the jade gurss blog

"Like Being in a 24-Hour Plane Crash"

"this is not for wusses..." 
Sal Fish, promoter, Baja 1000

"Dust to Glory" is a film from Dana Brown (the son of Bruce Brown, who made the legendary films "On Any Sunday" and "The Endless Summer") which documents the 2003 Baja 1000. From motorcycles to buggies to unlimited trophy trucks with helicopters as follow vehicles, from unknowns to desert legends like Robby Gordon and Ivan "Iron Man" Stewart plus stars from other disciplines like Parnelli Jones, Mario Andretti and Jimmy Vasser. 

This is more than a race - it's more like a suicide mission across 1,000 miles of unknown territory along the unforgiving Mexican peninsula - and held since 1967. The draft at Daytona may seem treacherous, but this race involves 110mph+ speeds along silt and mud, goat trails and occasional pavement. Then, throw in stray dogs, crazed Mexican spectators, errant pickup trucks and even random cows. Each can end your race... or worse. Not to mention the Mexican federales - who decided to pull over the stars of the race for speeding because parts of the race takes place on public roads which remain open to all traffic. 

Ultimately, the film and the race are both about friends and families - and it's well worth a rental or Netflix selection. 

Here is the trailer:

 

Sad news on the passing of the diminutive Teddy Mayer, who has died at the age of 73. Mayer had helped create Bruce McLaren Motor Racing in the early 1960s with the New Zealander McLaren. Not only was the company the precursor to today’s F1 powerhouse, it built and raced winning cars in a variety of series such as Formula One, LeMans, CanAm and Indy cars. Mayer ran the McLaren team after the death of the company’s namesake in a testing crash in 1970. After several F1 world titles, Mayer sold McLaren to Ron Dennis, and found himself in Indy car racing, eventually becoming a key player in Roger Penske’s Indy car juggernaut. Mayer was one of the legends from an era when teams and drivers competed in a variety of disciplines rather than specializing in one series.

 

What's Ricky Up To?

The Redemptive Power of Rock-n-Roll

To put it mildly, I've felt very old the past few years.

If you read this blog (or the old one) with regularity, you know I declined an offer to continue with the Bud/Anheuser-Busch NASCAR program in 2008 after Dale Jr's departure. I was severely depressed and worn out physically and mentally. Last season wasn't much better on the mental front, Things are looking up for 2009 on the business side, but the recent death of my father at a young age combined with my diagnoses of being diabetic was a double shot to the gut.

Did I still have the fire and the energy to compete with the young 'uns on the publicity front? Am I too old to start a family?  These thoughts nagged me constantly.

While one event won't wipe the issues clean, I've felt invigorated since seeing a live concert from Austin's Alejandro Escovedo in Charlotte last week. He's not a big name - but he should be. Here's a man who formed a seminal punk band (the Nuns) whose claim to fame was the opening act at the final gig ever performed by the Sex Pistols. Here's a man who founded the pioneering punk/country/Americana group Rank and File, and then has gone on to a stellar and influential solo career which is much more than his meek record sales.

Several years ago, Escovedo (whose cousin is Sheila E.) was near death with Hepatitis C. Somehow, he recovered and has returned to making records and touring. His latest disc, Real Animal, (my vote for best CD of 2008) rocks with the fury and passion of someone who's in his early 20s- not someone who has returned from death's door at age 58. The song "Always a Friend" inspired Bruce Springsteen so much, the Boss invited Escovedo on stage in Houston to perform the song as a duet. (You can see a video of that performance on Alejandro's website - linked above- or on YouTube.)

Alejandro in concert is a rare treat - from white hot rockers to Tex-Mex-influenced love songs to an encore of brilliant covers from Mott the Hoople, Warren Zevon, the Velvet Underground and the Rolling Stones (a surprisingly soulful version of "Beast of Burden" which put the original to shame).

I always thought my dad would out-live us all, so it's a painful lesson that I need to go all-out all the time and make the most of my time here. Since the show, I've felt better - and more energized. If Alejandro can come back from a serious illness to rock like a teenager, I'm damn sure ready to do so as well. I might still feel old somedays, but look out... I'm back. (And now I'm off to see the equally obscure but gifted Scott Miller in concert Thursday eve in Asheville, NC...)

Odds 'n' Sods

 

Have Another Beverage:  Yes, I will be doing the media and public relations for Ricky Carmichael and the KHI All-Stars Team with Monster Energy sponsorship this year. (Someone pointed out I didn't mention that in yesterday's post about the truck and sponsor unveiling.) It's 15 races total - which is a reasonable travel load - and should be a lot of fun with Ricky and the Harvicks. (And, is that one sweet looking truck, or what?!?)

Watch for Carmichael this weekend on SPEED as he races in the All-Star Showdown this Saturday at Irwindale Speedway in California. It's his last scheduled drive for Ken Schrader's Camping World East Series team before he joins Kevin Harvick Inc.

Speaking of the Harvicks, don't miss DeLana as executive producer and in a starring role in the new series "NASCAR WIVES." It will air on the TLC Network -- although the original air date of Jan. 24 has been postponed at this time. We'll let you know when it gets a set time for its debut...

And don't forget to catch at least a few hours of the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona, starting Saturday afternoon...

