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Dusty, a plane with dreams of competing as a high-flying air racer. But Dusty's not exactly built for racing-and he happens to be afraid of heights. So he turns to a seasoned naval aviator who helps Dusty qualify to take on the defending champ of the race circuit. Dusty's courage is put to the ultimate test as he aims to reach heights he...
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Dusty, a plane with dreams of competing as a high-flying air racer. But Dusty's not exactly built for racing-and he happens to be afraid of heights. So he turns to a seasoned naval aviator who helps Dusty qualify to take on the defending champ of the race circuit. Dusty's courage is put to the ultimate test as he aims to reach heights he never dreamed possible, giving a spellbound world the inspiration to soar.
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Disney's Planes arrives as a spin-off of Pixar's Cars and on the heels of the most critically disappointing movie in the current Pixar filmography: Cars 2. Under the shadow of Pixar's least appreciated work, one can forgive low expectations for yet another 3-D CGI kiddie movie set in ''the world of Cars.'' The fact that it has been made by the direct-to-video Disney production arm DisneyToon Studios will add another strike to the animated movie's prospects, especially considering director Klay Hall's only other film is another Disney spin-off: the direct-to-video Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure. Who can blame any knee-jerk judgments based on these factors? But to take any critical assessment of Planes based on such prejudices does this amiable, if flawed, animated romp a disservice.
Though Planes is not innocent of some rather lazy, hackneyed Disney tropes, more often than not, it transcends expectations by taking its time with its hero's steady rise to self-actualization. Planes follows Dusty (Dane Cook), a prop engine plane with aspirations to be ''more than just a crop duster.'' While flying low over a field of corn, Dusty daydreams of winning an aerial race around the world. His mantra: ''I'm just trying to prove maybe I can do something more than I was built for.'' It's the classic underdog story fraught with overcoming conflicts outside (an experienced, conniving and bullying racer named Ripslinger voiced by Roger Craig Smith) and within (a fear of heights).
Though apparently concocted as a direct-to-video cash-grab, Planes deserves the big screen, 3-D treatment more than many other 3-D films. The movie features three variations of flight scenes: the third-person perspective looking on at planes zipping toward the screen, the first-plane rollercoaster-like experience from the Windshields of the planes and the stomach-dropping depiction of poor Dusty's vertigo. The fact that higher-definition projection has improved the 3-D effect to decrease edge blurring makes this one of the better 3-D films ever made.
Key to Planes' success comes from its reserved pacing. It actually spends quality time with its characters. Exhilarating race sequences are varied and never feel overlong and unending. In a race around the globe, the director knows how to hold-off on the throttle of indulgence and save room for the next heat, as no single race sequence overstays its kinetic drama to devolve into a droning series of set pieces that grow tiresome. It also does quiet moments quite nicely, indulging in some CG magic hour backdrops and a playful pallet of varying light sources including some rather atmospherically nostalgic effects like neon glows and incandescent lights.
Though these more serene moments may play well to adults, it may test the patience of the little ones in the film's target demo. There are moments, especially before the race commences, where the anthropomorphized vehicles share conversations featuring commentary that will fly over the heads of younger audience members. It may make for some rather nice moments of character development for parents hoping for a little more substance, but on the other extreme, parents will have to endure a few moments of the laziest type of crude humor (a fart joke appears two minutes into the action, and it's not the only one).
However, the biggest hit against Planes is how it reinforces stereotypes disguised as character color. Coupled with plane bodies stylized to depict cultural and racial stereotypes, including, most offensively, a chunky Mexican entry decked out in a luchador mask named El Chupacabra (Carlos Alazraqui), it makes for a rather mixed message by Disney. It's not just a cheap gimmick, but a harmful reductive trope that reveals the hypocrisy of Disney's message that marginalizes more than celebrates diversity.
So often, Disney movies feature unlikely heroes rising up against bullies, however these cringe-worthy, short-sighted charact
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Today, the city of Louisville is being hit with what the meteorologists are predicting will be four to six inches of snow, which, when translated into practical terms, means many of the area's schools and some businesses are closed for the day. It also means that more than a few folks are snowed in and unable -- or unwilling -- to get out of their driveways. Thus, I feel honor-bound to produce something of interest for those of you who are in need of some sort of coffee-themed delight, and therefore have compiled another list of links for you to peruse and ruminate over.
Drinking vs. Tasting: Syphon Silliness
Why does a light-roasted, natural-processed Ethiopian often give off a great deal more of the herbal bitter notes, rather than the fruited notes foretold by the dry and wet aromas, when brewed in a syphon? This is one of those brewing conundrums that has been sitting around in my head for several months now. Take a batch of roasted coffee and brew it in a press or in a pour-over, and bam! you get tons of berry notes all up in your retronasals, you know? But just as often as not, that same roast will yield a syphon pot that is...just...lacking.
Why Barista Bash 004 Will Be Worth Your Friday Night
This will be the fourth Prima Coffee Barista Bash and we are especially excited about the event for several different reasons. Don't get me wrong - free coffee, free espresso, free advice from local coffee enthusiasts, free demonstrations by a coffee expert, and a free date night all combined with the enjoyment of observing the different brew methods (and talking your significant other into buying new coffee equipment) will be at this Bash just as they were at the other three. However, this Bash will be unique for these three reasons:
Drinking vs. Tasting: Brewing Parameters
In the blogging, twittering, and generally-interneting specialty coffee world, there seems to be a renewed interest in not just the way we brew coffee, but particularly in the specifics involved in the ways we brew coffee. Take, for instance, the french press: it allows coarsely-ground coffee to be saturated with hot, almost-boiling water for roughly four minutes to create a brew that is then filtered by the pressing action of the french press, thereby separating the grounds from what has now become brewed coffee.
The French Press Myth
A week or two ago, Kyle Glanville of Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea shared a thought on Twitter: many high-end coffee shops that pride themselves on the quality of their espresso serve downright mediocre filtered coffee. This is not a sentiment I can agree with based on my own personal experience, as I've not been able to frequent many such shops in person, but I do agree with it in principle.
The Versatile Aeropress
We received our first shipment of Aerobie Aeropress brewers this morning. I wasn't sure what to expect from a frisbee manufacturer, but the reviews I've read were all very positive. As soon as we could, Lee and I both headed off to the break room to brew up the first two cups. Lee used more water with a medium grind. I used less water with a grind only a little coarser than espresso.

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Has the same excellent handling qualities of Sculpey, combined with the new dimension of color. It bakes to hardness in a 300 degree to 320 degree F oven in 15-20 minutes. It requires no painting, but a glossy effect can be achieved by applying liquid acrylic glaze. Set of 30-1 oz. bars contains black, emerald, violet, yellow, camouflage, red hot red, just orange, ballerina, plum, lt. blue pearl, translucent, sweet potato, blue, deep red pearl, pearl, spring lilac, suede brown, granny smith, gold, lemonade, gentle plum, hot pink, chocolate, beige, turquoise, leaf green, sky blue, silver, red, and white.
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The path to a bigger fire station in Clayton has been nearly 12 years in the making, but it's finally happening as Clayton Fire Company approved a $1.5 million expansion in a Feb. 18 special meeting.
Building Committee Chairman Kevin Wilson said the expansion will add 7,500 square feet and will be two floors. There will also be some renovations done at the same time, but they aren't included in the cost of the project. The expansion will address several needs of the fire company including space.
A long time coming
Talks of a new building or an expansion have been around for years. Wilson said in 2001, the fire company was approached about purchasing the Masten property across the street.
Wilson said a holding company was formed because the fire company shouldn't really purchase property. Then since the fire department wasn't in a position to build a new facility, the property was rented to several businesses.
After that, a Building Committee was created to look into the future.
"When we first started, we initially talked about doing nothing at all, adding on, or building a new one," Wilson said.
Talks began again in 2008 and 2009, but the $5 million price tag for a new building was too much for the fire company. A few more years went by and the Building Committee began looking at alternatives. The department met with Fearn Clendaniel Architects to put together an expansion plan, which was what the committee presented to fire company members at the Feb. 18 meeting.
Addressing a need
The 7,500-square foot expansion includes an additional engine room, expanded locker space, a training/meeting room, a fitness area, additional office space, and more. As part of the expansion, Wilson said they will tear the lobby off and incorporate the lobby into the new addition.
The extra space is a big reason for the expansion, Wilson said. Right now the department is very limited on space in the engine room, which is a safety concern.
Plus with a bigger facility, Wilson said Clayton Fire Company will be able to better serve the community. They'll be able to hold four or five meetings a night. If a storm knocks out the town's operations, Wilson said the mayor and staff could come to the fire department and work there.
Wilson said the goal for the group was for the project to not affect operations. Basically, they wanted to make sure that doing the expansion wouldn't hurt the department's ability to replace apparatus, purchase updated equipment or get the firefighters the best gear available.
The expansion will be paid for out of Clayton Fire Company's normal operating budget, but they will try to get grants and raise money.
"We have some money set aside," Wilson said. "We did a very good job at financial management."
What's next?
Now the Building Committee is working on finalizing their plans; the fire company still needs to approve the final design. Current discussions also include a timeline for the project.
Wilson said they are unsure when the project will start, but a September date has been discussed. He said it'd be nice to get the lobby torn off and for construction to start before the cold weather hits.
The committee plans on meeting with local and state officials, holding a workshop with the firefighters regarding the design, and meeting with the public.
Now that the committee can move forward, Wilson said he's relieved, especially since two weeks prior to the approval the group didn't think they were ready to present the plan or if it was the right thing to do.
"We met again and it just seemed to fall into place, and I think the committee as a whole finally felt, 'yes, this is the right decision to make,'" Wilson said. "Overall as a company, this is the right thing to do moving forward."
Email Jennifer Dailey at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Carlos Newton
Training Style"Wake up, eat, train. Eat, train, eat, train, sleep!"
