Why do people love NASCAR?

[bandl]

OKay, since we've talked about why people don't like the NBA (seems to be a general consensus on AGS)...why do people love NASCAR?? :confused:

I don't understand it myself. Watching cars drive around in circles for hours on end...not very entertaining IMO. Sure, the tailgating at a NASCAR event is fun, I've done it myself at Daytona and that little ol' place in the middle of nowhere in Southern VA. I didn't see a minute of the races, although I certainly could hear them. The woman are hot (well, some of them) at the tailgates too. But that isn't the actual race itself that seems to be the appeal...I can find a huge tailgate scene at an NFL game, or at a music concert, or at a SWAC/SEC/ACC/Big-10 football game, or at the Kentucky Derby or Virginia Gold Cup, or at a weekend music festival.

So what is the appeal of the actual races of NASCAR?? Is it the crashes?? Is it the strategy (i.e., get to the finish line first. xlolx )? Is it the cars?

xcoffeex :read:

[Ivytalk]

Beats the hell out of me. :confused:

[OL FU]

Any excuse to drink excessively :beerchug:

Outside of that I don't get it either.

[colgate13]

They don't.

[rOryOs-ASU]

Seems to me it stems from guys growing up in the 60's and 70's and their love of tinkering with muscle cars to improve performance and the appreciation of the fact that these cars can perform at this level for the distance of the race at that level!!

Today cars dont break down often like they used to so you cant appreciate the performance that they achieve! and if they do you dont have the knowledge or the wherewithal to work on them. They have to be hooked to computers to diagnose problems rather than getting in there and fixing them yourself.Today guys just have flowmasters and big sound systems installed and drive them,wash them and park em!

I have followed nascar since the late 60's and have lost altot of that appreciation myself since everything is so orchestrated and mechanized these days!!

Hope this give a little insight and gives a little perspective on a question many people ask these days!!!!!!! JMO :nod:

[grizbeer]

When you think about it, how can you really explain why you like any sport? I understand why you would think driving around in circles is boring, I think watching cars approaching 200 mph, inches apart and sometimes touching, is exciting.

The attraction of NASCAR, like any other sport, is the connection between the spectator and the participants. For many people there is a connection with sports like basketball and football because they played it in their youth and enjoyed the game. People who are "car guys" feel the same connection with NASCAR. Others follow a sports team out of loyalty or pride in their region. The same is true for NASCAR, with fans having a connection to a driver, sponsor, or manufacturer.

The reason why NASCAR is more popular than other forms of motor sports is there is more chance of making the connection between the participants and the spectators - most drivers in series like CART and F1 are not from the US, so you lose the regional connection, and there is less connection with the sponsors and manufacturers than NASCAR has.

The other thing about NASCAR is that fans tend to be more loyal - both to the driver, and their sponsors. I think this is because with other sports you follow the team, and while you have favorite players, you know that players will come and go with the team. With drivers you can follow them their entire career, and while sponsors, owners and crew members will change, the driver is the main attraction.

whenever someone asks me about liking NASCAR I tell them to pick a driver based on some connection and follow them every week, and go to a race. If after a season of following a driver you still don't like NASCAR you probably never will.

[AUCATAMOUNT]

I used to hate nascar and saw it as good background noise for naps, then I began to appreciate the races in my college years. I honestly see it as a chess match on wheels. Most of the important stuff happens before the actual race in setup and design, but once the human element of at least 35 excellent drivers is added to the scenario it becomes anyone's game( Derrick Cope won the 500 in 1990 for cricket's sake). Pit strategy is my favorite aspect of the race because that is where positions change the most as NASCAR, like every other sport, strives for parity (The COT which will be basically the same for all brands). Overall I think the new wave of racers, like Ryan Newman a man with an engineering degree from Purdue, is making it a popular sport amongst college students.

[AUCATAMOUNT]

The other thing about NASCAR is that fans tend to be more loyal - both to the driver, and their sponsors. I think this is because with other sports you follow the team, and while you have favorite players, you know that players will come and go with the team. With drivers you can follow them their entire career, and while sponsors, owners and crew members will change, the driver is the main attraction.

whenever someone asks me about liking NASCAR I tell them to pick a driver based on some connection and follow them every week, and go to a race. If after a season of following a driver you still don't like NASCAR you probably never will.


One thing personally bothers me about the new NASCAR, and that is when people cross driver loyalty and brand loyalty. I like Dale Jr, but since I drive a ford I pull for a ford driver, Eliot Sadler,and I always pull for the Wood Brothers. I'm just bothered when I see an 8 sticker on a ford, or dodge. Strangely I'm not bothered when drivers of foreign cars do this because they have no representation in NASCAR (until 07).

[AppGuy04]

One thing personally bothers me about the new NASCAR, and that is when people cross driver loyalty and brand loyalty. I like Dale Jr, but since I drive a ford I pull for a ford driver, Eliot Sadler,and I always pull for the Wood Brothers. I'm just bothered when I see an 8 sticker on a ford, or dodge. Strangely I'm not bothered when drivers of foreign cars do this because they have no representation in NASCAR (until 07).

this is thinking way too much into it.....

