HOT

1.  JImmie Johnson:  2nd championship in a row, was "THE MAN" start to finish in the chase.  He was a little to conservative for my taste all race long, but i guess i can't blame him.  But if it had been me i would have been driving hard for 5 in a row.

2.  Jeff Gordon:  Finished the season in 2nd place, looked like he was happy with second place right from the start of the race.  Jeff set a new record that is going to stand for awhile, 30 top ten finishes in one season.

3.  Matt Kenseth:  Matt won the race in grand finish, he had the best car all day long.  He drove start to finish his way, and a great end for the run of Kenseth and Rieser.

4.  Martin Truex Jr.:  Finished the race 6th this past week, should have taken 4 tires the last pit stop.  His team met all of their goals for this season.  I think he may be able to bring DEI back next year.

                                                                 VERY VERY HOT

1.  Fox (Nascar) Sports:  Steve and Jorge, THANK YOU, you guys gave me something to do to stay busy, and keep my mind occupied.  And you forced me to look beyond my favorite drivers.  Thanks a million.

2.  Fox nascar bloggers:  Thank you for your prayers and best wishes, you let me know i was not in this fight alone.  Positive or negative comments, I loved them all, they showed i was being read and causing you to think.

                                                                        NOT HOT

1.  Dale Jr. :  Commitment cone violation, wreck on the next restart.  Finally a horrible season is over.  Upward and onward to next year.

2.Homestead start time:  Start it earlier or start it later, somehow take the sun out of the mix in the race.  Glare from the sun caused at least 2 wrecks this past weekend.

3. Home Depot pit crew:  Looks like they have been taking lessons from the #8 pit crew.  They put a great driver in a bad position throughout the chase.  Hope they can improve by next season.

4.  ESPN broadcast crew:  Guys and gal there are 43 cars on the track and some of us want to know what is going on with the other cars, not just the no. 1 and 2 cars.  I know you can do a better job.

     During the waining moments of last weekend's race, as Matt screamed to a great finish and Jimmie cruised to his second championship, I came to realize that in their own way each of these drivers are hot.

     They have entertained us for 36 weeks, some have entertained us more then others, but they all did their very best.  Thanks guys, none of us can wait for the start of the 2008 season.

SOUTHERN CINDI 

                                                                          WHO'S HOT

 1.  Jimmie Johnson:  4 wins in a row and 10 for the season, no. 5 quite possible this weekend.  The championship is now his to lose, he is the master of his own fate.

2.  Matt Kenseth;  Continues to do his magic, he provided, with the help of Jimmie Johnson, the only real old time racing we saw this past weekend.  Once again this weekend he could have taken Johnson out but overcame the urge and raced clean to the end.

3. Greg Biffle;  Wow, where did he come from this weekend?  He ran good all race long but the last 30 laps he ran like he was shot out of a cannon.  Besides anyone who raises and rescues boxer dogs has to be a good guy.

4.  Tony Stewart:  He overcame starting back in the pack and his crew costing him 17 positions on pit row for a 4th place finish.  You can't expect to much more then that from any driver.  Told you last week he was coming back, but Tony you guys got to find some better glue for those lug nuts.

5.  Jeff Gordon:  The last 2 weeks his car has been very sub-standard, but he has made the very best of it that he could.  He held his cool and his line last weekend through some real bump and grind racing with a lousy handling car.

                                                                        WHO'S NOT

1.  David Regan:  Keep the car on the ground David, it runs much better when the tires are in contact with the pavement.

2.  Dale Jr.:  Jr. should just skip next weekend and go fishing, then get on with moving over and getting started with the crew at Hendrick Motors.  9 DNF'S this season makes for a nightmare that will haunt him for quite awhile.

3.  Carl Edwards:  Started out the day great, won the pole and lead the first 87 laps, then things went to pot in a hand basket.  Best he can hope for now is a good run next week to lead into next season.

4.  Jeff Gordon Diaper Commericial:  This commericial is terrible, it is demeaning and well below what should be even average advertising standards, we only had to watch it once this past weekend, but that was once to often.  Surely they can come up with a better way to advertise their product.

5.  Kasey Kane:  Bad cars and bad luck have lead to an all round bad year.  In the "TOP DRIVER DNF CONTEST"   I think he comes in second  with 6.  Good luck next year with your new sponsor, can't quite see Kasey as the Bud Man, but we will see. 

                                                                       WHO'S HOT

1.  Tony Stewart:  Started 17th and finished 11th, not an excellent finish, but considering the last couple of weeks, and being involved in a mini-pile up and a couple of near misses, it was pretty darn good.  He might be down, but he's comin' back.

2.  Kasey Kane:  Same flat tire as Stremme, but unlike Stremme, he got all the way to the bottom, very little car damage, no wreck, no cars taken out, and no caution.

3.  Kevin Harvick:  Not real fast all day, but revealed better driving skills then i realized that he had, as he held on as Tony pounded on his rear end and dodged a couple of real smoky wrecks.

4.  Matt Kenseth:  Love seeing Matt back to driving his way and in his style.  He finished second, he could have flinched and taken Jimmie Johnson out and won the race.  But stayed true to his nature and stayed clean to the end.

