NASCAR crash

NASCAR crash investigators will examine the major wrecks to determine if any change or improvements to the sport's safety plan should be implemented. It was the third time in Talladega track history the retaining fence played a role in a major crash here. In 1987, Bobby Allison hit the fence coming out of the tri-oval near the start-finish line in an incident that led to the institution of restrictor plates for superspeedway cars. And in 1993, Neil Bonnett hit the fence coming through the tri-oval.

Al Muskewitz covers golf and Jacksonville State University sports teams for The Anniston Star. For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA."I don't want to wreck anyone, but to say a no-contact sport is fun, I don't buy that. These guys want to see contact just as much as I want to give it and take it."

"The retaining fence did its job," NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp said. "Safety is our No. 1 priority, and always will be. We have certainly made strides in that area, but the job is never done. We've got a research and development center and they won it every day." The retaining fence that caught Edwards' car kept the vehicle from careening into the seating area. Another portion of the fence had to be repaired during a caution period following a 14-car wreck early in the race.

Talladega Wreck

Talladega wreck uncharacteristically early. Lap 7 early. "I saw an opening, went for it and it closed up in a hurry," Gordon said. "I think somebody got into Matt Kenseth. He came up and I had nowhere to go." Kenseth made it through and has been running in the top 10 ever since, but Mark Martin, David Gilliland, Scott Riggs and Jamie McMurray ended their days on that wreck.

"I'm fine," Martin said, smiling. "I told you I wasn't racing for points. I got a win last weekend. I'm fine. Maybe we'll go do that again at Richmond." Kevin Harvick, Clint Bowyer, A.J. Allmendinger, Jeff Gordon and Kasey Kahne's cars got banged up but were not ruled out of ther race right away. Bowyer's was eventually. "Hopefully it's wrecked bad enough to where we can't drive it anymore," an angry Harvick said afterward.

The garage immediately following the wreck looked like the end of a race with crew members from all the teams running furiously in case they had to get to work. I heard an angry curse shouted from inside the 33's garage. A dumbfounded Todd Berrier walked in a daze back toward pit road as he waited for the 29 car to be towed into the garage. Some drivers criticized making a move so early in the race. Kasey Kahne took a different attitude.

Michael Keaton

Michael Keaton broken foot – One of the latest buzz news on the Web is that Michael Keaton has a broken foot. I’ve tried to find some more info about this story online, but so far there isn’t too much information. On Twitter you can find come comments about this. Like for example this one.

Michael Keaton talked to David Letterman on the Late Show with David Letterman, on CBS this evening about his broken foot and saving orphans.You can watch the video after the jump. For grins, next time you're in the mood for a movie, go rent "The Paper" with Michael Keaton and Glenn Close. Released in 1994, it involves a day in the life of a New York City tabloid newspaper.

It's a bit like a denizen of the year 1909 trying to fathom the relevance of what went on behind the scenes of 1894's cutthroat horse and buggy industry while Henry Ford's factories roll out Model T after Model T, dramatically changing the world's landscape -- for better and worse -- in ways we're still dealing with here in the 21st century. Recently, someone asked me about the last time I'd picked up a newspaper, and I couldn't honestly remember when that was.