Crazy Woman Driver takes a Sunday drive

I'm begging your indulgence today to take a brief detour off the usual tax and financial matters highway.

As long-time readers know, I'm a NASCAR fan, having blogged previously about some of Jeff Gordon's racing milestones (here and here). This weekend, NASCAR pulled into my home state, taking the track at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth.

That's a little over three hours away from my Austin home, a negligible drive by Texas standards. Heck, I once traveled seven hours from Lubbock to Dallas for an Eagles concert, then after the encore turned around and headed right back home, albeit at a much younger age and as a passenger who got to doze a bit.

But I'm not at TMS today. Neither distance nor age is the problem. Rather, I've still got just too much left to do this tax season. I do hope, however, to make it up there for the November race. And I'll be doing so as an official motorsports media member.

Yep, one of my newer journalism jobs is as the racing columnist for a national trucking magazine, one of the many publications of Randall-Reilly Publishing Co. Actually, it's a double mag; a digest that opens to Company Driver on one side and then, when you flip it over, becomes Owner Operator.

I've gotta thank my friend and fellow racing enthusiast JL, editor of the mags, for giving me the chance to pontificate on all types of racing.

And I've got to especially thank him for championing the name I selected for the column: Crazy Woman Driver.

I've gotta chuckle, though, at a couple of things. First, I didn't realize that the photo I sent the magazine would make my 'do look so much like a mullet when it was converted to the column's logo.

Then there are the many, many, many times in the March issue, in which the inaugural CWD column appeared, where it was noted that I, the female author, came up with the title.

I guess the publisher didn't want any women drivers mad at the company! I totally understand, and I take full blame or, if you have a skewed sense of humor like me, credit for the name.

In trying to live up to that moniker, I get to sound off on all types of racing and motorsports issues. My March column looked at the bum rap international race fans give America's premier racing league. In April, I gave NASCAR officials tips on how to get back in fans' good graces.

Coming up in May, I tee off on greedy Tony George, the man who did all he could to wreck open wheel racing in the United States. I'm cogitating now on the June topic.

Digital driving: In addition to bound formats that drivers can carry with them in their cabs, the magazines are onine in digital versions. That explains all the WiFi service at truckstops nationwide.

So below are links to the magazines, most recent issue first, with the columns.

If you're a racing fan, bookmark this entry. As more columns are published, I'll provide those links, too. And feel free to drop me a note if you agree, disagree or have a racing topic you think I need to address.

• Women Racers Rule! OK, not quite yet. But female drivers are making inroads at types of tracks. Owner Operator, July 2008, p. 40.
• The last NASCAR hero. It's probably not who you think. -- Owner Operator, June 2008, p. 48.
• The Brickyard is Back! Tony George tried to kill U.S. open wheel racing, but reunification (finally!) means we might once again see some decent racing at Indianapolis. -- Owner Operator, May 2008, p. 38.
• NASCAR needs to put fans first. Making up is hard to do, but NASCAR could try. -- Owner Operator, April 2008, p. 35.
• Get Real Europe! Questionable world rankings put down NASCAR stars. -- Company Driver, March 2008, p. 30.

Now it's getting close to the the green flag, so I'm pulling into the blogging garage for a while. And, oh yeah: Go 24!

Comments

[Chief Family Officer]

Congratulations! Sounds like a fun gig that you are going to have a ball with :)