In my quest to continue to bring you the human side of the super stars of NASCAR, I wanted to share a couple of stories about Kurt from the Phoenix race weekend.   I know he got a lot of backlash after Martinsville for the radio exchange with The Captain.  When you ask his crew how they put up with it, over and over they say they all stand 100% behind him because they would much rather have a driver who is passionate and angry when the car isn't good than be complacent and accepting of a top 20 finish.  Make no mistake about it -- Kurt and the Brew Crew are in it to win it.

Some of you may have read the CNNSI article on Kurt last week where the author said that the chemistry on the Brew Crew was bad -- "I've seen more cheerful funerals" was the quote.    Not sure what was going on when he wrote this but those guys have some of the best chemistry in the garages - as evidenced by their ability to stick together through the rotten year they had last year.   The Brew Crew somber?   No way - not my guys! Maybe they were just sad I wasn't there yet! 

Our crew has some seasoned members - our new car chief was the car chief for most of Rusty's career, our new engineer, Dave, has been around the block and the rear-end mechanic, Steve is one of the elder statesmen in the garages.  True, they don't joke around like some of the young guys on other teams --the reporter compared them to the #48 team - but Johnson's team is hardly performing their best with three pit road errors on Saturday night alone.  I think that reporter needs to remember that "happy/joking" doesn't always equate to being focused or having good chemistry.

As for the rumor the CNNSI article put out there about other teams going after Kurt - yea, I've heard some rumors suggesting Kyle is trying to get his brother over to the Toyota camp.   But to Gibbs?  Really, you think Kyle and Kurt would want to compete with each other for top dog status and be around each other all the time?   No way -- another Toyota team maybe and there is only one that fits the bill (and it is not the 55 car.)  

Ok - onto some stories about Kurt from the Phoenix race weekend...

Kurt always goes to the media center for his NASCAR mandated interviews (most of the drivers make the media come to them and stand outside their haulers) so I followed Kurt in for his session on Friday afternoon before qualifying.   None of the media had any questions for him except for this female reporter (remember her she will come up again) who asked Kurt about In-N-Out Burger. 

Seemed like a pretty odd question and apparently by everyone's reaction she and Kurt had discussed this before.  Kurt reiterated his love of the Double Double with cheese, no tomato, no onion - which happens to be my fav burger there as well - and then went on to explain the secret menu to the media.   Clearly a slow news day and easy to see why some drivers go bonkers with some of the questions they are asked but Kurt took it in stride and got us all a little hungry in the process.   Word is he wouldn't mind having In-N-Out Burger on the quarter panel of the Blue Deuce but personally I think it would be a better sponsor for Smoke.

Shortly before qualifying, I found Kurt was in the Miller Lite garage - no, not checking on the car but cleaning it.  Billy (a championship winning IRL car chief in his own right) is the mechanic in charge of the interior of the car, the windows, and keeping Kurt's helmet clean.   Well, with the Arizona sun blinding many drivers, Kurt was out there showing Billy how to properly clean a window.   Not only was Kurt doing his best gas station attendant impression, he had the entire crew in stitches ripping on Billy.   Kurt took a good ten minutes to "properly" clean both sides of the windshield.  Then while instructing Billy on where to put the sun-blocking stickers they use, he decided the best bet would be to just stick one to the brim of his baseball hat and call it good.   People don't do this at funerals do they? 

After qualifying, Kurt was interviewed by "older than dirt" Dick Berggren for his third-place effort and prior to the start of the interview the two of them decided to exchange glasses.   Kurt did the entire interview dead pan wearing Dick's granny glasses perched on his nose while Dick was looking sporty in Kurt's wrap around mirrored glasses.   I kid because I care...but seriously, can you imagine JJ doing this?

On the warm up laps, not sure how many of you caught DW talking with Kurt?   Did you catch the exchange?  "Kurt this is DW - you got me?"   "10-4 DW dude..."   Funny!

Back in the media center after the race Kurt was talking about the book his mom got him a few years ago by Mark Martin called "Strength Training."

He was mid-sentence when that same female reporter interrupted him and asked very seriously for the name of the book again.   Kurt spoke nice and slow "Strength...Training" and Smoke, sitting next to Kurt, might have actually hurt himself with the eye roll he gave the woman and the two of them shared a laugh.   See they are Frenemies!

Finally, The Country Music Channel (CMT) has been airing "Cribs" this year featuring several NASCAR drivers.   Kurt taped an episode earlier this year and it is ready to air this week.    Look for the official premiere on Saturday, April 25th with repeats running for the next week.   Along with Kurt's crib, the episode will also feature Dale Earnhardt Jr's and Martin Truex, Jr's cribs.  Should be good, check it out!