RODRIGUEZ MUST GO!!! RODRIGUEZ MUST GO!!

KIRTHMON F. DOZIER/DFP
Penn State defensive lineman Jared Odrick sacks Michigan quarterback Nick Sheridan in the end zone for a safety.


UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Michigan Wolverines have been down before and they will surely rise again. Just not with head coach Rich Rodriguez. Come on now to lose to Toledo last week on a missed field goal was bad enough. But the pitiful performance by the Wolverines on Saturday only added insult to injury as the Wolverines were spanked by Big Ten rival and BCS darling Penn State (3) 46-17.

"Even though it's frustrating, we're going to drive ahead," Rodriguez said.

The way that this team wilted away in the second quarter, never challenging the Nittany Lions again, has become somewhat of a badge of shame. Many fans watching the game had to be wondering, just who were these guys impersonating the Wolverines.

The fat lady is already tuning up as Michigan athletic director Bill Martin gave the besieged Rodriguez the dreaded public vote of confidence earlier last week just six games into his Michigan coaching career.

But that was before the massacre on Saturday.

Michigan returns to Ann Arbor for a match up with in-state rival Michigan State at the Big House next Saturday (Oct. 25). The Wolverines and Spartans will battle for the Paul Bunyan Trophy in a 3:36 p.m. EDT. The game will be televised by ESPN on ABC.

ATTENTION DALLAS COWBOYS FANS...STEP AWAY FROM THE LEDGE!!

DALLAS, Texas - The October nightmare that is rapidly becoming the Dallas Cowboys 2008 season keeps getting more outlandish everyday. After suffering a gut wrenching 30-24 overtime defeat on Sunday to the Arizona Cardinals, the Cowboys learned that their fortunes on the had taken a significant turn for the worse. The past few years had been kind to the Cowboys injury-wise but the chickens have finally come home to roost.

The sky is falling! The sky is falling!

Yesterday, A*K*A Blue Monday, the Cowboys found out that they would be without the services of starting quarterback Tony Romo for a month with a displaced pinkie fracture on his throwing hand. Although Coach Phillips was not ready to concede that he would be without his starting quarterback that long.



"We don't know how long he'll be out," Phillips said. "It depends how fast that heals, but he did do it on his throwing hand at the end of the game and he obviously had trouble throwing the ball on the last series there in overtime. The next two passes he couldn't grip the ball. He had sprained his finger before (in his career) and he thought that's what it was.

"It's a fracture that needs to heal. I'd say week-to-week right now depending on how quickly he heals. Different people heal differently as far as those things are concerned." (truebluefanclub.com)

Next came the news that rookie running back sensation Felix Jones would be out for at least two weeks with a strained hamstring he suffered in the same game against the Cardinals. He is still pending the results of an MRI.

News that pro-bowl punter Matt McBriar had suffered a fractured bone in his kicking foot on the final play in overtime on Sunday came next. And by all accounts, it appeared that the apocalypse was starting in Big D. McBriar's injury will require surgery causing him to be placed on inactive reserve (IR) essentially ending his season.













ROAD TO THE SUPERBOWL DETOUR AHEAD

If there is anyone outside of the Cowboys locker room that still believes this team is Superbowl ready then they need their heads examined. But, since everyone has jumped off of the bandwagon, there should be plenty of room for the players and coaches to come together and save their season.

Greek philosopher Lucius Annaeus Seneca once said,"What you think of yourself is much more important than what others think of you."

Tony Romo specifically, has to stop reading the negative stories in the tabloids, newspapers and blog sites which had been largely "lovey dovey" with the guy for most of his short career but have now turned against him and his team. Instead of reading all of the gloom and doom predictions he and the rest of the Cowboys have to turn their entire focus to the real mission at hand, which is winning a Superbowl. It starts right here, and right now!!

#5 Longhorns stun #1 Oklahoma 45-35 GUESS WHAT? OU SUCKS!!!

DALLAS,Texas- The 103rd edition of the Red River Shootout was one for the ages. The annual Big 12 rivalry game had plenty of "pop" as the Texas Longhorns (5) dismissed the previously undefeated top-ranked Oklahoma Sooners (1), 45-35 before a capacity Cotton Bowl crowd.

