Several times a year, they roll into this town (Las Vegas) to compete at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway and several times a year the rabid fans clog up the streets right past my house creating a several mile long stretch of cars lining up to get into the LVMS parking lot. It makes getting into and out of my place a great deal harder, as sometimes taking me 30 minutes to go the one block to the turnoff into my place. Can someone explain to me why this is so popular? I really don't get it at all.
One thing though, considering the ethnicity of 99.99% of every race fan and Driver that I've seen, I think I would watch it if say, a black Driver with a black pit crew entered in the fray. Just to see the reactions in the fans more than anything else.
Brian, I have the same problem with rabid Alabama football fans clogging up the streets in Tuscaloosa on game day.
To make our situation even more amusing, Tuscaloosa's main hospital is about a mile from the stadium; so if you get hurt, you'll probably die in the back of an ambulance before the RVers let it through.
About ethnicity, I know that there are a handful of female racers in NASCAR, and I think there are a couple of black racers in the lower circuits. I do know for a fact that there is one black racer who is really up-and-coming in the Truck circuit, and he seems to be getting adoration and acceptance from the fans just as white racers do. I think its more about surviving being hurtled around a track at 200+ MPH for three hours that impresses the fans more than ethnicity.
Oh how we danced and we swallowed the nights for it was all ripe for dreaming
Oh how we danced away all of the lights we've always been out of our minds
NASCAR is trying to get more blacks, Chinese, Japanese or whatever to the Nextel level. There is a black in a lower series and a Japanese was driving last year at one level. The cost of fielding a team is so expensive. That is why there are so many multi-car teams. A driver has to start at the local quarter-mile tracks and work up to the top level. Jeff Gordon started out racing go carts. But there are cases where 17 year-olds are racing in ARCA and Bush.
I watch the races on TV. No way am I going to get in all that traffic.
I'm with Brian trying to figure out what all the fuss is about. I'm a baseball and football fan and I enjoy watching them at all levels (including softball). I've never been a basketball, hockey, golf, or racing fan. Most all sports are fun to watch in person, but Nascar just doesn't do it for me.
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NASCAR is the fastest growing sport in the country. So many new tracks are being built, NASCAR is cutting back on the number of races at some tracks or just not having any at all at some. North Wilksboro was eliminated a few years ago, Rockingham is down to once a year and may be cut out totally because it has not been a sell-out the past few years. The northwest, Oregon or Washington wants a track. NASCAR can't add race dates to the schedule so they will have to cut further on existing tracks.
I see a day coming when NASCAR will have to have two divisions like baseball and having some type of race-off for the championship. New rule this year, after the first 26 races the top ten drivers will be the only ones in the "play-off" system. They will basically start even and go for it. The other 34 drivers will just be racing to win on of these last ten races. So NASCAR, to me, is just like baseball, I'm not too interested until the play-offs start.
Not only is it the fastest growing sport, but it's second only to NFL in number of fans at about 75 million! Like Sarge said, there are so many different places trying to get into the pot for a race to come to their area (who wouldn't with the revenue it would bring in) - Canada is also wanting to get into it and would like for NASCAR to extend North of the border as they have a lot of fans there. I believe they are heading towards an International circuit of NASCAR and if so you'll see a lot more competition and international drivers as well. Not sure if I'd like that as much as I like it now, but I guess I'd have to wait and see how it would go. I, on the other hand, like NASCAR all "season" long, as every race has it's own excitement!
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Some people like hockey, golf and squash. Not me. A NASCAR driver, in today's era, is probably in better physical condition than mostpro baseball players and some pro football players.
I don't remember any 300-400 lb NASCAR drivers. While they may not hit the gym as much as a football or baseball player, I think they are less likely to have a heart attack any time soon.
We have an extended family member who drives the truck that halls around the Home Depot car for Tony Stewert. He says that money rolls in when a race is in any town. He also says that the cops like race days better than other sports events since fans don't get into as many drunked brawls. I would guess the incidence of drug use among NASCAR drivers is much less than other sports. Probably the same goes for steroids.
I think I heard that a driver loses about 10lbs (yes, ten pounds) in just one race due to all that their body goes through and because of those hot suits they have to wear. They have to be in great shape as they are pushing their bodies to the limit week in and week out. The good thing is that steroids or any kind of drugs wouldn't help them win a race, as they depend on their quick judgements/decision making and driving skills to win, so any type of drugs would only hurt them! Doesn't mean they don't do drugs in their off-time, but I would hope that they didn't as I would lose all respect for them that I have.
One NASCAR driver is currently under suspension for drug use. A young driver. He is currently awaiting civilian charges. NASCAR does not conduct random drug test but what they call test for suspicious behavior. Other drivers don't want impaired compertitors on the track with them. One driver, Rob Moroso, was killed after a race in his personal car while driving home. If I remember correctly he was DWI. There are problems but very rare. At least NASCAR drivers don't charge for autographs.
There is a lot more to stock car racing than just going around in circles with wrecks mixed in. It is a lot like baseball. The crew chief has to get the car set up and ready just like a baseball manager. He has the call the right shots and make changes to the car as need like a manager has to change personnel according to the situation. A crew chief has to get on the headphones to the driver and calm him down just like a manager visits the pitchers mound. The wrong tire stagger, the wrong shock setup, and too much bite on a tire and such can lose a race for a team. It is a long way from being a drivers race.
If you havn't watched a race lately, try it again.
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