To: NASCAR Nationwide Series Drivers and Crew

From: Mike Helton

Date: April 18, 2008

RE: This Weekend’s Race In Mexico City

Aloha amigos! That’s Mexican for “hello friends!” I picked that up on Sesame Street last week when I was learning some more letters and numbers. I know darn near 19 letters now and did ya’ll know that there’s numbers out there higher than 15? You can learn something new every day if you want to but hell, who has the time? Anyway, I wanted to outline a few things you fellas need to be on the lookout for at the race in Mexico City. First off, whenever you are visiting another planet always take proof that you are an American citizen or they won’t let you back into the country. Acceptable forms of id are a driver’s license, passport or an American flag. Keep one of these on your person at all times. Not only will it allow you safe passage back into the good ole US of A, should you find yourself in the confines of a Mexican prison, preferential treatment is given to Americans as one of the terms of NAFTA (NASCAR Afficial Free Travel Agreement).

Be mindful that Mexican’s English ain’t that good. In order to overcome the language barrier, I have found it very useful to slow down my speech and to speak much louder. Feel free to use hand signals when communicating. Hand signals are the universal language. Don’t believe me? Ask Juan Pablo if he knows what you mean when you flash that middle of finger of yours at him. He gets the point don’t he?

Lastly, enjoy yourself while you are visiting this foreign land. Take in some of the sites and the culture. It’ll do you some good. But whatever you do, be sure to try the water. Drink freely from the tap, lap it up from dog bowls or even get down on your hands and knees and sip some from a gutter. You’ll be hard pressed to find water this good back here in the states. They must put something special in there because you will never feel so refreshed and regular. That Mexican water will clean you out something good and get rid of all those vitamins and minerals that we pick up here at home. I usually try to bring back a couple of gallons whenever I visit.

I hope you all enjoy your trip. Take my advice and do a hat dance, eat some jumping beans and take a siesta before the race. Please be aware of the time change as well. I ain’t entirely sure how the time is different in Mexico City but from my calculations my best guess is that when it’s 12 noon here in America, it’s February in Mexico.

See ya’ll when you get back! Adios fellas!