Although they're rivals on the track and even in the pits, there's one driving force that brings together the NASCAR teams at the Kansas Speedway: bacon.
"They work their butts off in the garage," said NASCAR chef and bacon connoisseur Jason Eidson. "The least I can do is have them a good hot meal."
On most race weekends, Eidson — nicknamed Chef Spanky in the pit — fries up to 150 pounds of bacon.
"These guys live, eat, sleep bacon," he said. "Some of the guys want it crispy, some want it a little rubbery. Bacon will burn quick, and once it's burnt, that's bacon abuse."
And although he works for Richard Petty Motorsports, when it comes to meat, Chef Spanky is all about sharing the wealth.
"We got a tradition," he explained. "Every day, it don't matter if it's a night race, the guys want bacon. The days we don't have bacon, something might happen.They always come back to me go, 'It's your fault; we didn't have bacon.'"
Can Chef Spanky's bacon cooking success translate into wins for everyday life? There's only one way to find out. Try the recipe below.
Chef Spanky's pork and bacon
1 package of Smithfield pork loin
1 package of Smithfield thick cut baconWrap pork loin in bacon strips so that it's complete covered. Place the bacon-wrapped pork on a grill on low heat (300 to 350 degrees). Cover and let the meat cook for two hours. At the end of the two hours, turn the meat, cover and cook for another 20 minutes. By this time, the bacon juices should have smothered the pork loin for added flavor. Remove from the grill and serve hot.
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Terra Hall can be reached at terra.hall@kshb.com.
