Hey Chowd, so you're going to the big game on Sunday. Here's a handy checklist of wicked awesome gear you need to be rockin.

Pat's hooded sweatshirt. Sleeves optional.

Red Sox cap. The one Grandma bought you in sixth grade.

Bruschi jersey. The one Grandma gave you for graduation. High school graduation.

Condom (still unused since high school). In case your sister gets lucky.

Peppermint schnapps. You know, like on SNL.

That should be everything you need in the bar where you'll be watching the game. Fellow NFL fans, did I leave anything out?

Don't know if this info has been posted in the past or not. There is a new race series starting this year. Old time NASCAR drivers will be competing in stock cars painted in the schemes they made famous.

Among the dozens already on board are...David Pearson (the greatest ever), Harry Gant, Charlie Glotzback, and Dick Trickle.

Go to the site below for schedules and other info.

osrct.com

A fellow blogger recently asked why people like NASCAR.  The best advice, from many, was for him to attend a NASCAR race. So, here are some helpful tips for those of you going to your first race.

MOTELS.........reservations are needed. A lot of NASCAR tracks are in the middle of nowhere, and you will pay a premium for a room. Camping is an option.

TICKETS..........NASCAR isn't selling out tracks like they used to. Good tickets are available on the day of the race, except for Bristol. If need be you can get tickets from a scalper at, or below face value.

PARKING........Pay someone to park in their yard, or a small lot. When the race is over 100,000+ fans will be trying to leave at the same time. A parking lot with 25 cars in it is faster to empty than one with 2,500.

GEAR...............The most important item to bring is a scanner. You can rent or borrow one for your first race. Then listen to the drivers talking trash and strategy. Binoculars come in handy for checking out all the groupies in the pits. Where else but NASCAR do they let you bring in a cooler with your own food and beverages, and I'm talkin' adult beverages.

Have fun.

Let me begin by saying that I'm not a hater, just a realist. Jr. is being set up to fail at Hendrick until he toes the company line. Sure, he'll win some races, but not a championship until he does one thing. That shade tree mechanic cousin/crewchief of his has to go. Hendrick's other crewchiefs are college educated engineers. Do you think they're going to let some good old country boy come in and show them up? Not that he could anyway.

It's a great story that Lil E has his cousin, Tony Eury, as his crewchief. But their downfall will be Tony's pride and ego which are both a good thing, but he thinks he doesn't need help from the other Hendrick teams even though they are the ones winning championships. Sadly, the sport has passed men like Tony by. Gone are the days when some guys could sit around a cooler of beer and come up with ideas to go faster. Those college boys have been using computers for a while now.