Hello Angels, Bosley, Mr. X and the UnNamed One,

It’s hard to believe, but the 2003 NASCAR season is now over, and now so has the 33-year partnership between NASCAR and R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, the primary sponsor of NASCAR’s top-racing series, the Winston Cup.

Even though it has been several months since NASCAR made the announcement that R.J. Reynolds was pulling their sponsorship because of financial reasons, and then announced the partnership with NEXTEL to sponsor the cup series, I’ve been in denial.  I’m going to date myself here and say that I was only two-years old when this partnership was started.  It’s going to take me a little while to get used to calling the cup series, the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup.  As a matter of fact, it’s going to take me quite some time to get used to it.  But like with any type of change, time does heal. We’ll see how long it takes to get used to it.  For now I’ll just refer to it as the Cup Series. 

Anyway, I hope you all got a chance to see the Ford 400 today at Homestead-Miami Speedway today.  It was a pretty incredible race with a lot of great racing.  Pit strategy played a part, but not too much.  Tires definitely paid a large part of today’s race.  Ask Bill Elliott about the one that got away from him today.  Bill led the most laps including the white-flag lap.  Going into the end of the second turn, Elliott slowed considerably when his right-rear tire went flat costing him the race.  Bobby Labonte who was trying to pass Elliott just a lap or two earlier, had conceded to a second-place finish.  But when Elliott slowed, Labonte inherited the lead and led just one-lap of the whole race…the last one to win the final race of the Winston Cup Series.

Congratulations to Labonte on only his second win this season, and I think our condolences to Elliott for his eighth-place finish.

I believe there were 11 caution periods in today’s race, and a whole heck of a lot of cut tires.  A lot of the drivers on our teams had serious problems today.  Ryan Newman, Kurt Busch and Kevin Harvick collided on the fifth lap when Harvick lost traction and slid up the track into Busch who was then sent into Newman who had no where to go except into the wall.  Newman and Busch had serious damage to their cars and basically were out of the race for most of the day.  Harvick was able to continue and even stayed on the lead lap, finishing second.  Busch and Newman finished 36th and 37th after they both came out on the track again late in the race.

It’s also a good think that Matt Kenseth locked up the championship last week, because he blew an engine early in the race today and finished 43rd overall.  Definitely not a good way to end the season, but when you’ve already been crowned the year’s championship, who cares. 

So, how did we faire after the Ford 400 today…well, not so good.

UnNamed One, YOU are our last GOLDEN CABOOSE AWARD recipient this year even though Sabrina only had four drivers make the field this week.  With all five of your drivers entered, not one of them finished in the TOP-25.  It’s sad to say, but your drivers really sucked today.  Kenseth’s 43rd place finish was bad enough but you also have Newman and his 37th place finish to deal with too.  Greg Biffle struggled all day and finished 35th, while Ricky Rudd blew his engine and oil all over the race late in the day.  Your top driver today is Dale Jarrett who, I’m sure is glad to have this 2003 season over with, finished in 26th spot today.  Your average finish 34.4 is a catastrophic blow to your season and, I believe, it is the worst average finish of any our angels have had all season.  I’ll have to do some fact checking on that.  All I can tell you is on behalf of the rest of the angels; let me wish you a much better season next year.

Ok Sabrina, while you’re team didn’t self-destruct today; you still only had four drivers make it into today’s race.  Ken Schrader didn’t qualify which, up until today would automatically give you the GOLDEN CABOOSE AWARD.  But fortunately for you, the UnNamed One’s drivers had their many problems.  Besides Schrader, your worst driver this week is Robby Gordon who had gearshift problems.  Basically, his transmission wouldn’t stay in fourth gear.  He finished several laps down in 30th position.  Dale Earnhardt Jr. had his own problems with tires today and finished two laps down in 24th.  The 2002 Winston Cup Champion, Tony Stewart, finished eighth today after having front valence problems because of the early crash between Harvick, Newman and Busch.  Your top-driver today is Jimmie Johnson, who secured the runner-up position after Kenseth for the final Winston Cup Season finished today’s race in third.  Because Schrader didn’t qualify your average finish among your active drivers is 12.8.  Better luck next season.

