Did you get your copy of the September 22 issue of ESPN The Magazine with New Orleans Saint Jeremy Shockey on the cover? Well why the heck not? I loved the Shockey piece (I’ve been dying to know how he felt about sitting on the sidelines for the Super Bowl), but I also bought it because of the article featuring Joey Logano and his racing buddies Mark Davis and Chase Austin. All three guys are up and coming in the world of NASCAR racing, but of course Joey is waaay ahead of his friends on the NASCAR totem pole of success. It’s a good read and I recommend it.

Also of note: I really, really need to start watching more hockey. I’m just sayin’.

Oh and check out this little video (below) of Joey, Mark and Chase at their photo shoot for ESPN The Magazine:

In other news…

— You might have noticed the new logo gracing the back of Carl Edwards‘ No. 99 Office Depot Ford Fusion at Kansas this past weekend. If you didn’t, you’re just not paying attention now are you? Anyway, the logo I speak of was for the Mystique Salon & Spa (located in Boise, Idaho) owned by Julie Catalano*, which is this year’s “Official Small Business of NASCAR, courtesy of Office Depot.” Julie was flown out to Kansas for the race (September 26, 2008): Julie Catalano of Boise, Idaho, kneels next to her company's logo on the No. 99 Office Depot Ford driven by NASCAR star and current Sprint Cup Series point leader Carl Edwardsweekend and will receive a $10,000 small business makeover from Office Depot, plus her company logo will stay on Carl’s car for the remainder of the season. Now how’s that for great advertising?!

If you have a small business, keep this contest in mind for next year!

“This is an amazing opportunity for any small business owner, and I am thrilled to have the Mystique Salon and Spa logo featured on the No. 99 Office Depot Ford Fusion,” Catalano said. “Office Depot helps me take care of my business every day and having that kind of support, along with hard work, has been very important in expanding my business during the past eight years.”

Edwards, who also created his own small business, Back 40 Records, said he was impressed by the hard work and dedication Catalano had put into her company.

“As an entrepreneur myself, I know how hard it is to run a small business,” Edwards said. “It takes a lot of time, effort and creativity to build and operate a successful small business, and Julie (Catalano) has done an incredible job — Mystique Salon and Spa truly deserves to be the Office Depot ‘Official Small Business of NASCAR.'”


(September 26, 2008): NASCAR star and current Sprint Cup Series point leader Carl Edwards and Julie Catalano of Boise, Idaho, stand next to her company's logo on the No. 99 Office Depot Ford

*Okay, so this is beyond off topic but her last name reminded me of the character Jordan Catalano from the awesome show “My So-Called Life” from the mid-90s that I absolutely LOVED when I was in high school. Jordan Catalano was played by the insanely hot actor Jared Leto (who also fronts a band called 30 Seconds to Mars). Anywho, I just had to share that totally irrelevant piece of sort-of trivia. Ha! This is seriously how my mind works. 🙂