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Now with all that out of the way.....Let's make some laps!
Saw this on the NE Racing forum, its a link to an article from the Lakeland FL Ledger, obviously this guy doesn't like racing. Send him an email, and tell him what you think of him!
This is the letter that I have written to the person who wrote this article. I hope you like it.
Dear Sir,
My name is Amanda Bassett. I'm 18 years of age and I reside in Bolton, Connecticut. And I will have to disagree with an article you wrote two days ago (11/27/05) entitled "Auto Racing Drives Me to Distraction". I have grown up following this sport, from the local racers to the NASCAR stars and cars. Just about every member of my family is a racing fan as well. I can even say I have connections to the Nextel Cup since a cousin of mine works for Joe Gibbs Racing...more specifically, Mr. Tony Stewart. (No. We are not rednecks. We are a Northern and normal group of people who have been drawn to something that is just as exciting as a baseball or basketball game.)
You say that these guys are not athletes, but this is certainly not true. The drivers have to exercise reguarly, and so do the members of the pit crews. Chip Ganassi's crews have a "boot camp" type regimen and every pit crew has practices so they don't screw up while conducting a four-tire change. These people are not weaklings. They are strong people with the physical attributes to make magic.
NASCAR is not a religion. It is a growing sport that has hit its peak.
Very well done Mandy, that's what I had hoped you guys and gals would do is tell this guy what an ASS he is. There Scott I said it, come on and moderate me big boy!.... J/K
Ooh...he sent me a reply back. About five hours later. (Cue dark music here.) Okay, this is what the reply consisted of:
Amanda,
Thanks so much for writing. Such polite formality! Would that all my readers--both of them--be as pleasant as you.
I certainly stand by my column, even though that makes it wear sunglasses and a bulletproof vest. But I tried to suggest that I'm not condemning NASCAR per se (even though I really do question the reckless consumption of precious fossil fuels when our men and women are dying in a war sparked, in large part, by oil interests). If you love NASCAR--and clearly millions do--fantastic. I feel like the guy who watches a movie that has everybody cheering...and I find it stunningly dumb. ("Titanic", for instance.)
I've tried watching NASCAR occasionally through the years, partly to keep giving it another chance, partly to appease friends who love the sport...and after 20 minutes I find I'd rather watch a cow take the SAT exam. It just doesn't do anything for me. For those whose pistons start pistoning as lap builds upon lap, hey, have a great time. But me, I'll do something more gripping--say, try to teach my shoes to speak Spanish. Oh: As far as these guys being athletes, man, that's a tough call. Lots of activities require "strong people with the physical attributes to make magic". Construction work, for example. Circus performers. Ballet dancers. Farmers.
Are these people, in the pure sense of the word, athletes? There's a fun argument--and maybe a future column. And as for NASCAR as religion, sorry, I've seen too many people build their Sundays around kneeling before their TV while Lowe's and Checker's logos go whizzing by on screen. And look at all the worshipful bumper stickers and window decals blessing the memory of Dale Earnhardt. Maybe it ain't that way in Connecticut, but in Florida, NASCAR is the Word, Daytona is the Vatican and Tony Stewart is the latest Chosen One.
Hey. Bless your heart for the e-mail, Amanda. NASCAR's lucky to have you for a fan. Cheer 'em on for me, OK? Because I'll be otherwise preoccupied. (My left heel just said "Si!") Take care.
And then he signs his name. End of letter. Well, at least I got my point out. At least I was polite.
Thanks for sharing that with us Mandy. In all seriousness if the guy doesn't like racing thats fine, I am sure there are plenty of sports or activities that each of us think are pointless and boring but, were not running around bashing them or coming off sounding like a condesending jerk about it. I don't know maybe I'm getting a little too worked up over this but like I said, if he doesn't like racing hey thats fine it's a free country, but you don't have to spout off with a "holier than thou" attitude about it.