How to Stay Hydrated at Summer Races

One week after a wedding I get sick.  And next weekend I'm moving.  REALLY hoping to get back to
a normal post-race schedule sometime this season!
We’re in the dog days of summer, when the temperatures are high and the on-track action is higher (well, except at Michigan). If you’re going to a race this summer it’s important to know how to stay hydrated—no one wants to watch victory lane interviews from a hospital bed. Here’s some handy tips:

—Drink water. It sounds simple, but this is by far the easiest way to avoid trouble. And no, despite the taste and consistency, Coors Light doesn’t count. 

—Don’t just gulp down what you’re drinking—savor it to cool down your body more efficiently.  Try to do one of those slow-motion drinks like in soda commercials.

—Pack some salty snacks to keep your thirst up. As a general rule, snacks should be as salty as a driver complaining about being blocked. 

—Take a break from the heat of the grandstands every once in a while—the only thing you’re likely to miss is another Denny Hamlin pit road penalty. 

—Sunblock is your friend, and it needs to be reapplied regularly—say, roughly once every time a Rick Ware Racing car gets lapped.

—If at all possible, attend a night race instead.  Besides, when it gets delayed by a rainstorm, at least you won’t have to miss work on Monday.  …….unless it rains again.


Spade Racing Picks: Uncle Max vs. Mystery Picker—Daytona


What is it about work that makes everything go wrong the week you get back from a vacation?  Not only do I have to deal with the normal stress of my job, but apparently the rumors about the store closing caused two other managers to leave in the past few days.  So guess what?  I’m backfilling their positions!
Yes, backfilling—all the extra work of a promotion without any of the prestige, advancement, or pay.  I’m doing the jobs of about three different people now and I’ve barely had any free time.  Figures as my lease is up on my townhouse—I renewed it just because the rent looked good and I don’t have time to look for a new place.  Here’s hoping that NEXT WEEK’S picks sees me a bit more relaxed.

CUP SERIES Coke Zero Sugar 400: Mystery Picker picks Kyle Larson.  Favorite (4 wins): Chase Elliott—maybe Chevy’s finally figured things out.  Next Favorite (1 win): Martin Truex Jr.—…or maybe they haven’t.  Dark Horse: Austin Dillon—this’ll give him the dreaded “Superspeedway Expert” tag.

XFINITY SERIES Circle K Firecracker 250 (6 wins): Chase Briscoe—a crapshoot of a race if there ever was one, so might as well go with a guy due for a win.


Opening a Sealed Box of 2019 Donruss Racing Cards PACK 14


Recently I got a sealed box of 2019 Donruss Racing Cards—24 packs, 8 cards per pack.  Join me as I go through the entire case, pack-by-pack, to see what awaited me. (Click any picture to enlarge)

PACK 14 OF 24: Action Packed, Pettys Stacked, and Harvick Attacked

OVERVIEW: One of the best sets so far (sans memorabilia cards) with a healthy mixture through the ages.  I have no idea why the “Father & Son” picture they chose uses Kyle Petty in his John Oates phase.

SPECIAL SPECIAL: While its cool that Kevin Harvick is considered a RACE KING by Donruss, maybe next time they choose a better photo than this one—it looks like the photographer jumped out in front of him without warning.

IN FOCUS: Jimmie Johnson as “The Man in Black”?  Ignoring the fact that he has NEVER been called that in his entire life, was this just a way to throw shade at a certain estate that refused to allow a certain other seven-time champ to appear on these cards?

SPOTLIGHT: Terry Labonte was a Retro Rated Rookie in 1979 narrowly missing out on the Rookie of the Year award to some guy named Earnhardt.  Even better, his haircut doubled as a crash helmet.

SCORE: 9 nicknames out of 10