These 12 Questions-style fan profiles are one of the rewards offered as a tier on my Patreon page. You can catch up on the other profiles so far this season here.
Name: Kristi Lowe
Location: Hockessin, Del.
Twitter name: @SakeBomb48
Age: 38
1. How long have you been a NASCAR fan?
Since 2002.
2. How many races have you attended?
More than 40.
3. Who is your No. 1 favorite driver?
Jimmie Johnson.
4. What made you a fan of his?
As a recent college graduate who was broke, I was new to the sport when I picked JJ’s starting position in a NASCAR pool at my local sports bar. He ended up winning the race — and winning me money at the same time. As I didn’t have a driver yet, I went with him. It proved to be a very smart decision! As I have matured as a fan right along with him as a driver, it has been an epic ride.
5. Who is your most disliked driver?
Brad Keselowski.
6. Why don’t you like him?
I can’t quite put my finger on it. Honestly, it might just be because my best friend’s brother likes him! He is a heck of a driver, though and I respect him!
7. What is your favorite track?
Dover! It is my home track!
8. What is one thing you would change if you were in charge of NASCAR?
I would love more Saturday night races so I could travel to more tracks. And of course, I would love to have a night race at Dover. I understand that isn’t entirely up to NASCAR, though.
9. What is one thing you would keep the same if you were in charge of NASCAR?
The strides the sport has made with safety. I would keep the emphasis on making the sport safe for everyone involved — the drivers, spectators, crews, track staff and media.
10. How often do you yell at the TV during a race?
I’m always yelling at the TV during a race. My family is used to it. I’m a Philly sports fan; it’s what we do. When I’m not yelling, I may or may not be hiding my face with a pillow.
11. Do you have any advice for other fans?
Bring your friends that are just casual fans to races. Once you get them to a race, they will be hooked and become much more than a casual fan/friend who will go out for a beer with you to watch the race and whatever else is on the other TVs at the bar. Plus, it is so much fun to take a “newbie” and see the experience through their eyes — and feel it, hear it and smell it.
12. What else do you want the NASCAR world to know about you?
NASCAR is my lifeblood! But it wasn’t always the case. The very first race I watched was the 2001 Daytona 500 in a fraternity house at the University of Delaware. The boys were having a Daytona 500 party and I was intrigued. I sort of had one eye on the race and the other eye on some playing cards. A huge wreck happened and my heart stopped and I couldn’t figure out why everyone was cheering. Once I figured out everyone was OK, I abandoned my card game and moved over to the couch to focus on the rest of the race — only to see a much smaller wreck on the last lap that took the life of Dale Earnhardt Sr. I just stared at the TV. The entire house was completely silent. I swore that day I was never going to watch a race again.
But the following Spring, I had made a new group of friends that ran a NASCAR pool during Friday Happy Hour before qualifying. Not wanting to be left out, I joined in. We each picked qualifying positions out of a bag and the winner of the pool was the qualifying position of the race winner.
I started following the sport closely from that point forward and attended my first race at Dover. My self-imposed ban was over and I was HOOKED. My squad and I started playing NASCAR Trivia on race day and my extreme competitive nature caused me to study intensely. I dove into research to learn everything I could about the sport and the tracks. I have come a long way from that day in 2001. In the last 16 years, I have traveled all over the East Coast to attend races, I plan my weekends around race schedule and I just got married in victory lane at Dover earlier this month.
My married name is Lowe. Fitting for a JJ fan, don’t you think?
Below are some of the pictures from Kristi’s wedding:
