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

The Daytona 500 is here and gone, and the 2004 NEXTEL Cup season is official started.  Congratulations to Dale Earnhardt Jr. on his first-time win of the season’s biggest race. I don’t think that I would be alone if I predicted that Junior has the best chances of winning the first ever NEXTEL Cup championship.  But, we have only completed one race of 36 scheduled for this year, and it’s just wayyyy to early to predict who the champion is going to be. Plus, I’m sure Jimmie Johnson might have something to say about it too.  So, I won’t predict it just yet.  J

Well, let me take this opportunity to welcome most of you back to another season of Charlie’s Angels’ Fantasy League racing and our newly designed Web site.  Let me also welcome our newest Angels, Natalie and Julie. I will also welcome back last year’s Julie, now to be known as Dylan.  Dylan getting her new name is partly my fault for a communications error.  That said, welcome to all of our Angels.

For those of you who were fortunate enough to see the Daytona 500 today, you got to see a decent race and  witness one huge wreck on lap 71 that took out 12 cars.  In that wreck, last year’s Daytona 500 winner, Michael Waltrip, took one heck of a ride through the infield of the two-and-a-half mile-long track after getting caught up with Johnny Sauter and Brian Vickers sending Waltrip into the infield and then spinning and tumbling out of control. Waltrip’s car finally rested on its roof and trapped him in the car for about 10 minutes before rescue crews finally turned the car over.  He eventually climbed from the car unscathed, but very mad, not only at the cause of the crash, but at the rescue crews who tried to cut him out of the car.  Several of the drivers caught up in the wreck were able to stay on the track or return after making repairs.  Ryan Newman and Jamie McMurray returned to the event multiple laps down.

This crash affected pretty much all of our teams. But unfortunately for our two newest Angels, along with Sabrina and Dylan, not picking drivers before the cutoff time, or picking drivers that weren’t entered in the Daytona 500, cost you dearly. My suggestion for all four of you is to check to see who enters the race.  That list comes out on the NASCAR Web site usually on Tuesday morning.

Here is our lineup for this week’s Daytona 500.

Dylan (Jenn T), because you failed to pick your drivers for the Daytona 500, you are officially our first Charlie’s Angels’ Fantasy League GOLDEN CABOOSE recipient for the 2004 NEXTEL Cup season.  I know what you’re thinking … “My other husband (Dale Earnhardt Jr.) won the race today, and I didn’t even enter.”  Well, let’s hope next week is another win for you by entering the race for the championship.  Good luck.

Julie (Sally), you eliminated yourself from our top spot today by having one driver not entered in the race.  Todd Bodine (I believe) is driving Busch Series only this year.  Mark Martin definitely didn’t help your cause either because he blew an engine very early in the race and finished 43rd.  Waltrip’s early exit also hurt you.  Your two top drivers are Matt Kenseth and Joe Nemechek who finished ninth and sixth respectively.  Your average finish for your four drivers is 19.2, but because you didn’t have all five drivers in the field, your average finish for the Charlie’s Angels’ Fantasy Racing League is not quantifiable. Better luck next week.

Sabrina (Susan), again welcome back.  Unfortunately you started this year on a down note even though your two favorite drivers finished one and two together. Having said that, Kenny Wallace being picked as your fifth teammate disqualified you from contention this week.  He didn’t even try to qualify for the race this year. Your worst driver today is Robby (the other) Gordon who got tangled up with the lap 71 crash.  It was funny watching and hearing the replay because almost immediately after getting hit, and while still spinning, Gordon keyed his microphone and said on the radio that his car was done for the day. He finished 35th.  Johnny Benson was also in the “big-one” and finished 27th.  Your heartthrob, Tony Stewart, led most of the race, but came up short, finishing second, with Dale Earnhardt winning the race.  Your average finish for your four drivers is 13 even.  Unfortunately, you don’t have an average finish because of Kenny Wallace.  Better luck next week.

Natalie (Donna), you had our only top-10 finish going for you with your first four driver picks, but because you picked Mike Wallace as your fifth teammate, you eliminated yourself from being our TOP ANGEL today.  Wallace was never entered into the Daytona 500.  That said, you can be proud of your other four drivers who finished 11th or higher today.  In that 11th spot is Bobby Labonte, who had an incident entering pit road and ended up on the grass.  It cost him valuable time on the track which he struggled to make up throughout the rest of the race.  Dale Jarrett won the Budweiser Shootout last weekend, and qualified 15th which is what he did both times he won the Daytona 500. Well, looks like three times isn’t a charm for him because he could only muster a 10th place finish.  Elliott Sadler had a great speedweeks and won the second of two Gatorade 125 races on Thursday.  Today he finished seventh.  Your top driver today is Johnson and his fifth place finish.  Your average finish for your four entered drivers is 6.6, but like Julie and Sabrina before you, your average finish this week cannot be quantified.  Better luck next week.