Whoever nicknamed the game the Red River Shootout, sure knew something about these two teams. Oklahoma sophomore Sam Bradford, leads the explosive Oklahoma offense and Texas junior Colt McCoy leads the Longhorns offensive attack. Both of these players were on fire today as they combined to throw for over 664 yards. Their teams combined to score 80 points, the most points scored in the storied game's history.

The Sooners came out like pole cat struck by lighting in the first quarter. They effortlessly took the game's first possession down the field in just 8 plays. Bradford torched the Texas secondary on the opening drive, completing four of his first five passes. His passing accuracy accounted for all but one of the teams' first 65 yards gained on offense. The last five was a bullet to Manuel Johnson and the game's opening touchdown score.

The Longhorns could only muster a field goal on their first possession.

Both teams would trade punts for the remainder of the first quarter before Bradford and the Sooners got a drive going in waning seconds.

Bradford would hit Ryan Broyles for a short 8-yard touchdown score early in the second quarter to push the Sooner lead to 14-3. But before the Texas fans could get down Colt's roommate would show a little lightning of his own.

A weakness of the Oklahoma team all season has been their special teams play. Texas took quick advantage of their poor play as Texas wide receiver and kickoff specialist Jordan Shipley raced 96 yards for the score cutting into the Sooner lead 14-10. The Sooners were unshaken. Bradford marched them right down the field for another touchdown score. On a third and four play, Bradford found Jermaine Gresham for a 52-yard beautifully spiraled pass that hit him in stride. He galloped untouched for the score and a 21-10 Sooner lead.



Texas stormed back with its own quick score at the 10:25 mark of the second quarter. McCoy found Shipley in the end zone for the score which cut into the Sooner lead again, now 21-17. The Longhorn defense hurried and harassed Bradford on the next possession and he threw his only interception of the game. The Longhorns needed the benefit of a roughing the passer penalty to keep their drive alive before settling for another field goal. The raucous first half was finally over with the Sooners ahead 21-20.

Texas won the coin toss and deferred so they got the ball to start the second half. They would stumble out of the halftime gate going three and out quickly on their first possession. Oklahoma receiver Ryan Broyles setup the Sooners in excellent field position on the punt. He returned it punt 24 yards to the Longhorns 49 yard line. Bradford and company would do the rest. Two passes later they would be setup at the Texas 14 yard line and after two rare Bradford incompletions, the sophomore starter found Manual Johnson for another touchdown pass his fourth of the day.

Battling back Colt and the Longhorns put together a sustained 12-play 89-yard drive that ate up 6:12 off of the third quarter game clock. McCoy would find his roommate Shipley again for a 2-yard touchdown score helping the Longhorns keep pace at 27-28.


Right about here is where Texas coach Mack Brown proved that he has turned the corner against his coaching nemesis Bob Stoops of Oklahoma. Stoops had been waiting until just the right moment to try some trickery and Mack was ready this year. On 4th and 6 from the Oklahoma 48, the Sooners setup for the punt but decided to run a fake. Texas sniffed out the play and stopped punter Mike Knall one yard shy of the first down. With wind in their sails the Longhorns were on the cusp of taking their first lead of the game.

Penalties were definitely an Achilles' heel of the Sooners for most of the day. They were flagged a total of ten times for 73 yards. When they were flagged a second time for roughing the passer, the Texas momentum increased.

Driving to take the lead late in the third quarter Texas appeared to blink. McCoy threw an errant pass that looked like it was picked off by the Sooners in the end zone. But, thankfully for the Longhorns the review officials decided to take another look at the interception play. Upon further review they overturned the call on the field of an Oklahoma interception and Texas kicked their third field goal of the day to take the outright lead 30-28.

As the fourth quarter got under way, the Sooners were again moving the ball down the field with relative ease against the Longhorns' defense. On third and 14 from the Texas 40-yard line Bradford hit wide receiver Juaquin Iglesias for 26 yard gain to the Texas 14. He would finish off the drive on the next play with his fifth touchdown pass of the day, Sooners regain the lead 35-30. They wouldn't score again as Texas took complete command of the game afterwards.

