NASCAR Fans Tell Washington What They Can Do With Their Shots

Last night's Bank of America 500 at Lowes Motor Speedway in Concord, NC went off without a hitch and without an outbreak of third world diseases, as feared by Dem Congressman Benny Thompson of Mississippi who had warned his staffers to get innoculations before attending NASCAR events. The fans were not impressed with Washington's knowledge of the largest spectator sport in the country:

Stock-car racing fans filled Lowe's Motor Speedway in North Carolina yesterday, erasing concerns that a political dispute in Washington had erupted into a full-scale health scare at NASCAR events.

Democratic House staffers, who were attending the Bank of America 500 race as part of a fact-finding mission of health and homeland security issues, took the unusual step of getting inoculated against several rare diseases and a sexually transmitted illness.

Republican staffers refused the shots, saying they are not necessary. The recommendation also angered some lawmakers, who thought it was insulting to suggest that race fans might be infectious.

However, the dispute raised questions among NASCAR fans about whether they needed to be immunized as well.

What? I haven't read a single report anywhere of a NASCAR fan questioning whether they needed to get shots. If anything, they might want to get innoculated against creeping liberalism which is a disease that eats away at the minds of Washington insiders.

The fans seemed pretty put out by the whole thing. Said former driver turned broadcaster Jimmy Spencer:

"The fans I've talked to are really bothered by this. I can't believe someone would bring us into the mix," Mr. Spencer said. "What is their point? What are they looking for? Why did they even bring this up? It's not a problem, never has been a problem in the history of NASCAR.

"All the fans are a little irate about this when you ask them about it," he said.

One fan told Fox News at the race last night that the recommendation was "probably Washington bureaucracy and prejudice to the South, somewhat."

Another fan asked, "Because they are coming to the South, they think they are going to be unsafe?"

Bill Schoenadel, owner of Bill's Place, a combination general store and pub in Little Orleans, Md., said the congressional staffers overreacted.

"They are telling us we're a bunch of rednecks; that's all it's about," Mr. Schoenadel said. "I think with NASCAR fans, you're dealing with the safest people in the world."

America is the third world to much of Washington. Their knowledge of real America consists of whatever sob story the networks run on the news each evening. If anything, this episode demonstrated how hopelessly out-of-touch they are with the world that exists between Washington and Los Angeles.

I'm disappointed in ABC's decision not to cover the story on their race broadcast. It would seem to be a natural for their pre-race show, but it could be that they don't like embarassing their political overlords. Somebody at ABC blew it.