Nascar

Let’s take a look at a few axioms that pop up this time of year. “The only sure things are death and taxes.” “Pitchers and catchers are reporting. It’s getting close to spring.” “Teams are not seeded for the Maryland state basketball tournaments.” The first two have been rites in their own way. The third is a wrong. And in this case, a wrong by no means makes a rite. The method that Maryland uses to set the field for its state basketball tournaments continues to fall under scrutiny.

I confess to only hanging around the fringes of NASCAR. I might catch a little of Daytona and keep up with the chase standings. But the real reason I keep coming back to NASCAR time and time again is headlines like this one: “Tony Stewart Downplays Goosing Kevin Harvick's Wife.” Even if you know nothing, or care nothing, for car racing, I defy you to skip past a headline like that. And I know you don't want to waste precious seconds looking it up on your own, so here's the lede, as reported by ESPN: “A video of Tony Stewart grabbing the rear end of Kevin Harvick's wife has gone viral, but the three-time Sprint Cup champion has downplayed the incident as a routine between friends that he believes brings good luck.” Weird.

Commentary Like many Americans, I had paid some, but not much, attention to the motorsport known as NASCAR - until I learned there was cheating, lying and deceit involved. This changes everything. It's like, no one ever paid any attention to Robert Hanssen before they learned he was selling lists of the Pentagon's favorite restaurants to the Reds. Cheating in NASCAR? We expect that behavior in Major League baseball, but not here. Actually in NASCAR, I'm told, that's not completely true.

bobp@herald-mail.com Morality took a big hit last week. A big hit. A "Moe pointing to the sky before kicking Curly in the groin" Three Stooges kind of calamity. The one-two combination below the belt came courtesy of America's two pastimes, baseball (the traditional one) and NASCAR (the adopted one). We found out that athletes cheat. Gasp! Next thing you know, we'll be finding out that WMD actually means Western Maryland. And for those who didn't know that, the Naive Express has just pulled up with Santa Claus driving and Tinkerbell passing out refreshments.

Looking back, perhaps those students at Enumclaw High School in Washington State knew a little more than the rest of the world. Somehow, it seems, it was easy to spot the curly haired kid with the radiant smile. And it wasn't just because he liked fast cars, greasy garages and spending his weekends on dirt tracks across the United States upper northwest. Kasey Kahne had something intangible. And when his classmates voted him the most likely to succeed after graduation, well, the kid took it to heart.

He has been called as engaging as a tub of vanilla ice cream. He has been described as a hermit's hermit. And there's little chance he'll be featured on the covers of Rolling Stone or GQ magazine any time soon. When it comes to Matt Kenseth's persona, it's minimalist over Maxim magazine. When it comes to Matt Kenseth's preferences, it's C-SPAN hearings over MTV's "Cribs. " So it's no surprise, after an early summer race in southeast Michigan, to find the National Association of Stock Car Racing (NASCAR)

I remember the first and only time I met Benny Parsons. It was in a smoke-choked media room that was too small to handle the growing number of journalists who were descending upon Indianapolis, Ind., to cover the Brickyard 400 race. It was the late 1990s, and the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) circuit was becoming more popular, and fast. Slick, media-savvy drivers such as Jeff Gordon were drawing crowds with their California good looks. And Benny Parsons - one of the last good ol' boys and as un-California as they came - was loving every minute of it. As the door swung open on that media center one broiling Sunday morning, the extra-large Parsons made sure to make his presence known in a big way. "Well," he bellowed as he made his way through the fog of cigarette smoke and tap-tap-tapping of computer keyboards, "it sure as hell is good to see so many new faces around here!

State police NASCAR vehicle to teach driving safety By KIMBERLY YAKOWSKI / Staff Writer To remind motorists that aggressive driving is for the speedway and not the highway, Maryland State Police added a NASCAR stock car to its fleet Thursday. The vehicle is an educational tool to be used in conjunction with traffic safety posters to increase public awareness of the dangers of reckless driving, said Cpl. Rob Moroney of the state police public affairs unit. "We think it will have an impact," he said.

Thursday, Feb. 17 8 p.m. on CBS "Survivor: Palau" A new edition, the 10th, is set on the Pacific island nation of Palau. That's way beyond Hawaii, in the vicinity of the Philippines, and the site of some important World War II fighting. 8 p.m. on Animal Planet "NASCAR: Animal Crew" It seems that many of those hard-bitten NASCAR drivers have a soft side when it comes to pets. This new special takes us into the homes of some of them and introduces the wide variety of animals that "provide comfort in a career of tough competition.

scottb@herald-mail.com FANNETT TOWNSHIP, Pa. - A 42-year-old Franklin County resident who died in a car accident Friday night was described by his brother Saturday as an outgoing, likable man who liked to hunt, fish and watch NASCAR races. James Edward Rosenberry of Dry Run, Pa., was pronounced dead at Chambersburg Hospital by the Franklin County Coroner at 11:39 p.m. Friday. The cause of death was multiple blunt force trauma, Coroner Jeffrey R. Conner said. The accident happened at 11:05 p.m. at Pa. 75 at Coons Road in Fannett Township, Pennsylvania State Police said in a news release.