The Longhorns would go on to score 15 unanswered points to secure the victory and knock the hated Sooners from the ranks of the unbeaten. The win was also Mack Brown's third victory over Stoops in the last four years. The undefeated Longhorns are now in a very envious position, as they have a serious eye towards the Big 12 and National Championships respectively.

HOOK 'EM HORNS!!!

Investor worries increase on Wall Street, Candidates scramble to show economic prowess to Main Street

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., right, and Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., shake hands before the start of the town hall-style presidential debate at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn., Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2008 (AP Photo/Jim Bourg, Pool)

As fears of a global recession continue to rock Wall Street and domestic worries about the economy grow, both candidates are now focused on the economy more and more on the campaign trail.

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama on Thursday said rival John McCain's mortgage rescue plan "punishes" taxpayers and rewards lending institutions that created the crisis, while McCain charged that his opponent's response showed a lack of concern for homeowners.

"He's opposed to us helping the homeowners of America," McCain said. "Do you want to help the homeowners of America, or do you want to help Wall Street? That's the question here." (washingtonpost.com)

Obama was steadfast in his disagreement of McCain's new 300 billion dollar plan for the government to buy up distressed home mortgages.

"Banks wouldn't take a loss, but taxpayers would take a loss," he said. "It's a plan that would guarantee that you, the American taxpayers, would lose by handing over $300 billion to underwrite the kind of greed and irresponsibility on Wall Street that got us into this mess." (washingtonpost.com)

Tuesday night's debate in Tennessee did little if anything to help bolster support for either campaign. Most analysts say that Sen. Obama actually won the debate but not by a wide enough margin to win the hearts and minds of those undecided voters. Hopefully, the final debate on domestic policy next week at Hofstra University, will provide a brighter glimpse of what the next presidential administration will be like for the next four years. With only 24 days left until we decide the presidency, regardless of which candidate actually wins the race for the White House, the current economic and domestic outlook may cause the winner to actually envy the loser.

Dodgers poised to keep the magic going against Phillies

LA Manny and Dodgers swept the Cubs right out of the playoffs into their caves for early hibernation last week. Now they face a young and hungry Phillies team that has a line-up stacked with lefties and power hitters from top to bottom. Manny's relationship with Phillies manager Charlie Manuel goes back to their days together in minors. They have continued a very close friendship over the years and share a mutual admiration of each other. Tonight they reunite in the 2008 National League Championship Series (NLCS) for the right to play in the World Series.

"He's an extraordinary talent," Manuel said. "And he loves to hit." (AP)

Manual and his pitching staff will be trying to throw everything including the kitchen sink at Ramirez and the Dodgers when the two teams face off in the NLCS.



The Phillies though find themselves in the NLCS this year after being swept last season by the Rockies in the National League Division Series (NLDS). They are focused and determined to perform better this time around.

"This team has a lot of heart," Myers said. "To be the first team to go this far since '93, it's huge. We're going to try to put '93 in the past. We're going to try to take it a little further and win this thing." (mlb.com)

The series definitely looks like a smash hit on paper but it will be up to the players to live up the moments. Getting the game 1 win is pivotal for both teams. History shows that the game 1 winner has gone on to win the series 13 of the last 14 years. The Cardinals beat the Astros in the NLCS opener in 2005 only to lose the series in six games.

Dallas gets ugly win, Bengals still looking for clues.

Dallas Cowboy receiver Patrick Crayton (84) celebrates after catching the game winning touchdown pass late in the fourth quarter.


IRVING- The Dallas Cowboys (4-1) were finally able to cage the feisty Cincinnati Bengals (0-5) and "ocho-stinko" 31-22, for a huge bounce back win at Texas Stadium helping them remain in striking distance of the NFC East.

Tony Romo and the Cowboys won't get much praise or style points for hard fought victory but they got the win and that's all that matters. For the eighth straight game the Dallas quarterback found a way to turn the ball over. The throw to Rookie linebacker Keith Rivers was actually a pretty athletic play by Rivers, nevertheless, it was still high and away from Romo's intended target . He was LUCKY this week it didn't cost the Cowboys the victory like it did against the SKINS.

