Jul 5th 2008 10:57AM by Ryan Wilson (author feed)
Filed under: Patriots, NFL Draft
Randy Moss, following the path trailblazed by Joe Gibbs decades earlier, is the latest (only?) NFL employee to enter the world of NASCAR. Both Gibbs and Moss are from the South (North Carolina and West Virginia, respectively), so they presumably grew up with the sport.

Now that Moss heads down the home stretch of his football career, he’s looking for investment opportunities. Or maybe he just loves auto racing. But this is , so his every move is scrutinized for motive since, you know, he has something of a history of underachievement. No worries, though: “I am used to that,” Moss said Thursday. “I have been doubted my whole life. I am up to the challenge.” … “I have been a fan just from watching the guys and the energy they bring,” said Moss, a West Virginia native. “I just met Dale ( Earnhardt) Jr. for the first time and I felt like a kid.” …

“I am not jumping into NASCAR because of the color of my skin,” he said. “It’s about the love and passion I have to win and about being a fan with an opportunity that has come my way.” Sounds like Moss, who bought a 50 percent ownership in Morgan-Dollar Motorsports (now “Randy Moss Motorsports!”) is fully committed to this thing, so good for him. And since he won’t be driving — just observing — I’m not sure how his sometimes lackadaisical approach to his job is even a factor. Oh, right, it’s not.

The fun starts July 19.