A Dodge Charger worth $60,000 and a chance to rub shoulders with the who's who of NASCAR at a banquet in Las Vegas was a dream for Rich and Paula Robertson, a dream that came true when the couple won a Dodge Charger sweepstakes competition online. Those who know Rich Robertson know of his passion for NASCAR. He has loved cars since he was a kid, and working as an auto mechanic fueled his passion. So when his wife Paula saw an online competition offering the NASCAR banquet and a chance to win the Dodge Charger sweepstakes, among other prizes, she didn't hesitate to enter.

I confess to only hanging around the fringes of NASCAR. I might catch a little of Daytona and keep up with the chase standings. But the real reason I keep coming back to NASCAR time and time again is headlines like this one: “Tony Stewart Downplays Goosing Kevin Harvick's Wife.” Even if you know nothing, or care nothing, for car racing, I defy you to skip past a headline like that. And I know you don't want to waste precious seconds looking it up on your own, so here's the lede, as reported by ESPN: “A video of Tony Stewart grabbing the rear end of Kevin Harvick's wife has gone viral, but the three-time Sprint Cup champion has downplayed the incident as a routine between friends that he believes brings good luck.” Weird.

His eyes. The money. Everything surrounding him. Fans of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series racer Kasey Kahne said those were among the reasons they came out to the Hagerstown Speedway Sunday night to catch a glimpse of the heartthrob driver. Kahne was racing in the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series at the local track, and his fans were ecstatic. Renae Metz of Roaring Spring, Pa., said she has been following Kahne for about four years and has met him at several other venues.

Howard E. Rudisill, 73, formerly of Laurel, Md., went to be with the Lord on Monday, Oct. 17, 2011. Born on Sept. 11, 1938, in Hagerstown, Md., he was the son of the late Howard A. and Grace L. Rudisill. He served in the U.S. Army before working for Magruder, where he retired in 2003. In his spare time, he enjoyed hunting, spending time in the mountains, and watching NASCAR races and Redskins games. He is survived by his loving wife, Lois Rudisill; his son, Gary Rudisill, and wife, Dianne, of Martinsburg, W.Va.; stepsons Antonio Caprinolo Sr. and wife, Carina, of Abingdon, Md., and Nicholas Caprinolo of Glen Burnie, Md.; a sister, Janet Jones, of Hagerstown, and 13 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, and numerous nephews and nieces.

Warrior Energy Inc. recently signed a sponsorship deal with the Keystone Motorsports team in the Nascar Nationwide Series.    The drivers are Amber and Angela Cope, nieces of Daytona 500 winner Derrike Cope. The twins, heralded as the “first twins of NASCAR,” have been featured in Sports Illustrated magazine and have a lifetime of racing experience. Warrior Energy is led by President and Chief Executive Officer Arthur Ebeling, Vice Presidents Chris Perkins and Brent Garrett, and Chief Operating Officer Audra Grapes.

"I would like to comment on the possible tax increase in Greencastle. How is it possible for our school board to spend everyone else's money for a very expensive improvement to the football stadium? Let's focus on the education of the children, especially those who get left behind. We never hear about these children, only the ones who do well. " — Greencastle, Pa. "I'm not a big NASCAR fan. I'll tune in some of the bigger races, like the Daytona 500 and Talledega and those things.

Let’s take a look at a few axioms that pop up this time of year. “The only sure things are death and taxes.” “Pitchers and catchers are reporting. It’s getting close to spring.” “Teams are not seeded for the Maryland state basketball tournaments.” The first two have been rites in their own way. The third is a wrong. And in this case, a wrong by no means makes a rite. The method that Maryland uses to set the field for its state basketball tournaments continues to fall under scrutiny.

JAN. 13, 1971-JAN. 13, 2011 JACKSONVILLE, N.C. — Robert Steven Heinen, 40, of 604 Forest Grove Ave. in Jacksonville, N.C., passed away Thursday, Jan. 13, 2011, at his home. Born Wednesday, Jan. 13, 1971, in Fort Meade, Md., he was the son of Charles Edward Heinen of South Carolina and Barbara Lou Heinen-Stitzel of Hagerstown, Md. He attended North Hagerstown High School. He was a self-employed truck driver and a former employee of Blue Gray Towing in Hagerstown.

After his fiancee has gone home for the night and everyone else in the house starts winding down, Cody Kershner will spend evenings in the basement watching prior races like football players review tape. The 19-year-old mini stock car racer is on the brink of earning his first title. Cody leads the points race at Shippensburg Speedway in Pennsylvania and is four races away from winning the series. Watching old tape, he says, is what it takes to become a champion. Cody lives with his family in the farmlands just west of Hagerstown.

JULY 17, 1957-JAN. 20, 2009 LOUISA, Va. - Douglas Michael "Mike" Jamison, 51, of 1462 Schoolbus Road, and formerly of Chambersburg, Pa., died Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009, in Maui, Hawaii. Born July 17, 1957, in Chambersburg, he was the son of Wilda Brown Jamison Mills of Chambersburg and the late Merle Jamison, and the stepson of Edwin L. Mills of Chambersburg. He was a construction supervisor for T and B Equipment Co. in Ashland, Va., erecting bleachers for PGA and NASCAR events.