I enjoy all forms of motorsports.  Believe it or not, I am also a very big NASCAR CUP fan.  The close racing and colorful personalities is a big reason why I’ve been a NASCAR follower since my childhood.  Two years ago I was really excited when my favorite driver, Juan Pablo Montoya, decided to leave the high glamour world of Formula One to compete in Stock Car Racing.  Montoya’s fearless demeanour and high level of skill has garnered him a dedicated following around the world.  As a Monaco Grand Prix, Indy 500, CART & F1 winner, Montoya is regarded as one of the best all-around drivers ever. 

There are 36 races in a NASCAR CUP season.  After each race, points are rewarded based on the drivers’ finishing position, laps led, etc.  Montoya currently drives the #42 Target-Chevy for Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing; a well known operation with successful Indycar and Sports Car teams. 

The “Chase” is NASCAR’s playoff season, where the top 12 drivers compete for the championship.  To qualify for the Chase, a driver must occupy a top 12 position after the 26th race.  Even though a driver does not qualify for NASCAR’s playoff season, he can still compete in the 10 remaining races.  However, only the drivers who qualified for the Chase can accumulate points to win the championship.  Montoya was able to qualify for the Chase this year, a first time for a non-American driver.  The Chase for the Sprnt Cup will start this week!

I personally feel Montoya will perform well during the Chase.  However, my first choice to win the championship is Mark Martin, the oldest driver in NASCAR.  Like Montoya, I’ve been watching Martin compete for a very long time.  It amazes me that he can still drive at a very high level, plus fellow drivers have the utmost respect for him due to his likeable personality and mannerisms on & off the race track.  He’s one of the few gentleman drivers left in any racing series.  Martin has never won the championship so it would be great to seem him finally claim the cup.  He currently drives the #5 Kellogs-Car Quest-Chevrolet for Hendricks Motorsports; a highly vaunted super team in NASCAR.

Regardless of who wins the cup, the 2009 NASCAR CUP season has been pretty exciting so far.  There’s bound to be some big changes next year as driver and personnel changes will occur from team to team.  Despite all this movement, NASCAR will always provide a thrilling spectable for true motorsport fans and gearheads who love to hear the rumble of those menacing V8 engines.

As a child of the 1980’s, I grew up watching a legendary Japanimation series called “Star Blazers“. It was a very mature cartoon for the time with thought provoking themes and political messages. The arc-based series was an epic adventure of intergalactic proportaions. Soonafter, spiritual successors like Robotech, etc, continued a wave of Anime properties that spawned huge storylines and deep character development.

Even after 30+ years, Star Blazers still has a big fan base. It remains a big reason why I’m a fan of Anime or Japanimation. And thanks to YouTube, past, present and future fans can view all of the episodes.

I recently ordered a DVD set of Star Blazers. It’s going to be a treat watching the entire series again!

Thank goodness we have centralized air conditioning at home! A record breaking heat wave has turned Southwest British Columbia into a blazing oven.

Despite the hot weather, I would rather soak in the sun than suffer with chilly temperatures! The past winter feels like such a long time ago!

Thank goodness the summer is only halfway over!

Rock chips and bug splatter is a reality every vehicle owner must face. A driver can take all the necessary precautions to avoid these objects but sooner or later a nasty rock end up hitting the front-end. In the past, a leather or vinyl bra was commonly used for added protection. Unfortunately, this application is rather ghastly in terms of physical appearance.

I wanted a formidable means of protection while maintaining the natural lines of my vehicle. This is why I recently installed 3M Scotchgard Protective Film on our brand new 2009 Suzuki Grand Vitara. It is a clear bra designed to shield surfaces from stone chips. Depending on the installation or color of a vehicle, it is practically invisible.

Here are some pictures of our Suzuki with the 3M Scotchgard Protective film. Protected sections on our vehicle include the hood, front bumper, fog lights, headlights, side mirrors and wheel fenders. A passerby won’t notice anything at all, unless they’re really close to the sheet metal.

The clear bra was professionally installed by 3M Certified specialists. Since I live near Vancouver, BC Canada, the kind folks at Vancouver Clear Bra utilized their services to apply the product. Their attention to detail, service and workmanship is excellent. There’s also a 5 year warranty by 3M.

It is possible to install this product by yourself or with a partner. A novice can save quite a bit of money by purchasing a pre-cut kit. But unless you’re a professional detailer, I’d highly suggest a certified specialist for a quality installation, especially on larger areas with complicated curves. In fact, I ordered a similar protective film (a few months ago) for my 17 inch laptop called the Invisible Shield. It was a real burden to install. I could have gotten into a lot of trouble if the clear bra was installed with my own hands.

How much did it cost me? Well, the total cost is less than a paint job for the front-end. It also saves me a lot of time from applying touch-up paint on a peppered bumper. If you care about the finish of a vehicle or would like to minimize stone chips, I would highly recommend 3M Scotchgard Paint Protection Film as a viable solution. The vehicle will thank you in the end!