*Ask Jen: NASCAR Edition

Blogless Pete writes, "Seeing that I am a recent transplant to the south I need some instruction on NASCAR. All over the place I see cars on the highway with different numbers as bumper stickers or in the back windows. Back when I was younger I knew that Richard Petty was number 43 and Dale Earnhardt was #3 but now a days I am lost. I do know that everyone is supposed to hate Jeff Gordon, unless you love him, or something like that. HELP!!!"

In my opinion, all an outsider really needs to know is:

1. When you see a red #8, you cheer. Unless he crashes, and then you curse the driver near him who obviously put him in the wall.
2. When you see a rainbow #24, you boo. Unless he crashes, and then you laugh if it doesn't look fatal.
3. When you see the #2 this year, you boo. Unless he crashes, and then you laugh especially if it looks fatal.

I kid.

That Kurt Busch is a punk, though.

Since you're in Tennessee, I recommend trying to catch a race in Bristol. This year is already sold out, so try a Busch race if you don't want to wait until the ticket drawings of 2007 and beyond. (Racing's a little popular there.) It may be easier to get tickets to Atlanta. Good seats are still available for the March race, close to the start/finish line. Once you go, you'll be a fan. I guarantee it.

Anywho, regarding the # 43, it is still owned by Richard Petty, and Bobby Labonte is the driver this year. You'll like him. He's allowed to be your favorite if you decide against #8 (Dale Earnhardt, Jr). No one races the # 3, but NASCAR doesn't "retire" numbers, so it's possible it'll be raced in the future. The distant future.

If you want to know more, go here and here. Mark February 19 on your calendar, that's Daytona. Whee!

Do you have a question for me? You can e-mail it. If I know the answer, I'll eventually answer it if I feel like it. If I don't know the answer, I might eventually make something up if I feel like it.