UFC HistoryAt only twenty-five, Carlos "Ronin" Newton is a seasoned veteran in martial arts. "I started training in martial arts at six years old because some kid stole my lunch money," Newton said.
Hungry to overcome adversity, Newton continued to hone his martial arts skills. He describes his training regiment as, "wake up, eat, train, eat, train, eat, train and sleep."
Newton has fought around the world in many MMA events, amassing a record of 12-6-0 overall. He is also a three-time Canadian Jiu-Jitsu champion, and the current Canadian Pankration champion.
At UFC 31: Locked & Loaded, on May 4, 2001, at Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Carlos defeated UFC legend Pat Miletich for the UFC welterweight title. In a battle that appeared to be in Miletich's control, Newton turned the tide in round three and forced Miletich to tap out. Newton accomplished his own goal of becoming the welterweight champ.
"I am still a young Jedi in training, who has not yet reached his full potential," Newton says.
Along with his athleticism and submission skills, Newton's abilities ring far outside the octagon. "Beyond training, my university studies take up most of my time, because I am hoping to get into medical school. I take my education very seriously, but still find time to play videogames and hang with the ladies."
A man with many heroes, Newton admires Muhammad Ali, Albert Einstein, Batman and legendary swordsman, Miyamoto Musashi. Modeling Musashi, Newton fanatically pursues the goals of Zen-like self-discipline, a complete inner mastery over oneself and a sense of oneness with nature. A believer in self-discipline, Newton says, "My toughest fight is always with myself." Truly committed to his craft, Newton's goal is to continue to build respect for MMA around the world for the event and for the fighters. He believes that through MMA, he has met some of the most honorable people in all of sports. "Most of these fighters have great hearts and, if we pool our efforts, I think we can do a lot of good."
On Friday, November 2, 2001, at UFC 34: High Voltage, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, Newton took on Matt Hughes. The fight was action packed from start to end. Both fighters showed incredible technique throughout. In the second round, Newton attempted to end the fight with a triangle choke. Hughes scooped him off the ground and walked over to the fence, leaning Newton against the top of the cage. As Newton cinched the choke tighter, Hughes slammed him to the mat, knocking him out. Referee John McCarthy called a halt to the bout, awarding the belt to Hughes.
Newton then fought highly ranked Brazilian striker Jose "Pele" Landi-Jons in Japan and dominated the fight, winning by submission in about eight minutes. Newton is the only person to ever submit Pele in over 40 fights.
On July 13, 2002, at UFC 38: The Brawl At The Hall at Royal Albert Hall in London, Newton got his re-match with Hughes for the welterweight title. But Hughes dominated the first three rounds with a smart ground game and except for a flurry at the start of the fourth round, Newton was never in it. Hughes retained the belt when referee John McCarthy stopped the bout at 3:35 of the fourth round. "I will be back," Newton vowed.
On November 22, 2002 at UFC 40: Vendetta, Newton made fast work of Pete Spratt (11-5-0) of Sherman, Texas, winning in 1:45 of the first round with a tap out submission via shoulder lock. Newton slammed Spratt to the mat and utilized his jiu-jitsu skills to finish it.
More Information"I started training in martial arts at 6 years old because some kid stole my lunch money." "My current fight record is 10-4, with two of my losses being very controversial decisions. I have always tried to match with the best quality fighters that were willing to come my way."
Accomplishments: Won three times in the PRIDE organization, won in Vale Tudo Japan Open 1997 and 1998, 3 time Canadian Jiu-Jitsu Champion, the current Canadian Pankration Champion for the last two years, and a finalist in the UFC 17 middleweight tournament. "But yet I am still a young Jedi in training, who has not yet reached his full potential."
"Beyond training, my university studies take up most my time as I am hoping to get into medical school. I take my educational studies very seriously but still find time to play video games and hang with the ladies."
Heroes: Muhammad Ali, Albert Einstein and Batman. Carlos also admires legendary Japanese swordsman, Miyamoto Musashi. A samurai who founded his own school of swordsmanship, Musashi gradually transformed himself from just being an instinctive fighter into a man who fanatically pursued the goals of Zen-like self discipline, a complete inner mastery over oneself and a sense off oneness with nature. A believer in self-discipline, Newton says, "My toughest fight is always with myself."
On fighting in Las Vegas: "It's awesome. I liked the last show. It was really cool. Hanging out with you guys and everything was rad. I'm looking forward to it."
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Evergreen Fire Protection District board member David Christensen said that before voting to build the fire training facility, he weighed thoroughly the pros and cons. He came to the conclusion that the facility in progress at Fire Station 2 is necessary, and will dramatically improve firefighters' ability to save property and lives.
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Posted on August 22, 2012
I have had a few questions come along this week, and the answers to some of them might be of interest to you. What I said about the caller after I hung up might be more entertaining, but you know this is meant to be a family blog.
I donated some books by mistake two months ago. Could you find them and send them back to me?
Aren't you even going to try?
If you had donated them in September, there might be a chance I could do it in November. If you donated them in February, there might be a chance of my doing it even in June. But there was a Book Fair last month, turnip muffin. Those books are gone with the wind.
Can I get a copy of Gone With the Wind?
Frankly, my dear….
I just bought a book that says it's the Copyright Edition. Is that the same as a first edition?
Sometimes. A copyright edition is a book published in England by an American author or in the United States by an English author just to stop up gaps in the copyright law. Sometimes extra material was added to a previous edition published in the home country, to make it a new edition and thus eligible for copyright protection under the law. A copyright edition, in that case, qualifies as "first thus", indicating that it is the first appearance of this new material.
Is it worth a lot of money?
Depends on the book.
What book should I buy that will be worth a lot of money?
A book that costs a lot of money is frequently worth a lot of money.
What book can I buy cheaply today that will be worth a lot of money tomorrow?
Any book at all. It kind of depends on your salesmanship.
You don't understand. What I'm really looking to do is buy something at a low price from you and sell it at a high price to the Newberry.
Let me just see if I understand what you're asking me for. You want me to point out a book which I have priced so badly that you can buy it way below market value and then resell it at an inflated price to my employers, who have the right to take–absolutely free of charge–any book which is donated to the Book Fair.
[I need to pause for a moment to assure you that this was put to me in complete sincerity by someone who believed I would answer it the same way. The question that follows is similar, asked by a trusting and innocent soul. And yet there are people who regard Uncle Blogsy as a grim old curmudgeon who frightens small children. I do sometimes frighten small children, but only by screaming at what their parents ask me.]
I understand that your mentor, the Curator Emerita of the Book Fair, is moving to Assisted Living.
That is true.
Has she used up all her postage stamps? I can use them, so if you give them all to me….
Excuse me. I have to go frighten a hundred small children.


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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - The third-ranked Blue Devils fell to eighth-ranked North Carolina, 4-0, Sunday in the semifinals of the ITA National Indoor Championship, hosted by the University of Virginia at the Boar's Head Sports Club. With the loss, the Blue Devils fall to 6-1 on the season.
In doubles play, the Tar Heels came out as the aggressor and jumped out to early leads on two of the three courts. On court three, the duo of junior Hanna Mar and sophomore Monica Turewicz dropped serve twice, falling behind the No. 51 tandem of Tessa Lyons and Lauren McHale, 5-0. Mar and Turewicz were unable to slow the Tar Heels and fell, 8-2.
In the second position, the team of junior Marianne Jodoin and sophomore Annie Mulholland was outlasted by Gina Suarez-Malaguti and Zoe De Bruycker, 8-3, clinching the doubles point for North Carolina. In the top spot for the Blue Devils, senior Mary Clayton and sophomore Ester Goldfeld were down 7-4 to No. 8 Ashley Dai and Whitney Kay when the doubles point was clinched.
In singles action, the Blue Devils showed resiliency, but were unable to slow the Tar Heels. On court four, Mulholland dropped her match to No. 111 McHale, 6-2, 6-2, while Goldfeld, ranked 40th in the most recent ITA poll, dropped the first set 6-4 to No. 21 Kay. In the second set, Goldfeld traded games with Kay, but eventually dropped serve, and was outlasted, 7-5.
In the second position, Clayton fell behind 4-1 against No. 28 De Bruycker, and after leveling the match at 4-4, Clayton was unable to stop De Bruycker and dropped the set, 6-4. In the second set, De Bruycker topped Clayton, 6-2, to clinch the match for North Carolina.
On court six, Jodoin jumped out to an early 4-1 lead against No. 65 Dai, but Dai battled back to level the match at 6-6 before Jodoin sealed the set in a tiebreaker. Jodoin held a 3-0 lead in the second set, while Turewicz held a 7-5, 5-4, edge over No. 36 Price on court five when the match was decided. In the top spot, Mar dropped the first set, 6-2, but regained momentum in the second before the match was clinched.
The third-ranked Blue Devils continue their difficult schedule as they take to the court Feb. 17 against top-ranked Florida at 12 p.m. at the Sheffield Indoor Tennis Center in Durham, N.C.
"North Carolina played a much more aggressive match than we did," said head coach Jamie Ashworth. "I felt like we were caught playing from behind the entire match and against good teams you cannot afford to do that. We need to be the one dictating the pace, tempo, and the play and we just were not able to do that. We will definitely learn from this and be better when we take the court against Florida next weekend."
North Carolina vs. Duke
Feb 10, 2013 at Charlottesville, VA
(Boar's Head Sports Club)
North Carolina 4, Duke 0
Singles Competition
1. #10 Hanna Mar (DUKE) vs. #11 Gina Suarez-Malaguti (NC) 2-6, 3-4, unfinished
2. #28 Zoe De Bruycker (NC) def. #53 Mary Clayton (DUKE) 6-4, 6-2
3. #21 Whitney Kay (NC) def. #40 Ester Goldfeld (DUKE) 6-4, 7-5
4. #111 Lauren McHale (NC) def. Annie Mulholland (DUKE) 6-2, 6-2
5. Monica Turewicz (DUKE) vs. #36 Caroline Price (NC) 7-5, 5-4, unfinished
6. #63 Marianne Jodoin (DUKE) vs. #65 Ashley Dai (NC) 7-6 (9-7), 3-0, unfinished
Doubles Competition
1. Mary Clayton/Ester Goldfeld (DUKE) vs. #8 Ashley Dai/Whitney Kay (NC) 4-7, unfinished
2. Gina Suarez-Malaguti/Zoe De Bruycker (NC) def. Marianne Jodoin/Annie Mulholland (DUKE) 8-3
3. #51 Tessa Lyons/Lauren McHale (NC) def. Hanna Mar/Monica Turewicz (DUKE) 8-2
Match Notes:
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (4,3,2)


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A single statistic summed up Thursday's night Leavenworth girls' basketball game — 45-7.
