As we prepare to celebrate our Independence, I first and foremost would like to thank EVERYONE who helps or has helped to keep or country safe and free. With that being said, it's time to get down to the business of another "Just My Thoughts"

1. BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY EVENT - Incase you have been hanging with Gilligan and the crew on that lost island, the NASCAR Whelen Modified and NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tours will be competing in a combination race at Bristol Motor Speedway in August. It was recently announced that the event will be broadcast by SPEED on a 45-minute tape delay. This event could be a "make it or break it" event for the Tours as far as television coverage is concerned. Hopefully some of the bonehead "dive bombers" will realize they can not race like that if they expect to cry for television coverage.

2. RACE COVERAGE - Is it just me, or does it ALMOST seem like NASCAR is starting to care about the Tours. The coverage provided by LocalRacing.NASCAR.com just continues to impress me, and the latest news of SPEED broadcasting races is even better. I also have to give a "tip of the hat" to the LIVE Audio Stream provided for the New Hampshire Motor Speedway event. BUT, can someone please make sure that these people conducting the post race interviews learn how to read. It is the NASCAR Whelen Modified TOUR not Series. I feel ANYONE being PAID to conduct an interview should know what and who they are interviewing. Just my opinion at least. I mean the logo was right behind the drivers they were interviewing, do they need glasses???

3. TED CHRISTOPHER - Well it looks like TC is once again the center of controversy... go figure. I know I have said it before, but incase you missed it, I do respect his talent. BUT, the way he handled the last lap incident at New Hampshire, in my opinion, was NOT EVEN CLOSE TO PROFESSIONAL. To sit there as the defending Tour Champion, the man who represents the division, and say that everyone else is to blame for the crash is just plain conceited. Then you throw in "how many races have they won here ?". Ok Ted, you have won races there, you have also lost. Who won Saturday? So, because you have won races at a track you are now excused from any fault? If that is the case then Donny Lia is excused from any fault as well. I personally would like to hear from Todd Szegedy.

4. THE TWO TOURS HEALTH - The doomsayers were predicting death for the NASCAR Tours this season. I'm sorry to inform them, but both NASCAR Tours seem to be doing pretty darn well to me. Close to 50 drivers have allready entered events on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour this season, and this comes before events at tracks where Tour Type Modifieds run on a weekly basis. The Southern Tour has seen 31 drivers enter events. For the first time in almost ten years we have a LIVE television event, and the New Hampshire event in September will also be shown at a later date. I love ALL the Modified Tours, but can any of the others compete with these statistics? Oh, I forgot to mention we also have NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers racing on this Tour. Ryan Newman and Kasey Khane are both competing in three races, and David Ragan was to compete in a Southern Tour event earlier this season. Anyone that wants to question crowds, well here is a picture for you to look at:

For the first time in years I feel like NASCAR is actually waking up. This is where it all began... NASCAR Modifieds.

Thank you for reading. I say it with each "Just My Thoughts", agree or disagree I LOVE to see your response.

-WMT-