Florida the rules are different here Chapter CXXXIII

The state of Florida is spending one million dollars to promote Florida produce. Doesn't sound unusual does it? Not till you hear that its being done by using a race car? Watch that car speed around a track at 170 MPH and think of Florida oranges, tomatoes and watermelon. That's what Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson thinks will happen. Who's TFM to question Florida's politicians and bureaucrats. (Cue the sarcastic laughter) Don't you just love Florida?

Linked to- Bullwinkle, Committees of Correspondence, Perri Nelson, The World According to Carl,


TALLAHASSEE -- What's green, can hit speeds of 170 mph and is fueled with $1 million in state dollars?

It's the "Fresh from Florida" race car, which, at racetracks from Homestead to Quebec, is being used to promote watermelons, tomatoes, oranges and a multitude of other fruits and vegetables grown in the Sunshine State.

"It's definitely different, but it's so attention-getting, it creates a lot of buzz at the track," said Tom Long, one of the drivers of car No. 99, a BMW M3.

"When you think of racing and peak performance, there's a tie to fresh Florida fruits and vegetables: good things for high performance. That's the message we're delivering," said Martin May, a spokesman for the Department of Agriculture.

It's a message not everybody has received. Dominic Calabro, president of Florida TaxWatch, a Tallahassee-based watchdog of government spending, had no idea the state was sponsoring race cars until he was told by a reporter.

That expenditure might "raise a few eyebrows," Calabro said, especially with Florida facing a $1 billion revenue shortfall because of the sluggish economy.

"[But] this could prove to be a great investment," Calabro added. "Anything that enhances the success of produce would be beneficial. It's a gift that may keep helping farmers and the taxpayers of Florida."

Although considered a rung below NASCAR in the hierarchy of professional racing, the Daytona Beach-based Grand American Road Racing Association has featured big-league drivers like Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson. And while attendance on race day usually numbers in the thousands, promoters claim to have reached 27 million people in 2006, mostly through television exposure. Both Florida cars are racing this year in all events, seven of which are nationally televised.

"It's reaching a crowd we need to reach," said Nelson Mongiovi, director of marketing and development for the agriculture department. "And it's the fastest-growing spectator sport in America."

Last year, the state spent $4 million in tax dollars (combined with equivalent amount paid by growers) on the Fresh from Florida marketing campaign, which includes promotions such as "Northern Exposure," a flooding of Canadian and northern U.S. supermarkets with Florida produce in winter and spring.

Since the campaign started nearly two years ago, sales of Florida produce and profits from all agriculture-related businesses (including tractor sales and trucking companies that ship the produce) have jumped $10 billion to nearly $97 billion, said Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson.

"Part of our program is to promote the symbol .ƒ|.ƒ|. and we keep track to see if we're getting our money's worth," Bronson said. Tracking by the University of Florida, he said, "found we were getting almost a 10-to-1 return."

By law, he said, the department is required to promote Florida's agriculture industry however it can. Calabro suggested the state might seek more private donors to help fund the racing enterprise.

"Not that there is anything improper," he said. "But when we're looking at a billion-dollar-plus state budget [shortfall], I'd probably try to raise more money from the private sector."

While federal agencies, including the Army and Navy, sponsor NASCAR teams and Grand-Am underwriters include Playboy, Ruby Tuesday, Sun Trust Bank and Super Cuts, so far the Florida Department of Agriculture has been the sole state agency to get in the game.Mongiovi said the department is trying to maximize the marketing money it gets from the Legislature to promote agriculture, the state's second-largest industry behind tourism.

Florida's cars are handled by the Orlando-based Automatic Racing team, which had eight top-10 finishes in 2006. Long, 25, has been racing for six years. After breaking a two-year track record during qualifying, he finished sixth at the July 7 Watkins Glen race in upstate New York.

Of the eight races so far this season, which runs from January to October, one or both Florida cars have finished in the top seven spots seven times. The best finish so far has been a second place for No. 09. They next compete Aug. 17-19 in Quebec.

"The fans are really involved in it. They come by, look at the cars and get the posters and materials we hand out," Long said.

"It's pretty neat because everyone keeps an extra eye on you as you go around the track."

