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vern

NASCAR (or any other car racing) - A patriotic sport, if nothing else. Race cars, beer, greasy food. I guess I am into this sorta thing.

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Dank Perception

Yeah, I've never understood watching racing on tv as a sport. Whether it be a car, or some famous olympic event... If I'm going to watch anything race, they better have some damn nice legs...XD

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Dank Perception

Now street racing... That's pretty fun to watch.

PetrolHead

Well I can speak for the car enthusiast community and the racing community since I am a member of both.

To state this as briefly as possible - it's all a matter of preference. I LOVE racing and HATE NASCAR.

On one hand I can see you questioning people's passion for the sport because I hate it as well. Although the reasons why I hate it are all based on racing, and the reasons why you dislike the sport are based on circles and lack of beer

The hype behind NASCAR has been crafted over years and years and what has happened to it now is what is happening to pretty much all of racing and that is - it's being WAY OVER commericalized. Oval racing is a type of racing all in it's own. So unless you're a fan of ACTUAL racing (not drag racing a civic down a public street,) you can begin to see the strategy and technology at play.

Although I am sort of an arrogant F1 snob and refuse to call "oval racing" "racing."

It's like soccer - you just have to have the right background to appreciate it. Just because you think it's boring doesn't ultimately make the sport boring.

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PetrolHead

Oh, yeah, and I just have to comment that street racing is a despicable and cowardly sport.

TAKE YOUR RACING TO THE TRACK WHERE IT BELONGS AND DON'T INVOLVE INNOCENT PEOPLE

thanks

(Note to Dank Perception - I didn't mean to say this specifically to you, this is just something I am very passionate about and you happened to bring it up. Didn't mean to offend you!)

 

Dank Perception

There's plenty of street racing events that are unharmful to the community. They're usually hosted by radio stations, and they make a lot of money, no gang fights are involved, and they are safe towards everyone around. I can see how you think street racing is cowardly due to some unfair people that can't take a loss. So they shoot people up, ect... Not everyone does that.

troublemaker_42

I see NASCAR catch a lot of hell. I don't get it. Some people enjoy watching car races, others might like football or basketball. Some might even like figure skating. Asking "why" a certain sport is popular is rather silly, IMO. I could care less about the Super Bowl (aside from the ads) but other people would kill to see it. Why? Whats so exciting about watching people run, kick, punt, or throw a football from one end of the field to the other, while 11 other guys try to stop them? I mean, I can totally understand a certain sport not appealing to someone, but is it really threadworthy asking why a certain sport is popular? I mean, theres plenty of music out there thats popular that I can't stand, but I don't create a thread asking "Why is Fall Out Boy so popular?" No....I simply accecpt the fact my tastes aren't the same as someone else's obviously are. Thats why we have variety in this world.....it would be a pretty dull place if we all had the same likes and dislikes.

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unknown- Gun control theory: Those who are willing to ignore the law and rights of others i.e. murder, robery, rape etc will obey a law which prohibits the possesion of a firearm.

fuzzyninja

I don't really like NASCAR, but I can defend the waste of gas theory. While it IS a waste of gas, the government makes more money per race than that amount of gas would if you bought it. We probably at least pay a little less taxes because of it. Of course, we might pay more for gas because of it too.

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Darque Pervert

OK...

I'm the resident hardcore NASCAR fan.. And I'm waiting for the rain to let up before I head out to the track for a weekend of speed, wrecks, and partying... (No weed, unfortunately)...

I like motorsports, period.
Cars, planes, motorcycles, snowmobiles, go carts, semis, school buses... Road racing, oval racing, on-road, off-road, NO ROAD.... It doesn't matter to me. People pushing machinery to the ultimate limits of speed and control is just damn cool to me.
Hell, I even enjoy watching top-tier bicycle racing, depsite the distinct lack of motor....