I am in the eighth finishing spot this week and am the first of the teammates listed so far to have all of my drivers entered into the Daytona 500. That said, it didn’t help me too much because two of my drivers, Waltrip and Brian Vickers crashed out of the race on lap 71.  They finished 39th and 38th respectively.  John Andretti, who is entered in this race only for this year, was involved in the crash also, but was able to continue and finished a respectable 13th.  Jeff (the real) Gordon led parts of the race, but couldn’t find a friend in the end and faded from fourth to eighth when the checkered flag came out.  My top driver this week is Johnson, who finished fifth.  My average finish of 21 even is also a dismal start to the 2004 NEXTEL Cup season.  Someone wish me better luck next week.  J

Bosley (Jude), you didn’t do too much better than I did.  Waltrip really hurt you, but teammates Rusty Wallace and Ryan Newman also hurt you.  Wallace was involved in a wreck around lap 50 when he, along with Jeff Green and Ken Schrader tangled on the backstretch and crashed.  Newman was involved in the lap 71 crash and he took some of his frustration out by pounding some sheet metal to help repair his broken car.  Both Wallace and Newman returned, but could only muster 28th and 31st place finishes respectively.  Helping you though were your two top drivers, Scott Wimmer and Stewart, who finished third and second respectively.  Your average finish for the first race of the season is also a dismal 20.6. Much better luck next week.

Mr. X (Dave), having Newman and Johnny Benson on your team wasn’t a bad idea, unfortunately they were both involved in the same wreck.  Newman finished 31st, and Benson 27th.  Brendan Gaughan had a respectable finish with his 19th place, while Labonte overcame his pit-road incident with his 11th place finish.  Your top driver today is the first-time Daytona 500 winner, Earnhardt Junior.  Your average finish is 17.8.  Better luck next week.

Kelly (Sarah), Benson is your worst driver today with his 27th place finish.  Terry Labonte had an okay day even though he was involved with the lap 71 crash.  He finished in the 20th place.  Dave Blaney continues to improve his NASCAR reputation by having a solid run, even though his 15th place finish doesn’t reflect it.  Blaney was riding up front for a large portion of the race before being shuffled back because of a pit stop.  Bobby Labonte helped you with his 11th place finish, while your top driver today is Sabrina’s Italian Stallion, Tony Stewart, in second.  Your average finish today is 15 even.  Better luck next week.

Jill (Jennie), picking Jamie McMurray wasn’t a bad idea for your team.  He was running solidly in speedweeks, but unfortunately got tangled today in the crash and finished 36th.  Gaughan didn’t do too badly for you with his 19th place finish, while Jarrett definitely helped you with his 10th place finish.  Also having Johnson and Earnhardt on your team definitely helped you.  Your average finish today is a respectable 14.2.  Better luck next week.

Kris (Peggy), Vickers was a good pick for your team, but unfortunately today was a restrictor plate race meaning cars are bunched up. Eventually there is going to be a “Big one,” and he was caught up in it.  He finished 37th.  Ricky Rudd (Go Air Force!!) started the day off well, but got caught a lap down on an early caution.  He finished 18th.  Sadler had a great day and finished seventh.  Johnson and Earnhardt also teamed up to help you too.  Your average finish is an even 14.  Better luck next week.

Tiffany (Jen Y), you only had one driver, McMurray, who got tangled in the crash.  Other than that, your drivers did well.  Andretti finished 13th, while Nemachek, Kevin Harvick and Earnhardt finished sixth, fourth and first respectively.  Your average finish is a nice 12 even.  Great job!

That leaves you, the UnNamed One (Ray) to be our first TOP ANGEL AWARD winner for the 2004 NEXTEL Cup season.  You accomplished this by having all of your drivers avoid the “big one” and finish 18th or better.  Finishing in that 18th spot is Rudd, who I mentioned earlier didn’t really recover from being a lap down.  Gregg Biffle took himself out of the top-three on the last pit stop of the day. He got careless and received a speeding penalty for going too fast upon entering pit road.  He finished 12th.  Jarrett finished 10th, while Kenseth finished ninth. Your top driver today is Sadler and his seventh-place finish.  Your Top Angel Award winning average finish is a very nice 11.2.  Congratulations.

Next week’s race is the Subway 400 at North Carolina Motor Speedway.  Don’t forget to check your drivers with the entry list on NASCAR.com on Tuesday, then change your drivers on the RPM.ESPN Stockcar Challenge Web site by Thursday at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time.

I will post the scores for this week’s race as soon as they become official, and everyone on our team is registered with the Charlie’s Angels’ Group on the ESPN.RPM Stockcar Challenge Web site.  So, if you haven’t joined the group yet, please do so as soon as possible.  If you don’t remember the password, send me an e-mail.

Good luck next week Angels,