A single statistic summed up Thursday's night Leavenworth girls' basketball game — 45-7.
Those three digits made up the halftime advantage the Lady Pioneers were able to build against Hutchinson.
"Obviously, when you hold a team to seven points in a half, that is a great defensive effort," LV coach Derek Zeck said. "We did a great job putting tons of pressure on them."
Leavenworth allowed just two first half field goals and cruised to a 63-23 victory over the Salt Hawks.
The win came in the opening round of the Glacier's Edge Girls Basketball Tournament in Emporia, which means the team will play tonight at 7:45 p.m. for the right to play in Saturday's final.
Versus Hutchinson, the Lady Pioneers quickly squashed any thoughts of defeat.
Ball pressure from all over the court allowed LV to rack up a multitude of Hutch turnovers, which the squad quickly turned into points.
"This game we finally scored off our defense," Zeck said.
"Our defense basically created our entire offense. We scored everything off that."
At half, Leavenworth was up 38 points and strolled to the 40-point win.
Tyler Johnson led the team in scoring with 21 points while Alicia Brown was next with 11.


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Bill and Shelby Hunt of Greers Ferry were named the 2013 Farm Family of the Year
When Bill and Shelby Hunt accepted the 2013 Cleburne County Farm Family of the Year award, Shelby said she was in awe, first for being considered, then for winning the award. "I'm not used to all this attention" she said posing for another picture. But when the family gathered together for pictures to celebrate the award, you could see the pride in the entire family, not from winning the award, but from the years of hard work they did together as a family.
And that hard work continues, one of Bill and Shelby's son's John, and John's son Aaron were working at the ranch the day photographs were needed and were anxious to get the photos over so they could get back to work, bailing hay. "Make hay while the sun still shines" said Bill meaning make the most of one's opportunities while you have the chance. And they did, working almost 16 hours a day they've put up more hay already this year than they did in 2012.
Bill and Shelby Hunt began farming in the small community of Greers Ferry in 1963. Bill's father had given them the land which they cleared, fenced and cross fenced. Soon Bill and Shelby bought 14 head of Hereford cows and the Star H Ranch was born.
During their first year of farming they began with 106 acres. Now 50 years later, they own 1,933 acres and rent 200 acres. They have 11 bulls, 420 cows and 350 calves. After experimenting with different breeds their herd is about 85% Black Angus.
During the early years on the ranch, like most of the Arkansas land, it had to be cleared of rocks and trees to start their pastures. The Hunt family improved their pastures by planting Bermuda grass, clover and winter wheat for permanent pastures. Bill and Shelby continue to fence and cross fence the pastures for rotational grazing to this day. They have 50 pastures now with 48 ponds they've constructed themselves. The farm is totally family run and the goal is to have a pond in every pasture. "We want to improve and preserve the land for our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren" said Shelby. "And pass on to them a love and respect for the land and for ranching" said Bill. "We want to be good stewards of what God has entrusted to us" commented Shelby. So being good stewards of the land started with the Hunt's four boys Mark, Daniel, John and Garth clearing rocks saving them for a special project. Then in 1972 Bill and Shelby planned, designed and built their new home using the rocks they cleared from the land. They even used logs the late Don Stark of Greers Ferry hand-hewn for the front porch beams. With so many rocks and trees to clear Bill jokes that they may as well make good use of a natural resource. So Bill and his son John decided to make rock fences standing the large rocks on edge, end to end. Even the loading chute and the alley way for the cattle are constructed of rock. Shelby says the ranch looks like "Stonehenge". Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument in Wiltshire, England. One of the most famous sites in the world, Stonehenge is the remains of a ring of standing stones.
But over the years major problems challenged the Hunt family. During the severe drought of 1980 they did not have enough ponds for the cattle. Since then they learned from that experience and had enough ponds dug to provide enough water during the 2012 drought. In 2008 a tornado hit the ranch. No cattle was killed or injured but structures were damaged and one and a half miles of fencing was down. It took two years to replace that fencing and clean up the debris from the pastures. But the biggest challenge said Bill and Shelby happened in 1994 when Bill suffered a heart attack and stroke which severely limited his reading and teaching ability, Bill was an educator while ranching and could no longer teach math. Since then Bill has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and has turned the operation over to his wife and son, John. But that hasn't stopped Bill; he is still out driving the pasture lanes looking over his operation. The other children, now grown men with families, help out during vaccinations but most work off the ranch now. Garth lives in Bergman teaching Art and History and has three children. Daniel, Mark and John live in Brownsville. They help build and repair fences, put up hay, clear more land and take care of orphaned calves when needed. Shelby does all the bookkeeping and maintains the cattle records. Shelby reads several publications to stay up to date and talks with Bill if something might affect the ranch.
So now that the Hunt Family Star H Ranch is famous for being the Cleburne County Farm Family of the Year. The Hunt family will join 74 other county farm families vying for district and state recognition as the Arkansas Farm Family of the Year. The Arkansas Farm Family of the Year will be announced December 12 at a banquet at the Wyndham Riverfront in North Little Rock. If you see them, wish them the best.
Star H Ranch Goals and accomplishments; Farm Management goals for the livestock on the ranch is to improve genetics using DNA marker technologies such as EPD: (Expected Progency Differences) focusing on feed conversion, growth and calving ease and carcass quality to identify genetically superior livestock for maximum profitability. Each year the cows are pregnancy checked and open cows are sold at a local sale barn. Steers and non-replacement heifers are retained on the ranch until they weigh approximately 650 pounds. Then they are shipped to Oklahoma where they are fed a special feed ration. When the weight reaches approximately 1,500 pounds they are sold to a packing house. Star H Ranch retains ownership while they are at the feedlot.
Star H Ranch continues to improve pastures by planting and experimenting with native grasses to increase hay production and quality. Star H Ranch does not use herbicides but control weeds and thistles by practicing grazing management. Soil testing is done to determine proper fertilizer and lime applications. Erosion is controlled by plating Bermuda grass, clover that they over-seed with wheat and rye grass. Pond banks are seeded and critical area planting is implemented on highly eroding soil. Pipes are installed to control pond run-off. Controlled burns are part of the process to improve woodlands and provide a habitat for wildlife.


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No. 5 seed Maryland travels west for a quarterfinal matchup with No. 4 California Saturday at 4:30 p.m. in the 2013 NCAA Men's Soccer Championship. The Terps are seeking their second straight College Cup berth.
Event Multimedia
• Watch the game live for free on Cal All-Access.
• Fans can also follow on live stats.
• Updates will also be posted to the Maryland Men's Soccer Twitter feed, so "Follow" to get updates sent straight to you.
Scouting The Terps
• The Terps return seven starters from a year ago when the squad advanced to the College Cup for the first time since 2008 and boasted the top winning percentage in the nation.
2013 Maryland Terrapins: 15-3-5, 7-1-3 ACC
(NSCAA #4, Soccer America #3, TopDrawerSoccer.com #3)
• Maryland's offense is led by one of the top scoring tandems in the nation - Patrick Mullins and Schillo Tshuma. Mullins - the 2012 MAC Hermann Trophy winner - leads the ACC in both goals and points. Tshuma is second on the team in goals and racked up second team All-ACC honors earlier this season.
• Gone from last year's starting midfield is All-American John Stertzer, who was drafted 12th overall by Real Salt Lake in the 2013 MLS SuperDraft. However, the cupboard is far from empty with talented players like Dan Metzger, Sunny Jane, Tsubasa Endoh and Mikias Eticha running the center this season.
• Sophomore Mikey Ambrose has anchored the Terrapin defense, which is incredibly young and includes starting freshmen centerbacks Chris Odoi-Atsem and Suli Dainkeh.
• Freshman Zack Steffen has started every game between the sticks for the Terps.
Scouting The Golden Bears
• California edged Coastal Carolina 1-0 to advance to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Men's Soccer Championship.
2013 California Golden Bears: 14-4-2, 6-3-1 Pac 12
(NSCAA #6, Soccer America #12, TopDrawerSoccer.com #4)
• The Bears are outscoring opponents 37-19 this season. Cal has allowed only five first-half tallies in 2013. Steve Birnbaum leads the offense with 10 goals and an assist.
• Cal started the season 10-0-2 - including a 3-2 overtime win against Maryland - before losing its first match of the season against San Diego Oct. 25. The Bears bring a 4-4 record over their last eight matches into Saturday's contest.
Mullins Leads Terps Past UC Irvine
• Patrick Mullins capped off his Ludwig Field career in style Sunday with a first half goal that sent No. 5 Maryland past No. 12 UC Irvine 1-0 and into the quarterfinals of the 2013 NCAA Men's Soccer Championship last Saturday.
• The Terrapins controlled much of what became a very physical match with the Anteaters. Freshman keeper Zack Steffen came up big time and time again for the Terps over the course of the 90 minutes, including a couple of huge saves in the second half.
Maryland/Cal - Round One
• For the second match in a row to begin the 2013 season, No. 2 Maryland forced overtime in the final 12 minutes of regulation, but unlike their draw at Stanford two days prior, the Terps dropped a 3-2 decision to California Sept. 1.
