Seriously? Seriously!

Is there another sport as patriotic as NASCAR? OK, soccer outbreaks of national pride aside, seriously now, is there?

Military flyovers thrill 100,000 screaming fans in the stands at races.

Lowe's, er Charlotte Motor Speedway and Bristol Motor Speedway unfurl the biggest American flags I've ever seen.

And have you noticed racefans during the National Anthem? Hats come off heads and are placed over hearts. Veterans of the Armed Forces stand at attention and salute.


The U.S. Army, Air Force and National Guard have their logos on racecars and sponsor two fairly well-known drivers, Ryan Newman and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Did I mention the military recruits heavily at NASCAR events?


So, can U.S. Rep Betsy McCollum of Minnesota be serious when she wants to stop the sponsorship in NASCAR. Now, understand, it's JUST in NASCAR. Not any other sport, just NASCAR.

She introduced an amendment to the 2011 government appropriations bill. Granted, this is only 1 amendment out of 433 to vote on this week.

When I read this today in Scene Daily, I was incredulous. Her chief of staff is quoted as saying, "This is not only putting a sticker on the car, this is paying for a race team. That doesn't contribute to military readiness."

Seriously? It's no different than advertising anywhere else.

Do the TV ads and roadside billboards contribute to military readiness? They do if people are attracted to the military by them.

Is U.S. Army-Army Strong logo any different on the hood of the Stewart-Haas #39 in the camera eye for 3 hours every weekend? That's a few million viewers.

Now, Junior may not always be the best spokesman off script, but Ryan Newman? He's a pretty good ambassador for any sponsor. Degree in engineering from Purdue, fairly smart about math, science and technology. Speaks well off the cuff. The Army seems fairly pleased with him. And with Junior, but they probably attract different crowds.

Our service men and women watch NASCAR via the internet while being deployed overseas. If they are proud to see their branch on Ryan's #39, that's a morale booster. When National Guard members look at Junior and see their logo staring back, they feel connected to him. Again, good for morale.

I don't see the problem. So, Rep. McCollum of Minnesota, do your job and focus on something serious!



Photo notes: I took the saluting veteran, the flag at Bristol and the Ryan Newman photos myself. The awesome shot of the Bristol card stunt (which is in the Guiness Book of World Records as the largest card stunt ever) was taken by my good friend Paul Mullins of St. Albans, W.Va.