For this week’s edition, we went international for or Fan of the Week. If you’re in Puerto Rico anytime soon, you can say you saw Michelle on this website. As you can see by the picture, she does make it to Daytona every year.
Seems her parents got her interested in racing, and she took it from there to become a fan.
Name: Michelle D. Zabala
From: Canovanas, Puerto Rico
Age: 21
Occupation: Fourth year Advertising college student
How long have you been following racing: Since 1998
How did you get started: My Dad got me hooked
Who was your first favorite driver, and why: Jeff Gordon, because he was my mom’s favorite driver
Who is your favorite now, and why: Dale Earnhardt Jr., because he was the driver I picked when I started watching the Busch Series.
What is your favorite driver’s best racing moment: When Dale Jr won the Pepsi 400 in July 2001
How many races do you attend a year: I get to one race every year since 1999. My father lives in Orlando and every time summer comes, we go to Daytona in July.
Best race you ever saw on TV or in person: There are two - when Dale Jr. won his fourth straight Talladega win and his first win this year in Richmond; that race was awesome.
What is your favorite track for racing: Daytona, Talladega and Richmond.
If your favorite driver came to your town, where would take him and what would you do: I would take him to our city capital San Juan where there is a lot of our history to see and learn.
If you worked at DEI, what would you like to do: I would start everywhere and work my way up. I would love to work in great organization like DEI and meet my goal of working in a sport I love so much.
If you ran NASCAR for a day, what rule would you change, add or delete: I would take the restrictor plate out for the Daytona July race of this year; I want to see a race without the plate.