Now that it's official -- Casey Mears and Hendrick Motorsports will part ways at the end of the 2008 season -- let the conjecture begin on just where Bakersfield's other NASCAR driver begins the 2009 season.

Rumor has it that Richard Childress Racing will have a fourth car, and that sponsor General Mills -- Cheerios -- is looking for an All-American boy (with both sponsor and fan likeability) to drive the car.

That's the same RCR that Bakersfield's other NASCAR driver Kevin Harvick has been a part of for 8 years, 7 in the Winston/Nextel/Sprint Cup Series.

So this begs the question: Would Harvick and Mears get along? Could two guys that were born in the same town but raised on the opposite sides of town with different upbringings and completely different racing backgrounds become cohesive teammates? And not just teammates but drafting partners who are willing to push each other into victory lane?

This isn't Ricky Bobby and Cal Naughton Jr., quite yet. But wouldn’t that make for a great story?
 

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Our faithful blog watchdog, Jason Sperber, forwarded a posting over the weekend, I'm just getting around to responding to it.

Blogger PureAmerican believes that Kevin Harvick's short trip back to Bakersfield is worth more than just a few inches of black type, and six or seven photos in the TBC. His fund-raising efforts for North High wrestling are worth more than a few seconds of B-roll from our local TV stations. That's not enough, PureAmerican believes that winning the Daytona 500, 11 Cup races, two Busch Series points title, and a few Truck races is worth a street naming.

Let's see what Kevin does in the next 5 years before we change the name of Weedpatch Highway. Coming back to Bakersfield and racing at the Speedway (dirt track) was a tremendous first step. And, I had heard through the rumor mill that Shell and Chevrolet are to be sponsors with the new Kern River Speedway (paved track, still not finished) because of Harvick's loyalties. So he's well on his way but Kevin still needs some major career accomplishments before we drop the checkered flag on Harvick Highway.

If there's anyone in Kern County with auto racing ties that deserves a recognition it's Rick Mears. Remember him? He won the Indianapolis 500 four times, started on the pole a record six times. And this was when the Indianapolis 500 was the most prestigious race in the world. Rick is also a three-time CART champion, that's when open-wheel racing was the premiere form of racing.

So I propose we rename a stretch of Highway 99 to Rick Mears Way. I know former high school sports writer Brad Riddell drove the stretch of pavement from White Lane to California Avenue, like he was coming out of the "short chute and down the backstretch" at the Brickyard. Side note: I know CHP thought so too.

Before we start honoring our current homegrown talent, let's honor the man that helped put Bakersfield on the auto racing map. Rick Mears deserves his name above Bakersfield pavement, Kevin will just have to wait.

I had heard his schtick a number of times but never really understood all George Carlin's musings. I had watched countless HBO specials but never read any of his books.

That was until Christmas of 2005. My brother gave me "America: The Book" by Jon Stewart. It was a fateful decision because I had recently purchased the book a few weeks earlier. So he offered to trade a book he was starting on, George Carlin's "When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops."

I haven't laughed out loud reading a book, so much in my life. The past few hours have been full of tributes to Carlin, and I expect more to come in the coming days.

Here's a little bit of Carlin at his finest. George, you will be missed. 

HOW TO STAY YOUNG
1. Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctor worry about them. That is why you pay him/her.

2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.

3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain idle. " An idle mind is the devil's workshop." And the devil's name is Alzheimer's.

4. Enjoy the simple things.

5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.

6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive.

7. Surround yourself with what you love, whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever ! Your home is your refuge.

8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.

9. Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, to the next county, to a foreign country, but NOT to where the guilt is.

10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.