Labor Day Weekend Report.

10 people died in traffic crashes during the 2011 Labor Day holiday weekend. Last year, there were also 10 fatalities. The 2011 counting period ran from 6 p.m., Friday, September 2, through 11:59 p.m., Monday, September 5, 2011. During this period, the Patrol investigated 259 traffic crashes, which included 135 injuries and nine of the 10 fatalities. Columbia Police

Department investigated one fatality. Troopers made 175 arrests for driving while intoxicated in 2011, compared to 190 arrests last year. (Note: in 2010, troopers investigated 294 crashes, which included 148 injuries and six of the 10 fatalities.)

There were two boating fatalities over the 2011 Labor Day holiday. Troopers investigated 14 boating crashes involving six injuries. Two people drowned in Missouri’s waterways. Troopers also arrested 19 people for boating while intoxicated over the weekend. During the 2010 Labor Day weekend, officers investigated 18 boating crashes, which included nine injuries and two fatalities. Two people drowned and 30 people were arrested for boating while intoxicated during last year’s Labor Day weekend.

Jasper County Jail Count

189 September 7, 2011

Total Including Placed out of County

NASCAR THIS WEEK

By Monte Dutton

Stewart Tumbles Down the Stretch

Tony Stewart began competing regularly at NASCAR’s top level in 1999, and he has never failed to win at least one race.

That streak is in jeopardy, as is Stewart’s capacity to claim a spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup, the 10-race series within a series that determines the championship. Stewart has 39 career victories and won championships in 2002 and 2005.

Stewart finished 28th, three laps off the pace, in the Irwin Tools Night Race, at a track where he has fared poorly in five of his last six appearances. Stewart is a Bristol Motor Speedway winner, but his only victory was a decade ago.

"Just a rough night," Stewart said simply. "Struggled through."

Regarding the Chase, he added, "It’s no different than it was last week. The feeling is the same way. You still want to make it. We’re working hard at it."

With finishes of 27th, ninth and 28th in the last three races, Stewart is hanging on to 10th place in the point standings for dear life. The good news is that he still holds a 21-point edge over 11th place Brad Keselowski. The bad news is that Keselowski gained 31 on him by winning at Bristol.

Two regular-season races remain.

Stewart said he isn’t obsessed with making the Chase, per se. He is concerned with a performance slump. If he can get his No. 14 Chevy running better, the Chase will take care of itself.

"I’m more worried about just getting our program back on track," he said. "I want to make the Chase more than anything. I want it for our sponsors. I want it for our organization. But most of all, I just want us to get back on track.

If that means we miss the Chase in the process, we do. But we’re going to try to do everything we can to make it. But the most important thing is getting our program back on track."

Now I don’t know all the story, but I have received a couple-three calls demanding to know why I called their phone number. The parties had the caller ID installed that keeps track of phone calls.

A couple of the offenses were simply wrong numbers that came from our establishment. One was a fax that number that was in error. I apologized for the trouble caused by these accidental intrusions into the privacy of these folks, but I have wondered since exactly why it was such a big deal.

Like I said, I don’t know if there was a reason for these folks to be so upset over the fact that we had called, maybe they were gettin’ some silly phone calls and wanted them stopped. What strikes me odd is the fact that now if a phone rings and nobody is there to hear it, it still doesn’t mean you are out of the woods.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

Weekly Column

CLICK and CLACK

TALK CARS

I have a general maintenance question for you guys. Every time I go to get the oil changed on my 1998 Toyota Tacoma, the service man always tries to sell me an oil change for the differentials. I always decline, because I don’t want to pay the money and I’m not sure if the truck needs it.

So, how often should the oil in the rear and front differentials be changed? I’ve tried to find the answer by looking through manuals but haven’t had success. The truck was bought used two years ago, and I don’t know the last time the oil was changed for the differentials. -- Mike

RAY: I’m guessing they got a clearance price on 250 cases of differential oil, Mike, and they’re trying to move it out the door so they can fit the soda machine back in.

TOM: You have very standard differentials, Mike. They don’t have limited slip or anything fancy in there. They just have a ring gear, a pinion gear and a set of spider gears.

RAY: That’s what my brother would do if it were his truck. Of course, he takes the same approach to his underwear. But if it were my truck, and wanted to be diligent about it, I’d probably change it every 60,000 miles.

TOM: That doesn’t mean you should ignore the differentials for 60,000 miles.

RAY: Right. Because the biggest danger is that they leak and you don’t notice it. And then they would run out of oil and fry themselves.

TOM: Given the age of your truck, and given that you don’t know if the differential oil has ever been changed, I’d say you should let your guy change it once. It certainly can’t hurt anything.

RAY: Then have him check the oil level for you when you see him. If you still have the truck 60,000 miles from now, you can decide whether you want to do it again.