NASCAR: 'NASCAR dads' downplay their label

DOVER, Del. -- They wore American flag caps and Dale Earnhardt Jr. caps, dressed in golf shirts and T-shirts and no shirts, carried heaping piles of french fries and held the hands of their children.

They were "NASCAR dads." And in less than six weeks, according to the pundits, they will play a major role in electing the next president of the United States.

The dads, on the other hand, are just worrying about the Nextel Cup points race.

Most of those walking into Dover International Speedway this weekend didn't know they had been the labeled as a critical voting bloc in this presidential election, taking over for the "soccer moms" of four years ago (though "security moms" recently have been pushing the NASCAR dads to the side.)