I’m going to earn a graduate degree in autoracing by the end of the day from readers. E-mails, however, are split between agreeing that Patrick’s 100 pounds makes a huge difference

Yes, the weight thing really does matter, and crew chiefs would kill for a 50 pound advantage. In SCCA club racing, I’ve know guys who’ve dieted to take 10 pounds off. Does it make a difference? Yes, certainly. There’s less weight to accelerate, less to brake, and less to go around corners (think centrifugal weight). Oh, yeah, weight makes a difference. (Why do you think they weight jockeys and their saddles?)

and complaints that NASCAR male whining is “girly man”nish. For various knee-jerk reasons (inclination to figure the guy is right on matters of sports, Ann Coulter), I’m inclined to give the whiners the benefit of the doubt for the moment (though I am not generally inclined to give whiners the benefit of the doubt, as Trekkies the world over know).