[Washington, DC]  North Carolinians and NASCAR fans alike are fuming over an internal memo sent to Congressional staffers advising them to get shots for hepatitis A, hepatitis B, tetanus, diphtheria and influenza before attending the October 13 Bank of America 500 race in Concord.  The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), who issued the memo, are desperately back-pedaling. 

"There was never any intention to offend the good people of North Carolina," said Terry Carter, a spokesman for DHS.  "That memo was never supposed land in public hands.  I think the media must accept a great deal of the blame for any perceived insult."

Carter tells us that political correctness aside, the shots were mandated for government attendees of the event because the staffers would be 'packed into a crowd of disease-infested rednecks' and that DHS considered the health of the entire Capitol Building to be at risk.

Irked at Homeland Security's implication that NASCAR fans may be infectious, North Carolina Rep. Robin Hayes, a Republican, shot a heated letter to DHS stating that he had been to a number of NASCAR races and he did not believe that fans posed a health risk to Congress or anyone else.

Asked for comment, H.A. 'Humpy' Wheeler, President of Lowe's Motor Speedway said, "This is not some third or fourth world country. As a matter of fact, never in the 50-plus years of NASCAR has there been an outbreak of any kind at an event other than a few headaches because somebody's favorite driver ran out of gas or maybe a morning hangover."

Carter dismisses the outrage as much ado about nothing.

"These immunizations are commonly given to employees who come in contact with large crowds," he said.  "This has been blown way out of proportion.  It's not as if we told them that if they were going to a stock car race they should count their teeth before they come back."