Some big news coming

Hey there:

We have some big news coming soon in mid-October -- along with some additional surprises that we think you'll enjoy.

Keep your "alerts" button on, or check in here periodically as we get closer.

And as always, thank you for all the support you've given me over the years! 

TRADING PAINT test

This is a test of the TradingPaint blog of JerryBonkowski.com.

Look for this site to return in the near future.

Winners and Losers from Sunday's STP 400 at Kansas Speedway (BleacherReport.com)

BY JERRY BONKOWSKI (FEATURED COLUMNIST) ON APRIL 21, 2013

Joe and J.D. Gibbs may be upset that three of their team's race cars were torn up in wrecks in Sunday's STP 400 at Kansas Speedway, but any frustration was quickly erased when Matt Kenseth crossed the finish line with his second win of the season for Joe Gibbs Racing.

On the flip side, Kenseth's teammate, Kyle Busch, had a terrible day, finishing 38th.

Other drivers in the race also having less-than-stellar outings included Tony Stewart and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Such is the story of this week's winners and losers in the Sprint Cup circuit. While Kenseth will likely have a smile on his face for the next few days, perhaps the best thing to say for the drivers who struggled Sunday is they're not in Kansas anymore (at least until this fall during the Chase for the Sprint Cup race there).

 To continue reading, click here.

Remembering the Way a Tough Cop Helped Make Kansas Speedway Safer (BleacherReport.com)

Kansas Speedway (Getty Photos)

BY JERRY BONKOWSKI (Featured Columnist)

Kansas Speedway will be one of the safest venues in the U.S. this weekend, and it won’t be just because of the tragic Boston Marathon bombings on Monday.

While there may be a slight upgrade because of what happened in Boston, a large law enforcement presence involving a number of local, state and federal agencies and a high level of safety has been paramount at Kansas since Oct. 1, 2006.

It was on that day, about two hours after Tony Stewart won the Banquet 400, that several unthinkable events came together to shake NASCAR, the larger sports world and Kansas and Missouri law enforcement to their core.

Kansas City (Ks.) police officer Susan Brown was working a special security detail, just trying to make a few extra bucks to help support her family, deep within the bowels of the race track. She was guarding roughly $1 million in cash in the track’s vault room, proceeds taken in from the day from concession stand and souvenir stand sale.

Susan Brown

What should have been a routine day turned into life-changing day for Brown, a well-respected veteran detective of the KCKPD. As the door to the vault room was closing after yet another dropoff of the days receipts, two masked men burst in and shot Brown several times—at point-blank range, leaving her for dead.

Brown was able to shepherd several track workers into the vault while exchanging fire with the robbers. Even as several bullets tore through her frame, Brown was more concerned at making sure the employees were safe than worrying about her own safety and well being.

The men, who it would later be learned once worked as volunteers at the track, tried to get to the cash but Brown’s return fire caused them to make a quick exit and leave the vault empty-handed. But not before they had shot Brown six times in her face, chest, arm and leg, leaving her to die.

"There were many, many shots fired," KCK police captain James Brown said at the time. "It's pretty bold for anyone to walk up to an officer in any community and shoot 'em down in cold blood like that."

To continue reading, click here.

Ranking the 11 Most Intelligent Drivers in NASCAR Today (BleacherReport.com)

Two of NASCAR's most intelligent drivers, not to mention boss and employee, Tony Stewart and Danica Patrick.
(Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

BY JERRY BONKOWSKI (FEATURED COLUMNIST) ON APRIL 9, 2013

A few weeks back, I put forth a list of what I believed to be the 11 most intelligent crew chiefs in NASCAR today, ranked in order.

Reader response was fantastic—as were reader comments, which I appreciate.

Obviously, the likely encore is a ranked list of the 11 most intelligent drivers in NASCAR today.

But before we get to the list, let's clarify a few criteria that went into making this list. First, obviously, is driving talent.

While I'm sure I'll get a few complaints about at least one driver on this list, remember that I'm talking about the overall package of the person.

Second is something that at times is actually more important than actual sheer driving talent—and that's brain power. Every one of the drivers on this list was chosen for how they combine performance with cerebral ability.

Third is off-track acumen, particularly in business or in promotion of one's self.

You may question some of those traits first, but once you read each driver's synopsis, I think you'll realize why each of the 11 selected made this list.

(To continue reading, click here)