Well, I can’t say I’m a NASCAR fan, but I have been to all the big shops and met a lot of the behind the scenes players in the industry. FWIW, Earnhart Racing had the nicest board room, in case anyone was wondering
I could tell you more about the culture of the guys that make NASCAR happen, having seen a lot of the behind the scenes testing, etc. But then I’d have to erase all your memories… I don’t know much about the fans other than the stereotypes, not having grown up in NASCARland, so other than that I don’t have much to add to this thread.
For motorsports, WRC is the only one I ever really watch, but that’s a different animal altogether
TruePisces, I could have written your post, because I’m almost exactly the same. I hate the weeks between November and February, and nothing excites me quite like the first day of Speedweeks.
That’s actually kind of disturbing, that we came to NASCAR the same way, and we both love racing at Bristol that much.
Oh, and tjblack, I watch F1 too. (I’ve even gotten suckered into watching the IRL.) I just find oval racing more interesting, because I had rather see close high-speed racing with lots of passing then the road course racing of CART. IMO CART isn’t as exciting, mainly because I have trouble believing that someone 2 seconds back is “breathing down the leader’s neck.”
TroubleAgain, the 43 car field is a product of NASCAR’s expansion. In the 1980s, some tracks had fields as small as 32. The provisional system was set up to create a 42 car field, as well as an extra spot (43) for a past Winston Cup Champion not already in the field. When this spot didn’t get filled most weeks, NASCAR opened it up to other cars not in the field, making the field 43 cars. It’s strange to have 43 cars, but it makes it easier to get in the field.
Possibly one of the biggest auto racing fans around (note username) and NASCAR fans since I attended my first race at Riverside in 1964. And I still remember Dan Gurney winning that race in a red #16 Mercury. And for those have posted less than complimentry comments, I hope you are a fan of ice hockey, tennis, figure skating, or soccer, I think of these the same as you do of NASCAR.
If you want to learn something about oval track racing, might I suggest you visit a local short track sometime this summer. You can find a local track at the Race Track Locator. This is where all those driving in NASCAR got there starts. The driver tearing up your local short track might be a star in NASCAR in the future. Kurt Busch, the winner of the race yesterday at California Speedway was an unknown short track driver just 5 years ago. And like any sport, once you learn the drivers, tracks, teams and the strategies used at each race, watching races will become more enjoyable.
My wife knew little of anything about auto racing when I met her but she has learned about the sport the 14 years we have been together and she is now a huge fan. I have a NASCAR diecast and memorbilia collection of over 3000 pieces and my wife buys more stuff than I do to add to the collection. Just today I got a new Earnhardt Jr. diecast car from of all places, Avon.
I have attended races at Phoenix and Sears Point the past few years and hope to see a race at California next year. And believe me, you don’t see the good ol boy hillbillies at NASCAR Winston Cup races today. With ticket prices well over $50 for most races, they can’t afford the tickets.
I am a 20-year-old female from a middle-class family in upstate New York. I have been watching NASCAR for eight years, and spent three years working in a store selling NASCAR diecast and memorabilia.
Others have posted everything I could have said in explanation.
The allure of NASCAR, to me, is hard to explain. I love to drive, so there’s that. I’ve done some gokart racing and I’m pretty active at the NASCAR simulator at the mall in Albany, so there’s that too. I love the smell of high-octane fuel and the noise of 43 engines and all the associated sensory input of an auto race. There’s a great deal of vicarious fun for me in watching the pros race.
I enjoy watching the drama of a full racing season. “Silly Season” when drivers and crew members get shuffled from team to team and rumors fly like Rusty Wallace’s car after somebody gets a nose under his back end. (I also love how easy it is to make things sound dirty in this sport.) I like tracking the points and figuring out team strategies and all of that.