• Cal notched the gamewinner when Alec Sundly's follow-up shot beat Zack Steffen to his right after a stellar save from the young keeper minutes into the overtime period. Schillo Tshuma gave Maryland the equalizer 1:12 into the second half and Jake Pace knotted the game at 2-2 with 11:56 remaining in the contest to account for the Terrapin scoring.
#Mullins4MAC Time Again
• Patrick Mullins was one of 15 players named a 2013 MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist Tuesday.
• Mullins became only the second Terrapin to win the MAC Hermann Trophy in 2012. A forward from New Orleans, Mullins led Maryland's high-scoring attack with 17 goals and 10 assists as a junior. This season, the New Orleans, native has tallied 16 goals.
• He tallied seven game-winners to lead the Terps to the best winning percentage in the country (20-1-3).
Terps Advance to 12th Straight NCAA Round-of-16
• No. 5 seed Maryland benefited from a penalty kick goal from Patrick Mullins in the 70th minute as the Terps defeated Providence 3-1 in the second round of the 2013 NCAA Men's Soccer Championship last Sunday night at Ludwig Field.
• The Terrapins advanced to their nation-leading 12th straight NCAA Sweet Sixteen in an exciting match with the Friars. The two teams combined for 27 shots. Michael Sauers and Jake Pace also scored for Maryland.
Going Out with a Bang! Terps Win ACC Championship
• The Maryland men's soccer team benefited from an own goal to defeat Virginia 1-0 and capture its second consecutive Atlantic Coast Conference championship last Sunday in front of nearly 5,000 fans at the Maryland SoccerPlex.
• With 2:42 remaining, ACC Championship Most Valuable Player Patrick Mullins crossed the ball into the box from short range and Virginia defender Kevin McBride failed on the clear, beating goalkeeper Calle Brown and giving Maryland its third title in four years and sixth tournament championship overall.
Sauers Powers Terps into ACC Final
•Michael Sauers scored a goal with just 13 seconds left in the first overtime period to lift the top seeded Maryland men's soccer team to a 1-0 victory over Clemson in the ACC semifinals last Friday night in front of 3,352 fans at the Maryland SoccerPlex.
• Maryland led Clemson in shots, 13-11, and nine different Terps had notched a shot. Steffen had three saves between the sticks for the Terps.
When #15 Scores, Good Things Happen
• Patrick Mullins has recorded a masterful 44 goals in his prolific career at Maryland but possibly more impressive is the Terps' record when #15 finds the back of the net.
• In four years, Maryland has lost only one game when Mullins scores a goal. The Terps are 31-1-5 in matches Mullins' notches a tally. The lone loss came against Wake Forest earlier this season.
Mullins, Metzger Headline All-ACC Team
• Patrick Mullins and Dan Metzger were tabbed to the All-Atlantic Coast Conference Men's Soccer First Team, announced by league officials.
• In addition to Mullins and Metzger, Schillo Tshuma landed second team honors and Mikey Ambrose was named to the third team. Zack Steffen and Michael Sauers were both tabbed to the All-ACC Freshman Team.
Terps Claim Share of ACC Regular Season Title
• Senior Patrick Mullins scored the golden goal in overtime to lead the No. 5 Maryland men's soccer team to a 2-1 victory at Virginia Tech. The win clinched a share of the Atlantic Coast Conference regular season championship for the Terps as they cap their final season in the league.
• Maryland controlled play for most of the night against Virginia Tech. Schillo Tshuma's early goal stood up for most of regulation before Alessandro Mion equalized late for the Hokies. Mullins then netted in the first overtime period to give the Terps the victory.
• The title marks Maryland's 24th ACC Regular Season Championship in program history. It's the Terps' second consecutive title and their third since 2005. Notre Dame capped its first season as a member of the ACC with a matching 7-1-3 record. Maryland earned the top seed due to a tiebreaker.
Terp Tourney Notables
- Maryland has seven College Cup appearances in the last 15 years, tied for most in the country.
- Maryland has advanced to the postseason in 13 straight years. No other school has done so more than five consecutive seasons.
- Maryland has finished in the top 15 in the final NSCAA poll for 11 straight seasons. No other school has done so more than five straight years.
- Every four-year player at Maryland since 1998 has been part of a College Cup team. The 15-year run is the longest active streak in the country.
- Maryland is making its 33rd appearance in the NCAA tournament. The Terps advanced to the third round for a nation-best 12th straight season in 2013.
All Systems Go Against Marshall
• Senior Patrick Mullins scored two goals as the No. 4 Maryland men's soccer team defeated Marshall 5-0 at Ludwig Field.
• The Terrapins relentlessly attacked the Thundering Herd from the opening whistle and held a 16-6 shot advantage in the match. The Terps' five goal win was their highest margin of victory this season.
• Dan Metzger, David Kabelik, and Ryan Reid also scored for Maryland.
Mullins Earns ACC Player of the Week Honors Again
• Forward Patrick Mullins has been named Atlantic Coast Conference Men's Soccer Co-Player of the Week, announced by the league office last Tuesday.
• Mullins, a senior from New Orleans, had a hand in all of the No. 5 Terrapins' goals during a rugged road stretch that produced a 1-1 tie at second-ranked Notre Dame and a 3-3 draw at 23rd-ranked Virginia.
Terps to Draw at No. 23 Virginia
• Senior Patrick Mullins paced the Terps with two goals as the No. 5 Maryland men's soccer team notched a 3-3 tie at No. 23 Virginia.
• The match featured a feverish first half of scoring, highlighted by six goals in the initial 27 minutes of play. Maryland headed to its second consecutive double overtime battle after drawing at No. 2 Notre Dame three days ago in Indiana.
• Mullins notched his third goal in two matches after providing the Terps with the lone goal Tuesday. Tsubasa Endoh also notched a goal in the draw, Maryland's fifth in 2013.
Maryland Salvages Tie at No. 2 Notre Dame
• Senior Patrick Mullins tallied the lone goal as the No. 5 Maryland men's soccer team escaped No. 2 Notre Dame with a 1-1 draw.
• Maryland was keyed by a tremendous defensive effort as the Terps kicked off the first leg of their most difficult road trip of the year. Freshman Zack Steffen racked up five saves to anchor the effort against Notre Dame.
The 40 Goal Club
• Patrick Mullins' two-goal showing against Wake Forest put the senior forward in prestigious company when he moved to fifth all-time in career goals at Maryland with 40. After his game-winning tally against UC Irvine in the NCAA third round, Mullins now boasts 44 and is for third all-time.
Mullins Named ACC Player of the Week
• Senior forward Patrick Mullins has been named Atlantic Coast Conference Men's Soccer Player of the Week after his two-goal performance in the Terrapins' 3-1 road win over 13th-ranked and previously unbeaten Clemson.
• Mullins, the 2012 MAC Hermann Trophy winner, tallied the first and final goals against the Tigers, who had surrendered just one goal in six matches this season prior to Saturday night's contest.
• Mullins sealed the win in the 83rd minute when pulled down in the box and converted the subsequent penalty opportunity for his second goal of the match. The New Orleans native's efforts helped the Terps remain unbeaten in ACC play.
Bonus Soccer
• Maryland has battled opponents to extra stanzas in eight of 23 games this season, including five double overtime matches.
• The Terps' lone defeat in overtime came at California in the second contest of the year.
Terps, Tar Heels Draw in Chapel Hill
• Sophomore Schillo Tshuma recorded two goals to lead the No. 18 Maryland men's soccer team to a hard-fought 2-2 tie at No. 2 North Carolina.
• The Terrapins amassed 20 shots on the night and fueled by the return of sophomore defender Dakota Edwards tallied nearly 90 minutes of shutout soccer to cap the match and give North Carolina its second straight draw.
Terps Top Duke in Front of Ludwig Record Crowd
• Sophomore Tsubasa Endoh scored one goal and added two assists as the No. 13 Maryland men's soccer team defeated Duke 3-1 in front of a Ludwig Field record crowd of 8,397.
• The Terrapins fell behind early for the third time this season, but fought back with three second-half scores from Endoh, Helge Leikvang and Patrick Mullins to overcome the Blue Devils.
Dynamic Duo
• Patrick Mullins and Schillo Tshuma continue to show why they are one of the most prolific 1-2 punches in college soccer.
• The pair have combined for 22 of Maryland's 48 goals in 2013.
Terps Picked First in ACC Preseason Poll
• Maryland is the preseason favorite to claim the 2013 Atlantic Coast Conference Men's Soccer Championship, according to a vote of the league's 12 head coaches.
• The 2012 ACC Champion Terrapins, who return MAC Hermann Trophy winner Patrick Mullins, amassed 142 points in the balloting. North Carolina, which reached the quarterfinals of the NCAA Championship last season, placed second with 122 points in the conference poll.
• Maryland led with 10 first-place votes. Wake Forest and Notre Dame, selected third and fourth, respectively, each received one first-place vote. The ballot awarded 12 points for each first-place ballot, 11 points for second place, etc.
Cali Kickoff
• Maryland played back-to-back overtime matches when it tied Stanford and fell to California to begin the 2013 season.
• The Terps battled from two down to net a tie against the Cardinal on Friday. Patrick Mullins, Schillo Tshuma and Jake Pace scored for Maryland.
• At Cal on Sunday, Pace slotted the equalizer late in the second period to lift the Terps to extra stanzas. Tshuma also recorded a goal for Maryland.
Meet the New Kids on the Block
• The Maryland men's soccer program welcomes another talented group this fall with a six-member freshman class in 2013.
• The Terps' signing class is ranked third in the nation according to TopDrawerSoccer.com and features two members of the U-18 U.S. men's national team with the signing of Zack Steffen and Suli Dainkeh.
• Other newcomers include Alex Crognale, Daniel Johnson, Chris Odoi-Atsem and Michael Sauers.
Youth Nation
• Maryland started four freshmen defenders and a freshman goalkeeper against Cal.
• Michael Sauers, Alex Crognale, Chris Odoi-Atsem and Suli Dainkeh all notched starts in the backline while Zack Steffen earned his second consecutive start in goal.
