Real racing has begun, and the lass with the cute looks did good in her fender debut in the ARCA series. Danica Patrick was sixth, recovered from a boot to the butt that sent her sliding, and even under her helmet had the best eyes in the field. No, I'm not being sexist, just observant. I'm glad to hear her bosses were impressed enough to have to run in Saturday's Nationwide opener.

One of those suits would be the chap in the National Guard firesuit. Dale Earnhardt Jr actually now looks like a guy who might wear a pair of Wranglers. Maybe even a flannel shirt. Maybe cut down entire forests. I like the beard. I like the front row position for the Daytona 500. Unfortunately, as for the Bud Shootout, he was just a rumor out there. Maybe we shouldn't dwell on the negative and concentrate on the two Hendrick cars that will be sitting out front.

Mark Martin will be sitting beside Junior as the pole sitter for the Daytona 500. Not bad for an ancient mariner. Funny, the older I get the more I like the guy. I'm not sure how the man he wrecked in the Bud Shootout feels about him right now.

Maybe we should ask Kurt Busch. At least this time that nice shiny car got totaled in a race instead of practice. My biggest beef with the former champ is that his interviews still sound a bit robotic to me. That was not the case after the Shootout. He sounded genuine, as in genuinely disappointed.

Dear Ask.com, what is the most number of cars wrecked prior to real racing at Daytona? Hello? Is anybody there? Maybe I should ask them why they left NASCAR just one season after asking us to ask them things. I would ponder this issue over a nice shot of Jim Beam or Jack Daniels, but both of those gents have also left the sport. I haven't felt this let down since Viagra abandoned us.

Talk about being let down, imagine a sponsor in all three divisions pulling out at the last minute. The best named casino in the planet has cashed in its NASCAR chips. The Miccosukee Resort, which won its only race at Talladega last year with the #09 of James Finch and driver Brad Keselowski, elected a new chairman and folded their cards. I'm guessing the issue was not a lack of money.

Money can do wonderful things, like buying a guaranteed spot in the Daytona 500 that someone else had earned. Boris Said and Regan Smith will be racing Sunday. So will Travis Kvapil. At least I've heard of those gents, so who in hell is Robert Richardson Jr? Well, to be honest, he did finish 18th in his only Cup run last November at Talladega. Then again, in 70 Nationwide and Camping World events he recorded no Top Tens and led just 3 of 10,000 laps. That is just three more than your grandma.

Bill Elliott not only has led a few laps, he is a two-time Daytona 500 winner. He, along with Scott Speed and Joe Nemechek, earned their places in the Great American Race during qualifying. Bobby Labonte will get a pass as a past champ if he doesn't grab a place out of Thursday's duels. Michael Waltrip is presently on the outside looking in, but he would be an odds on favorite to claim a place of his own on Thursday.

As proud parents, my wife and I can claim to truly love our sons. Let me illustrate. At about the time the engines come to life this Sunday at Daytona, they start a two-hour baseball camp. After it ends, we'll get home to watch an hour of the race before going to another camp, this one out of town and five hours in duration. That is love. Meanwhile, Amy and I will be camped out in the car listening to the Sirius radio. Date night in a parking lot. How romantic. Now that is love!

Love is the thunder of the engines, the sun or the lights gleaming off sleek, colorful and powerful machines, rumbling toward the green flag. The Duels at Daytona on Thursday afternoon, the Camping World trucks Friday night, the Nationwide folks on Saturday, and Sunday's Daytona 500. It should be a great week, be you sunk into a comfy couch or sitting in a car seat beside your wife. Let the games begin, and I'm not talking about those taking place in Vancouver. At least, not until Monday.