USG Sheetrock 400 Chicagoland Speedway
A jubilant Dale Earnhardt Jr. broke through for his first Nextel Cup victory of last year’s season, using a two-tire strategy and holding off Matt Kenseth to win at Chicagoland Speedway.
"I was worried I was going to go winless this year," the relieved Earnhardt said after smoking the tires on his No. 8 Chevrolet and celebrating with his crew in the infield grass. "Now, let's go out and do it again, win some more."
Kenseth led 176 of the 267 laps but wound up second after choosing to change four tires and falling behind on his final pit stop in the USG Sheetrock 400.
Earnhardt, NASCAR's most popular driver, has had a mostly miserable season and had little to smile about until he turned in a third-place finish a week before at Daytona. He started 25th and spent most of the day hovering near the end of the top 10.
The plan to build a superspeedway in the third-largest market in the nation had been rumored for years. Auto racing executives and major-league sanctioning bodies had long maintained that the untapped market of Chicago was perhaps the most lucrative in the country.
The race to build a major speedway in the Windy City took its first step towards becoming a reality during an informal meeting between Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Tony George and Bill France in late 1995.
The Motorsports Alliance, consisting of George, France, and home-remodeling magnate John Menard, was formed in the spring of 1996 and immediately began considering sites that summer.
The first effort to begin the project was to focus on a 500-acre plot of land less than 30 miles from downtown Chicago, near the Dupage County Airport. Faced with constructing a facility that would be able to host NASCAR and the Indy Racing League on a small parcel of land, the trio decided that the extremely high price of real estate would not fit properly into the budget.
The Alliance was contacted by several communities that were interested in building the facility and even looked at sites as far west as Rochelle, before turning their attention to the small farm community of Plano, about 70 miles west of Chicago, in the fall of 1997.
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01 Dec 2008
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No one knows for sure whether twenty-20 cricket has come to stay, whether it will flourish like one day cricket and force test cricket and one day cricket to take the back seat. No body knows either what will be the capacity of a batsman or a bowler in terms of scoring runs or taking wickets in this form of cricket? Will a batsman will be soon able to score century – a feat which till now has eluded the world’s greatest present day batters in international level in this form of cricket? Will it be in this world cup itself which kicks off in south Africa today? The highest individual score by a batsman in an international match of this form of cricket till date is 98 not out, which was been recorded by the Australian captain Rickey Ponting in 2005 against new Zealand at Auckland. The second highest individual score also belongs to an Australian – 96 by Damien Martyn.
In India, cricket lovers are keeping their fingers crossed over the question of India’s chances in this first twenty-20 world cup. India’s interest in this form of cricket has been Luke warm so far. While most of the international teams have already played quite a few number of such matches among themselves, India can boast of having played only one international match so far and that too more than 9 months ago. Even Kenya and Bangladesh have played more such matches. It is to India’s credit that although inexperienced, they recorded an emphatic 6 wickets victory over South Africa Africa in the former’s debut match!
But time has changed since then. Indian twenty-20 world cup squad has got rid of the triumvirate of Sachin, Saurav and Rahul. India’s all-knowing cricket administrators have come up with the novel idea that twenty-20 cricket is all about young guns. There is no place for the so-called “over-aged” players like the said triumvir. It must be mentioned here that the 3 musketeers, themselves called it quits before anybody could raise any doubt over their ability to perform in this type of “instant cricket”.
The “new look” Indian team which will participate in the September 11-24 showpiece, will also be without the names like Zahir Khan, Munaf Patil, Ramesh power. The players had hardly any opportunity to adjust themselves in the format of T-20 cricket. More than half of the 15 member squad was busy playing test and one day cricket in England till recently, 8th September 2007 to be exact. There is a fear that these players might already be very tired and jaded as there already away from their home for over a couple of months.
Meanwhile, millions of fans of the Indian team, will be waiting with their baited breath to know how this young Indian team fares in the championship. India are slated to play Scotland [13 September] and Pakistan[14 September] in the group league stage. Pakistani captain has already aired his opinion that his team is well poised to beat India. There is a feeling that unless there is some very big upset, India and Pakistan should move to the super 8 round from there group. In all 12 teams are participating in this tournament. The teams include 10 test playing nations viz Australia, England, south Africa, West Indies, New Zealand, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Banladesh and Zimbabwe and two associate members Kenya and Scotland.
