NASCAR in space!!

Clipped from Jayski-

NASCAR enters the Space Age: If NASA's promotional plan pays off, millions of NASCAR fans will have their eyes glued to the skies next month when space shuttle Atlantis blasts off into orbit -- carrying three Daytona 500 race flags in its cargo bay. The green starter flags are being launched into space to celebrate the 50th running of the Daytona 500 in February, as well as NASA's own upcoming 50th anniversary. "It's great," NASA spokesman Allard Beutel said. "It will hopefully bring space to a whole new audience." NASA, working hard to wind down the shuttle program in 2010 and start its next phase of space exploration that will bring humans back to the moon, is trying to drum up public enthusiasm for an invigorated space program. And the Daytona racetrack was looking for an out-of-this-world way to celebrate its own milestone, said David Talley, spokesman for Daytona International Speedway. NASA came up with the idea to link the two anniversaries earlier this year. Both sides are trying to arrange astronaut-driver promotional events, including a possible joint NASCAR driver-shuttle crew press event during Atlantis' 11-day mission next month. The agency sets aside a small amount of space on every shuttle mission for commemorative items. Last month, Luke Skywalker's lightsaber flew aboard Discovery to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Star Wars film franchise. In 2000, a small piece of fabric from Orville and Wilbur Wright's airplane flew on a shuttle mission. The flags had to be measured and weighed carefully to meet NASA's requirements for onboard items and will be stowed throughout the mission. Upon their return to Earth, one flag will be awarded to the winner of the 50th Daytona 500 on Feb. 17; one will go to the Daytona 500 Experience attraction at the racetrack; and the third will stay with NASA. NASA officials will announce Atlantis' launch date Friday. It is expected to be Dec. 6

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I would also like to say that NASA is awesome! Aside from being generally awesome, they recently also took a copy of the TV series Firefly and movie Serenity to space. If you haven't seen it, I totally reccomend it! Quick, witty, cowboys, space- and no aliens. Its worth it!