I also love the sociality of the races. Last time we went to Pocono we got invited to have hot dogs and hamburgers with a complete stranger whose family had set up a grill for dinner while everybody waited for the parking lot to empty post-race. My dad played horseshoes with a bunch of people we’d never met before. It was great.
NASCAR fans kind of have our own culture. We come from different backgrounds, we root for different drivers, but when you get us together on a Sunday afternoon (or a Saturday night) we’re all the same.
Given the nature of the connection, it hardly seems unusual that it might be overdramatized or romanticized. But, while I sincerely doubt any NASCAR driver is out runnin’ a load under the Georgia moon tonight (they certainly don’t need to), the connection is most assuredly there, and no appreciation of NASCAR’s history is complete without its mention.
While I don’t follow NASCAR, one of my best friends in Austin does, and whenever I spend a weekend with his family, we invariably watch a race or two. It can be quite an enjoyable experience to watch a race with someone who is conversant with the strategies, tactics and technology. And the drivers and their standings. My friend keeps up a commentary during the race, much of it accurately predictive ("Watch hiim comes out of this turn, he’s gonna…).
For those who don’t follow auto racing, let me tell you that the equipment has evolved tremendously. Several sources claim that the early '70s ban on cigarette advertising on TV is what started the flow of big bucks towards stock car racing, with Winston leading the field. One way or another, the whole thing has changed tremendously since I did follow it somewhat in the '60s.
Safety equipment has come a long way. It is not uncommon for drivers to walk away from fiery crashes that would certify a death or two if such were seen on the freeway.
Ringo, I’m not denying that bootlegging had some influence on NASCAR. My point is, stock car racing was a growing sport in the post-WWII era, and Bill France (and several others) founded NASCAR specifically to create a standard set of rules for the sport. The NASCAR-bootlegging connection is overplayed, primarily to continue the “NASCAR=Redneck” stereotype. Big Bill and the other men in that hotel in Daytona in 1948 weren’t bootleggers creating a sport. They were businessmen trying to bring a growing sport into uniformity so it could be a major sport, as it is close to being today.
How about a Pocono-Dope 6/8? We can all meet at my house Saturday, light the grill and enjoy some Yuengling Lagers, and leave Sunday morning for the race? I’m less than 45 minutes away (if there’s no traffic) from Long Pond.
My husband is a big fan, but I just can’t warm up to it. In fact, I hate the sound of those fucking cars going arrround and arrround and arrround. It interrupts my nap.
To be fair, there is a lot of technology in auto racing. They come up with amazing statistics; faster speeds, more long-lasting stuff, etc., but the problem is, I can barely make out what these guys are saying…they all have a twang. A serious twang.
That said, I think the main draw is the beer because people want to numb themselves to the reality of what it is they’re DOING. Watching guys turn left.
Casey, I’d love to but I’m not sure if we’ll be able to swing it this year. With the wedding coming up in the next 4 1/2 months and lots left to do, our weekends get pretty busy. If you’re up for one next year, I’m all about it.
And, has Pocono seating gotten any better? Back in the early 80’s when my parents were going regularly, they always complained about the fact that you couldn’t see parts of the track because the seating was so bad.
It’s just like anything, Eve, not for everyone. No problem with not liking it. But at least you’re willing to learn about it, which is more than some people who’ve panned the sport to be before have been willing to do!
Well I have been to several of the races, Martinsville, Bristol, Darlington, Rockingham (many times) and I would rather watch the race on TV than at the track. If I have to. My preference is not to watch it at all. I gave it a shot and it’s just not something I care for. My brothers, my son, most of my friends are all huge fans and do the circuit when possible in the east, but to me it’s not worth my time. But to each his own and I’m glad that there are people that do enjoy it and keep the sport alive.
Check out Pocono’s webpage. They added a few thousand seats over the course of the last couple years. Unfortunately, they only have seating along the frontstretch, so depending on where you sit, you do miss action in one of the turns.
Twice a year, Long Pond, PA becomes the fourth largest city in Pennsylvania.