For some of the players of the India team, the tournament will be a great opportunity to rehabilitate themselves in the Indian test or one day squads. This is very true with test discards – Virendra Sehwag, Irfan Pathan and Harbhajan Singh. The tournament also opens up opportunities for all rounders like Yusuf Pathan and Joginder Sharma. The Indian test and one day teams will soon be in the re-building process and Gautam Gambhir, robin Uthappa, Dinesh Kartik who are already in the Indian team, should use this T-20 world up championship to cement their places in the national squad for the bigger versions of the game.
01 Dec 2008
To buy a good glove of baseball can make a world of the difference in your play. You must buy a glove made starting from materials of quality because they will last longer and will be easier to employ. And, naturally, you ensure that the adjustment feels exact. While you can want to buy a cheaper glove - sometimes it wages right of doesn't because your play will suffer.
A thing that you must make is to seek the various manufacturers and scales of price. Discover which is lit the best blow for the male. Choose some marks which call upon you move then to the store and try on the gloves. Ensuring itself they judge that the line and the line of average relationship are important. A part of Here inclines on what to seek in various types of gloves.
Gloves Of Gloves of baseball
Is you a serious player or the disorder right around behind the dish each of time to other? This could be a great deciding factor in your decision on which the glove to be bought as good glove of gloves of baseball can cost you hundreds of dollars. If you play only several times per year, then a professional glove of category could be too expensive for you. In addition, the gloves of good quality better are made and more durable thus it will probably last you a life. The gloves of high quality will be smelled better and functioned also better.
By selecting a glove of gloves of baseball you must adapt it to your hand. The size of model of the glove is a measurement of the gloves gîtent where your wrist is jusqu with the top of the palm of the glove where your fingers start. A small glove for youths measures typically 8 with a foot, and a glove of adults has a measurement of 12 or 13 inches.
Gloves Of Baseball For Women
The isn't of baseball right for boys and maintaining the always young girls and women more than join this whole the American sport. There is a special challenge, in some manner that for women by making shopping for the equipment of baseball and particularly the gloves of baseball. The majority speed of baseball are a manufacturer motionless with the men with the spirit, and the women, whose hands are much smaller, can have one difficult moment finding a good adjustment with their gloves.
The women making of the shopping for gloves of baseball must seek gloves designed to adapt smaller and female hand. If you are equipped with a suitable glove for the size of your hand you will note that you will play better. Seek smaller stalls of finger which will give you a better order than a belt of adjustable wrist is desirable because it will enable you to adjust yourselves with the fluctuations in fluids which can make your wrist a little larger or smaller.
First Basic Gloves
Any first basic player will say to you that the first basic gloves are very important when it has suddenly played the baseball. A thing to be sought in a good glove is to buy the good kinds of materials and strap which you have need in a glove to play at the first base.
The most important thing is with the thnk about the way in which the glove feels. You should buy a size which feels good and is easy to handle. Important It that you can open and close the glove quickly and that your fingers have a comfortable adjustment but not too douillettement.
To make shopping for the glove of right baseball is as important as obtaining the footgear or the espadrilles right. Take your time and select a good glove and you could see your play improving!
01 Dec 2008
Twice FIFA World Player of the Year - Ronaldinho and his achievements
The famous Brazilian soccer player Ronaldo de Assis Moreira known as Ronaldinho has been awarded twice as the World Player of the Year by the FIFA; he also has achieved the title of the European Footballer of the Year and the FIFPro World Player of the Year.
He picked the name “Ronaldinho” to distinguish himself from the other Brazilian soccer player who has the same name “Ronaldo’. He is part of the Spaniard Club Barcelona team and helped them win the league title season. This was a great honor for Spain and also to his native country Brazil, for being such a successful footballer.
When the classification was made, each coach and captain of every national team voted for their top player choice from a specific list of candidates drawn up by the world governing body. Spanish-based players have won awards for the last four years.
