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Uncle pressdog's Fireside Chat -- Indy 500 & NASCAR Nationwide Edition

If I got any busier, I'd have to have an empty coffee can under my desk (think about it). But, hey, we can always squeeze in a beverage! (I'm actually having a lovely coffee.) Make yourself comfortable in front of the fire, even though its 87 degrees out).

Let's kick it all off with some ..

NASCAR Nationwide at Iowa Speedway -- Hit the Nationwide race last weekend at the pdog home track. A quick 45-minute drive down the interstate from my house. Nice.

Shannon McIntosh's USF2000 Schedule

Woman of pressdog® Shannon McIntosh will be back for her second year of US F2000 mayhem this year. Below is her schedule. Mark your calendars ...

2012 Cooper Tires Presents the USF2000 National Championship Powered by Mazda schedule

• March 15-16, Sebring International Raceway with ALMS

• March 24-25, Streets of St. Petersburg, with IndyCar

• May 26, Lucas Oil Raceway, with USAC

• August 4-5, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, with IndyCar & ALMS

• August 17-18, Road America, with ALMS

• Sept. 1-2, Streets of Baltimore, with IndyCar

• Sept. TBA, Final two races, TBA

 

Sprint Extends NASCAR Sponsorship Through 2016, Everyone Jumps on the Fanwagon

Below is a news release from NASCAR announcing the extension of Sprint's sponsorship through 2016. Here's what struck me: the mentions of fans. Brian France says NASCAR's five-year plan is "laser-focused on continuing to improve our product, keep our existing fans engaged, and reach new fans."

What, no mention of TEAMS? No mention of drivers? Hospitality tents? "Creating outstanding sponsor experiences?" Huh? It's as if NASCAR understands where their revenue comes from (tip: it ain't teams). Later, Sprint's Dan Hesse gets on the fanwagon too. It's. All. About. Fans. NASCAR gets it.

News release below:

Danica Patrick says She’ll be Comforted by Wheldon Tribute on her Car

Danica Patrick said Friday at Texas Motor Speedway that she would be comforted by having a Dan Wheldon tribute helmet on her head, and Wheldon's giant "LIONHEART" tribute paint scheme on her car hood.

Patrick said her sponsor GoDaddy partnered with her to "pay tribute to Dan, a great champion that he was and great guy that he was, and then I decided it would nice to pay tribute with my helmet (photos below) and then donate it to DanWheldonMemorial.com to be auctioned off. My hope is we can do everything possible to come together and to honor Dan and support Susie and the kids. I'm honored and it's a privilege. Thank you to everyone who made it come together. It's a special car this weekend."

pressdog's Guide to Greater Des Moines

Welcome to Iowa. While you're here to view the wonderment at the Iowa Speedway, let me suggest some fine dining and entertainment venues.

Day Two Practice Highlight Video

Highlights from Day 2 courtesy of IndyCar and YouTube. Simona De Silvestro and Scott Dixon get monster air, Ryan Hunter-Reay goes dirt tracking, Dan Wheldon biffs it and the Penske cars do some lock steppin.'

600 Tickets to Des Moines Baconfest GONE in 25 minutes

Maybe the Indy Racing League should start having a baconfest in conjunction with its races.

All 600 tickets to the third annual Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival 2010 in Des Moines on Feb. 27 were SOLD in 25 minutes. Tickets were about $33 each. The event was even moved to a new venue that could hold double the crowd from last year and they still sold out faster than a Taylor Swift concert.

The lust for proper bacon knows no limit. Organizers say they have enough bacon on hand to supply participants with 1.5 pounds EACH.

Check out details of the event HERE.

Des Moines, Iowa ... Concert Mecca

Insert an Iowa Boy chortling here.

Forget the tractor pulls, chief. The Iowa Events Center in tony downtown Des Moines is apparently the place to stop for touring concerts. Witness the fall lineup:

September 11 -- Britney Spears

September 21 -- Bruce Springsteen

October 9 -- Miley Cyrus (and her stripper pole, we can only hope)

October 10 -- AC/DC (Miley and AC/DC back-to-back... caution ... may be a sign of the apocalypse)

Get your tickets at www.iowaeventscenter.com and plan your mecca to Des Moines today. The Miley-AC/DC weekend would be super tasty! (Insert Angus playing one-handed here.)

pressdog Buys Gas from a Scot, Dario Gets No Love

I bought gas from Nicki Paterson of Motherwell, Scotland last week right here in West Des Moines, Iowa.

Nicki gave himself away when he gave me change ... "fef-tee ate (58) cents." 

The Des Moines Menace, the soccer equivalent of a single-A baseball team, is owned by the Kum & Go (actual name) regional convenience store chain baesd in West Des Moines. Menace players get basically zero pay. I think they get some room and board stipend or something.

So, when you see random heavily accented 20-somethings working in a Kum & Go store hereabouts, it's a pretty good bet they play for the Menace.

Me: You play for the Menace?

Nicki: Yes, number 14.

Me: Were are you from?

Nicki: SCOTLAND!

Iowans Focus the Rage and Show the Love in Flood Clean-up

One of the reasons my family has lived in Iowa for FIVE generations (my kids are Gen VI, baby!) is because of what's happening here in the aftermath of the flood.