Some Random Thoughts On A Friday

This weekend it is a perfect storm for sports fans.

On Saturday NCAA football continues and it is also the second round of the NASCAR playoffs with an afternoon race at Richmond. It’s the first weekend for the NFL, but Dallas Cowboys fans are already on a downward spiral after losing to Tampa Bay last night.

Formula 1 hits Monza on Sunday morning at 6:00 a.m. and I will have been up for more than hour because we just adopted puppy that we’re trying to get potty trained. If that wasn’t enough IndyCar will be in Portland on Sunday.

This is probably only relevant for me, but my beloved University of Nevada Wolf Pack is hosting Idaho State University on Saturday. I won’t be able to watch it because the game isn’t being aired. I am bummed about not being able to see the game, but I’m riding high after the Wolf Pack upset Cal last week.

There will be a lot of time sitting on the couch this weekend watching NASCAR, IndyCar, and F1. I apologize to my family in advance.

Coming back to F1, it’s been an interesting stretch as Kimi Raikkonen announced his retirement, Valterri Bottas is heading to Alfa Romeo F1 next season and George Russell is moving up from Williams F1 to Mercedes F1.

Russell moving to Mercedes is not a shock.

Many pundits and prognosticators have maintained all season that Russell is making the jump to Lewis Hamilton’s teammate in a Silver Arrow. I’m not surprised either, as Bottas has underperformed and Russell has had many flashes of brilliance this season. The dude is talented and might be the heir apparent to Lewis Hamilton in time.

The days of driving a Mini Cooper might be over for me. This is due to my own stupidity and not realizing that my son is still growing and he won’t be able to sit in the back seat comfortably much longer. I should have bought a Mini Clubman at the time and I was still considering upgrading to one but then I had a thought.

My son will likely inherit whatever car I am driving when he gets his license. I don’t feel absolutely comfortable giving him something sporty and as such I am in the market for Subaru Crosstrek. Also he watched the “Italian Job” and has had some interest in driving a Mini Cooper on subway tracks.

I figure he should get something safe and slow as he learns to drive, and I am reminded about my first car: 1985 Dodge Lancer.

It was slow with a 2.2-liter engine that produced a factory-rated 99 hp and it would go from 0-60 mph in 13.3-seconds. Tragically, I didn’t have the car too long. Within three-months of getting it I hydroplaned on Chanate Road in Santa Rosa, Ca. struck a car and went through a fence.

It was destroyed but I was safe. No one was hurt in the accident and I didn’t drive again until I graduated from high school. Let this be a warning to all young drivers: don’t drive a poor handling car 15 mph over the speed limit on a winding road when it’s raining…the more you know.