ON MY MIND
with guest columnist Clint Bowyer
Tips And A Tirade Or Two
printed on a sticker inside the driver’s door in most cars. When it comes to regular maintenance, today’s cars are pretty sophisticated.
T
Most will tell you when they need something. In fact, it makes me crazy to get in a car and look over and see the “Check Engine” light on. It’s like, “Hey, can you not see that? It’s there for a reason.” Get your car serviced! If there were a “Hey, You’re About to Catch on Fire” light, I bet people would pay attention. Now, I need to vent a little. First and foremost, keep your car clean. A clean car is a happy car. My
biggest pet peeve is when people drive around in dirty cars — especially if they are nice cars. If you’re going to spend the money to buy a nice car, clean the damn thing. You don’t have to get it detailed all the time, but spring for the $10 Super Wash once in a while. If you’re driving a mid-70s beater, the dirt probably adds character, but at
least spring for the EconoWash a couple of times a year. And if you want your car to have some personal touches, throw a bumper
sticker on it. Funny messages are the best. I love ’em. What I can’t stand, however, are personalized license plates — especially the ones that are clearly an inside joke between the owner and, like, one other guy in the whole world. Once you’re on the road, actually driving, and have to merge, merge! Get up to speed and do it. It makes me crazy to
see that one guy — and there’s always one — stopped at the end of the ramp on his phone. It tells me he wasn’t paying attention. He didn’t look over his shoulder, waited too long, panicked and slammed on the brakes. T at guy should have to wait all day to get on the road. On the other hand, if you see a little old lady trying
to merge, let her in. Give her a break. You’ll never confuse her for the guy on the phone. She’s easy to identify. With her, all you see is blue hair — giant hair, like a halo around the headrest — and usually some knuckles on the steering wheel. Slow down and help her out. Don’t honk the horn. Give her plenty of room. T at’s enough for now. I’ll see you on the road.
“ 12 NASCAR ILLUSTRATED
see that one guy — and there’s always one —
It makes me crazy to
stopped at the end of the ramp on his phone.
”
he publisher of NASCAR Illustrated asked me to talk a little bit about cars and said I could share whatever I want, from car care tips to my personal gripes with other drivers. T e most important tip I can off er is to keep your tires properly infl ated. You will get better fuel mileage and be a lot safer. Check what the manufacturer recommends. It’s
Photo: Courtesy Martin Truex Jr.
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