Cue the Circus Music ... One Last Time

I was standing in the middle of the Hy-Vee grocery store near pressdog WORLD headquarters tonight when I thought ..."Geez, I still have to do race notes" and then sighed a sigh that's usually connected with having to get your tires rotated or keeping a dental appointment or spending a weekend with your politically opposite relatives.

And it shocked me ... but not really. Because I knew, standing there by the asparagus, the notes were fini.

When I founded this blog in May 2005 I said "I'll do it as long as it remains fun."

For reasons that have much more to do more with changes in me than in IndyCar -- reasons that would be completely self-indulgent to get into here -- I've reached the point where race notes are more drudgery than delight.

For about a year or so now, cranking out the notes hasn't been noticeably fun and has burned a lot of creative fuel that I could and should have put into my day job.

PLUS after eight years in the arena, I find myself looking for a seat in the gallery, removed from the More Serious Than Cancer debate over the state of health of this, that or the other connected to racing in general and IndyCar in particular.

And so ... adieu from the circus clowns who glide gracefully into retirement ... after banging each other on the head with rubber chickens. pressdog.com will continue, I think, perhaps with interviews and maybe Uncle pressdog postings. I am honestly not sure what's next. But for now, a hiatus.

The knowledge that least a few people enjoyed my race notes is a big big part of what kept them going this long. I sincerely thank you for eight years of warm fuzzies that came from that, and your kind and insightful comments that more often than not made me say "that's a good point."

So, one last time, Cue the circus music.

Comments

[Jp]

Yeah,good luck with not giving us your opinion.
Jp

[Roy Hobbson]

"There goes pressdog...the best there's ever been."

[Tom G.]

Weeping copious manly tears. Monday mornings will never be the same. Thanks for the memories P-Dog.

[Sabrina]

Can I appeal this decision to TGBB and hope for a reversal of this poor decision?

Seriously, thanks for all of your race notes PDog.

[Chiefswon]

Bill I met a guy once who told me I was full of crap.....keep digging :)

[Ted Wolfram]

Pressdog I think your lack of joy in doing what you enjoyed....speaks volumes of what is wrong with IndyCar....without INNOVATION...it is BORING!! The argument that "the racing is super"....without different looking and sounding cars...is plain horse crap!

Sorry to see you give up the ghost...sorry not SURPRISED!!

[Lisa]

Will miss the laughs...

[stick500]

I'm a writer myself and I can't believe you lasted as long as you did before it became a chore. Thanks for all your work and I hope I'll still get an occasional e-mail from you for your insights on IndyCar racing.

[Jeremy from Harrisburg]

Thanks for all the joy you've brought us with the race notes over the years. Hopefully this is a hiatus and not a cancellation.

[Ron Ford]

"Because I knew, standing there by the asparagus"

Now that's good writing!

Who knew that a guy scribblin' away in his basement in West Des Moines, Iowa could be so entertaining.

Thanks for the memories Bill.

[Rich Hueston]

Thx for all of your creative notes over the years. Too bad it became a chore rather than a joy.

[kt]

Thanks PDog!! Great job!

[Barb]

Bill we will miss your creative insight of Indy Car. I have laughed and pondered many of your points in your posts. Enjoy your new/different time occupying adventures. After all what we do in life is suppose to be fun, not a chore.

[Tammy Kaehler]

Oh man, I'm going to miss those terribly. But we'll still have Twitter and, I'm sure, the occasional insightful post on the state of things. Enjoy the hiatus! I think change is good and positive, even when I'll miss what's changing.

[Doug White]

Self-awareness is a valuable skill that many lack. Sad to see the race notes go, but if you aren't having fun with them, go they must. Thanks for the many creative clown car references, and for "Festival of carbon fiber".

[billytheskink]

I'm awfully disappointed by this news, as I always look forward to reading your race notes the Monday morning after.
Still, I understand. There's enough stuff in life you don't enjoy but have to do for free, no sense adding writing prose for grouchy race fans to that list.

Thanks for all of those race notes over the years. If some of them weren't fun to write, at least know that they were fun to read.

