A “saner” Crazy Woman Driver

NASCAR's 2009 season is underway and like many of the sport's drivers, I'm now doing double duty.

A year ago this month, I started writing a racing column for a monthly trucking magazine, Owner Operator. Just before this anniversary arrived, my editor at the digest in which Crazy Woman Driver debuted called to tell me he was moving to another magazine within the Randall-Reilly publishing company. In conjunction with that move, he had convinced the editor of the company's flagship trucking mag, Truckers News, to start running my column in that larger-format, glossy monthly.

While I was glad for his promotion and my impending appearance in a magazine with a larger, wider audience, the transition was somewhat bittersweet. Not only would I no longer be working with a good friend and great editor, as part of the transfer I would no longer be the Crazy Woman Driver, in print anyway. The powers that be at Truckers News preferred a more sedate column title: Views from the Grandstands.

The good thing is only the title changes. I still am allowed to get crazy in my column topics and suggestions on how all types of racing series can be improved.

Even better, a couple of weeks ago, the new editor of Owner Operator called to say my column would continue to run in the magazine where it all began. That means I get to keep my original readership as I expand to a new audience. Plus, I will continue in Owner Operator to be the Crazy Woman Driver, logo and all!

The dual publication of Views from the Grandstands and Crazy Woman Driver begins with the April issues. For March, though, I'm just "viewing," and explaining why NASCAR needs more hardware. Specifically, the premier fendered racing league should reward its competitors with three big-time trophies.

You can find links to my previous racing ramblings in Crazy Woman Driver takes a Sunday Drive. I'll continue to put future column links (for both versions) in that "archive" post because, despite what any editor or publisher says, I still like to think of myself as a little crazy, especially about racing!

And thanks, readers, for allowing me this brief detour from strict financial topics. I'll get back to talking about some crazy tax and money issues shortly … as soon as today's Las Vegas race is over!