• Steffen has started all 23 games this season.
Terrapin Dynasty
• Maryland has seven College Cup appearances in the last 15 years, tied for most in the country.
• Maryland has advanced to the postseason in 12 straight years. No other school has done so more than five consecutive seasons.
• Maryland has finished in the top 15 in the final NSCAA poll for 11 straight seasons. No other school has done so more than five straight years.
• Every four-year player at Maryland since 1998 has been part of a College Cup team. The 15-year run is the longest active streak in the country. The second-longest is Wake Forest (seven years).
• Men's soccer has more NCAA titles than all other men's programs at Maryland combined since 1976.
In all sports with at least 32 schools in its NCAA Tournament
• Maryland has more consecutive appearances in the round-of-16 than any other program in the country with 12. The second-most on that elite list is five.
• No other head coach in the nation has more national championships since 2002 than Sasho Cirovski. He is joined in that elite company by the likes of Jim Calhoun of UConn, Billy Donovan of Florida, and Roy Williams of North Carolina, who have all won two.


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NASCAR Driver Capsules, July 24
Capsules for the top 20 drivers in the Sprint Cup standings, plus five additional drivers of note.
By Jerry Bonkowski and Bob Moore
48 JIMMIE JOHNSON, Chevrolet
Team: Hendrick Motorsports
WHERE HE STANDS: Jimmie Johnson is in first place for the 14th straight week after Daytona. He leads second-ranked Clint Bowyer by 56 points and third-ranked Carl Edwards by 73 points.
INDIANAPOLIS RECORD: 11 career starts, 4 wins, 4 top-5s, 5 top-10s, 1 poles. Best career finish: First in 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2012. Finished first in this race last year and was 19th in the 2011 race there.
LOOKING AHEAD: Defending winner Johnson is seeking to become the first five-time winner of the Brickyard 400 this Sunday. Here's his thoughts: "It took me quite a while to figure out the track. But I feel that tracks that are unique and quirky, one-of-a-kind tracks, I seem to adapt well to them. Those are tracks like Martinsville, Dover, Darlington, and the Brickyard. There isn't a track out there like those. In my opinion, once you figure out how to drive those quirky tracks, you've got something that doesn't change. It always takes that line and that rhythm to get it right; and when I show up at the race track, I stay very focused on that particular driving style. We adjust the car to it, and it pays off. So for me, it's just finding that line; and then once I've got it, I seem to own it. At the Brickyard, I found it on my own. I found it through a lot of frustrating test sessions, races, a few crashed cars, and then it finally clicked. I don't remember the exact moment. I do at Martinsville, but I don't at Indy. It was just one weekend we came back and the light went off in my mind and I'm like, that's how! And then we won. That was our first win!"
LOOKING BACK: Johnson didn't dominate like he did the week before at Daytona, but still had a strong run at New Hampshire. Even though he didn't lead any laps, he finished sixth. Here's his thoughts on the race: "We had a great race car. Once you get to the top 10, that's a different game trying to pass cars and work your way to the front there. Really, the lane that you were in on a restart had a huge impact on how many cars you could pass. A few times I was on the outside and made my way to third and then a few times on the inside and I slipped back. All in all a great day for the Lowe's team and just very proud of the effort these guys put in week in and week out. We are all going to enjoy this off week and then come back and get ready to go to Indy."
ETC.: Even though he has four wins at there, Johnson has completed just 89.2 percent (1,571) of the 1,761 total laps contested in 11 career starts at Indianapolis. His average start is 13.5 and average finish is 16.8. He has three DNFs there.
15 CLINT BOWYER, Toyota
Team: Michael Waltrip Racing
WHERE HE STANDS: Clint Bowyer remained in second place for the second consecutive week after New Hampshire. However, he dropped from 49 points to 56 points behind series leader Jimmie Johnson, and leads third-ranked Carl Edwards by 17 points.
INDIANAPOLIS RECORD: 7 career starts, 0 wins, 2 top-fives, 2 top-10s, 0 poles. Best career finish: Fourth in 2006 and 2010. Was 15 in this race last year and finished 13th in the 2011 race there.
LOOKING AHEAD: Bowyer left New Hampshire still looking for his first win in 2013. He heads to Indianapolis where he's had mixed success, more bad than good. Still, a winless Bowyer is a dangerous Bowyer, and he could pull off a huge upset with a win at Indy. Here's his thoughts on how this season has gone: "I'm a calculator in terms of managing risk versus reward. Yes, second in points puts us in a position where we could take a shot and more importantly being 116 points in front of 11th place helps a lot. We'll see. We are not locked in. You look at what the No. 5 car did from Dover over a stretch of a couple weeks and he lost almost 70 points in about three weeks, so I definitely want to watch that something like that doesn't happen. Come mid-August around Bristol, Atlanta and Richmond I think we have as good of a shot as anyone to win. If we keep on the pace that we're on now and we can lock in around Bristol that would be super exciting for us - then we can go for some wins. I think it's all risk versus reward. It's easy to sit back and second guess, but you have to make the Chase in this series and we have to do what we can to do that first."
LOOKING BACK: After a third-place finish at Kentucky and fourth-place showing at Daytona, Bowyer dropped to a 13th place but still respectable finish at New Hampshire. But it was still a great day for the Michael Waltrip Racing team as Brian Vickers, driving a part-time schedule for the team in 2013 (while also racing full-time on the Nationwide Series for Joe Gibbs Racing), won his first race in 75 starts at Loudon. Said Vickers after the win, "Man, I just thank God for the chance and the opportunity to come back and this team and Rodney (Childers, crew
chief), and just everyone believing in me and giving me a second chance."
ETC.: Bowyer has completed an outstanding 100 percent (1,120) of the 1,120 total laps contested in seven career starts at Indianapolis. His average start is 20.4 and average finish is 12.3. He has zero DNFs there.
99 CARL EDWARDS, Ford
Team: Roush Fenway Racing
WHERE HE STANDS: After spending the previous nine weeks in second place, Carl Edwards remained in third place for the second consecutive week after New Hampshire. He trails points leader Jimmie Johnson by 73 points, second-ranked Clint Bowyer by 17 points and leads fourth-ranked Kevin Harvick by one point.
INDIANAPOLIS RECORD: 8 career starts, 0 wins, 1 top-fives, 3 top-10s, 0 poles. Best career finish: Second in 2008. Was 29th in this race last year and finished 14th in the 2011 race there.
LOOKING AHEAD: Edwards has ridden a roller coaster over the last eight races at Indianapolis, up and down, up and down. After finishing 14th and 29th in his last two starts there, he's due for a bounce back upward on Sunday. Here's his thoughts: "The Brickyard is a big race for our Fastenal team. The track is very unique and fast and has a lot of history. It's a race on the schedule that neither Jimmy nor I have won. Because it's near Fastenal's biggest distribution center, a win there would be huge. Our goal is to go there to win the pole and the race."
LOOKING BACK: After finishing a disappointing 29th at Daytona the week before, Edwards rebounded with an eighth-place finish at New Hampshire. Here's what he had to say about the track at Loudon: "Loudon has been hit or miss for us. It is fun to go there because the Red Sox and Fenway Sports Group are based up there. A win would (have been) huge. ... It is a deceivingly tough track."
ETC.: Edwards has completed a near-perfect 99.7 percent (1,276) of the 1,280 total laps contested in eight career starts at Indianapolis. His average start is 22.0 and average finish is 13.2. He has zero DNFs there.
29 KEVIN HARVICK, Chevrolet
Team: Richard Childress Racing
WHERE HE STANDS: Kevin Harvick remained in fourth place for the fifth straight week after New Hampshire. He trails series leader Jimmie Johnson by 74 points, is one point behind third-ranked Carl Edwards and leads fifth-ranked Dale Earnhardt Jr. by 44 points.
INDIANAPOLIS RECORD: 12 career starts, 1 wins, 4 top-fives, 7 top-10s, 1 poles. Best career finish: First in 2003. Was 13th in this race last year and 11th in the 2011 race there.
LOOKING AHEAD: After finishing second at Indianapolis in 2010, Harvick has not had the results he'd like the last two races there. But given the season he's had thus far and the fact that this is his last season with Richard Childress Racing, expect Harvick to give everything he has to win at Indy on Sunday. Here's his thoughts: "It's quite the place to win at. I'm not sure exactly why we run so well at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but it's a good track to perform well at, and we've done so throughout the years. Hopefully we can do the same thing this time around because it's a fun race to win. We ran well at Pocono Raceway and Auto Club Speedway, so the longer tracks have been treating us pretty well this season. I just hope that continues so we can experience another Brickyard 400 win."
LOOKING BACK: Harvick had another strong run this past Sunday at New Hampshire, one of his favorite tracks on the Sprint Cup circuit, finishing seventh. Here's his thoughts on that race: "We struggled terribly today. We were able to make something out of it, but we've got a lot of work to do before we come back (for the fall Chase race)."
ETC.: Harvick has completed 99.4 percent (1,909) of the 1,921 total laps contested in 12 career starts at Indianapolis. His average start is 15.6 and average finish is 10.2. He has zero DNFs there.
88 DALE EARNHARDT JR., Chevrolet
Team: Hendrick Motorsports
WHERE HE STANDS: Dale Earnhardt Jr. remained in fifth place for the second consecutive week after New Hampshire. He trails points leader Jimmie Johnson by 118 points, is 44 points behind fourth-ranked Kevin Harvick and leads sixth-ranked Kyle Busch by two points.
INDIANAPOLIS RECORD: 13 career starts, 0 wins, 1 top-fives, 3 top-10s, 0 poles. Best career finish: Fourth in 2012. Was a career-best fourth in this race last year and 16th in the 2011 race there.
