Maybe we should call him Racin' Rudy.

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani is popular with some high-profile members of NASCAR, according to campaign finance reports filed today with the Federal Election Commission.

NASCAR drivers Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Casey Mears all contributed $2,300 to Giuliani's Republican presidential campaign during the most recent quarter.

But they may have just been taking orders from the pit. Gordon, Johnson and Mears all drive for Hendrick Motorsports. Rick Hendrick, the head of Hendrick Motorsports, also contributed to Giuliani.

Gov. Mike Easley is getting behind the wheel of another racecar on Saturday.

At the Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, he'll race a few laps around the track in Casey Mears' No. 25 car, which is co-sponsored by the National Guard.

As part of the stunt, Easley got pledges from private donors, including the N.C. Bankers Association and Progress Energy, for a National Guard assistance program:

"Their families feel their sacrifice and our National Guard Family Readiness Program helps out with such things as car repairs, late mortgage payments, or things that families with an unexpected drop in income would experience." (Italics ours.)

Given the governor's driving record, we wonder exactly whose car will need repair.