Now, anyone who believes that NASCAR is "just cars going round in a circle" is looking only at the surface. Yes it's cars going around in a circle (technically a modified oval) on the surface.
However look at a stock car compared to a purepred race car, like an F1 machine...
The F1 machine is allowed to change the body to gain every tiney aerodynamic advantage they can. The teams can use technology as much as they choose to modify the car for better performance during the off-season or between races. The tires are nice and wide to provide a large, grippt contact patch.
A NASCAR stock car (It's not "a NASCAR", despite some people's insistance on using it as a noun) is radically different. The teams can't change the body of the car, as it has to fit within templates to ensure no one team has an advantage. There is very little they can do with the motor. The tires are smaller and skinnier, meaning the cars have less grip.

So the cars are substantially different, making them more difficult to control, particularly at high speeds.

But the strategy. There are changes a team can make to a car during the race that will affect the handling of the cars. If they can improve the handling of the car, the driver will be able to turn faster lap times, which is what it's all about. The changes they can make are mostly chassis adjustments or tire pressure adjustments. In some cases, fuel mileage becomes a strategic issue. At the 'restrictor plate' tracks, drafting is a significant issue.

Now why is NASCAR so popular? You've got stereotypical "manly men", most of whom women consider to be very good looking. The drivers are also very accessible to the fans. With pit access, you can walk right up to the garage and watch teams wrench on their cars. You can meet a driver face-to-face and get an autograph or wish him well. Or you could tell him that you think he sucks, too! (Seen it happen!)

What other sport is so open to the fan base? Sure, there's an off-chance that you might see an NFL star at the mall or that NHL goalie at PIzza Hut, but it's not very likely. The drivers act like real people. They hang out. The laugh and joke with fans. They actually talk to you, schedule permitting of course.
When Mrs. Perv did a trackside meet-n-greet with Carl Edwards (whom she thinks is hot, I might add! ), I was outside his merch hauler to get a picture. When I fucked up the camera and asked if he could wait because I fucked it up, he was completely cool, telling me to take my time.

NASCAR drivers realize that they are as popular as they are and in the position they are because of fans. They appreciate the fans. Hell, most of them were fans at some point, watching races from the stands.

LAstly, there's the party. If you want to have some serious fun, camp out at a racetrack during race weekend. There will be so much partying going on, it's not even funny. While I'm dry as far as any doobage, we've got plenty of off-topic frothy beverages. And, I bet I can score some weed at the track!
Walk throught eh camping areas, and you can just sit with other people and bullshit, sample what they're cooking, and trade one brand of beer for another if you want. The people are uber-friendly.

Yeah, there are a lot of rednecks, especially this weekend in the woods of Alabama. I'll see more rebel flags per capita this weekend than any other place in the south.
But with the money involved in stock car racing ($20 million per year to run a top-tier team, I heard), it ain't just for rednecks. Besides, those rednecks are loyal to the brands that support NASCAR. Dale Earnhardt Jr. fans wouldn't be caught dead drinking any beer besides Bud, just as Kurt Busch fans only drink Miller Lite. I myself never shop at Lowe's, because I don't like the drivers they sponsor.

Yeah, it's sill. It's a travelling circus, basically. Hell, in a lot of ways, it's like a soap opera! But when you get to the track and you hear the cars doing practice laps, smell the racing fuel in the air along with the burnt rubber, you will either feel the excitement or you won't.

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90minuteIPA

Not that I have to say anything after that but you can't really grasp it until you've been to a race. Even then, some people just won't get it. It's not my personaly cup of tea but I understand the draw, and I've had a blast at a race before. People that don't consider stock car participants athletes don't know what goes into a race.

I just wanted to reitterate that. I don't think PetrolHead was referring to events or to violence against participants, I think he was getting at the fact that street racers (real street racing, light to light, usually at night) put innocent people at risk. You know how many accidents we've experienced on our "main strip" that kill passengers and other drivers that aren't involved?

Damn. I feel really bad for those guys.