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Respect is more important than avoiding fines
After the National Appeals Panel upheld Denny Hamlin’s $50,000 fine and 25 points loss for admitting on his post-Phoenix podcast that he intentionally ruined Ross Chastain on the last lap, several drivers said they are unsure what they can and cannot say to avoid a fine.
However, Noah Gragson said the respect of his colleagues means more to him than avoiding a fine.
“I just want to be an honest guy,” Gragson said. “When I do something, I want to take responsibility. you can lie You can just shut up and face no consequences, but everyone knows what this is about. If you’re telling the truth or not, everyone still knows. So you lose a bit of credibility.
“For me personally, if I make a mistake, I will own up to it. It has happened to me in the past, I own it, and you must deal with the consequences. I think being true and honest means more than anything with your character. Reputation is pretty big in this sport and if you can honor your core values and that is being honest and respecting people then credibility is pretty big.”
Martinsville Hot Dog like a crunchy cream donut
Over the past four decades, the hot dog sold at the Martinsville Speedway has achieved legendary status with its chilies, onions, mustard and relish condiments. It’s not uncommon for crew members to enter competitions to see who can burn the most over a race weekend. Even fans sometimes compete with each other.
A single hot dog is $2, a bag of four is $7, and a bag of six is $11. On Friday, team owner Jordan Anderson bought enough Martinsville hot dogs to feed his two NASCAR Xfinity Series teams.
Corey LaJoie said he expects to eat nine or ten over the three-day weekend.
“You know when you drive past a Krispy Kreme and the light is on (which tells the consumer the donuts are fresh and hot),” LaJoie said. “Krispy Kreme donuts hot like the calories don’t really count. They just go under.
“It’s what a hot dog straight from the hot dog stand is – tasteless. It’s like the calories here don’t even count for a hot dog.”