Said Romo: "You don't get crowned champions for being the best-looking team right now . . . We know that you don't win it right now. You just continue to get better and keep stacking up wins."

RUNNING RETURNED...

Rookie running-back sensation, Felix Jones touched the ball again and guess what he can run like the win blows. His first quarter 33 yard gallop to the end zone was magnificent to watch and gutsy play call on 4th and 4. Instead of passing the ball to T.O. or Witten, Romo pitched the ball to Felix Jones on a sweep around the right end, he went bursting around the corner and high-stepped it into the end zone for a 33-yard score.



OFFENSE STILL WORKING OUT THE KINKS!!

T.O. had a pretty pedestrian game with only 2 catches for 67 yards and a TD. However his team player attitude were evident in his hustle plays in the running game and on his 57 yard scamper across the field to pad the Cowboys feeble lead in the fourth quarter. Those were his biggest contribution towards the win. Sure, he would like to catch more balls, what wide-receiver wouldn't? But, he really has shown me that he is focused now more than ever to win a championship. I'm glad that he hasn't fallen into the trap that the media has been trying to set for him especially former Cowboy star Emmitt Smith.



Although this win wasn't pretty, the 'Boys were able to keep pace with the Giants (4-0) and the Redskins (4-1) in the highly contested NFC East. They face a much improved Cardinals team next week on the road and I for one hope they bring their "A" game to Arizona.

Fall Festival Fun

DALLAS, Texas- The freshness of fall was in the air this past Saturday, at the All About Uptown Festival in historic Uptown Dallas. Presented by the Uptown Dallas Association (UDA), the event was a true celebration of art and living filled with great music, food and fun for entire family.


Dean Foods sponsored the Kid's Korner that had face painting, creative arts, crafts and a balloon artist to entertain the kiddos.


Meanwhile, the adults enjoyed the very relaxed and fun social scene like the one I found hanging around the Genghis Grill booth.


Even former Dallas Maverick basketball star DJ Mbenga was among the crowd of people enjoying the atmosphere at the festival.


I volunteered with American Film International of Dallas (AFI) as you can see my fellow volunteers were full of smiles as the day was full of cheer!


We handed out assorted goodies including a coloring sheets for the kids and information about the upcoming film festival March 26, - April 5 2009 next year. (For more information go to: http://www.afidallas.com)


A live band played a variety of hits from all genres of music as patrons gleefully strolled the boulevard soaking up the rich history and flavor of Uptown Dallas.


As we walked, Tanya and I came across a vintage antique shop called the Uncommon Market and wandered inside.

We were greeted by a robust array of antiques that filled the entire space. Classical paintings and 16th Century artistic works adorned the every inch of every room.

High vaulted ceilings with exquisitely carved moldings and uniquely crafted chandeliers delighted the eyes with a magnificent 360 degrees view.


We were given full access to the entire property and I captured the goldfish that swam in the pool that had been converted into an aquarium.


I sat down for a moment in the greenhouse to absorb some more of the history from the days of yesteryear when things were much slower.


Tanya and I walked arm in arm along the brick laid passageway and she graciously posed so that I could capture here classical beauty amiss all of the beautiful clay and ceramic flower stands that were scattered about the back yard of the estate.
My nephew Undray did not miss out on exploring the myriad of interesting pieces that were links to the past when there were no cell phones, microwaves and most shockingly no internet.
My son Reggie Jr, took a moment to have fun with his mom as he pretends to swat at her with one of the rowboat oars we found on display.
Reggie Jr. also spent a few moments reflecting by sitting at one of the old-world styled tables.


The day would not have been complete without a stunning little pup we met, named "Romo" after the Dallas Cowboys star quarterback. His sweet little eyes were so mesmerizing that I almost adopted him from the City Vet Pets R Uptown booth on the spot.

After hours of fun and artistic savor fare we prepared to bid Uptown Dallas good bye but first a trip to the restrooms....

Farewell for now Uptown Dallas but rest assured after the enormous amounts of fun we had at festival, my family and I will surely be back to visit real soon.




