Stafford Motor Speedway joined numerous other professional motorsports entities by jumping onto the iRacing bandwagon with a live virtual racing event featuring regular competitors from the track.
Let’s just sum it up as it was fun to watch. It was entertainment in a time when there’s way too much seriousness to take in.
And quite honestly, the live banter across social media was even more fun.
Hey, it’s good to see people being entertained right now, especially in a group setting, albeit that togetherness coming through virtual connections. It’s what we have right now so let’s make the best of it.
Hopefully virtual RJ Surdell and virtual Troy Talman aren’t too sore today after harrowing wrecks. Talman nearly went over the turn four face and into the front parking lot at Stafford during the feature. Surdell was upside down on the backstretch during a consolation race when he got cleaned out by leader Cory Casagrande.
Public Service Announcement
Just a little public service announcement from your Uncle Shawn.
Don’t don’t don’t don’t fall for any scams right now through texts, websites or email promising you a quick way to get your stimulus check. I think it goes without saying that it’s a sad world we live in where with every publicized tragedy, no matter how large or small, the scumbags will find a way to prey on people.
Spring Cleaning
Am I the only one who has found a little positive silver lining from COVID-19 quarantine through social media cleansing?
There’s nothing like tragedy to bring the crackpots out from hiding and seeping to the top of the boil.
I’m all for sharing opinions. And I’m all for respecting and trying to gain understanding and common ground through the opinions of others. And I’m all for civil debate. But if you’re using your Quarantine time to spread whacky garbage conspiracy theories based on what you read on a meme you can be gone.
Most especially infuriating are the conspiracy folks who are offering their supposed inside knowledge to tell us what’s really happening when spewing those thoughts indirectly insults the people who are truly living what’s really happening in so many medical facilities across this country.
Ok, stepping off the soapbox now.
Binge Watching
On today’s binge watching review menu we’ll offer up a little off the wall and comedy and a little serious.
Let’s start off with the Hulu documentary Too Funny to Fail, which offers a hilarious and incredibly deep peek inside the short and disastrous run that was The Dana Carvey Show on ABC in 1996.
So many people remember Carvey’s unforgettable list of characters on during his run on Saturday Night Live from 1986 to 1993. The list is seemingly endless from the Church Lady, Hans of the Hans & Franz Duo, Garth Algar from Wayne’s World and his portray of President George H.W. Bush.
But few remember Carvey’s short lived sketch show on ABC.
The show featured a couple then unknown comedians named Steve Carell and Stephen Colbert. It also featured Louis CK as the head writer. Unlike Carvey’s fun loving persona on SNL, Too Funny to Fail pushed the boundaries of network TV primetime comedy like nothing else had before. The show was unfortunately years before a time when boundaries got pushed so much further.
As Carvey says about the show: “We had hired badass nerd pirates to blow up the system.”
It’s a must watch, earning Five Quarantine Snacks out of five on the RaceDayCT ratings.
Too Funny to Fail
Next up for our binge watching ratings is Pandemic: How To Prevent An Outbreak on Netflix.
But really though, the timing of the recent January release of this six-part documentary is truly unreal.
If you think what is happening right now with the COVID-19 global pandemic is something nobody ever expected to happen, just take a look at this documentary and realize that medical professionals studying epidemics have long known that something like what we’re enduring now was never an “If it ever happens” scenario but more or less has always been a “When it happens again” scenario.
While the series bogs down at times with some storytelling aspects, the simple sharing of real relatable and understandable information is stunning.
We give Pandemic: How To Prevent An Outbreak Three Quarantine Snacks out of five on the RaceDayCT ratings.
Pandemic: How To Prevent An Outbreak
Stay safe everyone. Keep positive. Help your neighbors if you can. And wash your damn hands.
Unmuffled Episode 73: Are You Recording All This Bull$#@& ???
Wish you subscribed to Amazon Prime and reviewed their offerings.
I know it’s difficult being in your position Mr. Courchesne but referring to social media cleansing and crackpots is to vague for this old man. I don’t know what that means. The crackpots are still as strong as ever, the misinformation rampant in some circles and the force of denial strong.
One thing I can relate to is being grateful.
*I’m grateful to the government from Trump on down to State and local government both Republican and Democratic. Maybe not Trump so much but certainly Pence on down. Grateful for the risks administrative officials, Congress, State and local administrators and legislator take to do their jobs passing legislation and managing critical services.
