Chandra Johnson, wife of NASCAR Nextel Cup Champion Jimmie Johnson, in victory lane following his Dickies 500 win at Texas Motor Speedway, Nov. 4, 2007
(Photo: Rusty Jarrett)
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THE WOMEN OF NASCAR
Racing nearly prevented DeLana Harvick's father from seeing her birth.
"My mom went into labor, and my dad was racing and told her to go to the hospital," said Harvick, who was born in North Carolina. "He won his feature race that night, came for my birth, and went back and raced the next day. Three weeks later, I was at the racetrack."
Her career in racing goes beyond being the wife of Kevin Harvick, one of the top Cup drivers for seven years. DeLana runs Harvick's Busch and Truck Series teams. She's officially the owner and is constantly at the track and the shop, running the daily operations.
Harvick, 34, thought she might teach high school English as a career, but she couldn't stay away from the track. When her husband decided he wanted to win a truck race, the couple started its own team. Guided by DeLana, it has grown into a major operation. She said she routinely works 12-hour days and will do anything – "if the trash needs emptying, I'll empty it" – to make things run smoothly.
"I would say 99.9 percent of the time, this is everything to me," Harvick said. "There is that small percent when you miss out on family functions and time with friends, but this is where I want to be. Even when I'm not here two race weekends a year, I'm checking in, so I might as well be here."
Keep your eye on the truck series. Kevin Harvick Inc. has about a 50/50 chance of claiming the 2007 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Championship title.
Kelley Earnhardt Elledge, Team general manager
Kelley Earnhardt Elledge stood just outside the glare of the lights shining down on Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his new paint scheme for 2008, unveiled in Dallas in September. Elledge watched her brother admire the new cars, with the new No. 88 on them, and made sure he smiled for every camera in the room.
Elledge, 35, is the general manager for JR Motorsports, a title that she says means she does whatever she can to help Earnhardt Jr. succeed. She's his chief negotiator, guiding him through the tough decision of leaving Dale Earnhardt Inc. and eventually settling on Hendrick Motorsports as his new team. She led the talks to secure No. 88 as his new number when it became clear he couldn't keep No. 8. And she's there when Earnhardt has a question, no matter how odd.
"I'm his confidant, whether it's his wardrobe or buying a new vehicle," Elledge said. "I'm involved in all aspects, and it's a lot. We're running at 200 miles per hour."
Elledge has worked out partnerships with Sony and Adidas, moving Earnhardt Jr.'s brand into mainstream corporate America. Earnhardt Jr. also traded his beer sponsorship for a soft drink in 2008. Elledge said Earnhardt Jr. is also opening his own nightclub in Charlotte.
"It's been a very challenging year," said Elledge, who also had surgery to remove benign tumors from her pancreas in March. "It's been emotional. It was tough to leave the family business because it's our dad and it's about keeping our dad's heritage alive. But I think my dad would be proud of what we're accomplishing, and I have no doubt he would want Dale Junior to be as successful as he can be on the racetrack."
Full "Women of NASCAR" feature at www.dallasnews.com also includes:
Alba Colon, Engineer
Kim Lopez Johnson, Official starter
Beth Ann Morgenthau, Team owner
Gillian Zucker, Track president
Lesa France Kennedy, ISC president
Teresa Earnhardt, DEI owner
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK
Was that unleaded or diesel?
"A car's like a girlfriend. Sometimes it will tell you stuff without actually saying the words."
QUOTE OF LAST WEEK
Greg Biffle, on scoring his first Top 10 in Martinsville and sitting on the pole in Atlanta after marrying Nicole Lunders:
"If I would have known I was going to run this good, I would have gotten married about five years ago. That'll teach me. I waited way too long. I might have been working on my second or third championship by now."
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THE HAVEN'T WE SEEN HER BEFORE FAQ
Q. Who is the girl Denny Hamlin was hanging with at the Atlanta Motor Speedway?
A. That is Miss Alex.
Q. Who is Miss Alex? Are they in a relationship? I've seen her around before.
A.
Indeed you have. Remember "Denny's brunette?" That would be Miss Alex.
You know I don't like to go throwing labels around loosely, but if
pressed I would guess this a friendship with benefits.
Reheating the side dish
TGOM first became aware
of this "relationship" in May 2006. It is my understanding that it
dates back to March 2006. This was a frequent FAQ that went long
unanswered out of respect for Denny's primary, public relationship with
Kristin Buntain which has since ended.
