NASCAR Cup Series

Jay Mohr roasts absent Danica Patrick, others at Cup banquet

Published Dec. 6, 2014 2:30 p.m. ET

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Few folks have forgotten last year's Sprint Cup awards banquet when event emcee Jay Mohr took a lighthearted jab at Danica Patrick during his opening monologue, quipping, "Danica, I hope you're not too uncomfortable tonight. I know you're not used to being this close to the front."

As some in the crowd chuckled and others groaned in response, Patrick and boyfriend Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who were seated at the same table, gave the actor/comedian a not-so-friendly glare. The whole exchange sent the Twitter-verse on its head and ultimately led Mohr to apologize for the joke and say he is actually a big fan of Patrick and all she has done for women in sports.

Back in the role of event emcee for Friday night's banquet in Las Vegas, Mohr waited only three minutes into his monologue to make a less direct but not exactly subtle joke aimed at Patrick ... despite the fact that she and Stenhouse were not in attendance. This time, Mohr told the crowd: "This is my fifth time hosting the NASCAR awards and I have learned that the drivers ... you guys have proven to me that you can really take a joke ... you, well, you GUYS."

After a brief moment of laughter, Mohr — who a couple minutes earlier had poked fun at the "winner" sticker awarded to race winners this past season — added, "You know what? That joke was so good I'm giving myself a sticker."

Of course, Danica and NASCAR's winner stickers weren't the only object of Mohr's jokes.

• "If you're not familiar with the new Chase format, look, it's easy to explain. I'll explain it to you and people watching at home. You start with 16 drivers. After each round of races, four drivers are eliminated and then one of those drivers has to fight Brad Keselowski."

• ''In Kentucky, Brad Keselowski cut his hand in Victory Lane opening a bottle of champagne. Even booze hates Brad Keselowski. Where is Brad? Let me look for the table of one."

• "It's good to see Brad's sparring partner, Jeff Gordon, is here. Oh, God, I love Jeff Gordon. Jeff Gordon, the oldest driver in the Chase. You may be the oldest driver in the Chase but you've still got it, my man -- four wins, 23 top 10s and five cases of Ensure. You know, you can make fun of Jeff Gordon all you want, but he can leave here tonight and go see a movie for only two dollars and 50 cents."

• "NASCAR is also about life — we all know that — and I think we all learned a very valuable, valuable lesson this season: If at first you don't succeed, you are probably Ryan Newman. You know why I make fun of Ryan Newman? Because I know he's not smiling. I don't even have to look over. Has anyone in the room ever seen Ryan Newman smile? Ryan, smirk, do something. If you smile, I will give you a sticker."

• "This is live TV and I am a little nervous. It's live, it's a big room, and I hope I'm not talking too fast. I don't want Joey Logano's pit crew to miss any of my jokes. ... I'm not saying Joey Logano's pit crew is slow, but tomorrow they're celebrating Thanksgiving. I'm not saying Joey Logano's pit crew is slow, but usually the track manager will throw them the keys and say, 'Hey, you guys just lock up when you're finished.'"

WATCH Jay Mohr roast Keselowski, Gordon, Newman and Logano — and watch their reactions

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