I know more about NASCAR than I did an hour ago

Grady, who is a huge fan, was watching today's race in his office during his pregame media session. I now know what DRAFTING is. I tell you what, for all the elitist snobs who think this a sport for unsophisticated rednecks, there is A LOT of science involved in it. A buddy of mine -- and he will recognize himself when he reads this -- whenever he sees NASCAR on a television, always stops and starts yelling at the TV, "TURN LEFT! TURN LEFT!" But there is way, way more that goes into this than turning left. Bill Center, another car racin' fan who covers the Pods for the San Diego Union-Tribune, has it on his press box monitor now. He just informed me that today is the first race where SEVEN pit crew members are allowed over the wall instead of the previous max. of SIX. I asked him how that affects the dynamics of the race, and he laughed and said, "Probably not at all." But only a true son of the South like myself can appreciate this line by the color commentator that I heard earlier today, which was delivered with a deep Southern drawl: "It's like a big ol' rubber bay-und. You just pull 'er back and let it flyyyyyyyyy." ... Fifty minutes to game time, and STILL no sign of Franken-friar. I'm getting a little concerned.