Photos by: Reggie "Lockdawg" Lockhart

REDSKINS SCALP 'BOYS 26-24, close out regular season rivalry at Texas Staduim

Wide receiver James Thrash #83 of the Washington Redskins celebrates his pass reception touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys in the second quarter at Texas Stadium on September 28, 2008 in Irving, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)


IRVING, Texas- The Washington Redskins eked out a solid victory 26-24, against the hated Dallas Cowboys in the final regular season game to be played in this heated rivalry at famed Texas Stadium.

The capacity crowd of over 61,000 was treated to a solid game defensively from Dallas but the their explosive offense was uncharacteristically sluggish and pedestrian scoring less than 27 points for the first time this season. Unfortunately, for Tony Romo seven was not a lucky number today, as he needlessly threw another interception. This time the faux pas came late in the second half with his team driving to take the lead. The turnover ultimately spelled doom for the Cowboys.

Dallas defensive coordinator Brian Stewart and secondary coach Dave Campo had no plan to stop Santana Moss as the Redskins receiver again torched the Dallas secondary for 145 yards. Jason Campbell also had a good game going 20-31 passing for 231 yards and two touchdowns while eluding pressure from the Dallas defensive ends.

However, in heroic fashion Romo would rally the Cowboys back in the final moments to get them within two points of the lead. But, after a failed onside kick attempt floated through the arms of Dallas receiver Sam Hurd on the ensuing kick off, the Redskins only had to assume the victory formation to secure the win as Dallas watched helplessly with no timeouts.

Now, what? Dropped from the ranks of the unbeaten Dallas (3-1) is left to ponder what they have to do to get their swagger back. Rebounding from a tough back of the alley loss in the NFC East is never easy. However, their upcoming schedule of Bengals, Cardinals, and Rams should allow them adequate time to correct their early season offensive mistakes before they face the defending Superbowl champion Giants in New York.

The Dallas Cowboys now have to find a way to re-invent themselves and get back on the right course quickly if they want to end their season in Tampa Bay hoisting the Lombardi trophy.

Dallas thrwarts valiant Eagles with another historic Monday night at Texas Stadium

IRVING, Texas - Whew! What a game! What a game! The Dallas Cowboys prevailed in an early season epic and proved to be tough enough to defeat a feisty Philadelphia Eagles team 41-37 in the 28th and final Monday night game played at Texas Stadium.

This was a game for the ages, that was electrifying from start to finish.


In his post game news conference, Dallas Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips rightfully praised Philadelphia's star quarterback Donovan McNabb. "If anybody thinks Donovan McNabb is too old or can't play anymore then they're absolutely wrong" said Phillips.

Donovan McNabb, now fully recovered from the injuries which plagued him the last two seasons, proved that he is back and better than ever Monday night. When this guy is healthy his value to the Eagles team, is immeasurable. He took on several rushes from the Cowboys defenders and broke tackles like a running back. He remained poised in the pocket and completed precision passes the entire game finishing 25/37 for 281 yards and a touchdown.

The Eagles started the scoring early, kicking a short field goal for 3-0 lead after a good drive stalled at the Dallas 16-yard line with an incompletion. Dallas then countered quickly on their first possession with a 72-yard bomb from Romo to a wide open Terrell Owens. Mr."Get ya popcorn ready" ran untouched past the Eagles secondary and Cris Carter in the record books, for second place all time in touchdown receptions with his 131st career touchdown. The catch was the longest of his career as a Cowboy and gave Dallas a quick 7-3 lead. The Dallas defense stiffened again on the next series, holding Philly to another a short field goal to push the game to 7-6.

Just as the first quarter was winding down, the capacity crowd at Texas Stadium was treated and delighted to a majestic kickoff return of 98 yards by rookie Felix Jones an 8 point lead for Dallas at 14- 6.

A weird sequence of miscues by Tony Romo would cost Dallas 14 points. First, after successfully avoiding a would be tackler, Tony Romo threw a very forgettable interception to Eagles cornerback Asanti Samuel. A phantom pass-interference penalty against Anthony Henry, moved the ball inside the Dallas 10 yard line and
the Eagles capitalized quickly. A short touchdown pass from McNabb to Brian Westbrook made it a 14-13 game.

