Food in the Fast Lane

Food in the Fast Lane Recipes:

• Guacamole
• Southwest Flank Steak With Salsa
• Chicken-Vegetable Kabobs

NASCAR Winston Cup driver Jimmie Johnson makes a living going fast--very fast. But even the best have to slow down sometime. Once the last laps are run and his car is tucked away in the garage, Jimmie heads for the grill to unwind. "Cooking, especially outdoors, really helps me relax. I can drop my race face and do something normal," he says.

During the race weekend, cooking duties fall squarely on the shoulders of Mary Whitesell, chef for the No. 24 and 48 teams. Preparing everything from authentic North Carolina barbecue to her famous "Qualifying Corndogs" (served each Friday before Winston Cup qualifying), Mary cooks enough food to feed more than 50 active and very hungry crew members throughout the day (and often into the night).