[media-credit name=”HHP/Tami Kelly Pope” align=”alignright” width=”216″]
[/media-credit]PIT NOTES: Friday, August 31, 2012 / Page 3
YOU MIGHT BE A REDNECK – Comedian Jeff Foxworthy talks with a strong southern accent. He sports a bushy mustache much like the one his racing idol Dale Earnhardt was known for. He became famous for his ever-growing line of “You Might Be a Redneck” jokes, many of which were borne of NASCAR racing experiences.
Tonight his new product, Grit Chips, will be the title sponsor of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race, and he will serve as Grand Marshal. And if you think he’s a wee bit excited about all that, you’re right.
“For a kid who grew up in Hapeville, Ga., to have a race here with your name on it … I guess I can scratch that off the bucket list,” Foxworthy said. “This is like a redneck dream come true.”
Foxworthy is the largest selling comedy-recording artist in history, a multiple Grammy Award nominee and bestselling author of 11 books. He is the host of Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader, as well as the show The American Bible Challenge. His newest venture is an endorsement deal with an Atlanta-area restaurateur who created a new tortilla-like chip made of grits, a staple in southern kitchens.
Foxworthy said the title sponsorship came together quickly, and he happily rearranged his schedule to accommodate being at his home track for the Biggest Labor Day Party in the USA. In fact, he can’t figure out why this hasn’t happened before.
“Some of the earliest redneck jokes were centered on NASCAR,” Foxworthy said, before launching into a sampling of his favorite redneck jokes. “If you think the most effective form of advertising is on the hood of a car going 200 mph, if you’ve ever put a race car on a prayer list, if you think the last four words of the national anthem are gentlemen start your engines. I’ve always been a fan. I don’t know why it took so long to do a deal, because I feel like we have a lot of the same audience.”
A few more quotable moments from Foxworthy’s time with the media:
· “Jeff Gordon’s mustache was not in the league with mine and Dale’s mustache. It was more of a caterpillar mustache; it wasn’t a big Dale Sr. mustache. I’ve had this since 11th grade. I don’t know if I have a lip anymore. This might just be runaway nose hairs, I don’t know.”
· “I say to my wife sometimes now, (fame) must be like what handicapped people feel, because when you walk into a room, people stare at you. Knowing what you know about yourself, I’m not worth staring at. I’m two decisions from drywalling … I’m the luckiest guy on the planet.”
· “I kind of miss those days in NASCAR. I loved when Dale used to get mad at somebody and put him in the wall. I remember watching that and thinking, ‘How do you ever top this?’ It’s one of the greatest sporting moments in history.”
· “Every year you should go to the fair. Because after five minutes you’re going to feel better about your own family. You see people at the fair that people in Africa send money to help.”
· “I have a buddy that used to say they wanted to see a wreck because they think I’m working two jobs, my life is hard as hell, but he’s on fire, so I’m doing better than he is. I kind of miss those days in NASCAR. I’m sure that’s politically incorrect, but I loved when Dale (Earnhardt) would get mad at somebody and just boot him into the wall. I’m sure I’ll get pulled into the trailer for saying that.”
· “If you’ve ever asked a question in the media center without your shoes on, you might be a redneck.”
PIQUET JOINS THE MEDIA … FOR DINNER? – Just minutes after qualifying fifth for the Grit Chips 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race, Nelson Piquet Jr. wandered into the media center and followed the smell of dinner being served. As discreetly as a driver in a Nomex uniform can, Piquet joined the line and filled his plate with a hamburger and bun topped with lettuce and mayonnaise.
It was an unusual sight, even for a place full of unusual sights. So eventually someone asked the question begging to be asked: Don’t they feed you at the hauler?
“They have food there, but I was here and it looked good, and I’m so hungry that I decided to go ahead,” Piquet said. “Oh, am I allowed? Oh, good. This is a little heavier than I’m supposed to eat, but … it’s a heavy race.”