Ronaldinho loves the Barcelona club, he said no amount of money would temp him away from the team. “I’m extremely happy at Barcelona and I can not imagine being as happy anywhere else”, said Ronaldinho in a news conference the day after the victory over the English Club Chelsea earning a place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
01 Dec 2008
Bowling pins are necessary for the game of bowling as they are the objects that are to be aimed at, hit, and knocked down - the target. The bowling ball knocks down pins to produce the score. The scoring may vary depending on whether the person is playing ten-pin bowling or five-pin bowling.
The commonly used pins are 4.75 inches in their width and they stand 15 inches in height. Their standard weight is 3lb. 6oz. but there are also pins that are now allowed (beginning in 1998) that weighs 3lb. and 10oz.
Bowling pins are made by gluing blocks of hard maple wood together. Makers of bowling pins use these blocks to create the pin shape by using a lathe. The formed shape will then be coated with hard layers of plastic material and are painted white to produce a finished product that is shiny and pleasing to the eye.
The ABC (American Bowling Congress) is an institution that specifies how the pins are to be made - according to their set standards. They are also the one responsible for checking the bowling alleys and the bowling lanes for compliance. Some venues may not have strict regulations or enforcement of pin shapes and sizes or the pin setting machine. These irregularities (if any) would affect every delivery of the ball as well as the scoring.
There are three types of pins that are commonly used in bowling. The first type is the Vulcan Vultex 2. This type of pin is popular with many bowling venues. They like its structure and that it is made with a molding that has a surlyn coating and it looks hard and heavy duty product. Although it can be one of the best pins to buy, the company that produces it eventually sold its rights to Brunswick.
The second type of pin is the Brunswick PBA gold pin. It weighs 3 lbs. 10 oz. and is much heavier than a regular pin. It features a colored PBA logo because these pins are standardized and are used only in tournaments set by the PBA. They also have pins that have logos on the bottom of the pin that may be used in a regular bowling game.
The third type of pin is the Wimsom pin. Brunswick has incorporated its production to the Brunswick "Max", with a trade mark logo on it. The cheap price of this pin surpassed the sales of the Canadian rock maple pins which are mostly exported to several Asian countries.
01 Dec 2008
Types of Fishing Pontoon Boats
When it comes to fishing on the lake or river the ideal platform is the pontoon boat. However, this doesn't mean that all pontoon boats will work for every situation. Before purchasing a pontoon boat you will need to carefully consider the different types of fishing pontoon boats available to you. Some things to consider when making your decision include how far you need to transport the boat, how you are getting your boat into the water and what type of water you are going to be using the boat in for fishing.
Typically there are four main types of pontoon boats to choose from. Each type of fishing pontoon boats come with their own set of advantages and disadvantages. Most pontoon boats have either a powder coated steel or aluminum frame. Many fishermen prefer the aluminum frame due to its weight. Consider each of the four types individually to determine which is right for you and your fishing needs.
The first type is the one-person pontoon boat. This type of fishing pontoon boat has nearly endless styles to choose from. Most have a weight capacity between 250 and 400 pounds depending on the amount of gear you are going to carry. If you plan to carry a lot of gear then you should stay away from the lower weight capacities. It is a good idea to get a pontoon boat with an optional motor mount. If you fish on a lake or river that requires you to carry the boat for a long distance then it is best to consider the aluminum frame which weighs between six to ten pounds under the weight of a steel frame. There is also the option of getting a standing platform for those who prefer casting from a standing position. This type of pontoon boat can be set up in under of fifteen minutes and they have the ability to float in less than five inches of water.
The second type is a two-person pontoon boat. These pontoon boats can be more difficult to put together due to their size and weight so it is best only to get this boat if you plan on having someone with you to help out when you use it. There are a number of options you can add to the two person pontoon boat including dual casting platforms, aluminum frames, front and back motor mounts and a number of storage compartments. The main disadvantages that come with the two person fishing pontoon boats are their size and weight which can make them difficult to carry for long distances.