UPDATE: A source close to this "not couple" has advised that the above info is inaccurate and maintains that the relationship between D. Ham and Miss A. is strictly a friendship, with no benefits attached--or at least not the intimate benefits implied. It seems that a previous source, also close to this "not couple," was a bit more overzealous than reliable.
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SPOTTIEST FAQ
Q. Does #5 spotter Jeff Dickerson have a significant other?
A. To my knowledge, Kyle Busch's Agent/Spotter doesn't have a special someone. With the number of inquiries I'm getting, I'm starting to think I should be taking applications? Any takers?
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Q.
A. Only in our fairy tales and wildest dreams does Emily Maynard domesticate Dale Earnhardt Jr.and the two live happily ever after together raising little Ricki and a few lil' Earnhardts. In reality, Dale Earnhardt Jr. left his late father's company due to irreconcilable differences with his step-mother, Teresa.
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TEXAS-SIZED SHOUT OUTS
American Natural Resource Pipeline Company, Missouri City, Tx.
Austin College, Sherman, Tx.
Boone Real Estate, Plano, Tx.
City of Forth Worth
Cole's Country Weddings, Cypress, Tx.
Computer Works, San Antonio, Tx.
Cook Childrens Northeast Hospital, Hurst, Tx.
Cow Path R. V. Park., Aledo, Tx.
Dell Computer Corporation, Austin, Tx.
Enron Corporation, Houston, Tx.
Fiserv EFT, Houston, Tx.
Fort Worth Community Credit Union, Plano, Tx.
Freescale Semiconductor Inc., Austin, Tx.
The Greater Dallas Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse
Harte-Hanks, Austin, Tx.
Highland Homes, Plano, Tx.
Historic Restoration Preservation, Plano, Tx.
Houston Independent School District
Iroquois Federal Savings, Plano, Tx.
JPRA Architects, Plano, Tx.
Metroplex Pain Management, Bedford, Tx.
Moorhead Gruber Architects, Plano, Tx.
Norikane Studios Inc., Plano, Tx.
University of North Texas, Denton, Tx.
Plano Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center
RadioShack Coprporation, Ft. Worth, Tx.
Schumberger Limited, Houston, Tx.
State Of Texas General Services Commission, Denton, Tx.
Stedman West Foundation, Houston, Tx.
Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, Tx.
Summit Bank, N.A., Ft. Worth, Tx.
Texas A&M University, College Station, Tx.
Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Tx.
Texas Instruments, Dallas, Tx.
Texas State university, San Marcos, Tx.
Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Tx.
Texas Women's University, San Antonio, Tx.
Thos. S. Byrne General Contractors, Ft. Worth, Tx.
Trammel Crow Company, Dallas, Tx.
TXU Energy, Dallas, Tx.
Tyco Valves & Controls, Houston, Tx.
University Medical Center, Plano, Tx.
University of Texas, Dallas, Tx.
University of Texas at Arlington
University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at San Antonio
Wagstaff World Wide, Plano, Tx.
YUSA Corporation, Plano, Tx.
Zale Lipshy University Hospital, Dallas, Tx.
Thanks for reading!
Blindly subsidizing this..
2007 saw its share of breakups in the NASCAR garage which left a few broken-hearted -- and some not-so-broken-hearted -- girlfriends with busted
bank accounts. But they weren't left in the red.
Which NASCAR girlfriend was given a monthly stipend 'til she could get back on her feet?
Which one received a go away please payment?
Which one snagged a stash of cash on her the way out the door?
Note to readers: Feel free to leave your guesses in the comments, but the tallglassofmilk won't confirm, so don't bother inquiring about this... Keep the comments short and sweet. Unwarranted personal attacks on the subjects of this site and your fellow readers will not be tolerated.
Q. What is a *blind item*?
A. Urban dictionary: blind item
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MEDIA ALERT
No Holding Back
by Liz Allison and Wendy Etherington
SHE HAS ONLY ONE WEAKNESS…
Isabel Turner knows how perilous the professional racing world can be—on and off the track. As a PR executive representing NASCAR's top drivers, she spent years proving her worth. Now, as she's about to take over her uncle's high-powered position at the firm, Isabel stands to lose her reputation, job and her uncle's respect—just to have racer Cade Garrison in her bed once more.
REMINDERS