[HIU 93]

Cars going 200 MPH, inches apart, strategy, action, noise, and the fact that a lot of the drivers are regular guys from small towns, similar to the fans. I grew up with a couple of NASCAR drivers myself.

[blukeys]

A week long tail gate party with 150,000 participants, What's not to like?

[bandl]

A week long tail gate party with 150,000 participants, What's not to like?
If I absolutely had to be surrounded by 100,000+ people, I'd rather go to the Kentucky Derby, or Jazzfest, or Bonarroo, or a Big-Ten/SEC football game. To me, at least there I am enjoying the reason all those people are there in the first place. But to each his own, I guess. :beerchug:

[bandl]

whenever someone asks me about liking NASCAR I tell them to pick a driver based on some connection and follow them every week, and go to a race. If after a season of following a driver you still don't like NASCAR you probably never will.

When is the next NASCAR season starting?
Who is a local driver (either DC or VA) that I could 'follow'? Maybe instead of flipping the channel during sports highlights, or not even reading the autoracing section of the sports section in my newspaper, I could read about that one person...see if it ups my interest at all.

[grizbeer]

When is the next NASCAR season starting?
Who is a local driver (either DC or VA) that I could 'follow'? Maybe instead of flipping the channel during sports highlights, or not even reading the autoracing section of the sports section in my newspaper, I could read about that one person...see if it ups my interest at all.
The first race is a non-points race on Saturday, Feb. 11, and the Daytona 500 is on Feb 19.

Elliott Sadler Emporia (#38 M&Ms Ford) and Jeff Burton (South Boston) (#31 Cingular Chevy) are from Virgina. Or if you are a Redskins fan you might go with one of Joe Gibbs teams (#20 defending champion Tony Stewart (Home Depot), or rookie of the year candidates #11 Denny Hamlin (from Chesterfield VA) (Fed Ex), or #18 JJ Yeley (Interstate Batteries). Also Woods Brothers racing for years was based out of Virgina, and this year fan favorite Kenney Schrader will drive the #21 Little Debbies/US Airforce/Motorcraft Ford.

Hope this helps.

[HiHiYikas]

As I have commented before, I grew up around NASCAR, but was pretty much oblivious to it until I started dating Mrs. HiHiYikas, who pretty much has it in her blood. We kept up with it pretty closely for several years and went to as many races as a couple of college kids could afford.

She likes being at the races much more than I ever did, so she started going with her dad more often while I stuck around the house and watched on TV.

In my lifetime, Wilkesboro has stopped hosting Cup races, my home track (Hickory Motor Speedway) has stopped hosting Busch races, and our "home" Winston Cup track, Charlotte Motor Speedway, became "Lowes Motor Speedway." These things haven't helped keep me interested in the sport.

The Charlotte-to-Lowes change started to put this idea in my head that maybe NASCAR wasn't about racing at all, but getting attention for the sponsors. The idea was confirmed a few seasons back when Pepsi-sponsored Jimmy Johnson was handed a pretty steep fine for putting a towel over a Coke-product that was placed on his car in the winner's circle. Basically, the winner's circle has become a blitz of product placement, something more like the Price is Right than a place for winners to celebrate.

Auto racing is very exciting to me. The ratio of auto racing to advertizements in NASCAR is less favorable than I can tolerate. Bottom line, NASCAR is not exciting enough for me to endure the world's biggest traveling advertizement festival.

[FightinBluHen51]

As I have commented before, I grew up around NASCAR, but was pretty much oblivious to it until I started dating Mrs. HiHiYikas, who pretty much has it in her blood. We kept up with it pretty closely for several years and went to as many races as a couple of college kids could afford.

She likes being at the races much more than I ever did, so she started going with her dad more often while I stuck around the house and watched on TV.

In my lifetime, Wilkesboro has stopped hosting Cup races, my home track (Hickory Motor Speedway) has stopped hosting Busch races, and our "home" Winston Cup track, Charlotte Motor Speedway, became "Lowes Motor Speedway." These things haven't helped keep me interested in the sport.

The Charlotte-to-Lowes change started to put this idea in my head that maybe NASCAR wasn't about racing at all, but getting attention for the sponsors. The idea was confirmed a few seasons back when Pepsi-sponsored Jimmy Johnson was handed a pretty steep fine for putting a towel over a Coke-product that was placed on his car in the winner's circle. Basically, the winner's circle has become a blitz of product placement, something more like the Price is Right than a place for winners to celebrate.

Auto racing is very exciting to me. The ratio of auto racing to advertizements in NASCAR is less favorable than I can tolerate. Bottom line, NASCAR is not exciting enough for me to endure the world's biggest traveling advertizement festival.
As a gearhead, it's not just NASCAR its any form of Motorsports. It's a respect for horsepower, engineering, strategy and planning, and of course, the display of speed.

