It's not a "sale," but can it still be a clearance?

Speed Street, Charlotte's race weeks festival, is going ... well, bonkers. And It's still early Friday afternoon. Bands are doing sound checks and the street is filled with race fans, while swag and free boxes of cereal are as plentiful as cheap handguns in most American cities.

But, seriously, there are a ton of really cool displays and things to do. Grocery chain Food Lion and it's suppliers should be saluted for their good work in making this happen every season when the races are scheduled here. (I'm saving my box of complimentary corn flakes for breakfast tomorrow morning, too.)

You'll have to pardon me if I sound like I'm rooting for the home team, but I'm saying it again: Charlotte is an extremely cool place to be in May.

It strikes me, though, that the hats I'm seeing the most of on Speed Street are the orange and blue ones with the No. 32 and driver Bobby Hamilton's signature emblazoned across them.

They've got boxes and boxes of 'em and are handing them out by the fistful as fast as they can.

Is it just me, or does that look a whole lot like a give-away version of a fire sale on Bobby Hamilton Jr. hats to you, too?

Yeah, I know, Hamilton Jr.'s team says Ron Fellows will be in the car only for the road race at Infineon Raceway. Color me unconvinced.

Here's something else I wonder: Should I have looked a little farther down Charlotte's main drag for the Jason Leffler hat give-away?