On the ensuing kickoff, Dallas was hit with an illegal blocking penalty on the return and was backed up inside it's own five yard line. After taking the snap from center, Romo fumbled the hand off to Barber. The football rolled around in the Cowboys' end zone for an eternity before the Eagles recovered for the touchdown to take a surprising lead, 20-14.

Later in second quarter, Tony Romo shook off his earlier mistakes by leading Dallas on a long touchdown scoring drive of 56 yards. The short touchdown pass to Terrell Owens (132) helped the Cowboys retake the lead briefly, 21-20. Donovan McNabb refused let his team fall too far behind the Cowboys. Midway through the second quarter, McNabb avoided a furious Dallas rush and hit rookie wide receiver DeSean Jackson over the middle for a long 61-yard completion and a sure touchdown. Then unexpectedly before, Jackson could cross the goal line, he stupidly threw the ball away behind himself back into the field of play, in a pre-mature touchdown celebration. The play was ruled a touchdown on the field but Dallas smartly challenged. The Cowboys won the challenge because the ball never crossed the goal-line but since the Cowboys didn't pick up the ball, the referee awards the ball to the Eagles at the Dallas one yard line. Thankfully DeSeah, the Eagles score on the next play with short run by Brian Westbrook and they take reclaim the lead, 27-21. The Cowboys and Eagles would trade field goals to wrap up the quarter and end the second highest scoring first half in a Monday night game with a 30-24 score.

The second half stage was set for one of those epic NFC East battles, that hinged on which team blinked first after half-time. When the Dallas offense failed to sustain their opening drive of the half, the Dallas defense stepped up their game. The second half scheme shelved the Philly air and running attacks. The explosive Eagles had scored 24 points in the second quarter, was virtually silent in the third and fourth quarters only scoring seven points.

The Cowboys defense showed a lot moxie tonight. They took all of the Eagles' punches in the first half and then they delivered the final knockout in the second half with stiff hard -nosed championship style defense. They also forced a crucial fumble and turnover on downs to seal the victory. The superb Dallas defense took control of a game that had plenty of ebb and flow until to the end. The Cowboys' fumble recovery of Donovan's only miscue proved to be just what the doctor ordered. On a what looked like a botched reverse play, McNabb short-armed the hand off to Westbrook and Dallas recovered the ball. The late fumble cost the Eagles a sure three points which could have pushed their lead back to six points. Dallas had just cut their lead to only three points after long Nick Folk field goal. The turnover would lead to bruising one yard touchdown run by Marion "the Barbarian" Barber with 4:35 left to play. The pendulum had finally swung to the Cowboys favor, yet the game was far from over. Not until the Cowboys stopped a desperation hook and ladder attempt by the Eagles on 4th 17 with a 1:10 remaining did they have a chance to exhale. Tony Romo salted away clock by taking the victory formation two times. The Cowboys victory moves them to 2-0 on the young season.

Fans were treated to a truly spectacular game Monday night that many will remember for years to come. The win also allowed Dallas to remain even at 2-0 with the defending Superbowl champion New York Giants, in the NFC East division. If these two teams stay healthy, one can only imagine what the final game of the season between these two power houses will be like when they face off for the rematch in Philadelphia.


GO COWBOYS!!

Quest for Grand National Glory

SHAWANO, Wisc. - Cedar Hill's own Quinton "Q" Dawn will be racing in the ROTAX Grand Nationals this week (Sept 9th -13th). Determined to claim his place in victory lane, Quinton continues on the long journey that has led to this important race week. His inclusion in this highly competitive event was earned with tons of hard work, dedication and plenty of love and support from his father Jimmy Dawn Sr. This week is the biggest kart racing week of the season and one that has been Q's focused on for a long time.

The father and son recently shared some of their preparations for the race week and the 1150 mile trip from the Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) area to Wisconsin.

(Interview with Jimmy Dawn)
Q. Is Q, excited about Nationals?

