Mansfield native Kelly Clarkson vroom-vrooms her way into NASCAR

by Teresa Gubbins

Mansfield native and American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson signed a landmark deal with NASCAR that entails a series of commitments throughout '07, including appearances and a TV spot.

For starters, she'll do a concert in Daytona on Feb. 18, prior to the Daytona 500. She'll also tape a TV commercial to air throughout the ’07 racing season on FOX, TNT, ABC, ESPN, and SPEED.

Clarkson is no stranger to NASCAR, having served as the Grand Marshall in a race in September in California.

Far more entertaining than the details of her deal are the ouch-ouch racing metaphors employed by punnish news outlets to announce the fact. Motorsport.com, a Web site in Canada, called it "a landmark collaboration bringing together two touchstones of American culture." Rolling Stone announced that "pop-punk princess" "Kelly Clarkson’s long-time crush on NASCAR is finally being reciprocated." USA Today said that she’ll "soon be showing her racing stripes," while E Online had her "firing on all cylinders."

KSWO, a TV station that covers Wichita Falls and Lawton, Okla., said that Kelly not only “revs up” a partnership with NASCAR, she’s also “signed on to get people fired up.”

Give it up to the sarcasm of Goal.com, a sports-themed Web site in Switzerland, which claimed that Kelly’s payment will be “a new mobile home and a pack of SKOAL.”