[Anne P]

know the feeling p-dog and share it but sure will miss those hyperactive circus clowns

[John S]

Thanks for blog P'Dog. It is a "Festival of saddness". Look forward to you doing something, sometime, somewhere again that makes me smile.

[NYCSusan]

PDog, thanks for all your hard work. I will miss my Monday morning race notes, too, but I can't argue with the Asparagus Epiphany. I'll just hope to at least get some Uncle Pressdog commentary every now and then.

[ramblinman]

On the one hand, I'm shedding a manly tear and yet I share the joy for you as well.

When the work isn't fun anymore, it's just work and life's too short not to enjoy what we do best.

Good for you buddy and thanks for all that you've shared with us in the past. Congratulations for publishing a great blog and I'll look forward to the next stage.

[Stephen Barnes]

I understand how you feel, but selfishly shed manly tears knowing it means the end of such great phrases as "None of your business", "festival of carbon fiber", or "Drink, ye ....". Please consider finding something you enjoy writing about and keep this blog going. I've enjoyed immensely your writing style and would like to continue to read your blog, whether about auto racing, good beers or coffee, travel, the weather, whatever.

Regardless of what you end up doing, my thanks for years and years of smiles brought about by your work.

[redcar]

Adapt, don't quit.

[Oilpressure]

Say it's not so...Take a hiatus, but don't hang up the keyboard. The blogosphere now has a giant hole in it.

[SkipinSC]

Bill, while I get your decision, I will miss your recaps, (particularly cueing the circus music!) You and Meesh are probably the two bloggers I'd most like to see doing ten minutes of standup about racing. Got a feeling it would be hilarious.

Anyway, thanks for what you given and enjoy your hiatus.

[Sylvia Louch]

The man who encouraged me to give Indy racing a try, the man who has been a champion for women in racing, the man who entertained me every Monday morning and many times during the week IS DOING WHAT?
OK, now I'm bawling, please just don't give up on us altogether. (((Hugs Bill)))

[kcleslie]

Thanks PDog for all your fun and insightful race comments over the years. It won't be the same without your race notes. Best wishes for the future, hope you check in now and then.

[GeorgeK]

Quality, class, tolerance, open-minded, knowledgable, sensitive, creative, humerous, patient; all traits I have found in your writings and dealings with us "Experts" who have dropped comments on your postings.

Sad to see you go, but it was great while it lasted. I hope you keep the site up for the occaissional posting, but I know from my own experience that once you mentally come to grips with the decision, it's difficult to come back to on a part time basis.

Good luck in all you do in the future!

[vern]

Sorry to see you quit also as I enjoy your comments and articles. While Iam openly disgusted with the state of Indycar you do know there are other series & storylines you can write about as you do all the time anyway which I enjoy and others probably as well as the world doesnt evolve around Indycar--quite the contrary. Therefore for the last time commenting on Indycar, I thought the Toronto races (from a friends house) were dumb myself and boring as I looked in randomly but glad to see Dixon take them both, but so much for that.

Enjoy your Hiatus and hope to see you return at some point. Thanks for all the good stuff.

[Ron Ford]

I would have guessed your epiphany would have come after a "beer of the race" or two. I never saw that asparagus thing coming.

Anyway, I hope you will continue to keep us posted on matters related to women in racing.

Thanks again Bill

[pressdog]

Thanks for all the comments. Festival of Flattery. Although it was an Asparagus Epiphany, it did come after about five ounces of scotch earlier in the day. I seriously doubt this blog just freezes with this post. We'll see where it goes. Again, the knowledge that all of you were reading and enjoying seriously sustained the notes for at least year. I appreciate all you kindness.

[Tonguechow]

I've only read you the last 3 years, but I have enjoyed your writings tremendously. Here's hoping you keep up the snark,"WOP' festivals of...,manly tears, and your other insights and terminologies going in the 140 character form, if you don't "It's None Of Our Business". Enjoy what's next and now "Drink, Ye Bastard"!

[GeorgeK]

"Humerous".....can you teach me to use spellcheck before you leave???

[Marty J in Des Moines]

Alright everyone...
Drink, Ye Bastards!
Here's to Bill...