LOOKING AHEAD: Earnhardt has had very limited success at Indianapolis. He's still looking for his first win of the season, and a win at the Brickyard would likely rank right up there with his Daytona 500 win in 2004 as one of the biggest wins of his career. Here's his thoughts on Sunday's race: "I like coming to Indy and like the history of the racetrack. The history there is incredible. It's been able to survive a lot of things, and here we are racing on it today. It is just incredible. It is a challenging place. It is one groove and you kind of fight getting aero-tight behind people. You know when you show up for practice what you of need out of your car. We will work hard this weekend and see where we end up."
LOOKING BACK: Earnhardt had a marginal car and wound up with a marginal 14th place finish. He tried to challenge at times, but just didn't have a strong enough car to compete with the leaders.
ETC.: Earnhardt has completed just 92.5 percent (1,924) of the 2,081 total laps contested in 13 career starts at Indianapolis. His average start is 17.0, while his average finish is 20.3. He has three DNFs there.
18 KYLE BUSCH, Toyota
Team: Joe Gibbs Racing
WHERE HE STANDS: Kyle Busch moved up one spot and into a tie for sixth place with Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Matt Kenseth after New Hampshire. The two teammates trail points leader Jimmie Johnson by 120 points, are two points behind fifth-ranked Dale Earnhardt Jr. and leads eighth-ranked Greg Biffle by 31 points.
INDIANAPOLIS RECORD: 8 career starts, 0 wins, 2 top-fives, 6 top-10s, 0 poles. Best career finish: Second in the 2012 race. Finished second in this race last year and was 10th in the 2011 race there.
LOOKING AHEAD: Despite all the controversy after the race at New Hampshire with Ryan Newman, Kyle Busch would like nothing more than to win at Indianapolis. He came so close in last year's race, only to lose to Jimmie Johnson. Could Sunday be Busch's turn to finally win at Indy, and where does it rank on his list of most important races to win? "It's number two. It's right there. Daytona is one, Indy is two. They're both pretty close. Indy is an important racetrack for a lot of people. The history of that place, it's all been Indy cars. But it's still one of the first big superspeedways in America dating back to the early 1900s. There's a lot there that everyone always wants to win."
LOOKING BACK: Busch led 53 laps Sunday at New Hampshire, but just couldn't catch Brian Vickers at the end. Here's Busch's thoughts on the race: "Our worst finish of finishing races this season is sixth. All the rest of them have been wadded-up in a pile or blown up or something like that. Daytona was 12th -- I crossed the line 12th, but I was wrecking. So, that was a good day. ... We just got to keep knocking these out. It's good to get an off week, rebound a little bit, go to Indy and start our last 18 weeks."
ETC.: Busch has completed 96.2 percent (1,232) of the 1,280 total laps contested in eight career starts at Indianapolis. His average start is 21.1, while his average finish is 11.8. He has zero DNFs there.
20 MATT KENSETH, Toyota
Team: Joe Gibbs Racing
WHERE HE STANDS: Matt Kenseth remained in sixth place after New Hampshire, but is now tied with Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch. The two teammates trail points leader Jimmie Johnson by 120 points, are two points behind fifth-ranked Dale Earnhardt Jr. and leads eighth-ranked Greg Biffle by 31 points.
INDIANAPOLIS RECORD: 13 career starts, 0 wins, 5 top-fives, 7 top-10s, 0 poles. Best career finish: Second in 2003 and 2006. Finished 35th in this race last year and was fifth in the 2011 race there.
LOOKING AHEAD: Kenseth has had a phenomenal season to date, tied with Jimmie Johnson with four wins each. Kenseth has come close to winning at Indianapolis several times in the past, but never has sealed the deal. With the way he's been running in 2013, could this be the year he finally conquers the Brickyard - especially with the way he finished so disappointing in last year's race due to a wreck?
LOOKING BACK: There's no question Joe Gibbs Racing was prepared at New Hampshire, with Kyle Busch and Matt Kenseth both leading a significant number of laps. Unfortunately, neither one won. Busch finished second to fellow Toyota driver Brian Vickers, while Kenseth faded late in the race to finish ninth. Here's Kenseth's thoughts on his performance: "It was kind of uphill. I had a good car, probably the best car I've ever had here, probably a top-three to five car, for sure. Kind of lost our track position when Kurt (Busch) cleaned out (Ryan) Newman. I had to stop to miss that wreck. Lost all our
track position again. Just wasn't good enough to get it all back."
ETC.: Kenseth has completed just 90.2 percent (1,878) of the 2,081 total laps contested in 13 career starts at Indianapolis. His average start is 19.7 and average finish is 15.8. He has two DNFs there.
16 GREG BIFFLE, Ford
Team: Roush Fenway Racing
WHERE HE STANDS: Greg Biffle remained in eighth place for the second consecutive week after New Hampshire. He trails points leader Jimmie Johnson by 151 points, is 31 points behind the sixth-place tie of Kyle Busch and Matt Kenseth and leads ninth-ranked Brad Keselowski by 16 points.
INDIANAPOLIS RECORD: 10 career starts, 0 wins, 3 top-fives, 6 top-10s, 0 poles. Best career finish: Third in 2010 and 2012. Finished third in this race last year and was seventh in the 2011 race there.
LOOKING AHEAD: Biffle has never missed a lap in the 10 previous starts he's had at Indianapolis. And, with six top-10 finishes in those 10 starts, Biffle has become quite adept at getting around the legendary 2.5-mile track. With three top-five and two other top-10 finishes in his last five starts, he's been knocking on the door for a win at Indy. Could Sunday be his day to do so? Here's his thoughts on the race: "I love racing at Indy, we always seem to run well there. I can't wait to kiss the bricks. I feel like we have a good car, we've gained a lot on downforce and a lot on drag. I'm looking forward to having a good engine and qualifying up front. This thing is going to be ours."
LOOKING BACK: After a 34th-place finish at Kentucky and a 17th-place finish at Daytona, Biffle wound up with a 15th-place finish this past Sunday at New Hampshire.
ETC.: Biffle has completed an outstanding 100 percent (1,601) of the 1,601 total laps contested in 10 career starts at Indianapolis. His average start is 15.3 and average finish is 12.1. He has zero DNFs there.
2 BRAD KESELOWSKI, Ford
Team: Penske Racing
WHERE HE STANDS: Defending Sprint Cup champion Brad Keselowski climbed back into the top-10 in the Sprint Cup standings, jumping four places after New Hampshire and into ninth place. He trails points leader Jimmie Johnson by 167 points, is 16 points behind eighth-ranked Greg Biffle and leads 10th-ranked Kasey Kahne by six points.
INDIANAPOLIS RECORD: 3 career starts, 0 wins, 0 top-five, 2 top-10s, 0 poles. Best career finish: Ninth in 2011 and 2012.
LOOKING AHEAD: If Keselowski is to defend his Sprint Cup championship, he'll have to really pick up his game from this point forward. He still has yet to win his first race of the season, and Indianapolis would be a great stage to do so, particularly with the fact he has back-to-back ninth-place finishes there in his last two starts. Here's his thoughts on Sunday's race: "You can't go to the Brickyard without thinking about what the track means not only to NASCAR, but to auto racing in general. Being from the Midwestern section of the country myself, I always looked to the spectacle of the Indianapolis 500 and wondered what it would be like to compete there. Now we have the Brickyard 400 for stock cars and it has become one of the most prestigious races in the country as well. Everyone on the Miller Lite Ford Fusion team is excited about the new car we are bringing this weekend. A lot of work went into building it and I think it's going to give us our best shot yet to get Mr. Penske a Brickyard 400 trophy."
LOOKING BACK: Keselowski had the top-finishing Ford at New Hampshire, earning a fourth-place finish.
ETC.: Busch has completed an outstanding 100 percent (480) of the 480 total laps contested in three career starts at Indianapolis. His average start is 12.7, while his average finish there is 12.3. He has zero DNFs there.
5 KASEY KAHNE, Chevrolet
Team: Hendrick Motorsports
WHERE HE STANDS: Kasey Kahne climbed back into the top 10, gaining two places in the standings after New Hampshire to go into the off-week in 10th position. He trails points leader Jimmie Johnson by 173 points, is six points behind ninth-ranked Brad Keselowski and leads the 11th-ranked tie between Martin Truex Jr. and Jeff Gordon by two points.
INDIANAPOLIS RECORD: 9 career starts, 0 wins, 2 top-fives, 4 top-10s and 0 poles. Best career finish: Second in 2005. Finished 12th in this race last year and was 18th in the 2011 race there.
LOOKING AHEAD: Kahne started out like gangbusters in his first two career Cup races at Indianapolis, with finishes of fourth and second in 2004 and 2005. But since then, he's been up and down like a roller coaster. He's looking for his second win of the season, but given his mixed bag of performance there, one has to wonder if he may just want to get as best a finish as he can and move on to the next race. More importantly, however, Kahne has to do what he can to remain in the top-10 between now and Richmond to assure himself a spot in the Chase, rather than have to worry about whether he'll make it as one of the two wild card entries. Here's his thoughts on Sunday's race: "I lived in Indianapolis for three years and watched tons of (Indianapolis) 500s and Brickyard 400s over the years so I really want to win there. I would just love to at some point in time. I came close a few different times. I gave it away in 2005, and we've been close a couple other times and just haven't got it done. But it's a neat track. It's a really precise, technical place that seems like you can just miss your mark by a little bit and really slow down your speed of lap, especially with those long straightaways. So it's a neat place, and I enjoy qualifying there because you can run so hard and then the race is pretty cool, too."
LOOKING BACK: All four Hendrick Motorsports drivers finished in the top-14 at New Hampshire, with Kahne finishing 11th, right behind teammate Jeff Gordon and three spots ahead of fellow teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr.
ETC.: Kahne has completed 91.5 percent (1,319) of the 1,441 total laps contested in nine starts at Indianapolis. His average start is an outstanding 8.7, but his average finish is 15.4. He has two DNFs there.
56 MARTIN TRUEX, JR., Toyota
Team: Michael Waltrip Racing
WHERE HE STANDS: 11th, only two points out of the top 10. Stands first in the wild card standings with one win.