KHI Signs Ricky Carmichael and Monster Energy

Monster Energy has signed with Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) to sponsor Ricky Carmichael in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) during the 2009 season. Carmichael, a 29-year-old native of Clearwater, Fla., and the most successful motocross racer in history, will drive the No. 4 Monster Energy Silverado for the KHI All-Star Team in at least 14 truck events and also pilot a Monster Energy Chevrolet in the season-opening Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) race at Daytona.

In the history of the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA), no other rider has won as many championships (15) and races (150) as Carmichael, earning him the nickname the Greatest of All-Time (the GOAT). Carmichael was a record five-time AMA Rider of the Year.

The driver lineup and sponsors for the KHI All-Star Team for the 11 remaining Camping World Series races will be announced later and will include Chevrolet-powered NASCAR Sprint Cup stars.

“Monster has been a sponsor of mine since 2005,” said Carmichael, “so it’s really an honor to bring them into the Truck Series with me and KHI. This is an opportunity I’m really excited about. I think this is my best shot to learn and the best chance to become a successful NASCAR driver. I’m going to give 110 percent to make it worthwhile for myself and the entire team.”

“I like the fact he has the determination and the drive to have won multiple motocross championships,” said Daytona 500 champion, Kevin Harvick.  “I believe he will put the same effort toward his stock car career.  He knows how to race and he takes care of his equipment.  Every time I’ve seen him race, he has shown great promise.”

The No. 4 team, led by recently hired crew chief Bill Wilburn, will assume the ninth-place owners points from the No. 2 KHI truck from 2008. The No. 2 team scored its maiden victory at Atlanta with Ryan Newman last October, then won again with team co-owner Kevin Harvick at Phoenix in November. Carmichael raced the number 4 from his first-ever motorcycle race through his retirement from two-wheeled racing in 2007.

Carmichael finished sixth in points in his rookie season in the NASCAR Camping World East Series, driving for Ken Schrader Racing in 2008. In 13 starts, Carmichael had three top-five and eight top-10 finishes with one pole position. Carmichael drove one race for KHI in 2008, running among the top-five in the ARCA race at Talladega before a blown right-rear tire knocked the No. 33 KHI Chevrolet out of the race.

Carmichael on Two Wheels:

Five AMA Supercross titles

10 AMA National outdoor championships

150 professional race victories        

        Four titles in the worldwide Motocross-of-Nations event

            One World Supercross GP Championship

            X Games Gold Medals: Moto X racing and step-up competition

Thanks So Much

 

Thanks so very much to everyone who sent nice emails or left comments after the passing of my father last week. It means a lot.

Veon (yes, Veon) was a cool guy and left too young at age 68. If you knew my dad, take a look at the tribute video and eulogy by clicking here or go to YouTube. It includes his two favorite songs and roughly 30 images from his life, including the ones here with his beloved 1940 Ford and his best "James Dean slouch" (check out the argyle socks and the ornate wallpaper) in the late 1950s.

Thanks again.

We'll Be Back

Due to a death in my family, I will not be posting for at least the next few days.

Take care and talk amongst yourselves in the meantime.

jade.

Joe Gibbs Racing Gets First Big Victory of 2009

Joe Gibbs Racing has many victories and championships in NHRA and NASCAR, but now you can add a new category as his team grabbed their first-ever victory in the AMA Supercross arena Saturday night as Josh Grant (pictured) rode the #33 Yamaha to his surprising first win in the prestigious season-opening race at Anaheim, CA. The team, managed by Coach Gibb's son Coy, seems to be much improved for the 2009 season and the young Grant was a smooth rocket to grab the win.

If you haven't watched Supercross on SPEED and CBS, you might want to set the Tivo if the season-opener is any indication of the racing to come.

Expected championship rivals Chad Reed and James Stewart (who seem to genuinely dislike one another) were racing 1-2 in the early stages of the main event until the two collided, sending Stewart head-first into a berm and Reed tumbling across the dirt. Reed was able to continue while Stewart's night ended in 19th place.

The Second Big Win of 2009: Victory Lane Karting's five-man team of drivers scored a dominating victory in the 24 Hours of America karting event Sat/Sun, defeating teams from around the world by a margin of 11 laps! All of the VLK drivers also compete in the infamous Golden Benny Karting League (including 2008 GBKL champ, Fred Ogrim), and we offer big ol' congratulations on kicking kart butt for 1,270 laps and 13,970 turns at Palm Beach International Raceway (formerly Moroso Motorsports Park).

The Reason I'm a Publicist (and not a racecar driver):  Here's a snippet from my brief ride a few years back in the PacWest Reynard/Mercedes-Benz. The biggest lesson I learned? When you're being strapped into a racecar, do not leave your wallet in your back pocket. I ended my drive with the entire right side of my body asleep! (It was funny to watch as I tried to climb from the tight cockpit...)

 

Cool Internet Find of the Week (thanks to Kiwi): Use your computer's unused processing power to help find possible cures for AIDS, cancer and even clean energy. The World Community Grid from IBM is a free download that allows you to leverage the power of your computer to become a part of a worldwide computer grid to do mass computation for the benefit of science. To check it out, click to the World Community Grid site.

100 and Counting: This is the 100th entry on the "new" blog - with nearly 1000 comments! Keep the feedback coming and I'll try to improve the blog as best I can. I should have some monster news and updates coming soon.