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DRIVER ZONE:
Overall Rank: 153
Overall Score: 17 points
URL: /fasttrack
Member since: 08/03/2007
Number of hits: 6570
Gender: Male
Location: Costa Mesa, CA
Quote/Motto: "I imagine the cars spinning out enough power to roll the very earth beneath them, the whole happy planet turning and spun through space by these 43 cars. Cars orbiting the track, Earth orbiting the sun, wheels inside wheels inside wheels". - Jeff MacGregor "Sunday Money"
Favorite Driver: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Driver I won't be sending a Christmas card:
Kyle Busch
Who Am I:
50 something, single. Work for a commercial real estate brokerage firm. Share my home with 2 cats, my Abyssinian (Zhaan) and a Somali (Rua). Enjoy watching NFL Football, (Go Packers!) NASCAR, LA Kings hockey, listening to my iPod, playing online games.
Favorite Track:
Bristol Motor Speedway
Favorite Racing Moment:
Dale Sr. winning the Daytona 500
How I discovered Rowdy, and why I Listen:
Found Rowdy at iTunes. Now I download it onto my iPod and listen everyday. Impressed with how well done the podcast is. Bass, Buck and Cutler make me laugh and I enjoy Rick Mast, Mark Garrow and David Poole.
Why I'm a race fan:
Used to watch occasionally...tried to always catch the Daytona 500. When I got my HDTV my friend Dan got me into it. The only sport I watched regularly was Pro Football. Now I have a sport to watch when football ends. I am addicted to it now.
What car/truck I drive now:
1996 Ford Contour.
My dream car:
Maserati Gran Turismo or Corvette Z06
Favorite Music:
Jazz faves: Miles, Monk, Pat Metheny, John Scofield, Eliane Elias, Allan Holdsworth, Karryn Allison, Kurt Elling. Rock faves: Hendrix, Pink Floyd, Steely Dan, Foo Fighters, NIN, Coldplay, Matchbox 20, Linkin Park, Elvis Costello, 3 Doors Down, Nirvana.
Favorite Movies:
Like lots of stuff. Have over 300 DVDs. Love Tarantino, Coen Brothers, Frank Miller's Sin City and 300, Lord of the Rings, Lost In Translation. Also like anime (Samurai Champloo, Cowboy Bebop, Fullmetal Alchemist) I appreciate good filmmaking.
Favorite TV Shows:
Alltime favorite: Deadwood. Also loved The Wire, Sopranos, Entourage, Firefly, Farscape, Deadliest Catch & American Chopper.
Favorite Books:
Gates of Fire, Seabiscuit, Driver #8, When Pride Still Mattered, Favre, A Walk In The Woods, Quiet Strength, One Helluva Ride
Interests:
Football, Fantasy Football, NASCAR, music, good films, online games, interesting people.
Dislikes:
People who are rude, selfish or think they are better than everyone else.
Hobbies:
Collecting DVDs, Nascar swag, especially diecasts, Listening to good music.
Vices:
Cold beer, good wine and an occassional cigar.
Virtues:
I am trustworthy and people can count on me. I am a nice guy, which can be a liability when people take advantage of me.
Heroes:
Vince Lombardi, Dale Earnhardt, Brett Favre, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kelly Earnhardt Elledge, Barry Sanders, Walter Payton, LaDainian Tomlinson
Max's PHOTOS:
Riding with Junior!
If you took part in the ride with Junior promotion, you can go over to www.ampenergy.com website, type in your email address and find out where your name is on the car among the other 69,999 names. Mine is on the roof on the driver's side on the white area in front of the number. I would like to hear from those in Rowdy Nation who made the car. Please post here where your name is. Now if Junior can get the win Sunday, that would make it all the more special!
Jeff Gordon/Dupont 24 unveiling
Jeff Gordon and Dupont will be unveiling the new paint scheme for the 2009 season tomorrow, Oct. 2nd at 7:00 am on the Today Show on NBC. I first heard about the new paint scheme when Jeff was a guest on QVC's "For Race Fans Only" show with Dan Hughes. All he said was that it would be unveiled soon and it is much different from his current paint scheme and he worked with Nascar artist Sam Bass to create the "new look". I also heard a "rumor" that the base color of the car will be black. We shall see if the rumor is true tomorrow. "The primary scheme seemingly changes whenever there's a new occupant in The White House. Gordon raced the rainbow-themed DuPont Chevrolet from 1993-2000 while Bill Clinton occupied the highest office in the land. Gordon experienced his greatest career success in the rainbow car. In 2001, he changed to the fire and flames scheme and raced that for the next 8 years while George Bush ran the country. And now, the third -- and likely, final -- incarnation of the DuPoint paint scheme will be raced in 2009 and beyond". Tune in and check it out! I am anxious to see it!
Menard to Yates Racing
Word is out that Paul Menard is leaving DEI at the end of this season and moving to Yates Racing. This has to be a blow to DEI since Menard will be taking his Dad's sponsorship to Yates. This leaves DEI with only one real sponsor (Bass Pro Shops), since the US ARMY will be dropping their sponsorship of the 8 car and Regan Smith has been running with a part-time sponsor in Principal Financial Group for the 01. This is putting DEI in a bad spot, I hope they can rustle up some new sponsors before the '09 season starts. Did I actually just out-scoop Don Runkle?
My First Win in NASRAC!