INDY RECORD: Finished eighth a year ago for his first top-10 finish at the famed Brickyard.
LOOKING AHEAD: Truex said, "Just going to Indy is cool. It has so much history around it. The prestige of winning there is incredible. It sure would be nice to kiss the bricks. I think we have a chance. We have had some really good runs there over the years including last year in the NAPA Toyota. You definitely need horsepower, aero and good handling. You need it all to be fast there."
LOOKING BACK: Truex finished 16th at Loudon.
ETC.: Truex spent the off week relaxing in the Bahamas. This included swimming with sharks. "It was something that I had never done before and it certainly wasn't scary or even crazy like you would expect it to be. They were only three to four feet long and we were given instructions as to what to do. By all means, we're not talking about great whites. They were nurse sharks so they were not aggressive. They just wanted you to pet them. We had a good time and my batteries got charged up in time for one of the biggest weeks in our sport."
24 JEFF GORDON, Chevrolet
Team: Hendrick Motorsports
WHERE HE STANDS: 12th, only two points out of the top 10. Stands third in the wild card standings.
INDY RECORD: Will be seeking his third straight top-five finish and sixth top-nine finish in the last seven races. Has won the famed Brickyard 400 four times. His 11 top-five finishes and 15 top-10 finishes rank first in those two categories as does 477 laps led.
LOOKING AHEAD: Gordon, who grew up in Pittsboro, Ind., only a few miles from Indianapolis Motor Speedway, said, "I never dreamed I would win one, let alone four there. Winning five would be unimaginable. This is just a special place. Flying in, I'm always excited and eager to look out the window and see the track. I think I was 11 the first time I flew over the track, and I thought that was the coolest thing. I just love this event (the Brickyard 400) and competing here. I think this track suits my driving style, and the team has given me great cars here over the years. I always come here with confidence."
LOOKING BACK: Gordon rallied from a late spin to finish 10th at Loudon to move up two spots in the standings and close to within only two points of the top 10.
ETC.: Gordon feels the team needs to "win a race or two, being tied for 11th isn't doing us a whole lot of good. We've got to be a little further up, but it's nice to be that close (to the top 10). We continue to have frustrating days and things not going quite our way, but yet we continue to hang in there (in his bid to make the Chase). Hopefully, we can get it turned around and have some things go our way when it matters most and get ourselves in this Chase."
14 TONY STEWART, Chevrolet
Team: Stewart-Haas Racing
WHERE HE STANDS: 13th, only five points out of the top 10. Stands second in the wild card standings with one win.
INDY RECORD: Will be seeking his fifth straight top-10 finish and tenth in the last 11 races. Included in this streak is two wins - 2005 and 2007.
LOOKING AHEAD: Stewart said, "This is an event that I definitely circle on my schedule, emotionally having a lot invested in it. To us it's definitely not just another stop that's on the calendar and on the schedule. You don't just pull in and say, 'We're going to go in and try to win the race,' then pull out of here. When you're here, you're amped up because you're at Indianapolis. It's definitely not just another victory to us. It's a big deal for us to win here."
LOOKING BACK: Stewart led 84 of the final 100 laps, but ran out of gas on the start of the green-white-checkered flag finish to end up 26th at Loudon.
ETC.: Stewart admits he wasn't a big fan of NASCAR racing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway when the idea first came up in the early 1990's. "The first time they came (in 1994), I'll be honest, I was 100 percent against it," said Stewart. "When you grow up in the state of Indiana, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the Holy Grail to you. I didn't want to see anything different come to it. To me, it was the Indy 500 and that's all it was supposed to be. But after the second year, I was kind of on the fence and by the third year I was a fan. Luckily my career path allowed me to come race here. Kissing the bricks (after his win in 2005) was everything to me. My whole life, since I was a kid, that's what I wanted to do. Not that I had some fascination with kissing bricks as a kid. But my fascination to do it here was pretty obsessive."
78 KURT BUSCH, Chevrolet
Team: Furniture Row Racing
WHERE HE STANDS: 14th, only seven points out of the top 10.
INDY RECORD: Four top-10 finishes in 12 starts.
LOOKING AHEAD: Busch said, "Indy has been a tough track for me. It's been frustrating there just to find the groove over the years. My first time at Indy I got a top-five and never gotten another one since. It might have been blind luck the first time out. When they diamonded out the surface that's when I started to (really) struggle - since that moment in 2005. It's like you're throwing a setup out in the middle of the track and you hope that it sticks for Sunday. We took a big hit in New Hampshire and need to get back into the top-10. We're right there, but need to avoid mistakes and being in the wrong place at the wrong time."
LOOKING BACK: Busch led three times for a race-high 102 laps, but his victory hopes were eliminated with 75 laps to go when he was involved in a multi-car accident. Busch ended up 31st to lose five spots in the standings and fall out of the top 10.
ETC.: Busch hopes his test run in an open-wheel car at Indy in May will boost his chances of a good showing in the 400 on Sunday. "I had a great experience at Indy back in May testing an Andretti Autosport Indy car," said Busch. "It's an awesome feeling to race at this historic track and a victory at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is what drivers want on their resume."
1 JAMIE MCMURRAY, Chevrolet
Team: Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates
WHERE HE STANDS: 15th, 16 points out of the top 10.
INDY RECORD: Won the 2010 race. Has five top-seven finishes in 10 starts.
LOOKING AHEAD: McMurray is "ready to get to Indy this week. Our team is very focused right now and we are ready to get back to action this weekend in Indianapolis. We have worked hard to put ourselves in a good position over the last few weeks with some solid finishes. Indianapolis is one of the places that is special to win with all the history and tradition at the speedway. I feel that our cars are getting better every week and the Brickyard would be a great place to get on a roll as we head closer to the Chase."
LOOKING BACK: McMurray finished 12th at New Hampshire Motor Speedway to move up two spots in the standings and close to within 16 points of the top 10.
ETC.: McMurray feels he could be in the top 10 in the point standings if his luck hadn't been so bad in the first half of the season. "Our year has been really good, we've just not be able to finish where we've been running," said McMurray, noting a blown tire at Michigan, a punctured radiator at Dover, a broken radiator at Charlotte and being in the wrong place at the wrong time at Daytona. "Speed-wise we've been good all year."
43 ARIC ALMIROLA, Ford
Team: Richard Petty Motorsports
WHERE HE STANDS: 16th, 21 points out of the top 10.
INDY RECORD: Finished 19th last year in his first Cup start.
LOOKING AHEAD: Almirola said, "Indy is awesome. It is unreal to drive down that front straightaway with grandstands on both sides. It's like you are driving through a tunnel at 200 miles per hour. It's an amazing feeling. I remember when they started racing the Brickyard 400, watching it, and thinking what it would be like to race at that track with all its history and nostalgia. Now, to have that opportunity, is really special."
LOOKING BACK: Excellent pit strategy allowed Almirola to finish fifth at New Hampshire Motor Speedway to gain three spots in the standings and get back in the thick of the battle for the Chase.
ETC.: Crew chief Todd Parrott is the one that started the NASCAR tradition of kissing the bricks when he was the crew chief for Dale Jarrett. Following Jarrett's win in 1996, Parrott suggested that to celebrate the win "we need to kick the bricks at the Brickyard." The Jarrett-Parrott combo won the race a second time in 1999.
31 JEFF BURTON, Chevrolet
Team: Richard Childress Racing
WHERE HE STANDS: 17th, 25 points out of the top 10.
INDY RECORD: Five top-10 finishes in 19 starts.
LOOKING AHEAD: Burton believes "it's definitely not easy" getting around Indianapolis Motor Speedway. "You have to be aggressive and push yourself," adds Burton. "The corners look the same, but they drive completely different. Turns one and three are at the end of those long straightaways and you would think they are the same, but they aren't. Turn three has way more grip then turn one, while turn two has the least amount of grip. Then you get to turn four and realize it has the most grip. Most people don't know this, but all of the corners also have different banking which makes it unique. It's a really interesting race track."
LOOKING BACK: Burton led four times for 14 races and finished a season-high third at Loudon to jump four spots in the standings and boost his chances of making the Chase.
ETC.: Burton is convinced the decision by Indianapolis Motor Speedway to bring NASCAR to the famed facility "was a game changer for NASCAR. In the 1990's, NASCAR took over as the leader in motorsports. Going to Indianapolis put us in a different category and we've gone there and put on good races and filled the stands every time. I think it was good for Indy, too. Bringing stock cars there was a historic occasion and it ruffled a few feathers, but at the end of the day, it was good for the race track and for the area. Overall, it has had a positive impact on the sport."
22 JOEY LOGANO, Ford
Team: Penske Racing
WHERE HE STANDS: 18th, 36 points out of the top 10.
INDY RECORD: One top-10 in four starts.
LOOKING AHEAD: Logano calls Indianapolis Motor Speedway "one of the coolest race tracks in the entire world. When you drive around the place, you just know that this is a unique place to race. It's a track and a race that everyone wants to win. There are a few tracks - Daytona, Darlington, Charlotte, Talladega, Bristol - where you really want to win and Indy is near the top of that list. And to get a chance to race there for Roger Penske, knowing the history that he has at Indy, is pretty cool. Now, what would be even better is to win the race for Roger. That would be cool."
LOOKING BACK: Logano agreed to spend his off Sprint Cup weekend racing in the Nationwide Series at Chicagoland Speedway after a request by Penske. Both Logano and Penske were elated with the results as Logano won the race and led a 1-2 sweep for Penske Racing. "Really big for us to get a 1-2 finish for Penske," said Logano. "Our goal was to win this thing. That's why I came out here on my off week, it was to come out here and win. I'm glad I did." The victory was Logano's 20th on the Nationwide Series.
