Since that time, we've added...and constantly "tweaked" something called the Car of Tomorrow, which began as an ugly little thing that originally resembled a pregnant roller skate...with wings. Blessedly, the wings are only a memory now, but shouldn't someone have realized that the natural purpose of wings is to fly? We tried to tell them, but the wings stayed until cars began flying again, dangerously close to the always vulnerable grandstands.

More recently, the point system that worked for everyone for over 30 years was scrapped for one that purports to be "simpler." Personally, I don't find much difference between the old and new, but apparently there are folks sitting in high places that can't count beyond "onesies."

The percentages are almost identical, old to new, but if it makes some happy, that one's OK. Still, the media, most of whom allow themselves to be led like sheep, repeatedly mention the "vast differences" between the two, and how much more difficult it is to recover from a DNF under the new system. More BS! They need a remedial course in basic 5th grade math.

Oh, to be sure, we've talked many of these things to death in the time I've been here at RR, so why on earth am I bringing all that up again today? Go look at the news that's out there. Basically, there isn't any! We're looking at the second of ten races this weekend, which will decide the supposed Champion of the 2011 season. It's SEPTEMBER! This is what we used to call Silly Season.

All that's out there, should one want to share news or start a conversation, is a collection of rather weak predictions of which of the Chosen ones will take home the Whatever Cup this year. Oh, and a few columns chastising NASCAR for changing the rules in the middle of the game again, referring to the upcoming "tweaks" at Talladega.

Yesterday, I gave it all a quick read and then went out and got a pedicure. On my scale, that seemed more important than giving my opinion of who might win a game in which I have little to no interest. Today, I didn't need a pedicure, so this morning, I answered the posts of several friends, mostly regarding those grey clouds that appeared over our life for a brief time yesterday.