*Grateful that the government has seen fit to take extraordinary measures both fiscally and monetarily to mitigate the economic affects of the virus as best they know how and that the measures that can only be described as epic were passed in record time.
*sad that older people are the most vulnerable but happy that the children with their entire futures ahead of them have been less affected so far.
*Being thankful for the medical professionals is obvious. They are under incredible stress. However less obvious are all the people doing their jobs that we depend on from the employees at grocery stores, delivery drivers, warehouse workers, garbage drivers and all others taking risks but flying under the radar as we huddle in our homes.
*I don’t take for granted the fact that the government credits a Social Security payment to my account every month so reliably I don’t even check any more. Nor the fact as a geezer the government gives me access to great health care benefits no profit based company would ever provide. And that baring a situation where the hospitals are overwhelmed it is likely I could get attended to in the event it were necessary. I do understand that not all people have that access that is especially needed now and very troubling.
*I’m grateful that the virus came as spring is coming. That we can escape by taking a walk on a sunny day and appreciate the simple pleasure it provides with social distancing built in.
*grateful that package stores are considered essential businesses
* while there is a virus floating around that could kill you otherwise surfaces in any place the public frequents have probably never been more sanitary and that’s something.
*not happy about the lack of sports for sure but happy streaming exists. Not depending on broadcast shows like in days gone by. So many options to watch what you want when you want it while we all bide our time.
* Sympathetic to all the moms and dads out there that are dealing with this, trying to maintain their income and having to watch their kids and worry about them at the same time.
*Grateful to all the research firms across the planet and governments funding them that are working feverishly to find a vaccine and additional means to fight the respiratory affects of the virus. Not on our radar now but in time may very well end the far reaching affects this stinker.
*grateful to Stafford Speedway especially this year for supporting The Show series, the podcasts and the sim racing special. They are and will be under tremendous pressure this year to avoid losing money and here they are providing free content to keep everyone engaged and hopeful that racing will resume.
*Grateful to RaceDayCt and the outlet to vent it provides especially now. Sympathetic to the fact that it will be affected revenue wise as will everything race related and hopeful Shawn and company can muddle through the mess successfully.
Thanks for the public service message. I’d also add stop putting antibacterial sanitary wipes in the toilet. Sheesh
Like Doug, I’m grateful for allot of things, for most, that so far I’ve remained Covid free. Both my father, and my wife have underlying health conditions, for that matter so don’t I. Because of all the closures, I’m pretty much unemployed, even though I worked very little before Covid. I spend some of my day at my dad’s, helping him pack up. He’s selling his house, but it’s been put on hold due to the pandemic. His real estate agent is smart enough not to have showings. I watch allot of TV ,trying to avoid the news, yet staying up to date on the issues. I’ve started playing Grab Turismo on my PlayStation, still trying to find a NASCAR game though. I can see the draw to iracing, and imagine it is quite fun especially if your lucky enough to have a simulator type setup. I’ve managed to get a few projects done around the house that probly would never have gotten done under normal circumstances. But in the end, I’m grateful for what I’ve got, and what I don’t.
I truly hope that all my RacedayCT friends are safe and healthy, and looking forward to the RacedayCT pre-season party, so I may try and put faces to the names, and maybe make a friend or two. Then of course, most of all I’m looking forward to sitting in the stands watching the cars race around the track, taking in all the sights, sounds and smells I miss so much. Although ultimately I’d prefer to be in the pits crewing a car. Everybody stay safe, sane and healthy, hope to see you soon. And THANK YOU Shawn for all you do
There isn’t much more to say to add to Doug’s and Rob P.’s posts. I’m with you on all of the above!
On the topic of eracing, Preece did an insane move through the infield. Hope y’all saw it.
Well, think about this…
The USA death rate is doubling every three days.
There is nothing in its way. About a million people have been infected, 329 million people still out there.
All we can do Dareal is to hunker down. If you can stay home, do it. Take precautions if you do go out. A little common sense goes a long way. New numbers show about 200,000 confirmed cases with about 3000 deaths. We all know the number of cases is much greater than 200,000. People need to stay home, and practice social distancing. Be prepared for this to last a long time. Slowing the spread is key. Some day we will all look back on this time. Hopefully lessons are learned, and steps are taken so this never happens again. Everybody stay safe, strong and sane. We will get through this.