Full Throttle

Unless your a “dog-napper” who grabs a 5 dollar hot dog as an accomplice distracts the vendor it’s hard to cut the costs of attending the NASCAR Circus.

There is a solution, at least University of Tennessee’s president and vice president thought they had a solution. Pass the cost along to the taxpayers of Tennessee.

UT President John Petersen and UT Vice President Hank Dye, along with other UT officials, flew into Bristol to attend the night race last month at a cost of $1,600 dollars.

KNOXVILLE (AP) — A University of Tennessee executive will reimburse the school for half the cost of a $1,600 flight taken by UT President John Petersen and others to Bristol in August.

UT Vice President Hank Dye, one of those on the flight, will write an $800 personal check.

Dye says the trip to Bristol was a legitimate expense because officials were visiting with university supporters during a NASCAR race there.

Damn, I knew Bristol was a large attraction but never realized every University of Tennessee supporter migrated there on race day.

UT spokeswoman Karen Collins says Dye is covering part of the expense “out of an abundance of caution and accountability to the taxpayers.”

Shouldn’t that read half the “accountability to the taxpayers,” his check only covered half the expense? And its not like they couldn’t have met with supporters and alumni a lot closer to home at a much lower cost to the taxpayers.