As usual there has not been much idle time around here but I wanted to try and bring you up to date on what I have been up to.

The race in Atlanta was a bit of a disappointment for me and the entire Snap-on team. With a .026 reaction time in the second round I think my desire to win is fairly obvious to everyone. The team is working hard to get the cars performance up where it needs to be, this I am very sure of.

Speaking of the race in Atlanta, other than not winning the race it was a fun weekend. I had all my Boys from Scout Troop 313 and Michael “Fatback” McSwain and Barry Dodson at the track so that was good. Having these guys at the races also helps to motivate me. It seems strange but I felt the presence of James so strong this past weekend at the races with all the boys. I am sure his spirit was there with us too.

Brad is making some improvement and it sounds like he may be released from the hospital any day so this is more good news. Brad has been racing with me since I raced an Alcohol Dragster back in the 1980s so he is one guy that I always like to have at the track with me. He is one of the guys who has been a good good friend for a long time. Get well soon Brad.

One of the most fun things that I have done this week was to go to a Jimmy Buffet concert on Tuesday night. It was a blast! My friend Greg ended up with an extra ticket and I was the lucky beneficiary. Buffet was great and what a great show he puts on. I just hope I have the passion and energy that he has when I get a few years older.

Our foundation B.R.A.K.E.S. (501 C 3, not for profit company) continues to make headway. In fact we just hired our first full time employee, Sharon Wright to be a administrator for the foundation. She is already organizing written materials and all sorts of other information so that we can accomplish the mission of B.R.A.K.E.S. of educating our teen ages about the dangers and consequences of irresponsible driving and trying to make them Be Responsible And Keeping Everyone Safe. If you have not signed up on the website please go their and sign up. We have our scholastic program up and going so some of the Teen Safe driving packages are already going out and getting into peoples hands and our defensive driving classes are scheduled to start this summer here in the Charlotte area. We are making headway and I am on a mission to make sure that the BRAKES program is a success. I think we have already made a positive impact on some teenager’s lives and we plan on doing a lot more. Check out the site and sign up if you can www.putonthebrakes.com

Yesterday the weather here in Carolina was great so I took the opportunity to take Jessie and her friend Olivia out on the lake. We just got a new tube to tow behind the boat and the girls had a blast riding around the lake. Actually Dad had some fun towing them around the lake to so it was a win-win situation for everyone.

Until next time. Doug