FanHouse BlaniacChallenge

The 2007 NASCAR seasons is in the book and oh ... the memories and monotony. I will remember it most as the year Dale Earnhardt Jr. left the company his father started, Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knaus dominated and the season droned on in the car of tomorrow.

Here are the Top 35 things I will remember most about the 2007 NASCAR Season, in (mostly) chronological order:

1. AOL Sports welcomed NASCAR into the Fanhouse

2. Mark Martin didn't win the Daytona 500

3. Michael Waltrip Racing's Intake Gate

4. Washington State dissed NASCAR fans

5. Juan Pablo Montoya won in Mexico

6. Car of Tomorrow debuted at Bristol

7. Team Red Bull mechanic Jimmy Sprinkle murdered

8. The Virginia Tech Tragedy

9. Kevin James' Engine Command

Ok ... I am officially starting to feel for the #22 Caterpillar Toyota Team. If The Blaniac Challenge has served any purpose--besides getting Dave Blaney a lot more coverage in the Fanhouse than he would have had--it's been to make me pay more attention to the teams outside the top 35.

So, Blaney failed to qualify for the Dodge Dealers 400--his third DNQ of this season. It's going to be much harder to come back now after taking home zero points when those above and below him in the standings will be racing Sunday.

The timing couldn't be worse with the season winding down and teams looking for guaranteed starting spots in the first five races of 2008, including the always-overflowing field at Daytona.

I picked a good week to step away from the internet for a family vacation. All-in-all, I didn't miss too much in the way of NASCAR news.

There were your standard non-surprises:

• Kyle Busch signed with Joe Gibbs Racing.
• Richard Childress Racing resigned with Chevrolet.
• TGOM pulled ahead in the Blaniac Challenge when Dave Blaney found himself outside the top 35 yet again.

And for the most part things didn't change too much:

• Juan Pablo Montoya is still wrecking 'em.
• Buschwhackers are still dominating.
• Teresa Earnhardt is still a ridiculously spiteful b*tch who has drivers tripping over themselves to drive her #8 car--ousted Furniture Row driver Kenny Wallace being the latest to throw his name in the hat.

What are you doing this weekend, Boris? What's that? You're helping TGOM win the Blaniac Challenge, you say?

Most of the road race ringers were shut out by rain this weekend at Watkins Glen International, but at least one driver thought it would be a shame not to have Boris Said behind the wheel of a race car. I totally agree!

Wood Brothers/JTG Racing co-owner Len Wood:

"Bill [Elliott] came to me and said, 'In the best interest of the team, let's put Boris in. Bill is an excellent road racer - the first race he ever won was at Riverside. He suggested putting Boris in. We first cleared it with our sponsors and then went to NASCAR and cleared it with them."

Woohoo! I'm sure that makes the Said Heads happy. But more importantly, it makes me very happy!

Both the WBJTF #21 and BDR #22 cars will finally push the Ginn Racing #13 out of the top 35 in owner points and one of them will officially gain the spot. With the #21 only 26 points behind the #22 heading to a road course with Said behind the wheel, it's highly likely they could steal the Ginn Gift back from Dave Blaney, who would then be on the outside looking in again next week at MIS.

This weekend I'm a Said Head!

I really have nothing against Dave Blaney. Really, I don't. He just happens to be that guy sitting in the hot seat right now. Nothing personal ... except that I personally have never been impressed by him.

No, I haven't followed his whole career--my only frame of reference is the Nextel Cup Series. No, I've never met him personally so I don't know what a great guy he is, or how nice his parents are ... but even if I did I might still feel the same about his driving.

Some fans are taking this personally.

The Blaniacs have taken me to task for my criticism of Blaney's inability to close and for questioning his ability to take advantage of recent situations he's found himself in.

For daring to doubt his talent, I've been issued a challenge:

"If you are so sure he has no talent, let's make a friendly wager of $100.00, if he finishes the season outside of the top 35, you get my hundred bucks, if he finishes inside the top 35, you make a check out to VJGC....and in the memo put, "KTF Blaniacs."

For the record, I never said he had no talent, I just said his talent hasn't impressed me. The passion of his fans, however, has.