Cry me a river

From AP-

Authorities destroyed six vehicles Wednesday at an auto graveyard, hoping would-be racers think again after looking at the mashed machines. Illegal street racing is responsible for or suspected in 13 deaths in Southern California since March.

The thrill-seeking, adrenaline-pumping activity is rampant in Riverside and San Bernardino counties east of Los Angeles where rows of tract homes line wide streets that attract racers.

Nearly 1,000 people — drivers and spectators — have been arrested for investigation of street racing activities over the past two years in San Bernardino County alone. Police need a court order to destroy the cars. They must prove that the serial or identification numbers on a vehicle or its parts are removed, altered or destroyed.

Police said they have managed to reduce illegal racing and related fatal collisions, but know the underground hobby still thrives.

"We are making a dent," said Ontario police Cpl. Jeff Higbee. "But it's summertime and ... we expect to see more activity."

*****

Because racers put heavy stress on their vehicles, they often burn out or blow up parts. Higbee said the need for the expensive parts has created a "theft mill" where additional cars — usually Hondas or Acuras — are stolen and stripped of the necessary replacements.

Most of the cars police examine are illegally modified. Sergio Zavala, 18, was pulled over in his 1993 yellow Honda Civic for a broken tail light in December. He had purchased a B-20 Vtech engine with a double-overhead cam a couple months before, and after a police investigation, was told it was stolen.



Zavala, who admits he's been involved in street racing, estimates he and his mother spent about $10,000 on improvements to his car.

After watching his Civic demolished, Zavala is left without a car as he plans to attend a fire academy in the fall.

"It's heartbreaking to see this," said Zavala, who graduated from high school last week. "This is where all my time and money went."

What's the saying about a fool and his money? I have no sympathy for Zavala.(That is Mr. Zarvala and his yellow Civic above.) Street racing is a dangerous practice, one I wrote about in my latest web fiction. The drivers in these races think only about themselves, and that foolishness has led to innocent people getting killed. Including this recent incident in Florida. Get over it Sergio, if you don't I won't be too terribly surprised.

Linked to- Amboy Times, Bullwinkle, Perri Nelson,

The Knuckleheads of the Day award

Today's winners are Michal Waltrip, plus his crew chief David Hyder and team director Bobby Kennedy. They get the award for the following.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Michael Waltrip's team became the fifth caught cheating before the Daytona 500, a scandal that tarnished NASCAR's biggest race of the season and Toyota's highly anticipated debut. In all, six crew members have been thrown out of Daytona as NASCAR made it known cheating will not be tolerated.

"We've got people's attention now," NASCAR competition director Robin Pemberton said Wednesday.

Waltrip, a two-time Daytona winner, lost his crew chief and team director right before the biggest race of the year. The two were suspended indefinitely after an illegal substance was found during inspection for the season-opener.

Waltrip, docked 100 points, will be allowed to participate in Thursday's races that determine the field for the 500.

David Hyder, his crew chief, was thrown out of the garage and fined $100,000. Team director Bobby Kennedy also was kicked out.

Waltrip said he was "so sad and embarrassed" but tried to shift blame to an unnamed individual within his team.

"This is not the action of an organization, a manufacturer or a sponsor," Waltrip said in a statement. "This was an independent act done without consent or authorization from me or any of my executive management team."

I think Waltrip is full of it You're going to tell me you're racing a car at 200 MPH and risking your life but don't know what is under the hood? Gimme a break.

Cheating is probably common in the sport, and there is plenty of bellyaching at present in Daytona. Tough, you cheat and get caught, there are going to be consequences. Like not being to race, or you Michael Waltrip, David Hyder and Bobby Kennedy becoming today's Knuckleheads of the Day.

Linked to- Blue Star, Cao, Faultline, Is it just me?, Jo, Outside the Beltway, Pursuing Holiness, Random Yak, Right Voices,

Go Danica!

With less than twenty-five laps to go she is leading the Indy 500. GO!

Update- Danica Patrick finished 4th. She ran a hell of a race and nearly won in spite of stalling an engine and having a scrape with another car. Here is betting she'll be back next year.