ETC.: Two races ago, Logano stood 10th in the Sprint Cup standings. But two bad-luck races in a row has dropped him to 18th. Logano feels he has to step up and "be a leader" to help the team overcome its recent troubles. "The guys are going to look at you," said Logano. "The thing is that we know the last two weeks things have happened beyond our control. There is nothing you can do when you have tire issues and we've had them two weeks in a row. But we've been running really well and I think that will continue. You just have to keep the guys pumped up."
39 RYAN NEWMAN, Chevrolet
Team: Stewart-Haas Racing
WHERE HE STANDS: 19th, 36 points out of the top 10.
INDY RECORD: Finished seventh a year ago for only his second top-10 finish in 12 starts.
LOOKING AHEAD: Newman calls Indianapolis Motor Speedway "a unique race track. We all know that. It's a lot of fun, especially when you're up front. It seems like the straightaways go on forever and you can just sit there and relax and drive the race car. It's really a deal where, if you have a fast race car, you will have fun. If your car isn't fast, it's going to be a miserable day. It is so difficult to pass there. But for me, I think racing at Indianapolis is just about the history."
LOOKING BACK: A late-race accident triggered when Matt Kenseth ran into the back of Kurt Busch resulted in a 39th-place finish for Newman as he lost three spots in the standings.
ETC.: Newman said his "favorite Brickyard moment was probably my first competitive lap that I ever had there back in 2001. Everybody was in qualifying trim in practice - the way we used to do with the schedule. We were quickest out of the box. I wasn't even a rookie at that point and I was the quickest car in practice. So that was pretty cool. I ended up qualifying fifth because I bounced off the wall in turn four. But that, to me, was pretty impressive - to be that much of a rookie and to be that competitive at a track that is so difficult."
27 PAUL MENARD, Chevrolet
Team: Richard Childress Racing
WHERE HE STANDS: 20th, 36 points out of the top 10.
INDY RECORD: Won the Brickyard 400 in 2011.
LOOKING AHEAD: Menard said, "Indy is a place where I spent a lot of time when I was younger. It will always be a very special place for me since it's the track when I got my first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win. We've had a tough month so far, and we are looking forward to changing our luck this weekend. I've got a brand new number 27 Duracell/Menards Chevrolet for this weekend, and I'm ready to get on track after having a weekend off. Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the greatest race track in the world and it's always a pleasure to walk through the gates at 'The Brickyard'."
LOOKING BACK: Menard finished 17th at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
ETC.: Car owner Richard Childress is the only car owner to win the Brickyard 400 with three different driver - Dale Earnhardt, Kevin Harvick and Menard. Childress, surprisingly, calls the Menard victory maybe the best of the three. "Not taking anything away from Dale or Kevin's first win there, but that one was so special I think because of being able to win a race with Paul, being able to win at Indy, where that whole family had put so much into Indianapolis Motor Speedway," said Childress. "John Menard (Paul's father) played a huge role there for many years. To be able to win that race with him, have his whole family there that day, it was almost a storybook ending to a great venture in Indy for John Menard."
17 RICKY STENHOUSE, JR., Ford
Team: Roush Fenway Racing
WHERE HE STANDS: 21st, 47 points out of the top 10, 11 points out of the top 20.
INDY RECORD: Will be making his Sprint Cup debut.
LOOKING AHEAD: Stenhouse said he is "looking forward to my first Cup start at Indy. A win at Indy is something every driver dreams about. We ran there last year for the first time in the Nationwide Series and finished ninth after running in the top 10 for most of the day. Track position is crucial at Indy so we will have to stay up front and work on pit strategy. I'm confident we can earn a top-10 finish this weekend in our Ford Ecoboost Fusion."
LOOKING BACK: Stenhouse was involved in a late-race accident and finished 34th at Loudon.
ETC.: Crew chief Scott Graves said, "It would be awesome to get our first top-10 at Indy, a track with so much history. Qualifying on Saturday is super important so we will work hard on Friday to get our car dialed in for qualifying on Saturday. Ricky has only raced at Indy once so there will be learning curve but I feel confident that we can have a strong performance at Indy."
9 MARCOS AMBROSE, Ford
Team: Richard Petty Motorsports
WHERE HE STANDS: 22nd, 83 points out of the top 10, 47 points out of the top 20.
INDY RECORD: Finished 20th a year ago for his best finish in five starts.
LOOKING AHEAD: Ambrose points out that "I am blessed to have had the opportunity to race around the world. I have raced on tracks throughout Europe, back home in Australia and now here in the United States. I can tell you, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has an unmatched history of any track. It has its own place in motorsports history and that's what makes it so special. Any driver wants to win a race at Indianapolis."
LOOKING BACK: Ambrose was involved in an early-race accident at Loudon and ended the day in 33rd place.
ETC.: Ambrose said he "enjoys watching as much of the Indianapolis 500 each May as possible. I know some of the guys and it's always a great race to watch. I think they watch us too when we race here in July. They respect that we can race these heavier stock cars around the track. It gives us and the open-wheel guys some common ground."
42 JUAN PABLO MONTOYA, Chevrolet
Team: Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates
WHERE HE STANDS: 23rd, 99 points out of the top 10, 53 points out of the top 20.
INDY RECORD: One top-five finish, a second, in six races.
LOOKING AHEAD: Montoya feels this may be the year he finally wins Indy. In 2009, he dominated the race, leading a race-high 116 laps. But he was penalized for speeding on pit road as he made his final stop of the race. Montoya ended up 11th. A year later, Montoya led 86 laps, but a decision to change all four tires on a late pit stop dropped him out of the lead. He restarted seventh and was extremely aggressive and got caught up in a late-race accident that left him in 32nd-place.
LOOKING BACK: Montoya finished 24th at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. He spent the week off on his farm outside his native Bogota, Columbia.
ETC.: Montoya believes the future is quite bright at EGR. "We have the right people now," said Montoya. "We have the ability now and the future is even brighter. The encouraging thing is we're actually starting to see the light again. It's fun. It's been a year of ups and down, but the downs are now 16th and the ups are nearly wins. Last year an up was 25th. It was painful."
10 DANICA PATRICK, Chevrolet
Team: Stewart-Haas Racing
WHERE SHE STANDS: 27TH, 173 points out of the top 10.
INDY RECORD: Will be making her Sprint Cup debut. She had six top-10 finishes in seven Indianapolis 500 starts.
LOOKING AHEAD: Patrick said, "I don't care what I drive around Indy, I love being there. I just like everything about it. I like the facility, obviously. And to me, the special thing about Indy is, obviously, I've had great experiences, but it's all about the track. The older I get, the more I realize how much history and tradition plays a role in what's important and what matters and what means the most to you."
LOOKING BACK: Patrick was another driver involved in a late-race accident at Loudon as she finished 37th.
ETC.: Patrick tested at Indy earlier this month, and she discovered driving a stock car around the 2.5-mile track isn't much different than driving an off-wheel car. "It's just about finding a balance with car out there, which is no different than in an Indy car," said Patrick. "In an Indy car, we learned very quickly that it's about how much throttle you could carry around. The stock cars get very low in the corners, and that can be a little bit of a danger in an Indy car, especially if you get just a little bit too low and get a little loose. So that's a little bit different, I suppose, but nothing that was terribly unexpected."
55 MARK MARTIN, Toyota
Team: Michael Waltrip Racing
WHERE HE STANDS: 29th, 209 points out of the top 10. The team is ranked 13th in the car owner standings and second in the wild card standings with one win.
INDY RECORD: 11 top-10 finishes including six top-five's in 19 starts. Has finished second twice.
LOOKING AHEAD: Martin hopes to follow in Brian Vickers' footsteps and put the 55 car in victory lane this weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. "Man, what an awesome thing for Brian and Rodney (Childers, crew chief), Aaron's and everyone at MWR," said Martin. "I was watching on television but I felt like I was driving along with Brian in the closing laps. It was nerve wracking. It was just an awesome moment for everyone here. I've enjoyed my time off, but I'm ready to go again. No doubt about it, an Indianapolis win would be special. We can do it."
LOOKING BACK: Brian Vickers drove the 55 car at Loudon and won the race after passing Tony Stewart for the lead with 16 laps to go.
ETC.: Vickers' victory at New Hampshire Motor Speedway vaulted the 55 team into contention for the owners' championship. "One of the very first things we talked about was racing for an owner's championship; let's shake up the system," said Ty Norris, executive vice president at Michael Waltrip Racing. "We have multiple drivers but if we can win some races and be in a situation where we can run for an owner's championship that can be just as remarkable as running for a driver's championship, so our team has rallied around that."


text:
Fri, Jun 8, 2018 at 10:52 AM
The Curious Case of Nicki Minaj
Written by Caryn Gaz for OUT Magazine.
With her snappy bicurious lyrics and out-of-this-world costume changes, Nicki Minaj is soaring in the most peculiar way. Does she have what it takes to change rap's homophobic landscape forever?
Nicki Minaj is a 25-year-old rapper from Queens, New York, with a wickedly clever flow and never-ending supply of pop culture punch lines. Except when she's Roman Zolanski, her gay male alter ego, who spits saucy verses at warp speed. Or the character Nicki Lewinsky, who cozies up to President Carter -- better known as superstar rapper Lil Wayne -- on a handful of salacious mix tape tracks. She raps about signing her fans' boobs in a bugged-out Valley girl accent. She's the first female hip-hop artist to hit number 1 on Billboard's top rap singles chart since 2003. She's stolen the spotlight on songs with pop heavyweights Mariah Carey and Usher. And she's done it all while playing hip-hop's most dangerous game: sexuality roulette.
To view an exclusive behind-the-scene video, click here.
To read the rest of this article, click here to go to the OUT Magazine piece.


text: Save This Event For Later Tour de Per-RY Perry, NY, Sat Jul 13, 2013 Who's Registered? | Contact Event | Event Website | Google Calendar Start line address: Perry, NY 14530 Presented by Tour de Per-RY Committee This is a past event. If you wish to see the details for this event click, "Continue" below. If you are looking for a current event, please search the event calendar .