Yes. We’ve got three more NASCAR races, covering the three top series. Some hotly contested positions will be rubbed hard for, and the placecards at the table in New York can finally be printed out.

There’s only one name that’s unquestionable at this point. The placecard creators, and the t-shirt and memorabilia makers have at least one driver they can spend the week commemorating.

For this NASCAR fan, it is usually an awful time of the year. Most times I feel like I do as a small child after Christmas Day. An empty, sad feeling. Now what will I be happy about? Golly. Now every day will just be another one.

Every weekend will be spent scouring the channels, looking for anything that might resemble something trying to go faster than something else. Trying to convince myself that I can get excited about football. Knowing I can’t get excited about hockey, no matter what I try. Being bitterly glad that I spend almost $100 a month on digital cable, if only to have lots more channels to surf. Knowing I can’t afford to do much else, since I spend nearly $100 a month on digital cable.

But I have to say I am looking forward to the end of this season. Just as Mark Martin, Dale Jarrett, Elliott Sadler, and, undoubtably, my favorite driver, Jeff Burton, must be feeling as well (not to mention some other drivers, owners, crew chiefs, teams, and fans).