Hope my OW guys and gals do their best.

And last but not least, Formula One is racing in Monaco. I really need to get to bed to be up early for qualy, huh, did not realize how late is was again 'till just now. Heck, gotta support the Orlando Magic tonight!

-My baby, my baby;
Sweet sugar peach;
Brown is the color;
I love you, David Ragan!
Long to have you next to me; feel you inside...

To baby...

David, David, David. What is with you?

Every time I see you run, it all turns bad. This is not fair and it hurts.

I'll always stand by you, sugar peach, but I am saddened by all these bad runs. I know it's not your fault, but there is simply nothing I can do to stop feeling down.

I can't take all this anymore, but I'll love you forever!

-Stephanie

Standing by my driver (baby)

I can't stand it anymore!

I stick by David Ragan, but all these poor showings on the track have got to be too much. Bottom of the qualifying order, near the back in terms of practice speeds. Damn it, I want my baby to do well!! Poor finishes and bad performance is not helping me to cheer up either.

And I shouldn't let it get to me, but it does. Especially after everyone wrote that David may be the next first time winner, but I still don't see it. That's right, I don't. Never, never, never! Not in Cup, nor Nationwide, none.

At least the way things look now. And yet, I still 'love' the boy.

(and two more 'Logano episodes' this week don't help either. I wish it would stop. I 'love' David Ragan, he's 'baby'; not, not, not Joey Logano!!!)

Reflections of an off weekend #1- Tooth pain and slow Sundays

Okay, since there was no racing action (except for the NHRA GatorNationals, but I didn't watch); thus came a week of normalicy and immence boredom. I even stayed away from most of my NASCAR-related message boards and shows. (Like I wanted to stay up just for 'NASCAR Now'...)

I could have. I've been plagued with a toothache all week, and it's kept me up all hours of the night. (Not entirely bad; I finally got to watch an episode of The X Files I had been dying to watch on Thursday morning)

I hope this pain goes away before next week, I can't afford to miss the Formula One season opener on March 29.

(1:30 in the morning? Wait, might help my cause.)

David and Joey- Both my babies?!

It's just gotten to be too much lately.
I sure would like David to do well, but every time the team has a bad run, I'm disappointed. So much so, I think, 'he's [B]never[/B] going to win!'

And that's only part of the story. Another driver is starting to interrupt my fanhood for 'my baby'. That would be one Joey Logano, who drives the #20. I sometimes launch into these 'episodes' where I cannot stop staring at the kid. (It's that way for David, but I like it). It's uncontrollable, even when I am giggly for David baby. I'll see Joey (pics, the commercial, other interviews) and it starts. Even worse if the CT native smiles. It's a powerfully cute smile, like David baby.

But I do not love Joey like I do David baby! Or do I... gah, stop it!

Race day for Las Vegas- Drizzle, Pokemon, and a sniify nose

Just my luck this morning- allergies acting up again! I hate it.

Anyway , (un)happy race day. Why unhappy? Because I'm still upset about the Nationwide race. True, I am happy Greg Biffle won; but David baby did not do well. I nearly cried.

So today is another day of playing one of my Pokemon games and half paying attention to the race itself. Most likely I will be playing the TCG (Trading Card Game) on my emulator. Seems to give Matt Kenseth good luck!

Hope my cute, smart, polite little peach baby boy can win today!

Coverage- Las Vegas Friday

UPDATE- Nationwide coverage- All they did was talk 'bout the Cup boys! Unacceptable!

I hate being home, especially on Fridays. It is because there is nothing on during the day and I get stuck watching the practice sessions 'cause there ain't nothing else the hell on. But is it getting to be a bit too much. I think so.

Daytona is the epidimy of excess coverage; I got so burnt out on it, I actually did NOT watch the Duels! And it goes on every race weekend the Sprint Cup boys race; session to session; giving me a headache. By Sunday, I just want the race run, and the weekend over. Then four days of normality and then we do it all again the following Friday! On and on, for 36 weeks.

I try to watch every race, but my attention gets diluted between NASCAR and other racing series (Formula One, IndyCar, Grand-Am, and NHRA) as their seasons get going. It is quite difficult to balance, but I try my best. I am actually planning to get away from all the NASCAR coverage in April and May to focus on the IndyCar Series. (Taking nothing away from David Ragan, I'll still be there for my 'baby').

Ugh, the coverage has started. Here we go again!

Welcome to NTN!!!

Welcome to Not Typically NASCAR- my take on the sport I love!

I have been a fan since 1993 (though on and off, I shall admit due to circumstances to long to name now). I first started out with Mark Martin as my driver, left for boredom reasons, then came back when I noticed Kurt Busch, then bounced favorites; however I remained loyal to the Roush Fenway organization. My current 'number one' is David Ragan!

Also, I have had obsessive interest problems with drivers (still do. Guess with which driver!), but I have a disorder (Asperger's Syndrome, my family thinks) that may be the primary cause, so if I tend to go a little clingy with the certain driver, please don't call me out. It's not my fault!
(If anything, it's the driver's for being cute... hee hee!)

And I may go off topic... just a little head's up.

Look forward to sharing my opinions and hearing from my fellow NASCAR fans.

-Stephanie Martinez aka raganbaby_6
NTN administrator