While racial and geographic factors in this historically Southern sport are sometimes hard to ignore, the doctor doesn't like to focus on them.
"I wish Jesse Jackson would stay away from the whole issue," he said. "Lots of people like racing who don't care about your skin color. I want to blend in. The only problem is that when you have black skin, you can't."
When pressed, he says that at Bristol last year with his wife, who is white, Watson incurred some growls from a Confederate flag-waving fan - Watson was wearing a Gordon shirt, and she was wearing one that had Jimmie Johnson's name on it.
"Gordon takes a hammering in southern towns," Watson said. Besides, he added, "people were drunk. People are going to be people."
Another time, alone at Charlotte, a rain delay sent many fans to the rest rooms: "I looked around the jam-packed area and noticed that here I was the only black man around. I was glad no one was interested in starting a riot then."
| That's Racin's Lisa Napoli profiles NASCAR fan and obstetrician/gynecologist Dr. Alex Watson in "Doctor rejects stereotypes, is a fan for life"
posted in articles on July 24, 2003 12:36 AM | t (0)
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