Pit Pass Network presents
PPN Fan of the Month
June 2023
PPN is proud to present our next Fan of the Month! Meet Michele Alexander, our June 2023 Fan of the Month. Michele is a 60-year-old fan of NASCAR who’s been following our favorite motorsport since before some of our staff was even born. I love her story and the things she shares with us below. Michele is a life-long fan of NASCAR with some pretty good taste in drivers. Once you’ve read more about her, you’ll want to be friends with her. And when you see her extensive collection, you’ll want to take notes from her on how she gets it done.
Like all great race fans, Michele follows us on our social media accounts. Make sure you follow us, too! That’s what all the great NASCAR fans are doing.
Read on to learn more about June’s Fan of the Month.
How long have you been a NASCAR fan and what got you into it?
Been a fan since 1992. As a child, watched Rusty Wallace race locally when he was 16. Kenny Schrader also raced at same track. Scanning channels on a Sunday in 1992 and saw Rusty’s name. Once I confirmed it was the same one I saw as a child, I was hooked.
Who is your favorite current NASCAR driver and why?
Matt DiBenedetto. After Carl Edwards left racing, I needed to find another driver to root for. In 2016 Matt DiBenedetto finished 6th at Bristol Spring race. Carl won that same race. Matt’s friends and family videoed him coming home from the track. I started noticing him after that. Once Carl was no longer racing, I paid more attention to Matt and found him as my favorite driver.
Who is your favorite retired NASCAR driver and why?
Carl Edwards. I live in Columbia MO where Carl is from and currently lives. I found out about him a short time before he drove his first cup race. Over the years, Carl got to know me and would recognize me by sight. I just like the person he is and at one point kept me motivated to keep fighting cancer.
What is your all-time favorite NASCAR moment or race?
Wow-This is tough. I have 2…
In 2016 I was fighting colon cancer. Carl found out that I had just purchased tickets to my first Bristol race when I got my diagnosis. I wanted to bid on the ride with Carl for Driver Intros. He told me that if I could make it to Bristol, I could ride with him at driver intros…I made it and I’m cancer free now (7 years).
Second, I was picked as a finalist in the Fords Hall of Fans contest. Six contestants got a free trip to Homestead. We had to participate in some contests to determine the two biggest fans. After one of these contests, David Ragan was to do a Q & A on the stage we were on. The lady running our contest asked me if I would like to ask David a question on stage. I said yes. The emcee had figured out I knew David a little. (He gave 2 fans who had been fans of his since his rookie year a trip to Atlanta for his 400th start earlier that year-I won one of those trips.) So instead of me asking a question, emcee said to me just do the whole interview! I was scared! I had only one question. Ended up asking 4 and was told it was very smooth and professionally done!
Is there a unique story behind a piece of memorabilia that you own?
The day I rode with Carl for Driver Intros he won the pole for the race. As we are getting on the truck to take our ride, Carl is handed his pole trophy and a special hat with a pole winner emblem on it for Bristol. At the end of the ride, he autographs the hat, “To Michele-Thanks! Carl Edwards”, hands it to me and says there are not many of these around!!
What is your favorite piece in your collection? Why is it your favorite?
I am an autograph seeker. My favorite thing to do is go to the tracks or appearances and acquire autographs of NASCAR drivers and personalities. I used to send away to all NASCAR teams letters and ask for an autographed hero card of their driver. I did this once a year for all series. Once I had about every active driver, I needed something else to sign. I got a 3′ x5′ NASCAR flag. I started this flag in 2003. This year is my 20th year of getting autographs on it. I have 185 different NASCAR personalities on the flag at the moment.
About how many items are in your collection?
Too many to count-I currently have my things in 2 bedrooms and overflow on the garage walls.
What is one item that you really want to add to your collection?
Dale Jarrett’s autograph on my flag, Carl Edwards firesuit, or a Matt DiBenedetto firesuit
Thanks for sharing your collection with us, Michele!
I loved the trip down memory lane I had while reviewing Michele’s collection and her answers to our “get to know you” questions. It’s not often we have a Fan of the Month who loves racers from back in the day. (And thanks for breaking the streak of Noah Gragson fans in our Fan of the Month feature.)
As a reminder, you can enter your collection for Fan of the Month consideration by clicking this link and completing the online submission form. Don’t forget to follow us on all social media for more great content and spectacular giveaways!
