No, they want to do some shots

What’s this, cooties at NASCAR races?

A group of congressional aides sent to North Carolina for Saturday’s NASCAR race was advised by the House Homeland Security Committee to be vaccinated for hepatitis A, hepatitis B, tetanus, diphtheria and influenza before going to Talladega, Ala., and Concord, N.C.

Their mission: to research public-health preparedness at mass-public gatherings.

The reaction: Republican U.S. Rep. Robin Hayes of Concord was deeply offended.

“I have never heard of immunizations for domestic travel, and as the representative for Concord, N.C., I feel compelled to ask why the heck the committee feels that immunizations are needed to travel to my hometown,” Hayes wrote in a letter to a congressional leader quoted by the Charlotte Observer.

“I have been to numerous NASCAR races, and the folks who attend these events certainly do not pose any health hazard to congressional staffers or anyone else,” Hayes wrote.

Maybe only if they get a little squirrelly in the turns.

As the Observer’s Scott Fowler wrote, “I don’t know about you, but I usually keep some syringes in my moonshine jar, out back by the ol’ still that grandpappy tends when we’re not runnin’ from the police.”

This from driver Jeff Gordon: “I don’t even know where to begin with that one. I shake as many hands as the president. . . . There are certainly plenty of things that go into building up your immune system. I used to get sick a lot. I went to a nutritionist. I take supplements. I eat better things, and now I don’t get sick anymore.”

Trivia time

Of the teams still alive in the baseball playoffs, which one’s general manager has worked for all four teams?

Agent Zero update

The ever-fascinating Gilbert Arenas of the Washington Wizards, in an interview on Complex.com, asked whether he could play with Kobe Bryant:

“Yeah. Cause mentally I’m strong enough to play with him,” Arenas said. “I don’t think everybody’s ready for his mental challenge.”

Thanks to fark.com for the link.

Not awesome, baby

Dick Vitale’s astuteness is often underrated, but he came off as less than expert at picking the baseball playoff winners.

His final pick: the New York Yankees over the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series.

News from overseas

Top-selling NBA jerseys in Europe: 1. Dwyane Wade. 2. Allen Iverson. 3. Tony Parker. 4. Kobe Bryant. 5. LeBron James. 6. Boris Diaw. 7. Pau Gasol. 8. Andrea Bargnani. 9. Carmelo Anthony. 10. Tracy McGrady.

Trivia answer

The Arizona Diamondbacks’ Josh Byrnes also has been an assistant general manager with the Boston Red Sox and Colorado Rockies and earlier was director of scouting for the Cleveland Indians.

Thanks to Steven Vanderpool of Stats LLC for the question.

And finally

Ellen Griley, managing editor of the free Long Beach alternative paper District, is a 2003 Notre Dame graduate whose eyes apparently might wander to the USC sideline Saturday.

“There is one thing I’ll give Pete Carroll: He is a very handsome man,” Griley wrote. “While other Notre Dame fans liken him to a poodle, I picture him more the grown-up version of Revenge of the Nerds’ evil Stan Gable -- your archetypical, good-looking antagonist. I often imagine him emerging from a maroon, vertical-doored Lamborghini with a Playboy Bunny on each arm. Somehow, by comparison, I think this helps me actually feel better rooting for Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis and his high-waisted pants. He’s the underdog.”

Trojans fans probably would ask for only one correction: That Lamborghini isn’t maroon, it’s cardinal.

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robyn.norwood@latimes.com