tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-533878629236800852012-02-16T18:57:28.360-08:00Johnny Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03347920065685853370noreply@blogger.comBlogger11100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53387862923680085.post-38040505464883665452008-02-22T09:08:00.000-08:002008-02-22T09:41:57.563-08:00I have a confession to make: I've always hated NASCAR. But when my friend Travis invited me to watch a race with him for the umpteenth time, I accepted. For the first time, I would be watching the Daytona 500.<br />There was, however, one stipulation. I had to pick a favorite driver. This, I was told, was the reason I couldn't get into NASCAR previously. "How could you make someone an NFL fan without getting them to pick a favorite team?", Travis reasoned. Fair enough. But who? It had to be someone I had already heard of, and someone who met my qualifications. Let's begin...<br /><br /><p>1. Jeff Gordon - He's had a boatload of success, hosted SNL, and is one of only a few drivers that can lay claim to being a household name. But. Upon further review, I realized these things: Very well-known, every NASCAR fan who doesn't love him hates his guts, and despite his previous success, he hasn't won a championship in a few years now. Sound familiar? He's the NASCAR Yankees! I couldn't possibly bring myself to root for the NASCAR version of the New York Yankees, so I moved on.</p><p>2. Jimmie Johnson - This initially showed promise. He's won the last two Whateverthehelltheycallitnow Championships, but this also makes him bandwagon fodder. This theory is solidified by Travis informing me that legions of NASCAR newbies have latched onto Johnson based on nothing but his success the last two years. This also has made them obnoxious and insufferable. That combined with his rivalry with Gordon leaves me no choice but to dub Jimmie the Boston Red Sox and find somebody else.</p><p>3. Dale Earnhardt Jr. - Also known as "Joo-nyer!" , he's another one of those aforementioned household names. His appeal comes from his family's long history with the sport, and the knowledge that other drivers LOVE going out on the town with him because he attracts more girls than Justin Timberlake. However, something just didn't sit right with me...I don't know if it's the red hair, or the fact that there is a Dale Earnhardt Racing team that does not include the only driver currently named Dale Earnhardt, but I wasn't feeling it. And then I came across...</p><p>4. Tony Stewart - This man looks like he was born to drive racecars (ding!) . He apparently has a smoking hot wife just like Ricky Bobby (ding ding!) . And the mullet he currently sports rates a smoldering 9.6 on the Mullitude Scale (DING DING DING!!!) We have a winner.</p><p>Armed with a favorite racer, a pitcher of beer, and a plate of jalapeno poppers, I sat down for my first ever Daytona. Gentlemen, start your engines! I got comfortable and leaned forward in my chair as the cars started to drive...around. And around. And around. In circles. "How long is this race," I asked. "About three hours or so" is my response. Ah. When does football season start again?</p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/53387862923680085-3804050546488366545?l=imacityboy.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Johnny Aaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03347920065685853370noreply@blogger.com0