Mr. X, like the UnNamed One, your team basically self-imploded today.  Your worst driver is Kenseth and his 43rd place finish.  You also have Busch and Biffle and their 36th and 35th place finishes respectively.  Earnhardt cut his tire and fell back a couple of laps finishing 24th.  Your top driver today is Sterling Marlin who finished 10th.  Your average finish today is 29.6.  Better luck next season.

Bosley, Michael Waltrip had a tire go down which ultimately sent his car crashing into the wall.  Waltrip ended his day in 41st.  You also have Newman and his 37th place finish.  Rusty Wallace was on the lead lap for half the race until he had a tire go down and had to make a green-flag pit stop.  The caution came out a little later locking him one-lap down.  He then jumped the restart a two caution flags later and was black-flagged for a penalty.  He ultimately finished two-laps down in 23rd.  Todd Bodine managed to miss the wrecks today and finished 11th, while your top-finisher today is Stewart and his seventh-place finish.  Your average finish is still a disappointing 23.8.

I had an awful feeling about today’s race when Kenseth blew his engine, but I like living in denial, so, I wasn’t too worried.  Well, shortly afterwards Benny Parsons announced that John Andretti took his car to the garage after getting running something over.  So, two of my drivers finished 43rd and 42nd respectively.  Well, I obviously woke up after that.  Terry Labonte secured himself another trip to the stage in New York at this year’s Championship Awards Banquet in December by finishing 15th today and 10th in the points overall.  Jeff Gordon finished today’s race in 5th spot, but because of his consistency through out the latter part of the season, went from seventh in points to fourth.  Jimmie Johnson, as I’ve mentioned before, secured the No. two spot overall by finishing 3rd today.  My average finish today is 22 even. 

Tiffany you and I share three of the same drivers; Johnson, Jeff Gordon and Andretti, who finished third, fifth and 42nd respectively.  Your remaining drivers, Wallace and Earnhardt, finished 23rd and 24th respectively.  Your average finish today is a not-so-bad 19.4.  Better luck next season.

Jill, Newman and Brian Vickers ruined your chance for another top-spot for our Charlie’s Angels’ fantasy league today.  Newman was punted into the wall, while Vickers blew a tire and hit the wall.  Too bad we weren’t using Busch Series points because Vickers secured his Busch Series Championship yesterday.  But alas, your remaining drivers all finished in the top-10 again.  In seventh is last year’s champion, Stewart, with Jeff Gordon two spot ahead in fifth.  Finishing two spots ahead of Gordon is his teammate, Johnson, in third.  Your average finish for the last race of 2003 is 17.2. 

Kelly, I’m glad to see that you had a little redemption this week after having a horrible second half to the season.  Your worst driver today is Busch and his 36th place finish.  Joe Nemachek was spun out, but still managed a decent finish in 17th.  Terry Labonte is a happy person today with his 15th place finish, while Jeff Gordon is also happy with his fifth place finish.  BUT, no one is happier today that Bobby Labonte who inherited the lead and win with Elliott’s misfortune.  Your average finish is 14.8. 

Well, Kris, that leaves you to be our final TOP ANGEL AWARD WINNER for 2003.  You accomplished this because all of your drivers finished in the top-25, starting with Earnhardt in 24th.  Kevin Lapage secured himself (I believe) a ride for the 2004 Cup Series with his performance since taking over the No. 4 Kodak Pontiac more than a month ago.  He finished 18th today.  Terry Labonte finished 15th while Elliott blew a tire and went from first to eighth on the final lap.  Your top driver today is Jeff Gordon and his fifth place finish.  Congratulations on your TOP ANGEL AWARD winning average finish of 14 even.

Our teams’ combined average finish for today’s Ford 400 race is 18.76.

Ok, so where do we stack up for this third segment of the year…I’ll let you know after the race results become final on Monday.

I’ll also tell you how we all stacked up for the entire year.

Best of luck Angels,

Charlie