5.  Jimmie JOhnson:  He has 3 wins in a row and  9 this season, Man, I hate to even think this, much less put it on paper, but he deserves the CHAMPIONSHIP and every thing that goes with it.  Right now the Lowe's team is the perfect example of the "TOTAL TEAM".

                                                                  WHO'S NOT

1.  Ganassi Racing:  They lost 2 of their 3 cars due to wrecks before half of the race was run, Montoya looked to be just riding around the track, not a very good weekend for this organization.

2.  David Stremme:  David, when you know you have a tire going down, get all the way to the bottom of the track, that mistake took out 2 veteran drivers, Kyle Petty and Bill Elliott, not real cool driving.

3.  Jeff Burton:  Brought out 2 cautions early in the race due to his car falling apart.  Jeff get your car taped back together then run your race, it works better that way for everyone.  Nice attempt at the chase but out early again this year.

4.  Carl Edwards:  Congratulations on the Busch Championship, but it looked like your cup team was resting on their laurels.  How in the world do you twist a chain that is only 4 links long and has that much weight on it, not much went right on Sunday for Carl in "Big D" this weekend.

5.  Jeff Gordon:  He slipped to second in the Chase and the car may not have been just right all day, but there was just a little to much whine in the explanation.  Also his well wishes to Jimmie Johnson seemed just a little strained also.

  WHO'S HOT; 1.   Jimmie Johnson:  Won the race for the 2nd week in a row.  The uncanny ability of his team to have things right when it counts is what keeps him HOT.  Jimmie will donate last weeks winnings to The American Red Cross for the fire victims in California, HMS and LOWE'S will match that donation.

2.  Jeff Gordon:  Held the lead by the skin of his teeth, he drove smart till it was time to go.  A 7th place finish is not super but was good enough to continue to control the chase.

3.  Matt Kenseth:  Raced from 42nd to 4th, not a bad day at all.  He seems to have gone back to the style of driving that got him to the chase in the first place.  Looked like all the problems and media focus last week was put behind him.

4.  Martin Truex Jr. : Great recovery from last week, he lead the most laps and was the car to beat until the next to the last restart.  Foolishness on the part of others can not be laid at Martin's door step.

5.  Dale Earnhardt Jr. :  Proved again what a driver can do with a fire in his belly, Don't doubt that he would have won the race until the Halloween gremlins struck on the final restart.  But al least the motor didn't blow up this week.

WHO'S NOT:  1.  Busch Brothers:  Pit problems killed both of them this week.  I'm not sure how to practice choke situations, but their pit crews need to find out.  Without problems they might just have finished 1st and 2nd.

2.  Juan Montoya :  Blew 2 tires in a very short time early in the race , then sort of rode to a 34th place finish.  Another performance like this and the "Rookie Of The Year" award may not be a sure thing.

3.  Denny Hamlin :  Worst move of the day.  If all the other teams needed fuel, what made him think that he didn't.  Denny wake up and smell the gas fumes.

4.  David Gilliland : Hit the wall took out Mark Martin and when home.  NOt much to show for all the money spent.  Denny slow down tilll you learn what your doing.

5.  DEI Organization :  How about this a two time NOT winner.  They have managed something that no one would be proud of.  They have enabled their Flag Ship driver to not finish a little over 1/4 of the races that he has entered this year.

                                                                         WHO'S HOT:

1. Jeff Gordon:  First in the standings, stayed calm as an early morning pond and          smooth as glass after pit problems twice.  Lead the most laps again at Martinsville   again, has lead over 2300 laps there in his career.

2.  Jimmie Johnson:  Won the race.  He showed that he is not standing in anyone's shadow, proving that Jeff isn't the only big dog at Hendrix.  And now causing Rick Hendrix to have to pick his words of praise very carefully.

3.  Ryan Newman:  Excellent recovery from last week.  He put an embarassment behind him and had a great race this past weekend.  I think he will get a win before the season is over.

4.  Clint Bowyer:  Excellent driving ability overcame a less the well set-up car, he continues to live the impossible dream.  Maybe he is to young to know he isn't suppose to do this well.

5.  Tony Stewart:  Man enough to admit he can't win the championship by himself, said if he didn't get help it won't happen.  Great angry management on a race day where nothing went right.

6.  Dale Jr.:  He is still driving as hard as his car will allow for a company that hasn't cared all season.  He has to be wishing this season was already over.

                                                                   Who's Not

1.  DEI Organization:  Can't they build a car that will go "ALL OUT" through an entire race just once this season.

2.  Kurt Busch:  He continues to be his own worst enemy, dropped 3 spots this past weekend and there isn't much farther to fall.

3.  Martin Truex Jr.:  Way to many uncalled for contacts this past weekend.  He looked like a graduate of the Kyle Busch School of Driving.  His driving had negative influence on both Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards.  He ran into everything at the track except the concession stand.

4.  Robby Gordon:  Brought out the first of a record number of cautions.  He continues to go backwards.  The second best example that in this day and age that you can't be the owner and the driver.

5.  Dupont Pit Crew:  A loose lug nut and a dropped catch can could have just as easily resulted in a 30th place finish rather then a 3rd place finish.  Multi-tasking isn't always a good thing