Well, we survived the 2007 six-race swing. Actually we survived having eight races in nine weeks. Our entire team is back at the shop now getting ready for the next race. Since most of the guys returned home late Tuesday night, they really only have about a week to prepare everything for Brainerd by the following Wednesday when they will leave. Plus they will try to squeeze in some time to spend with their families. I notice that even when I drive by the shop later in the evening, there are still vehicles in the parking lot staying late.

It was fun returning to Sonoma and race at the very track where I won many rounds in Super Street and other Sportsman classes. I really feel at home there. I couldn’t believe how many people made the four-hour drive down from my hometown to watch the race. It was great having the support of my family, old friends, and everyone from my hometown. In fact, I have never seen so many people at the track before. I have been attending the Fram Autolite Nationals for more than 10 years now. I have spent a lot of time in the Infineon Raceway grandstands because that event used to be where we spent our family vacation before we raced. I have never seen the grandstands overflowing with fans like they were. I think that’s great news. I heard that they were sold out on Sunday. It’s interesting because I hear that attendance in other forms of motorsports is declining. There was some sort of big race in San Jose that weekend which was highly promoted in the media but I heard on the local news that attendance was down at that race. I guess people know NHRA drag racing is the best entertainment for the dollar.

The Sonoma race turned out better than it started. We struggled a bit in qualifying but you wouldn’t have known it by how we ran on Sunday. We made two strong and consistent runs down the track. Obviously, we would liked to have gone more rounds but that can be said for a lot of our races during the swing. It doesn’t matter now. They only thing that matters is that we have two races to move up into the top eight. Our team is looking forward to going and showing that we are contenders for the championship.

I know my team got to take at least one day off during the never-ending swing. They stopped in Big Sky, Mont., to go on a rafting trip. Fortunately someone was there to snap a photo and I got a copy. It’s a great picture. I hope they are all smiling like that after our next race.

I’ve been home for four consecutive nights and I can’t even remember the last time I got to do that. I’m actually really glad to be back in Michigan and I’m enjoying it. I’ve been taking care of odds and ends at the shop and at home. My house really needed to be cleaned. For a while it felt like I just had time to go in, mess it up, and then leave.

This weekend I will pack my suitcase and fly to Boston. I’m going to meet up with some of my friends from Wheaton and then we will drive up to Maine for our friends’ wedding. The bride and groom were on the Wheaton Swimming and Diving team with me and I think most of the old team is going to go. It will be the first time I’ve gotten to see some of them in more than five years. I really can’t wait. Have a good weekend!