Indulge me, if you will, but this blog isn't going to have anything to do with drag racing.

I'm really sad as I write this as I had to put down my dog, Cookie Mac, over the weekend. She was 17 and a half years old, which I know is great for a dog, but it still doesn't make me feel any better right about now. She was having trouble just getting around lately and our veterinarian said putting her down was the humane thing to do. Boy, it was tough saying goodbye.

It's funny, isn't it, how attached humans can become to an animal, and I was very, very attached to Cookie. She was the epitome of this man's best friend and she was as much a part of my family as any person. I've been through a lot over the last two decades and Cookie was the one constant in my life. She's probably been to more drag races than most of the guys and girls competing out there these days and she never cared if I won or lost, just that I was there.

I'll gladly admit she was spoiled. She loved to chase tennis balls around and I'm pretty sure she owned every doggie toy in the world at some point. She never failed to put a smile on my face and I'll miss her a great deal.

At these final two races I'll be carrying her little collar with me in the racecar. I don't care about the Countdown to the Championship; all I know is I'll be gunning for a win so I can dedicate it to her.

Cory Mac