Don't get me wrong, NASCAR is my favorite motorsport, and Daytona is my favorite race, but I love watching sprint cars, world rally championship (arguable some of THE best drivers in the world, forget F1). I'll watch F1 and indy car (CART has gone down hill without an andretti at least driving, so blah), but it just dosn't have the thrill and close competition as NASCAR, NHRA, WRC and WOO action (save for the Indy 500 and some of the other IRL races at Michigan and California).

It's like the Jeep stickers read..."It's a gearhead thing, you just wouldn't understand" that's the only way I can explain it. Hope that helps.

[Pard4Life]

If I absolutely had to be surrounded by 100,000+ people, I'd rather go to the Kentucky Derby, or Jazzfest, or Bonarroo, or a Big-Ten/SEC football game. To me, at least there I am enjoying the reason all those people are there in the first place. But to each his own, I guess. :beerchug:

The only games I'd go to with that many people would be the soccer World Cup, Michigan football, and the Rose Bowl.

Mainly, the NASCAR people (ahem.. person) I know is from the sticks.

[OL FU]

A week long tail gate party with 150,000 participants, What's not to like?


:eek: and I thought NASCAR was a southern thing. I suppose Delaware is not that far north :o

[Third and Long]

Cars going 200 MPH, inches apart, strategy, action, noise, and the fact that a lot of the drivers are regular guys from small towns, similar to the fans. I grew up with a couple of NASCAR drivers myself.
Who?

[kardplayer]

Seems to me it stems from guys growing up in the 60's and 70's and their love of tinkering with muscle cars to improve performance and the appreciation of the fact that these cars can perform at this level for the distance of the race at that level!!

Today cars dont break down often like they used to so you cant appreciate the performance that they achieve! and if they do you dont have the knowledge or the wherewithal to work on them. They have to be hooked to computers to diagnose problems rather than getting in there and fixing them yourself.Today guys just have flowmasters and big sound systems installed and drive them,wash them and park em!

I have followed nascar since the late 60's and have lost altot of that appreciation myself since everything is so orchestrated and mechanized these days!!

Hope this give a little insight and gives a little perspective on a question many people ask these days!!!!!!! JMO :nod:

I've asked this same question a lot and this is by far the best answer I've ever heard. I actually think I get it a little now.

I tried going to a race at Pocono a few years ago, and frankly, didn't see the allure at all.


whenever someone asks me about liking NASCAR I tell them to pick a driver based on some connection and follow them every week, and go to a race. If after a season of following a driver you still don't like NASCAR you probably never will.

Ok, I'll give it a go if someone can help me decide who to pick. I've got three thoughts for "connections":

Jimmie Johnson - he won the Pocono race I went to
Someone from the Penske team (Lehigh alum)
A rookie or comeback of the year type candidate - I like underdogs
I'm open to any suggestions (feel free to PM me so I don't bog down the thread)...

[Tribefan]

The attraction? Where else can you get 100,000 people in 1 place and only be able to count 160,000 teeth?

[blukeys]

The attraction? Where else can you get 100,000 people in 1 place and only be able to count 160,000 teeth?


Not so tribefan. I had that prejudice as well until I actually made a point of meeting the fans that came to Dover. Most are very well off (those $100,000+ RV's are not given away!!!!) The amount of drinking is truly phenomenal. But I will tell you that NASCAR fans are unbelievably generous and will readily tell you their story and why they follow Nascar. My absolute favorite was a guy from Michigan who had his own RV and followed the circuit. He had worked for GM driving a truck delivering cars across the U.S..
After he retired he realized that he and his Mrs. could not spend significant amounts of time together without killing each other. :eek: :eek: :eek:

He bought an RV and followed Nascar and right now is spending about 9 weeks with his wife before Daytona. He says that is the only thing keeping him married. Every year I give him a toast, "Women You can't live with them, You can't live without them!!!!!!" :smiley_wi :smiley_wi :smiley_wi

[Third and Long]

Not so tribefan. I had that prejudice as well until I actually made a point of meeting the fans that came to Dover. Most are very well off (those $100,000+ RV's are not given away!!!!) The amount of drinking is truly phenomenal. But I will tell you that NASCAR fans are unbelievably generous and will readily tell you their story and why they follow Nascar. My absolute favorite was a guy from Michigan who had his own RV and followed the circuit. He had worked for GM driving a truck delivering cars across the U.S..
After he retired he realized that he and his Mrs. could not spend significant amounts of time together without killing each other. :eek: :eek: :eek:

He bought an RV and followed Nascar and right now is spending about 9 weeks with his wife before Daytona. He says that is the only thing keeping him married. Every year I give him a toast, "Women You can't live with them, You can't live without them!!!!!!" :smiley_wi :smiley_wi :smiley_wi
I agree several respectful NASCAR fans; Not all are those with no teeth.