Submitted by NASCAR Ranting and Raving Blog

The number two series of NASCAR, currently sponsored by Busch Beer, will be sponsored next year by Nationwide Insurance.

I really happy that NASCAR found a sponsor for the series and I hope that they will turn that series into something better than what it currently is - what is it exactly? Is it a driver developmental series? Or how about a technological developmental series? Maybe it is a series for Cup guys to run in to earn a little extra spending cash. Who knows, there is a lack of definition there.

My problem with all of this is the fact that it is an Insurance Company that is the sponsor, they must have deep pockets to get that kind of cash to be a multi-year sponsor a racing series. Where did they get that money? From us, that’s where. I know, I know, Busch got their money from us as well, but that is different.

At the risk of sounding a bit socialist here, I feel that businesses like Insurance companies, as well as certain financial institutions, should not be allowed to make the money they make. As far as I’m concerned my auto insurance premiums are way too high, and I have never been in an at-fault accident, and in almost 25 years of driving I have only had 3 claims (all for about $1000) and have paid well over $30 000 in premiums. Instead of sponsoring a stock car series they should be lowering their premiums!

If I were with Nationwide I would be taking my business elsewhere and yet, here is the catcher, I’d still go to the races. I’m a fan, what else can I say?

Don’t even get me started on banks, they’re worse.
PS - I had a late lunch today.

Submitted by NASCAR Ranting and Raving Blog

Extremely busy yesterday, I’ll be posting sometime during lunch today. In the meantime, follow this link and enter the contest to get this awesome game!

If you are reading this after lunch from one of my news feeds then click on through to my site as they have not updated the feeds yet.

Take Care.

Submitted by NASCAR Eclectic

I enjoy sharing what I do in the world other than living and breathing NASCAR.
Below is a pic I posted in an earlier blog and I said I would follow up with progress photos.

The mason and excavator sub’s I use finally got it ready for framing. It’s a family room with a bump-out for a stairwell into the garage. That is a 12′ wide opening you see into the existing basement wall. We had to hire a specialist to cut through the 8″ thick concrete. It took him all of 3 hours and he charged $850.00. The new basement area will eventually be a home theater room.

That’s yours truly this past Monday standing atop of a wall like I have Spiderman powers!

A regular client of mine owns several old apt. buildings. Below is one she owns that was built in the 1850’s and was originally a mule barn for mules that pulled the log barges down a nearby canal that dumps into the Hudson River. It is now and has been for well over 50 years a 4 unit apt. house. The deck portion of the porch was nearly 75 years old and was very hazardous. It serves as a main entrance so I had a big challenge on my hands to remove it and rebuild it in one day. Success!! The 1st pic was taken at 8:30 am yesterday, the last at 5:30 pm. Nothing fancy, but certainly safe and sound.

This is the boss, “Chase”. She just turned 5 mos. and as you can see loves scrap lumber.

One note on NASCAR… I’m happy to know that “The Rock” has been purchased by someone with plans to revive it. Richard Childress was also a high bidder but former racer and driving school owner Andy Hillenburg now owns it at a bargain price of $4.4 million.