Today's News

After starting the season with six top-10 runs in 10 events, Chad McCumbee and MRD Motorsports appeared to have the right momentum as the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series entered into a tough stretch of races during the summer months.

But this string of races posed some challenges. The team had an unexpected 26th- place average finish that was not indicative of how the team performed during those races. A series of on-track incidents outside of the team’s control left it even more eager to head to the Music City to get back on beat.

Readers have their opinions about my opinions.

In response to my July 17 column, “My mighty, majestic home run*,” Joe Small elaborated on the sound of hitting a home run:

“I hit a few of those in my (distant) youth,” he wrote. “I was also fortunate enough to hit a few legitimate home runs. There is no sound in ANY sport that resonates like the sound of a baseball being hit solidly (right on the sweet spot) by a wooden bat. Forget the ping of aluminum bats. Doesn’t come close.

If there is one thing that comes to life in the month of August, it is the Spanish mackerel fishing. You can travel to almost any reef or live bottom in the 45- to 60-foot depth range and catch lots of large Spanish mackerel from 2-4 pounds or more. Spanish are one of the best eating fish in the sea, and when they are schooling, they don’t mind biting a hook.

The Sandpiper Bay Men’s Golf Association game Aug. 4 was Chicago, as a team effort: one point for bogey, two points for par, three points for birdie and five points for all others. Add quotas for team quota.

Piper-Bay flight: First place with 27 points over quota was the team of Bob Nicoletti, Vince Niland, Marvin Pethal and Doug Williams. Second place with 23 points was the team of Dan Alsup, Mike Matlock, Charles Richardson and Jim Wiseman. Third place with 21 points was the team of Lou Zotter, Bill Lester and Tom Ioven.