Another year at Talladega, another fiery crash. You know, if they really do make this a tradition, I'll probably be inclined to watch more auto racing. (I'm allowed to sound jaded about this because nobody died. But also because, come on, what are we supposed to expect?)

Did you know that NASCAR is a modern-day version of the medieval joust? It is, says professor Karyn Rybacki, who studies stock-car racing, once received a grant to hang out with spectators at the Daytona 500, and is currently working on a memoir entitled The Luckiest Goddamn Academic In America.