[Savage Henry]

Thanks for all the race notes over the years. Pressdog and The Silent Pagoda were the first two Indycar blogs that I found a long time ago, after I had lost interest in the sport for quite awhile. I wouldn't be anywhere near the Indycar fan I am now if I hadn't found you.

I understand your decision but am bummed that I won't be reading the race notes anymore.

[G.]

Thanks, Bill.

One of the few Gomers that sorta gets it.

[S0CSeven]

I feel really lost today.

pressdog, I'm really going to miss your blogs and humor. A lot!

[Iannucci]

The late Paul Harvey described himself as a parade watcher who woke up every morning typing and panning for gold. And although he was a superior radio personality to you he was far less deft at discussing the subtleties of racing like scanner chatter, ales vs lagers, and "Top Gun" references. Which is why for enhanced reading I always imagined your racing notes as read by Paul Harvey.

But with no regard to that, please accept my most heartfelt thanks to you for your innumerable hours of dedication to your race notes, and for not only watching all of those high-speed parades but panning for the gold that made so many Monday mornings into a clown-filled chortlefest. And for providing the inspiration to write "clown-filled chortlefest". Like Roy Hobbson said, you were the best there ever was.

Long live pressdog.

[Dylan]

This is really depressing news! Pressdog is an institution in the Indycar blogging world! Pressdog.com is the only survivor of the trifecta of great blogs between Mynamisirl, LivefastRacing left! Oh well, I understand that life sometimes gets really busy and you've got to do what you've got to do. If you ever do come back just know we're here for it!

[Arni Lover]

Does this mean that we don't have to hear about the women of press dork any longer?

[luciano]

Sad for this hiatus... Press dog has been my best feed about Indycar.

hope to see u back soon.Good luck Uncle!

Hugs from a Brazilian unknown guy who will miss all of it.

[Eric Karashinski]

A tiny car shaped like a box of Kleenex just pulled up, and 15 clowns jumped out, each handing me a tissue....

[Carburetor]

Wishing you all the best in your future endeavors. Thank you for provoking thought and the entertaining reviews of the races--I have greatly enjoyed your blog. There will be a big hole in my sports world news without your column.

[Bill Sanford]

All of the foregoing have said it better than I could, so I'll just say dittos, and thx for the memories. If you ever get up Victoria, B.C. way try Race Rocks Ale...great stuff.

[Eric]

Thanks for all of the race notes through the years P-dog. I have always enjoyed reading them. Enjoy the break!!!! You have given us way more laughs and thoughtfulness than we ever had a right to ask for.

[cartracer20]

Too funny, Sabrina and Eric Karashinski!

But really, I feel like I died a little death today. *Wipes away a tear* I think we all understand needing a break, P-Dog, and we offer a hearty thanks for the many chortles!

[Chiefswon]

Bill, Your one of the best writers I have ever met. Hands Down:)

[JC]

Very much appreciate the race recaps, laughs, and entertaining reading since I found your blog a few years ago. If you ever start up again, you have a loyal reader waiting in the wings; and if not, I wish you best of luck in your future pursuits. Much respect!

[Calvin Reynolds]

Just wanted to thank you for introducing me to some amazing female drivers through the blog. Some whom I've actually met, namely: Katherine Legge, Simona de Silvestro, Sarah Fisher, Pippa Mann, Danica Patrick and just this last weekend in Toronto, Shea Holbrook.
I'm hoping to see Katherine again this weekend when she's running the Delta Wing at Mosport. By the way, Shea Holbrook told me that you're the man!
Have a nice break, you deserve it.

[Jeremiah]

Is this April Fools in July?

[pressdog]

This whole comment string is a cry for better substance abuse treatment options in the world ... KIDDING. I kid. Thank you again for all the river of kindness. Very very humbling and flattering. As I said, a big part of what keeps this blog going is the reasonable discussion in the comment section, and I cannot thank YOU all enough for that. Reasonable people can disagree and still have respect and even friendship. The notes are done, but I don't think I am. I'm taking a bit of a break, then cutting back, maybe refocusing ... we'll see where life goes.