The NFL regular season is over, college football has wrapped up tonight, and I spent eight hours yesterday watching a NASCAR Daytona 500 commercial every five minutes on FOX.
This, folks, is when you know racing season is almost here.
But, of course, not here yet. We still have a few Mixed drink remaining out of season (Shout out to all those Dry January braves this month.) So we’ll keep scraping the bottom of the keg until our nails turn to dust!
And by the bottom of the keg I mean… Ryan Newman?
Ryan Newman!
The Ol’ Rocket Man himself trended pretty big last Monday for the wrong β but also right β reasons, so we’ll get to him in a moment.
We’ll also be talking Mother Nature starting in 2023 with BANG at JR Motorsports, Tyler Reddick and his girl checking out the Broncos’ season finale, Daniel Suarez celebrating a birthday, and yes, the Chili Bowl!
Four Tires and Two Scuff Goodyears (we’re not wasting sticker tires today), Monday Morning Pit-Stop – “For the love of God, is this season over yet?” Edition – is GO!
Damar Hamlin’s collapse invalidates Ryan Newman’s NASCAR memories
I hate to do this, because, yeah, I’ll admit I’m tired of this story at this point.
But, this is the first time we’ve spoken since the cardiac arrest that Damar Hamlin suffered last Monday night during the Bills-Bengals game, so I have to at least touch on it.
One of the first things I thought about as it happened was Ryan Newmanβs horrific crash in the 2020 Daytona 500. I was on the track that day, and everything I saw Monday night was eerily similar.
The FOX broadcast, like the ESPN broadcast, had no idea what to do. They didn’t show us Newman, and ESPN–and couldn’t–show us Hamlin. That’s when I knew something was wrong.
It took what seemed like forever to cut Newman out of his car, get him into the ambulance and across the street to the hospital. Then I waited days for answers. At one point, let’s be honest here, you thought he was gone.
I don’t remember a moment during a sporting event when these thoughts entered my mind until Damar Hamlin fell last week. Apparently, I was not alone.
Like I said earlier, Newman takes to Twitter almost immediately.
Newman survived, and so did Hamlin. Thank God for both.
Let’s not Cut it off with this closure again.
Lightning strikes Dale Earnhardt Jr. NASCAR team
Well, now that the dangerous stuff is out of the way, let’s talk lightning!
How about that video that has now gone viral hitting JR Motorsports’ truck (Dale Jr.’s Xfinity Team) car park.
yuza. Growing up in Florida, you were taught to be afraid of lightning. There are just a few things you don’t mess with, and lightning is near the top of the list.
If there was the slightest thunder in the sky, my wife wouldn’t come out. I will not do that. The sky could be completely clear with one small dark cloud, and we’d sit inside for an hour until it cleared up.
We can do alligators, leopards, snakes and sharks here, but not lightning. This is where we draw the line.
And honestly, can you blame us? Look at these videos! Want that hole through you trying to walk the dog? I do not think so.
We’ve come to the Chili Bowl part of the offseason
Ah yes, it’s finally Chili Bowl week. The annual week that largely marks the end of the season and the beginning of the motorsports year.
The week-long midget car event in Tulsa has over 370 entries this year, including a couple of NASCAR guys. Shockingly, no Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell -Two Chili Bowl vets – are battling it out, but Alex Bowman and Chase Briscoe give it a try.
Other names you may recognize include JJ Yeley, Josh Bilicki, and Carson Hocevar (Trucks).
Oh yeah, former Oklahoma Sooners cheerleader Taylor Reimer, who made midget car history last year when she became the first female driver to win a national midget race, will also be in the field after finishing 11th last year.
Boomer sooner!
Tyler Reddick takes on the terrible Bronco persona, Russell Wilson
A couple of quick notes on our way out…
Weeks after Ross Chastain was on the Chargers field Game with Miss North CarolinaTyler Reddick and his girlfriend (wife? I don’t know!) Alexa De Leon found themselves on the sidelines at another Chargers game – this time in Denver.
I can’t imagine spending a Sunday watching Russell Wilson, but hey, to each and every one of us.
Anyway, Riddick was clearly there for the football, while his wife was just trying to catch a sneak peak in Wilson’s wife, Ciara.
Fun fact, by the way, on these two birds. Apparently, they had a deal in place in 2019 that Tyler could name their first child if he won the Xfinity Championship, which he did.
Born the following January, Baby Beau Reddick is totally a STUD. What a damn name.
Daniel Suarez turned 31 at the end of the week
Finally, we can’t get out of here without wishing NASCAR’s favorite amigo, Daniel Suarez, a happy 31st birthday.
It’s been a massive season for Suarez, who got engaged to Julia Pique in November, Engaged with Ross Chastain in Decemberand attended Bubba Wallace’s star-studded New Year’s Eve wedding.
Have a damn vacation, Danny!
Well, that’s all I have for today. I feel like we did our best due to the fact that literally nothing happens.
Hold your claps!
Anyway, we’re just here, ladies and gentlemen. The Rolex is two weeks away, followed by the Busch Light (yum) Clash in California (ew) and something called the Daytona 500.
Take us home, Larry!