One of our Rowdy members (Minnelli), has created a NASCAR racing sim at http://nasrac.com which I have been taking part in playing the beta version. It is not a graphic based sim (ala NASCAR 09) but text based. You can run a whole 36 race season and basically you get 8 practice laps for each race to tweak the settings on your car (11 different areas) to try to get them as perfect as possible. Once you have run the 8 practice laps you go to qualifying. You can make final tweaks before you run your qualifying lap. Once you have qualified you go to strategy sessions where you can make a final tweak to your settings, choose risk settings for pit strategies, in-race adjustments, fuel and tires. Each evening, the race is run and the results posted.
As far as I know, Cutler and I are the only Rowdy folks playing right now. Minnelli is looking to get more Rowdy members over there to try out his game. So if you want to check it out, head on over and register. Minelli asked that if you do want to play, change your car sponsor to Rowdy.com so he will be able to see how many of us are actually racing over there.
I am proud to say I got my first win last night, coincidentally at the Pepsi 500 at Auto Club Speedway. I was in 4th position qualifying and led 111 laps of 250 in my #138 Rowdy.com Chevy. Not Jimmie Johnson...but I'll take it. Cutler finished 11th in his #137 Rowdy.com Dodge. We are both competing in Group A2. Tonight we'll be running the Chevy Rock n Roll 400 at Richmond. NASRAC (stands for North American Stockcar Racing Analytics Competition) wants you! Head over and take a look at it.
http://nasrac.com
Photos from Fontana
Taken Friday at practice/qualifying. Enjoy!
My man Brad Keselowski (Nationwide practice)
Grats to Brad Keselowski!
Brad Keselowski started in 37th position and took the win in the Bristol Nationwide race. The 88 Navy car was in 2nd place behind Clint Bowyer when Clint got loose and Brad took advantage of the opportunity with about 24 laps left to go. This is Brad's second win this season and puts him in second place for the championship behind Clint Bowyer. With his owner Dale Jr. starting in 40th for tomorrow's Cup race, maybe this will give Junior a little inspiration.
Scoop on the "Ride With Dale Jr." paint scheme
I have been sort of anxious to see the paint scheme for the Amp "Ride With Dale Jr." car that he is driving at the Oct. 5th Talladega race. I signed up to get my name on the car on the first day Junior announced it in a press conference. If you haven't heard about it, the first 70,000 names that signed up get on the car.
They haven't "officially" unveiled it yet so there are no photos of it available, but thanks to QVC's "For Race Fans Only" show, I am able to describe it for you. On their August 1st show they were offering a pre-order of the die-cast for the car, but they had a black car cover on the diecast prototype. They said they weren't authorized to show it yet, but somehow they managed to get ahold of the hood of the car itself, which they had hanging on the set. The hood was white, with the Amp logo in green. It looked like a white hood but when they zoomed in on it, you could see the names appear in a subtle gray font. Dan Hughes' guest, "Dr. Diecast" said that the names are in a 12 pt. font. I was actually able to read the names when they zoomed in, but mine wasn't in the sections they showed. Amazing the amount of names that were just in a small area...it's pretty cool!
On the August 15th show they were able to show the prototype of the diecast. It is a reverse of the regular Amp car. The hood, front fenders and roof are white. The sides of the car and rear deck lid are green. White "88" on the sides of the car, and the "88" in red on the roof. Of course the names would be too small to read on the diecast, but when they zoomed in on it, it kind of looks like a gray pinstriping. They said the names are on the entire car (green areas and white) but not where the numbers are. For the diecast, they said a list of the names on the car will be included. For the actual car, they will send out an email to all the folks who are on the car a couple weeks before the race.
And yes....I pre-ordered the diecast! ;) I am looking forward to seeing it on the track.
Schedule Changes for 2009
Mark Garrow mentioned on the podcast yesterday that NASCAR was considering changes to the schedule next year which would move the Atlanta fall race to Labor Day weekend, the Talladega fall race to Atlanta's spot, and Fontana's race moved to Talladega's spot in October. I think that would be awesome for us Cali fans since Fontana is ungodly hot on Labor Day weekend. October would be much better temperature-wise and would also make Auto Club Speedway a "Chase" track. After the 115 degree temperatures at last year's Labor Day race, I think it would be a smart move on NASCAR's part, and I am sure the driver's would appreciate it too, as hot as the new car gets in 100 degree heat. I hope the rumor is true!
Wider tire for the COT
On yesterday's podcast Dennis Michelson made a good point about making a wider tire for the COT (or a TOT as Cutler called it, LOL) to help with the handling and tire wear. Ray Evernham brought up the same point on Nascar Now on ESPN. He basically said that NASCAR has restrictions on the dimensions of the tires and that they need to give Goodyear a little bit bigger box to work in concerning the tire dimensions. I really think making a little wider tire will be a good start in helping to stabilize the handling of the car as well as wear issues. Changing compounds is not enough. NASCAR should loosen the restrictions a bit.
Shake, Rattle and Roll!!!
I just got a hell of a ride sitting in my office! Just had a 5.8 magnitude earthquake with epicenter near Chino Hills, CA. Felt it pretty strong here in Newport Beach and it got stronger as it went. Felt a couple aftershocks as well. Rockin, rollin' and gettin' Rowdy in Cali.
MAX'S SHOUT BOX
10/13/2008 I know, move your office into the living room! Haha! Was great chatting with you!
10/10/2008 I love that song, Max! It is so warm, sensual, sexy, and emotional.
10/10/2008 Only a couple of die hard Packers dorks like you and me would know Brett birthday. :)
Game Challenges
Now you can match your score against other players and see how you stack up! Simply find a friend, issue your challenge and play your best. Good luck, and we hope you make some new friends!
CHALLENGE ANYONE, ANYTIME!
