Okay, so I haven’t written a blog in a very long time. I have a really good excuse. I was really busy. Really! I can explain.

Topeka didn’t go as planned. We ran well, but not good enough. There was no testing on Monday so we headed home Sunday night. We got within a couple of hours of Indy and decided to pull into a Wal-Mart. We got home Monday afternoon and were hard at work Tuesday.

I helped Melanie with a bunch of MTI stuff and we where going to head to Joliet Wednesday night. Mel wasn’t done getting everything out for MTI so we decided to go to Joliet on Thursday morning. I bought the HBO Pay per View Prelude to the Dream race so I could watch the drag racers, (Capps and Pedregon) take on the NASCAR boys and Larry Dixon came over and watched it with me while Melanie worked on finishing the MTI shipping. I think the drag racing boys showed them we could turn left even though the results didn’t show it.

We got up early Thursday and headed to the track. We got in around 10 and Melanie headed to the press conference downtown Chicago as soon as we got there. I spent the day hanging out with my guys and when they left the track I hung out with the dogs and caught a little nap. When Mel got back we went to the grocery store and then grilled out and took it easy.

The weekend in Joliet went better than we had been doing. We have added Scott French to our team and he is doing a great job advising Mike on clutch issues we have had this season. A second round wasn’t great but it is headed in the right direction. We ran well first round but had some clutch issues and that is what caused our problems second round.

We stayed and tested on Monday with much success. If we where racing Monday we would be the champs. First pass I shut off at half track and it was going to run a .70 or .71. The second run was on the same pace before it came loose so I think we are ready for the six in a row.

We got right out of Joliet so we could head home. We where scheduled to start taping the new ESPN show King of the Strip on Tuesday at IRP. Little did we know what a week lay ahead for us.

First let me just say that my friend Aaron Rowand that plays for the Phillies is have a great season. I got an email from Lewis Bloom last week that said he and Bob Frey where at the Phillies game when my buddy Aaron hit a grand slam this past week. I keep in contact with him every week via text messaging. We keep tabs on each other and I can’t wait until he comes to the race in Vegas this fall. We’ll put him on the starting line while we run and give him the full effect of nitro. Keep it up, Aaron, I voted to get him in the All Star game so you should, too. He is playing great and loves drag racing so he needs to be in the all star game this year.

We headed out to ORP on Tuesday morning to start filming the show around 9 a.m. Tuesday. Neither Melanie nor I knew what we where in for. We had agreed to host the show about a year ago and where eager to get going. Wow, about three that afternoon we weren’t sure that we where up for what we had got ourselves into. It is a show similar to Pinks, but with a real timing system and a Christmas Tree with instant green. Melanie and I are the host and negotiators to make the racing fair. Thankfully we had some technical advisors -- Bruce Litton, Tom Abbett, Lisa Kubo, and Larry Dixon -- to fall back on so we weren’t the bad guys all the time. We filmed for 13 hours on Tuesday and 14 hours on Wednesday. Then on Thursday we filmed for a mindblowing 15 hours. Did I mention we where outside on a drag strip and the temperature was over 90 degrees every day? On Friday we finished the last episode around five. Melanie and I where worn out and really sunburned. The show turned out great and I really can’t wait for it to air. Be sure and tune in as it starts Sunday July 8 just before NHRA Raceday.

We tried to make it really close racing each and every race. I must say I have never seen so many poker faces at a dragstrip and got a lesson in every way to lie and get an advantage. I wish we could negotiate for an advantage first round every week. I learned a lot. Whatever we can do to promote NHRA Drag Racing I think is a good thing and I have to thank Ted Jones, Butch McCall, and the entire Masters Entertainment crew for working with us. There where plenty of two, three, and sometimes more takes on the scripted stuff, but it will be a great show that every race fan will like.

I can tell you on Saturday that we didn’t get up early. I don’t know when the last time was that I was so tired. I got the yard mowed finally Saturday afternoon (it was over 90 again) and did the rest of my work inside. I went out to ORP Saturday night to watch the USAC midget and sprint car races. Rico Elmore from Fatheadz sunglasses hooked me up and Mel was too tired to go with me. I don’t blame her because I only made it through the Midget race and I had to go home to bed.

It is Sunday and I want to wish my dad not only Happy Father’s Day, but also Happy Birthday. In 1988 I won Columbus on Father’s Day and Saturday it was his birthday. I had a hard time with the limited free time I had this week getting his gifts to him so I promise dad that I will try and win Englishtown for you this year. My dad has been so instrumental in my racing career. If not for him and the sacrifices my family has made over the years I would never have been able to race professionally for a living. I love you dad and thank you for everything you have done for me.

We are wrapping up things tomorrow since we didn’t get anything done last week and hitting the road to Englishtown on Tuesday morning. Melanie is doing the press conference for NHRA on Wednesday and I am going on up to CT so I can visit UST Corporate headquarters on Thursday. I am having dinner with all the UST board of directors on Wednesday so wish me luck. I have met a couple of them separately, but Wednesday will be the first time I have met them all at once. We are having Skoal Racing day at Corporate on Thursday and it is a really fun time. I get to hang out with all the people who work at the corporate office in Greenwich, CT and they have a bus load of people coming to watch us on Sunday in Englishtown.

It is six in a row coming up and I am so happy that the Skoal Racing team is running good going into them. We are 12 in points right now, but I think in six weeks from now we will be solidly in the top 8. I think this season is all about when you peak and we are peaking at the right time.

So long for now and Happy Father’s Day to all the dads.

TJ