The third type is the packable pontoon boat, which is best for those who want to walk a long distance with their boat. This type of pontoon boat has a lightweight feature that you don't get even on the single person pontoon boat. The weight is the only advantage of these boats while the lack of options is the biggest disadvantage to consider with this type of pontoon boat.
Finally there is the kick boat, which is basically an upgrade on the float tube. These will help to keep your legs warmer so it is nicer during the fall season. These are lightweight and packable. You can typically fit it within the trunk of a vehicle. However, they can be very tiring to use for a whole day out on the lake.
Your individual preferences as well as the conditions in which you fish will determine which of the above types is right for you. Just be sure to take the time and consider all options to make sure you get the right pontoon boat for your needs.
01 Dec 2008
Choosing the ride wakeboard boat will help you to create the right type of wakes. Unlike ordinary boats, wakeboard boats come with a device that creates a larger wake. These wakes allow you to do aerial tricks while jumping from side to side. Although choosing a wakeboard boat seems like an easy process there are actually multiple types that you need to choose between.
The most popular form of wakeboard boats is those with a vDrive, which are the ones that have the engine at the back of the boat. Typically these are referred to as inboard boats. However, other wakeboard boats can be direct drive boats that have the engine in the middle of the boat.
Then when it comes to the technology that allows a wakeboard to create a wake there are three types of technology to choose from. The first of these is ballast technology. This is the newest standard of wakeboarding technology. This in where ballast tanks are placed inside the boat hull and can then be filled or emptied through a switch in the driving area. The heavier the ballast the lower the boat goes which results in a larger wake as the boat moves.
The second option is wedge technology, which uses a metal structure at the rear of the boat near the propeller. This helps to shape wakes and allows the driver to fine tune the wake to the riders needs. Many Malibu boats use wedge technology.
Finally there is hull technology, which has been used in combination with ballast technology for years by many manufacturers. This combination allows boaters to get very big wakes that allow the riders to achieve some of the best aerial maneuvers.
When it comes to choosing the right technology for your wakeboard boat you want to first consider the main purpose of your boat. Are you going to be using it in tournament competitions or are you only going to be using it for recreational purposes. The purpose of a boat can help you to determine the engine type such as an inboard or outboard.
Next you should consider where you will be doing your wakeboarding. If you are going to use it on the open water in large lakes or the ocean then you want a larger boat to help you handle the rough water. On the other hand, if you are going to be using the boat on smaller lakes then a direct drive boat is the best choice.
01 Dec 2008
Ultralight Backpacks - The Lightest Out There
Why ultralight backpacks? Devotees of ultralight backpacking know you reduce your packweight most by concentrating on the "big three;" backpack, shelter, and sleeping bag. Forget those 6-pound backpacks, 9-pound tents and 5-pound sleeping bags. Reduce that 20 pounds to less than 5, keep the other gear to 5 or 6 pounds, and you can chuck the hot and heavy hiking boots, put on the running shoes, and start enjoying those trails.
Four Ounce Ultralight Backpacks
No, that's not a typo. One of the ultralight backpacking suppliers recently came out with a light pack with a capacity of 1800 cubic inches, plus more in an expandable rear pocket. Designed to carry just fifteen pounds, It may be more fragile than the average pack, but it weighs just 3.7 ounces! With a pack that light you're well on your way to keeping your total packweight to fifteen pounds.
I bought a six ounce pack at Walmart. Maybe you didn't know they sold ultralight backpacks, and niether did they. I'm sure it was intended as a daypack. However, it has 1200 cubic inches and weighs only 6 ounces, so I'll use it for summer overnighters. At $4, it was light on the budget too.
It easy to imagine that a decent-sized backpack can be made at home that weighs less than 8 ounces. If it's a simple one, without extra pockets, made from light nylon material, how much could it weigh? Making your own may be the way to get the lightest backpack.
Alternatives To Ultralight Backpacks
I've used my 8-ounce duffle bag for backpacking. With no pockets, it's tough to organize things, but it has lots of room, and it is very tough. In practice, the full-length zipper makes it so easy to see everything that organization isn't very important.
