This page is dedicated to assorted ramblings about film. The pieces may or may not actually review the films that they discuss. They are in no way meant to recommend that you see the film, nor am I going to try to steer you away from something that you really want to see. The films I write about are just as likely to be something I saw on television at three in the morning as they are to be new releases. They may offend some, and they may be poorly written; they may even be incomprehensible to those of you that don’t know me, personally. I may indeed give away surprise endings and, if pressed to do so, I may write about a film that I haven’t seen. That being said, shall we proceed?

But like everything else in my life, even my calendar viewing has its idiosyncrasies.  I refuse to look ahead at future days.  I will only buy it after the first of the year when it goes on sale.  So imagine my surprise when I got a calendar as a gift this year.  It is a NASCAR one.  That is cool.  I love racing and I put up with NASCAR despite its neverending quest to make the sport closer to wrestling than to racing.  I am now over 3 months into this calendar.  And I would love to talk to whoever put this together.   One would think that the target audience for a NASCAR calendar is consumers who have a moderate interest in the sport, no?  I do not procure a Yorkshire Terrier calendar, because I have no interest in seeing them on a daily basis.  Well, I suppose I would if they were being chased by large breed dogs, or if they were sitting with legitimately cute animals, such as giraffes, elephants, koalas.  But I swear this calendar is for people who do not even know what a NASCAR is.  The facts are so basic that I contend the average person would know what they are.  “The Las Vegas Motor Speedway is in Las Vegas , Nevada ” – you don’t say.  “The checkered flag signals the end of the race.  It is the most famous flag in motorsports.”  Is it?  Who decided this and let opinion factor in to a calendar of facts?  I could make an argument the green flag is!  And, calendar writers, New Hampshire Motor Speedway is 1 mile, not 2 miles.  Also, apparently the fans reading the calendar are bordering on illiterate.  Either that or the manufacturer is trying to propagate the redneck stereotype to the nth degree.  There are incomplete sentences, incorrect grammar, and even fake words!  There was one last week describing a term for car handling, which regretfully escapes me right now.  But it is not a real word!  It is a colloquial term.  Lastly, where did they get the pictures?  Almost all are from the Nationwide series, not from Sprint Cup.  Many of the remaining pictures are very old, with paint schemes that are not current.  My favourite was a picture that had the sponsors “smeared” out (wow that car is fast!) but it was obvious what car it was – and that scheme has not been used in nearly 15 years!  I will stick with the calendar – continuing to document my frustration – because once I start a calendar I cannot stop before the year is out…stupid eccentricity!   Vroomingly yours, -Michael  

Michael ran 6 races, 4 of them in a Three-Quarter midget and 2 in a Wall-Modified.

ATQMRA, the TQ organisation, ran 6 races at Wall last year. Michael competed in 4 of them, obtaining two top 10′s, including in the season ending Turkey Derby event. He finished 15th in points for the races at Wall (of 33 drivers who started at least one event), and 19th overall for the Club (of the 53 drivers that participated).

Michael had always dreamed of running a Modified, and this came true thanks to the Green Flag Driving Experience and the help of Gary Conkling, proprietor, and Tommy Cottrell, car owner. He ran it in the last two events of the season, both non-points but considered “special” races. Some mechanical gremlins bit him in each, but he was able to get a significant amount of seat time due to the fact that they were extra-length races.

2012 will see a similar variety to HBS racing’s schedule. Michael will again be running on the correct coast, both in TQ’s and Modifieds. He hopes to add some Pennsylvania action to the track list, but that is up in the air as of press time.

The significant addition in the off-season is that of some racing close to home (“for once”, Michael adds…). Michael will be piloting a Legends car throughout Michigan for a handful of races. The opening practise session will take place on the 21st of April.

Lastly, he fully expects to participate in at least one autocross to keep his now 10+ year streak alive of at least one event…

After blowing an engine towards the end of the season back in 2009, with the team indecisive as to future plans, he sat dutifully in the garage.

With it looking increasingly unlikely that the Team would jump back into the ModLite ranks, it only make sense to not keep him caged up any longer.

We will miss him (especially his character-building oversize numbers) and hope to keep track of him as he races on!