A. Very. he is looking forward to this one more than all others in the past.

Q. What does he see as challenges as he goes into the race?

A. He's never raced there before and the biggest challenge will be getting the track down as fast as possible.

Q. Does he have any rivals going into the race?

A. There some racers that he competed with in the races to get to the nationals that he really wants to do well against.

Q. Can you describe what winning the Grand Nationals will mean to Q and his racing future in 10 words or less?

A. Well, winning the Grand Nationals gets your name out there on the national scene and will hopefully make names like Louis Hamilton notice you.





(Interview with Quinton Dawn)
Q. Are you excited about Grand Nationals?

A. Yes, I am very excited about this year's Grand Nationals, the track looks amazing and the competition will be fierce.

Q. What do you see as challenges as you go into the race?

A. The biggest challenges are getting the track down as fast as possible and then to working with the team fine tune the kart to get every ounce of speed out of it that we can.

Q. Who is your competition?

A. Mainly the large funded teams such as MRP BIREL, and SSC RACING. However there are also smaller teams which are always at 110% and up front as well.

Q. Do you have any rivals going into the race?

A. Yes, a few drivers in which I ran against to qualify for the Grand Nationals will also be there, it would be another achievement for me to finish ahead of my close competitors.

Q. Can you describe what winning the race will mean to you in 10 words or less?

A. ROTAX Immortality. A large step in forwarding my racing career.

Q. What goes into learning the track?

A. To begin, as a driver I must know the track details in and out before you even arrive to the track. This helps the process of learning the track go much faster and allows me to have more confidence when I’m in the drivers seat going around the track at high rates of speed. And it is also important to note any elevation changes the track contains, in order help predict “blind corners”. As I get the track down and gradually go faster I work closely with my dad and the team to help determine our situation as far as track setup.

Q. How long does it you to "get a track down" enough to not only race and place but win?

A. Once, I drive the track for the first time usually by the end of the first day of practice (about 2hrs), we should be close to almost going 100% and my knowledge of the track should be almost perfect. By the end of the second day we must be fine tuning the kart looking for those extra tenths of a second that can mean the difference between qualifying 1st or 15th. By day three it is simply “ALL OUT” try to go as fast as possible in order gauge yourself with the competition and to ensure you have the best possible setup for the upcoming qualifying session and races.

Q. Are there any new strategies that you guys are hoping to employ this year that you can share with fans?

A. At the race (and most races) fans can purchase “pit passes” which allows them to go directly into the pit lane with the drivers and teams competing. Many times people have simple questions or want to know bits of info about many aspects of karting world, and with this direct access to the teams and drivers it makes for a very interesting day (or weekend) at the track for the fans.

Q. Q, do you have any special rituals that you go through as you prepare for each race?

A. My rituals are just to simply relax and get my mind focused on the race (specifically, the start as it is the first and the most gut wrenching part of the entire race). Then I just close the visor on my helmet, have a quick prayer and wait for the signal to roll off the grid.

Q. What is your favorite soda?

A. About 95% of my time at the track I really prefer not to have any soda. My preferred drink at the track is Gatorade ™ (and sometimes energy drinks such as Red Bull ™ and Sobe Adrenaline Rush ™ and others) as it does the best job of keeping me hydrated not only while walking around in the heat but mostly while im working hard driving the kart with my driving suit, helmet, neck brace, shoes and gloves on.

Q. What's your favorite food?

A. For some reason (probably adrenaline) I don’t usually have any appetite at the track although sometimes I will have something small, such as bag of beef jerky. However when the day is over I like to hang out with my dad and fellow drivers and pig out. My favorite foods are the shrimp pasta (from Red Lobster ™) and beef enchiladas (from On the Border ™ Mexican restaurant).














The USA International Raceway is 30 feet wide and over a mile long, and the fifth-mile oval has 35 foot corners and a six foot elevation change from one side of the track to the other. The land where the track sits has gentle slopes and some severe elevation changes like a 20 foot and a 15 foot ravine, which should provide several challenges for all of the racers this week. The weather outlook is sunny and cool, with highs in the mid to lower 70's each day and only a slight chance for showers on Thursday and Saturday so the fans should see some fantastic races.

Good luck, Q! We are all pulling for you, back home in the DF-dub. Bring home the checkered flag!!