I also have tied the duffle bag to an an old aluminum pack-frame, to create a full-suspension backpack. It has a hip belt, comfortable padded straps, and weighs exactly two pounds. It worked fine on a trip above timberline in the mountains of Montana. If there are any lighter exterior-frame ultralight backpacks out there, I haven't seen them.
You can also go on overnight trips with just a bivy sack, a bottle of water and a few granola bars in the pockets of your jacket. I've done this in the summer. Of course, I suppose without ultralight backpacks, this can't even be called backpacking.
01 Dec 2008
Why ultralight sleeping bags? Because ultralight backpacking is only made possible by cutting the weight of the "big three;" the backpack, shelter and sleeping bag. The days of five-pound summer bags are gone - at least for those of us who prefer to go light.
One Pound Ultralight Sleeping Bags
There are several one-pound ultralight sleeping bags on the market now. My own is 17 ounces. It actually weighs 19 ounces with the stuff sack, but stuff sacks aren't always necessary. It can be stuffed directly into my pack or put in a half-ounce bread bag. It's a down sleeping bag, and has kept me warm down to below freezing - warmer, in fact, than my four-pound bag used to keep me.
It appears fragile, and I've babied it over the years, but it may be tougher than I thought. I've used it from sea-level to 16,000 feet, in all types of weather, usually camping under a tarp, yet it still has its loft, and it appears almost new. The zipper goes only half-way down, to save weight, and it's a mummy bag, but I'm 6'3", 165 pounds, and I've always been comfortable in it.
Sleeping bags weighing around a pound are summer bags, rated down to 40 to 50 degrees fahrenheit. A quick check of the newest bags out there, though, shows that even one or two of the 0 degree bags are under three pounds now. These are down filled bags, of course, as down is still the lightest insulation for its weight.
Another big advantage of any down sleeping bag is it's compressibility. Nothing packs smaller than down. However, a good synthetic bag is probably better than down if you are regularly getting it wet.
<p>Several sythetic-fill sleeping bags now come close to down in their warmth-to-weight ratio. At least one summer bag, using Polarguard fill, weighs an even 16 ounces. That's amazingly light for a synthetic bag.
Using Ultralight Sleeping Bags
Ultralight sleeping bags generally aren't tough. The lighter the bag, the more fragile, but treat them gently, and they work fine. I've used mine for many years, in snow and rain, from Ecuador to California to Michigan, and it shows little wear. Baby these things, and they can last a long time.
01 Dec 2008
Understanding Scoring Rules in Bowling
Score rules are the basic rules in bowling. They determine who won the game or how they got their scores. There are guidelines that need to be followed in scoring a bowling game.
There are frames that are used in scoring the number of pins that were knocked down during the delivery. The frame is shaped in a square with a little square box in the upper right corner of the square. When a strike is scored, no marking or counts are made in the boxes. However, the pins that were knocked down on the first delivery are scored in the box next to the small square. The pins knocked down on the second delivery are listed on the smaller box inside the square.
A strike occurs when all 10 pins are knocked down on the first delivery. The square is then marked with the letter “x” on the upper right corner of the box. The score is then made by counting 10 for the strike and adding it to the number of pins knocked down on the next two deliveries.
Two strikes made consecutively are scored as a “double”. The score for the first strike is then 20 and the number of pins knocked down on the first delivery before the second strike. Strikes that are made on three successive attempts are called a “turkey” and they are scored as triple. The score of the initial strike is 30. The maximum score that a player can get is 300. To do this, he needs to make 12 strikes consecutively.
There is also a spare, which is scored when the pins that were left standing after the first delivery were knocked down on the second delivery. Both deliveries should fall in the same frame. A spare is then marked with a “/” in the smaller square on the upper right corner of the frame. The count for every spare is scored 10 added to the number of pins knocked down after the next delivery.
An open frame occurs when a player was unable to knock down all of the 10 pins after the two deliveries. A split may happen when the head pin was knocked down but there were lower pins that remained standing creating two separate set of pins.
Scoring may be hard to understand especially if the player is a beginner. It would be easier for him to enjoy the game first before understanding the scoring guidelines. After frequent visits to the bowling lanes, he will eventually learn to understand the scoring rules of bowling.
01 Dec 2008