AND SPEAKING OF VIOLENCE---
By Mike Fields

   March 27, Long Beach, NY--- We had about five minutes to ourselves the other day, which we were spending on the Internet. We came across a couple of very interesting items.

   The first one is from the Associated Press. Have you ever seen a driver get so ticked off that he lost control of his emotions to take his own revenge on another driver? Of course you have. Often after a race, you'll see the driver who feels he's been offended in some matter ram his car into another under the yellow.

   Apparently, it may have gone a bit too far at Twin State Speedway (the old Claremont Speedway) in New Hampshire. The AP reports that one driver was convicted of restless conduct with a deadly weapon.

   According to the report, Robin Blake was convicted for ramming his car into the side of a car driven by David Bly during a championship race in September of 2006. Neither driver was hurt, and the report didn't state what legal penalty Blake was accessed.

   Another (alleged) genius Cup driver speaks out---

   You'd think that after the problems that Robbie Gordon had when he started the season with an "unapproved" bumper, albeit he didn't know it was unapproved at the time, he'd learn to guard what he publicly says a little more carefully. But like a cowboy who fell off his horse in the middle of a giant herd of cows, once again, he really put his foot in it this time.

   This report comes from a published report by Jenna Fryer, also from the Associated Press.

   It was widely reported that the Dakar Rally was cancelled just a day or so before it's scheduled start on January 5th due to terrorist threats from al-Qaida militants. Although unfortunate, obviously it was a prudent move.

   What is not widely known is that one of Gordon's sponsors is the company Vanguard Integrity Professionals. And boy is Vanguard hot! Hot enough to sue Gordon in U.S. District Court in California, trying to force Gordon to remove Vanguard's logo from his U.S. ventures. Vanguard asserts that Gordon is only authorized to use those logos outside the United States. Vanguard also wants restitution of the 1.15 million that it paid to Gordon before the race was cancelled. Those terrorist threats began with the Dec. 24 slayings of a family of French tourists by al-Qaeda-linked militants in Mauritania.

   What did Gordon say that was so inflammatory? Well it seems that he just couldn't keep his mouth shut. According to the AP report, he stated, "Let’s put it in perspective. Eleven people got killed over there. I’m pretty sure in L.A., we kill 11 a night on the streets of LA... It was a couple of kids in the back of a pickup truck with a couple of AK-47s shot a couple of people. I’m sorry to say that. But the reality of it is it’s not like it’s this big setup bombing.”

   Vanguard told the Associated Press, "It is not positive to be associated with someone who said al-Qaeda attacks are no worse than an average night in America – especially for a security software company. It’s simply not a true or accurate statement.”

   Vanguard attempted to get a restraining order to prevent Gordon from using their logos in the US; however, on March 5th, their motion was denied.

   Many readers of this blog know that I, at times, can really go off on a rant when someone says something so stupid as this. Still, what's left for me to say when Robby Gordon had a severe case of diarrhea of the mouth? We wonder what sponsor would want anything to do with him after this.

   Hey Robbie, was September 11th another bunch of fun-loving kids in an airplane that just got carried away?

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