I think the three manufacturers in NASCAR these days are Ford, Chevrolet, and Toyota. And last I checked, the profiles of the cars were identical, with only details like the fake headlights and fake grill to make them look anything like the production vehicles.
As for open-wheel racing, there was a schism some years back. Tony George (who was head of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway) wanted the sport to go in a different direction from CART (which sanctioned the series and all the other races). He formed the Indy Racing League with the goal of showcasing oval tracks and American drivers. All it really did was to dilute the talent and interest in open-wheel racing at a time when NASCAR was already gaining popularity.
I’ve wondered about that from time to time–was that something that happened organically, or did it have anything to do with the fact that John Force had daughters, and nothing was ever going to keep John Force from having his kids race?
Are you telling me that Toyota doesn’t sell a rear wheel drive, v8, 4 speed, 3800 lb, carbeurated (until 2012…12! for fucks sake, 2012!) Camry?
If they would just call it the Toyota NASCAR, I’d be less annoyed. But to even pretend it’s a camry is just so ludicrous. Same gripe with Ford and Chevy, but at least they DO sell giant rwd v8 cars.
ITSM that people are reading the OP wrong. They are replying as if the OP had said “why is there such a strong association between NASCAR and conservatives?” or “why is the NASCAR fanbase so conservative/why are conservatives so into NASCAR?” Whereas I read the OP as using NASCAR as a metaphor for what he thinks is wrong with conservatism. He thinks that NASCAR is all about the false pretense that these cars are really “stock” cars while under the hood they are actually something completely different, and that similarly, conservatism is all about the false pretense that America is the greatest country in the world while under the hood we actually suck because we don’t have single-payer universal health care, we don’t ban guns, and we imprison too many black people. At least, I think that’s what he means. I could be wrong, because he didn’t elaborate on his point much.
I was in the press building for a race weekend and LOUDLY AND FREQUENTLY complained about my beloved Red Sox with several other people. There were many stares. Not because we were disturbing them but because we were talking about baseball. TBF, we were extra heated up because my favorite player was traded. “Oh, Jeff Gordon is over there? Who cares? I WANT NOMAR BACK!”
There certainly are a lot more confederate flags flying at stock car events, even way up north where we were ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WAR. The confusing of heritage with culture, with thinking you have to support ancestors’ beliefs to remember their sacrifices, the refusal to accept change is the conservative cross over to me. I do understand the desire for constancy but what makes me liberal, I think, is the desire for my definition of fairness even if it upsets the status quo, the “that’s just how we do things.”
I thought it was about chugging moonshine ; mourning babies done left the singer/songwriter, Lord and ropin’ steer (which I’m like 95% sure is slang for fucking a tractor) ?
Yeah pretty much, but without the idea that America sucks. I think there is a metaphor for the idea that feelings matter more than facts. We can feel that these are production cars even though they aren’t. Just like we can feel that taxes and crime are increasing, and that feeling trumps (hah) reality.
Sometimes it feels as though liberals are metaphorically saying “those headlights are just decals” and thinking it will make a difference.
And yes, I know that liberals have their own baggage as well. Put grits on a menu but call it polenta and liberals will literally and metaphorically eat it up.
OK, so in essence I agree with the OP. To me, it seems like something is missing: Why? Why are so many Americans so ready to make their decisions based on information that’s blatantly, almost comically false? My reflex/default response is “because they’re stupid, they have to be, otherwise none of this makes any sense”. I don’t want that to be right.
This is ridiculous, no NASCAR fan actually thinks that the race cars are production cars or that the stickers are actual headlights.
There is also plenty of feelings matter more than facts on both sides.
No NASCAR fan feels that these are production cars. They’re well aware of the history of racing and aren’t concerned with it like you seem to be. From that shaky foundation you’ve jumped to an unsupported conclusion.
You want a cite? It might just take a while to commission a poll. Maybe while I’m at it we can find out how many wrestling fans feel wrestling is real. I’ll also ask them if they feel Obama was born in Kenya.
They are going out of their way to make it look like it’s a Mustang vs a Camaro. They even talk about “having the product in the top series”. I wonder where I can buy that product? And they “started our new Mustang”. Not “we worked on a new car we could slap some Mustang decals on”.
And? This is Marketing 101. You associate the product with winning. It garners fan interest and brand loyalty. But you haven’t come close to showing that your premise is true - that fans believe that NASCAR vehicles have anything directly to do with the nameplates they wear. Fans follow the changes implemented by the standardized Car of Tomorrow and Gen 6 race cars.
The majority of NASCAR fans I’ve met are fairly sophisticated when it comes to racing. This has little to do with their politics as far as I can tell.