I haven't scanned through the messages to see if we have covered this
issue yet, but did anyone see FOX News yesterday on the issue of
NASCAR wanting to build a track in the state of Washington? We, as a
community should be outraged by the unfair, unjustified, and
unwarranted stereotypical comments that their STATE ELECTED OFFICIALS
went on record as saying regarding NASCAR fans. Not only them, but
when they interviewed their normally, tree hugging residents, the
comments did not get any better. "White trash", "uneducated", "red
necks from the south" were just a few terms used by their most
educated, respected individuals in state politics. One senator even
accused Richard Petty of being arrested for DUI before learning that
The King not only doesn't even drink, but at one time wouldn't even
carry the "Bud Pole Award" decal on his cars. I can't remember his
name, but this is th letter I'm thinking of drafting and sending to
the state house in Olympia:

To Whom It May Conern,

I recently observed the news coverage on the issue of NASCAR wanting
to construct a track in your state. Your obvious disapproval of this
move based on your own, unfair, unwarranted, and unjustified
stereotypes by both the elected state officials and citizens on the
street is apalling.

I have been a NASCAR fan for nearly 12 years, and I'm sure it comes
as a shock to see one of "us" project such a grammatically correct
letter. This may seem surprising to your fine group of established
colleagues in the state house and senate, but some of us actually
live north of the Mason-Dixon line, and even carry white-collar jobs,
complete with a college education! I for one, am not so esteemed.
I'm merely a firefighter and paramedic and possess simply an
associates of applied science in Emergency Medical Technology.
However, I find that my English skills are quite refined and
stimulating. Believe it or not, I live in a ranch-style house in the
suburbs, not a worn out "double-wide" or "trailer", and my
automobiles are either parked in the driveway, or in my garage. Not
in my front yard, on cinder blocks or jack-stands as you so assume.
I confess that I do enjoy the occasional alcoholic beverage, yet this
does not cause me to run out in the streets firing my shotgun into
the air and screaming "yee haw", or violating some other civil or
criminal law. Even more shocking, I don't even have a mullet,
keeping my hair buzzed every two weeks, and at last count, I have
kept all of my teeth plus two which are wisdom. The music I listen
to would be considered on the heavy side, much of which was founded
in your very own city of Seattle, not the "hillbilly country" music
that apparently we're all suppose to be enduring. Most of us even
wear shoes on our feet and our significant others aren't of
relation. Can you imagine that out of NASCAR fans?!

Do all of us share such life treasures? No. Some fans aren't as
fortunate as I consider myself and others, but fall victims to the
crude stereotypes that you self-righteous, arrogant, "above all"
politicians place on us. Yet we all find common ground in a sport
that was founded BY the working man, FOR the working man. Sure, you
say it was founded on the illegal principle of moonshining and
bootlegging which is undeniably the foundation of NASCAR. However,
what started out as fast cars, evading the law in the early part of
the 20th century has now evolved into a TEN billion dollar industry!
Do I need to repeat that for you? TEN BILLION DOLLARS! Ladies and
gentlemen, the numbers do not lie, and I believe that if you explored
the flourishing economies that cities with tracks enjoy, especially
during race-weeks, you would feel, if nothing else, a tad foolish for
denying the influx of dollars NASCAR brings to a community, and a
state. Now who is uneducated?

However, if your biggotry is just so over-powering that you still
walk with blinders, that is fine with us. WE race 36 times a year at
locations that have been in NASCAR for decades. So why would we want
to add another track, in another state, especially in the northwest
where us uneducated, law-breaking rednecks aren't welcome? To you
Washington, we all toast a nice cold Budweiser!

Respectfully Submitted,

Jeremy T. Sellers (others feel free to sign as well)